SAN MATEO, Calif., June 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Freedom Debt Relief (FDR) today awarded scholarships to three students, in an effort to ease the burden of tuition on families struggling to afford to send their children to college.
Applicants wrote an essay on the following subject: "Describe how the cost of education and taking on student loan debt have influenced your attitude and choices about your college education." Strider Schmitz of Arizona, Shalea Finley-Thompson of California and Caprice Beckham of South Carolina were selected as winners for their outstanding submissions. More than 1,100 students submitted essays, sharing their heartfelt and sincere stories of their struggle to receive an education.
Many young adults – and increasingly, their parents – find themselves burdened with tens of thousands of dollars of dollars in student debt. Currently, approximately 45 million Americans have outstanding student loan debt totaling $1.6 trillion. This Freedom initiative is aimed at helping alleviate the stress so many families endure when it comes to student loan debt and, in turn, raise awareness about this growing crisis.
According to the latest data, nearly one third of all Americans' student loan balance falls between $10,000 and $25,000, which is why FDR awarded three levels of scholarship: Gold ($25,000), Silver ($15,000) and Bronze ($10,000).
"The rising cost of higher education has compounded the debt for many families we work with and has put millions of Americans behind the eight ball, preventing them from achieving financial success," said Freedom Financial Network co-CEO Andrew Housser. "Reforming the crude system that keeps students, graduates, and families in an everlasting cycle of debt, by taking such steps as ensuring federal student loan debt can be discharged in bankruptcy, should be one of the top priorities for politicians today."
"Ever since I applied to nursing school, I have wanted to dedicate my life to helping others," said Schmitz, the Gold winner. "After working and studying around the clock, this scholarship will allow me to go abroad after graduation and offer a hand to those most in need."
"For years, the idea of attending a four-year university was simply a dream. Growing up in a single parent household hindered my ability to apply with confidence," said Finley-Thompson, the Silver winner. "Receiving this scholarship is life-changing, and I plan to make my family and Freedom proud knowing they supported my journey."
"The choice many of our generation face when it comes to student loans is absolutely overwhelming," said Beckham, the Bronze winner. "My educational path was not linear, but, through this scholarship, I have the opportunity to be the first in my family to graduate from college."
These scholarships are just one part of Freedom Debt Relief's effort to alleviate the student debt crisis. The company also sponsors a student loan forgiveness program, which recently awarded thousands of dollars to company clients hamstrung by student loan debt.
Freedom Debt Relief
Co-founded by Andrew Housser and Brad Stroh, Freedom Debt Relief part of Freedom Financial Network, LLC, a family of companies providing innovative solutions that empower people to live healthier financial lives. For people struggling with debt, the custom Freedom Debt Relief program offers the chance to significantly reduce and resolve what they owe more quickly than they could on their own. For more information about the company and its services, see http://www.freedomdebtrelief.com/faq.
Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freedom Debt Relief also operates an office in Tempe, Arizona, and employs more than 2,200. The company has been voted one of the best places to work in both the San Francisco Bay area and the Phoenix area for several years.
Contact: Michael Micheletti, [email protected], 415-359-6985
SOURCE Freedom Debt Relief
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