Out of state tuition fees waived for Puerto Rican students
Camila Sofia Garcia Molina, a sophomore majoring in mass communications is also the USF representative for the campaign, Students With Purto Rico and is committed to achieving her academic goals in spite of the hard-times those who live in Puerto Rico are experiencing. ORACLE PHOTO/ CAMILA SOFIA GARCIA MOLINA
After seeing the damage done to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the USF System announced that all out-of-state fees will be waived during this academic year for students whose permanent residence is in those islands, after Gov. Rick Scott introduced the idea last week.
“As always, our priority at the University of South Florida is positioning students for success,” USF Board of Trustees Chair Brian Lamb said in a press release on Friday. “We support Governor Scott’s initiatives to reduce the financial burden placed on students affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. The USF system will continue to assist our students as their families rebuild and recover.”
USF will reach out to every applicable student and provide information on how to apply for the waiver.
Eddie Feliciano, a senior majoring in industrial engineering, is the senior advisor for the Boricua Association, an organization for students with a Puerto Rican background and those who appreciate the culture.
“I think that it is a crucial step in lending a helping hand to the people who experienced the devastation of Hurricane Maria,” Feliciano said. “In order to rebuild, I believe that one has to drive progress at all levels and there is no greater path to progress than the production of talented professionals.
“Many students had their graduation set for this coming December and once Maria hit it took that away from them. This initiative goes as an opportunity to not only achieve their goals and dreams but also to step into the professional world and help their island to rise up from the storm.”
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