"It’s getting harder to pay tuition, so I have to look for ways to save money and take opportunities that will help me through my education," says Julia Schum, who is the winner of a $1,000 Partners scholarship.

Like so many students, Julia has firsthand experience with the rising costs of a college education. In the past decade, tuition and fees at Virginia's public institutions have increased 79 percent.  Today, Virginia ranks sixth for the highest tuition in the country, placing undue burdens on Virginia’s students and families.  

“Rising college tuition costs have made it more difficult to take advantage of the opportunities it offers,” says Julia. "Instead of focusing on getting experience for my future career, I have to spend more time worrying about how I’ll pay my way through the next semester."

A Virginia Commonwealth University sophomore studying marketing, Julia also loves surfing, writing, and playing the guitar.   Her goal is to one day work in social media and design for lifestyle, beauty, and fashion brands.

"One thing that also helped me cut down on these costs was taking dual enrollment classes in high school, which saved me a lot of money when I got to college," she said.

The opportunity to win this scholarship came during last fall’s Price Tag of Higher Ed Town Hall Tour, which took place in Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia and the Richmond area, where Partners raffled off a $1,000 scholarship to participants on behalf of a qualified college student enrolled at one of Virginia's public colleges or universities.  

This year, Julia was the lucky winner, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help.

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