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Sophomore Zakiya Williams found a perfect fit at Spelman College.
“This place was meant for me.”
But when the tough economy hit her and her family hard, she packed her bags, ready to drop out.
"I wasn't able to get loans, neither were my parents."
It's a familiar story at colleges across the country, but especially at historically black colleges and universities where in some cases, up to 95% of students rely on financial aid to fund their education.
President Barack Obama has moved to increase financial aid with stimulus and budget funds, but still many black colleges expect enrollment rates to keep shrinking, as families and students struggle in the economic downturn.
"… many students wan to come. Will they be able to afford to come?"
Since 2004, 238 million dollars of federal funding was earmarked annually for historically black colleges. And in the last two years, those institutions also benefited from an extra 85 million dollars each year under the College Cost Reduction Act, which ends in May of 2010. So those institutions may feel the squeeze even more.
"We are underresourced. We try to keep our costs as low as possible. That means that our margins are always very tight."
In the Atlanta area alone, Morehouse College laid off 25 adjunct professors. Spelman is eliminating 35 jobs next year