Help for Those Helping Others
It’s been a decade since Tufts launched the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) specifically to support alumni who pursue careers in the nonprofit or public-service sectors. Thousands of alumni have received funds that lighten their debt load, thanks to the Omidyar-Tufts Microfinance Fund, established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, A88, H11, and his wife, Pamela, J89, H11.
“We’re going strong,” said LRAP administrator Matthew Reardon, A03, who knows well how students like Rogers are looking for support as they join the workforce—brimming with ideals, but also confronting tough financial realities, like meeting rent and monthly loan payments.
“They want to make the world a better place by working in the public sector,” he said. “But if you’re taking that job at a nonprofit instead of one in the private sector, you’re likely to make less money.”
LRAP eases that stress with awards that go directly to reducing debt. A total of $500,000 is awarded each year, and depending on a person’s demonstrated need, awards range from $500 to $5,000, with an average award of approximately $1,200. To date, more than 3,500 awards have been dispersed—371 last year—benefitting thousands of alumni (recipients are eligible for repeat awards.)
The program’s main benefit, of course, is practical. It helps graduates pay down loans faster, and, by extension, makes personal finances more manageable. But benefits are also intangible; the awards speak to the Tufts’ hallmark of civic engagement, both locally and globally, said Reardon.
With the next deadline for applications coming up on December 1—for more information, go here), Tufts Now reached out to alumni from various schools to find out what the program has meant to them.
Taking Charge of Health
Shoghig Balkian, MPH09, is literally putting health care into the hands of patients. As senior manager of the digital user experience team at Dignity Health, she helps design self-service tools and features that allow patients—the poor and disenfranchised, as well as the commercially insured across California, Arizona, and Nevada—to seek, find, and request care through smartphones, tablets, and computers.
“What brings me the greatest satisfaction is that I’m designing something that ultimately helps people serve their own health-care needs,” she said.
LRAP, said Balkian, contributes to her desire to help the underserved take charge of their health. “When I first heard about the program, I thought it was wonderful,” she said. “As a first-generation college graduate in the U.S., I didn’t know much about grants or scholarships I could have received for my grad degree from Tufts.”
And the spirit of the program “allows me to continue doing work for a cause and purpose that helps me do my life’s work,” she said. “I’m thankful each year for every little bit the program can give.”
Read more alumni LRAP experiences here.