Fernando Lira


This past December (2014) I graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA. Although it is a private university, it is because of the availability of in-state tuition for undocumented students that I was able to attend SMU. I could not afford to go to a four-year university after high school so I started at a community college, Eastfield College. Even at the community college level it was only because of scholarships that I could afford to attend; if in-state tuition was not available I could not have afforded to work towards an Associate degree.

Thanks to in-state tuition I was able to maintain a strong work ethic and earned a full scholarship to SMU. If in-state tuition is revoked then thousands of hard working Texans, with vast more talent than I have, will not be afforded the opportunity of higher education and a fair shot at contributing to their community to the fullest of their capabilities.