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At the age of 19, Salem State psychology student Isabel Collazo ’21, who had been commuting to campus from her Salem home, found herself in an unimaginable situation. 

“I was kicked out of my house,” Collazo recalls, “and I had nowhere to live but my car.” 

Her search for a solution was circuitous and stressful. Collazo sometimes stayed with her boyfriend, but that wasn’t a permanent solution. Meanwhile, she struggled to pay for basic necessities, and she feared her academic success and long-term master’s degree goal were at risk. 

Collazo tried to take out a loan to live on campus to mitigate the situation. Unfortunately, without parents as co-signatories, she found no legal avenue to do so.  

Finally, Collazo connected with Rachel Frank ’19G, MSW, Salem State’s former student life case manager. Collazo felt immense gratitude as Frank guided her through an array of resources that might help her meet her basic needs—and, by extension, achieve her educational dreams. 

“I was in a struggle, but with Rachel’s help, I was able to overcome it,” Collazo says.  

Two of the most significant forms of assistance Collazo received were the Massachusetts Student Housing Security Pilot Program, funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Commission on Unaccompanied Homeless Youth, and the Student Emergency Fund, funded by unrestricted giving. The former provided housing for twelve months, and the latter helped cover food and grocery store gift cards, among other necessities—including a transition to an apartment after her pilot program year concluded. 

With her basic needs met, Collazo could focus on her education once more. She found herself mentally in a better place at work, as well, and takes pride in earning money for expenses such as her phone, gas for her car, and pet supplies for her emotional support animal. 

Unfortunately, Collazo says, her trials aren’t that unusual: The rising costs of public college have put higher education out of reach for many of her peers.  “A lot of students who I went to high school with didn’t go to college because of financials,” Collazo recalls. “Their parents couldn’t help them go to college, and like me, they tried to pay on their own with their working money. But it’s really hard – sometimes impossible.” 

Collazo says she is fortunate to be benefitting from Salem State’s support and hopes to see these opportunities extended to more students in the future. 

“I’m so grateful that Salem State helped me escape a really bad place, providing a much better way of living,” Collazo adds. “I want to express fully that the program should be there for everyone who needs it. I’m happy with my journey, and I have Salem State to thank for making that possible.” 

Written by Rebecca Hains, PhD, professor, media and communication