In this episode of Learning Disrupted, I the host Sydney Ledoux, explores how the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the already severe student debt crisis in the United States. Before the pandemic, student debt levels were reaching unprecedented highs, with the average graduate owing $30,000. Women of color, particularly Black and Latina women, were disproportionately burdened by debt due to systemic inequities. This debt often forces students to delay life milestones such as starting a family or purchasing a home. The ripple effects of this financial burden contribute to the growing racial wealth gap in the United States. By 2020, the average debt for students entering public colleges was projected to climb to $37,200.

When COVID-19 hit, it magnified these financial struggles. Many students, particularly women of color, were overrepresented in sectors like retail and healthcare that experienced significant job losses. This economic upheaval made it even harder for these students to manage their debt. At the same time, accessing financial aid became more challenging. Low-income students, who were already struggling with the rising cost of education, found themselves navigating an even more difficult FAFSA process. Relief efforts, such as the CARES Act, temporarily paused federal student loan payments, but these measures failed to address the needs of the most vulnerable borrowers, such as those attending for-profit schools or those who hadn’t completed their degrees.

The pandemic’s disruption extended beyond financial aid and debt. Internships and job opportunities vanished, leaving many graduates uncertain about their futures. In the episode, students like Denny Budman, Tariq Ziad, and Juvie Ann Ignacio share their experiences of losing jobs and internships due to the pandemic. These stories reveal how job instability and mounting debt compounded the challenges faced by first-generation, low-income, and marginalized students.

The long-term consequences are even more concerning. Rising debt levels could discourage future generations from pursuing higher education, particularly students from low-income and minority backgrounds. For those who do attend college, the burden of student loans will make it harder to build wealth, buy homes, or save for retirement, perpetuating racial and income disparities. Experts predict that unless reforms are implemented, the pandemic’s financial fallout will create a “lost generation” of students trapped in debt and struggling to achieve financial stability.

This episode highlights the need for systemic changes to address student debt, improve access to financial aid, and reduce education costs. Without these reforms, young people will continue to face overwhelming financial challenges, hindering their ability to achieve upward mobility and secure their futures. Policymakers must prioritize addressing the root causes of student debt to prevent the cycle from worsening. The choices we make today will determine the opportunities available to future generations.

I conclude with a call to action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this crisis. Reforming student debt policies isn’t just about individual financial health; it’s about ensuring socioeconomic equity and a brighter future for all.

My separate question is, how has the advancement in technologies impacted the well-being and success of the student? This episode will go extremely in depth as to how technology has been altered after the circumstances of the pandemic, while also looking at the broader picture of technology’s impacts on education. This paves the way for the future because the next episode focuses on financial debt, which could be linked due to not being able to afford higher technologies, or even how it could lead to negative mental health. I will explain my scholarly sources through articles such as COVID’s impact on mental health, as well as . This question does not have answers, only further questions to be answered as you dig deeper. I believe the tone will be critical and serious for the most part, getting the points across with the use of humor of course.

In this episode of Learning Disrupted, titled "Students Speak on Mental Health During and After the Pandemic," Thomas Gascon delves into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of high school and college students. We hear interviews with students in early 2021, about a year into the pandemic. These interviews provide first-hand accounts from adolescents aged 13–18 who experienced significant life transitions, such as moving from middle to high school or navigating critical high school years, as the pandemic was happening. These students reflect on how the pandemic altered their sleep schedules, routines, and overall mental well-being, with many reporting increased stress and emotional struggles. The discussion broadens to include the experiences of college students, who encountered many of the same mental health challenges as their younger counterparts. These students grappled with heightened anxiety stemming from the unpredictability of their educational journeys, depression brought on by prolonged isolation, and a pervasive sense of loneliness as they navigated remote learning and social restrictions. Thomas notes that the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic led some prospective college students to delay their enrollment entirely.

The episode also incorporates valuable insights from a research study focusing on nursing students in the Rocky Mountains region, shedding light on their diverse experiences during the pandemic. Through in-depth interviews, these students shared their perspectives on how the shift to remote learning influenced both their academic and personal lives. On one hand, some students expressed appreciation for the increased flexibility and accessibility of online education, which allowed them to balance their studies with other responsibilities more effectively. However, numerous nursing students reported feeling deeply disconnected from their instructors and peers, saying that a lack of direct interaction left them feeling isolated and unsupported. This lack of engagement not only hindered their academic progress but also took a toll on their mental health, as they struggled to maintain motivation and a sense of belonging in a remote environment.

Thomas concludes the episode with a reflection on the impact of the pandemic on today’s students. He explains that the challenges faced during the pandemic have left a lasting imprint on the education and emotional well-being of students at all levels. These experiences, he argues, have fundamentally altered how students engage with their education, peers, and support systems. In light of this, Thomas calls on educational institutions to recognize the needs of their student communities. He advocates for changes that prioritize mental health and well-being, including creating more accessible counseling and mental health resources. By addressing the gaps and challenges brought to light by the pandemic, Thomas believes schools and universities can better equip students not only to recover but to thrive.

To introduce the new podcast series of “Learning Disrupted”, I will be talking about the transition to online learning, the integrity and effectiveness of online education, and how distance learning might look for different forms of education such as medical school, university, and even homeschooling in the first episode: “Welcome Home”. By examining the factors that contribute to the attempts to make online education a proper substitution for in person learning, I will discuss whether or not I think distance learning is as effective as traditional with my special guest, Maddy Milne, and various other resources. While I understand that distance learning was likely the most effective method to resume education during Covid 19, I aim to explore how tactics could have been improved, how online academic impacted the quality of education and student learning outcomes, and if online education should be continuously offered as a replacement for standard learning. Much of what I talk about in the first episode of “Learning Disrupted” relates to other topics covered by my cohosts in the next episodes such as the impact isolated learning had on student mental health (explored by Thomas in episode two) and the rapid expansion of technology in education (examined by Bobby in episode three). My special guest Maddy is a close friend of mine that has a very unique experience with online learning since she was homeschooled during the lockdown simultaneously attended community college and is now at the University of Connecticut studying Allied Health Sciences with the goal joining the Certified Entry in Nursing program. I asked her to give her two cents with her experience after each topic I cover and towards the end of the episode we will have an open discussion about online education and how it impacts the specific field both of us are in, which is medicine. While I have some very strong opinions about distance learning, I hope to have my mind changed a little with the help of the resources I’ve analyzed and a different guest perspective on the matter; and hopefully change some of your minds too.

Guest notes: Maddy Milne: 3rd Year Student at the University of Connecticut, Graduate of Manchester Community College.