This week, Rep. Pete Aguilar hosted a for-profit college student loan relief and transfer workshop for students affected by for-profit college closures. The workshop, which assisted over forty students, included presentations and assistance from Rep. Aguilar’s staff and officials from the U.S. Department of Education.

“I know firsthand how difficult it can be to afford a college education and how crushing student loan debt can feel,” said Rep. Aguilar. He continued, “For-profit colleges have a history of suddenly closing and leaving students without degrees or means to settle their debts. This is unacceptable. I’m glad we hosted this event and that we were able to help guide students on their options for student loan relief and transfer opportunities.”

Jose Vasquez, who attended Everest College, thanked Rep. Aguilar for hosting the event and added, “It was a helpful event, I learned about a new state program for loan borrowers.”

Rep. Aguilar has hosted three college affordability workshops since taking office. His previous sessions focused on students affected by the closure of Everest College and for families navigating the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process.

Rep. Aguilar’s college education was made possible through Pell Grants and part-time jobs. In addition to cosponsoring a number of bills to make college more affordable, Rep. Aguilar authored the Grace Period Alleviation (GPA) Act, which would help recent graduates by extending their loan repayment grace period, eliminating interest payments during the grace period for students with subsidized loans and allowing students to refinance their loans under certain circumstances. To learn more about Rep. Aguilar’s commitment to making higher education more affordable, visit his website here.