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This Note examines a surprising obstacle for an increasing number of college students: homelessness. After first offering an overview of legislation in the education field dealing specifically with the education of those experiencing homelessness, this Note then offers insights into how and why people experiencing homelessness tackle both the world of higher education and their respective institutions' capacities to service their needs both in and out of the classroom. This exploration occurs largely through interview testimony conducted by the author. Many institutions lack the resources needed to service all of a students' needs (food, clothing, etc.). After exploring the malleability of the higher education and social services systems, this Note argues that certain policy changes - legislation, community work, and change at the institutional level - would be beneficial in combatting this growing homelessness epidemic.
I. Introduction
Bronx native and Harvard graduate Liz Murray became homeless at the age of sixteen.1 Forced to reside in subway stations and public parks, Ms. Murray resorted to stealing food and shoplifting self-help books to study for exams and do everything in her power to survive.2 Her perseverance paid off when she gained admission to Harvard college, despite her past as, in her own words, "one of those people on the streets you walk away from."3 Her story is now an American bestselling-book.4 And it is by no means an isolated tale of overcoming some of life's most perilous obstacles.
To many, the term "homeless5 college student" sounds like a contradiction. Given the skyrocketing cost of a college education - even at the community college level - at first glance it would appear to be near impossible for someone experiencing homelessness to have the resources necessary to pursue a college education.6 However, in 2013, nearly 60,000 applicants for federal financial aid under the age of twenty-one self-identified as homeless; given that this figure does not encompass students over the age of twenty-one, the number likely eclipses 100,000.7 A recent survey of community college students across the nation suggests that thirteen percent of this population is homeless.8 As recently as this year, a survey of community college and university students found that thirty-six percent of this population were "housing insecure" in the last year.9 Homelessness, which is often a...