BE INVENTIVE
(In response to Emily Schwartz’s Oct. 31 column, “As tuition soars, students must plan.”)
I think there is an entrepreneurial solution to the college student loan debt issue.
There are three ways that connecting student class projects with businesses can positively impact the student loan debt problem.
First, donations for class projects — your university may not feel comfortable allowing students to make money from their homework, but what if you allowed businesses who were happy with the results of their class project to make a donation to the student.
Maybe the donation goes directly toward tuition as a scholarship of sorts.
Second, build a network of potential employers — by connecting students with businesses while they are still in the classroom, you will help students create a network of potential employers who they have already worked with through class projects.
Ultimately employers will feel more comfortable hiring those students for jobs and internships because they are familiar with their work and have already established a relationship with them. Ultimately as long as students have a quality job, they should be able to pay off their student loan debt.
Third, gain real world experience — the more real world experience a student can gain, the more qualified they will be for jobs after graduation. Real world projects are great resume builders, and will help students demonstrate what they have learned.
Again, real would experience makes a student marketable, and ultimately more likely to secure the job needed to pay back student debts.
Adam Hoeksema
Statepress.com reader
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