Pay It Forward Program Allowed Asia to Pursue Radiography

Workforce & Education Investments, Workforce & Economic Mobility

Asia came to the Radiography Program at Hudson County Community College right after high school, originally planning to pursue nursing.

“I was in the nursing track for a long time, but I realized I didn’t want to do nursing and switched to radiography,” Asia said.

Paying for school was a challenge. Asia and her family split the monthly tuition payments, with Asia working and putting every paycheck toward school. “It was just very difficult. Every paycheck was going toward tuition, and sometimes I thought about opening up a credit card just to pay for it,” she recalled.

When Asia learned about the NJ Pay It Forward Program, the decision to apply for the zero-interest loan was easy. “It definitely helped because now I’m just concentrating on paying bills for home and my own personal bills. The program alleviated the anxiety of living paycheck to paycheck,” Asia said.

Asia used the loan and emergency aid funds to cover unexpected costs, including car troubles and medical bills. “It made it much easier to stay on track with school,” Asia said.

Now, Asia is working as a tech aide, hoping to secure a full-time position as an X-ray tech after graduation. “Most of us find jobs right before we graduate. Hopefully, I’ll get a job where I’m working now,” Asia said. With starting salaries more than $65,000 a year, she feels confident about the future.

One of the most meaningful aspects of the NJ Pay It Forward Program for Asia is the “pay it forward” component. “It was very clear that repayments go back into the fund to support future students. It feels good knowing that when I repay my loan, I’m helping someone else get the same opportunity.”

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