From my first week at Yale, I have had to seek out paid opportunities in order to fulfill the SIC unlike my wealthier peers who could pursue roles based solely on interest. Although I have loved my student jobs, the significant hours I’ve worked have greatly limited my ability to join many extracurriculars, attend guest lectures, and even take heavy course loads. Several non-profit student organizations such as Matriculate have begun offering small stipends to low-income student volunteers recognizing the burden on low-income students — it’s time Yale recognizes this as well!

Rohan Angadi, He/Him, 2021, Hopper College