“I live way below the poverty line. If I didn’t receive scholarships and Pell Grants, there is absolutely no way I’d be able to continue my education here. I started off at a community college and my Pell Grant was pretty small. But when I decided to transfer to UNCW, President Obama had doubled funding for Pell Grants and my financial aid doubled.

“I’m an example of the fact that, if you give people a chance, we’ll do fairly well. Not only am I committed to my academics, I am involved in student organizations and involved in my community. President Obama’s policies are giving people like me a chance to live up to their potential and become productive members of society. People just want the opportunity to go to school and be successful.

“President Obama and Vice President Biden just get it. They get working class people since they came from those backgrounds themselves. They know what it’s like to work hard. They are able to connect with people, especially students. You can tell that they really care about you and what happens to your future.”

—Nikki, a student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington

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