Letter to the Editor - Keep education affordable

Editor,

Hello. I am currently a full-time student at Montana State University, where my father, aunt and two cousins attended university as well. Studying here has given me a sense of purpose and I have found a new home here in Bozeman; I owe my (sometimes stressful) life as a young adult seeking independence to this university.

For context, as an out-of-state student, this opportunity to seek success in my fields of interest is a special one. That is not to say that the schools in Colorado are not wonderful in themselves — but I have known this is where I am meant to be from the second I saw the campus and, with my current circumstances, it is almost or just as expensive for me to attend many Colorado schools as it is for me to move out here. I cannot assign a monetary value to the quality of education I have received since moving here, but it certainly is appreciated that it is so much lower than many schools charge, even in my home state.

Of course, I owe much of this cheaper cost to the 6-Mill Levy — without this in place, I likely would not be able to afford my degrees here, and I certainly would not have the sense of personhood this university has helped me find. The 6-Mill Levy keeps public universities in Montana affordable for all kinds of students, not just those who are privileged socially and financially. I love the diversity I see around campus and I believe this has played no small part in making this a reality. Let’s please keep this opportunity available for further generations by voting yes on the 6-Mill Levy in November. Keeping education affordable for young people is a stepping stone to bettering our community, and Montana will benefit greatly from continuing this tradition

Katie Storey

Bozeman