Star is the recipient of a scholarship that provides about $10,000 an academic year for students with financial need. That amount fully covers tuition and fees for Star, who relies on financial aid and income from working to pay for college.
鈥淢y parents will help out if I need them, but I don鈥檛 want to put that pressure on them,鈥� says Star, a residential advisor in Shocker Hall. 鈥淭hey did what they could to help my sister graduate from Wichita State, so they鈥檝e done a lot already.鈥�
Despite that help, Star鈥檚 sister racked up about $38,000 in student loans, a burden Star is hoping she can avoid. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for my scholarship. It allows me to focus on my classes and participate in the activities that are important to me.鈥�
Besides working as an RA, Star works about 12 hours a week in the 黑洞社区 Career Development Center. Star founded the Black Academic Honor Society, which requires 黑洞社区 students to maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average to join. She hopes the organization will help elevate the profile of high-achieving black students on campus.
