Throughout my life, I’ve always felt like an outsider. My family is Jewish and middle-income from Miami, Florida. Because my parents valued my education, they encouraged me to attend a private high school. I was only able to do this by applying for and receiving financial aid. In high school, I felt alienated by my wealthier classmates. Our lifestyles were dramatically different. They went on lavish vacations while my family stayed home. They went to upscale restaurants that I couldn’t afford. Every interaction with them came with a price tag.

At Vanderbilt University, I finally felt like I fit in. As a Pell Grant recipient, I worked two jobs for a total of 40 hours a week in addition to my 15-hour course load. I saw many other students working as hard as me, who were also just barely making ends meet.