PASADENA, Calif. — Xavier Woods would always read at the Black Student Success Center at Pasadena City College.
But when the pandemic hit, he stopped studying.
“I lost my job. I wasn’t able to go to school. I was stuck at home,” Woods said. “I ended up being homeless, so there was a lot of things that was changing and I wasn’t prepared to handle it all.”
Now he’s housed and ready to return, but he can’t register for classes because of financial holds on his account.
Dr. Cynthia Olivo, assistant superintendent and vice president of student services, said holds are holding many students back from re-enrolling.
“Students are not coming to college in the numbers that we saw in the past and that’s really disheartening,” Olivo said.
The Federal Reserve estimated in 2021 that Americans owe $1.7 trillion in student loans.
As politicians continue to debate whether to forgive student loan debt, Pasadena City College is erasing all debt students accrued during the pandemic.
PCC announced a $1.8 million debt relief program thanks to federal CARES Act dollars. President Erika Endrijonas said all students who have unpaid balances from the COVID-19 pandemic can re-enroll in classes this fall and have their debt erased — no questions asked.
“We want you to come back and if what is keeping you from doing that, is some money you may owe us, we’re going to relieve that money and get rid of that barrier,” Endrijonas said. “Our job is to get rid of as many barriers as possible to encourage students to enroll in college.”
Now over 5,000 students like Woods can return to PCC. His hold was removed, and he’s now registering for the fall.
“I’m ecstatic,” Woods said. “I really get to go back and get the credentials and get one step closer to my goals.”
Students seeking financial relief can contact the financial aid team at PCC to discuss their individual situation and understand what steps are necessary to re-enroll in classes.
Fall 2022 semester classes begin Aug. 29.