Student loan debt has been an important legislative sticking point for the current Biden Administration, which has made lowering debt a priority for the millions who face this heavy financial burden. In the United States alone, more than 43 million borrowers have some amount of federal student loan debt. In 2023, the national federal student loan debt reached a whopping $1.727 trillion. While 45% of borrowers owe less than $20,000, 10% owe more than $100,000, with the average PhD student borrowing over $130,000 and MD over $300,000.
Student loan debt can be a substantial financial burden on individuals, particularly recent graduates who may already be facing other financial pressures such as high cost of living, finding a job, starting a family, or purchasing a home. High levels of student debt can limit individuals’ choices and opportunities. In a recent survey, 81% of borrowers said they delayed key life decisions because of their debt.
But there may be a sliver of hope for many borrowers: The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. The PSLF Program, though in need of reform and expansion, is a much needed and welcome relief for the country’s workforce who have a passion for giving back and want to work in the public sector but need financial assistance to cover past training and tuition costs.
One higher education administrator’s journey illustrates the power and promise of the PSLF Program. Despite the program’s establishment in 2007, the first cohorts of PSLF are finally reaching the finish line after years of improper management and the previous administration’s attempt to dismantle it. After ten years of unwavering public service with the University of California System, Theodore K. Gideonse, MFA, PhD, associate professor of teaching of health, society, & behavior and director of undergraduate affairs at UC Irvine Program in Public Health, reached two significant milestones in his career. He was awarded tenure, and then a few months later, his remaining student loan balance of nearly $165,000 through the PSLF Program was set to zero.
Serving in community and rural hospitals or working for a local health care agency, they not only address disparities but also enhance public health outcomes, improve healthcare infrastructure, and foster community empowerment. We desperately need this workforce in place.”
– Theodore K. Gideonse, MFA, PhD
To understand how he reached this milestone, we must travel back to 2013 to illustrate Gideonse’s story of passion, perseverance, and purpose. He successfully defended his dissertation, Risky Subjectivity: The Effects of Cultural Discourses of Addiction on HIV+ Men Who Have Sex with Men and Use Crystal Meth in San Diego and was conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in anthropology from UC San Diego. Usually a time of celebration, he was confronted with the harsh reality of our higher education system: a mountain of debt. He owed more than $150,000 in student loans; more than $90,000 from his PhD degree and an additional $60,000 for his Master of Fine Arts degree.
For Gideonse, the PSLF Program was a saving grace. The Program states that if you make 120 monthly payments (consecutive or not) on your student loans while working for a federal, state, local, or tribal government or many non-profit organizations, you may be eligible to have all your remaining student debt canceled. Some of the qualifying jobs may be obvious – public school teachers, firefighter, park rangers, or a nurse at a Veteran Affairs hospital. However, not everyone realizes that working for any 501c3 non-profit qualifies: a small community health organization, a Catholic charity, or a civil liberties advocacy. Doctors, nurses, and public health workers can take their specialized training to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities.
“Dedicated individuals can alleviate the burden of student debt while fulfilling their commitment to public service, allowing them to focus their skills and expertise where they are needed most,” Gideonse said. “Serving in community and rural hospitals or working for a local health care agency, they not only address disparities but also enhance public health outcomes, improve healthcare infrastructure, and foster community empowerment. We desperately need this workforce in place.”
When Gideonse was writing his dissertation, he realized that addressing the problems faced by the men he worked with during his fieldwork would involve changing how public health and health education was delivered. But like the millions of other borrowers faced with the stress of repaying student loans coupled with entering the job market, he was struggling with whether he could afford to devote his career to education – or if he would have to pursue high-salaried jobs in consulting or biotech. In 2013, it was four years before anyone could even qualify for PSLF, so it was hard to know if it was a sure thing.
“I come from a long line of public servants,” Gideonse said. “And my moral compass was always pointed towards public service, and especially to teaching. But my parents, grandparents and their generations never had to deal with the debt we face today. My parents believed in the government they worked for their entire careers, so I ended up believing that PSLF would help me.”
A few weeks after receiving his PhD, Gideonse started as an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship in HIV/AIDS prevention at UCLA. Three years later, he joined UC Irvine Public Health as a contract lecturer and then, officially, the faculty in 2018 as an assistant professor of teaching. In 2021, he became the director of undergraduate affairs. In June 2023, he was awarded tenure and later that year, he made his 120th qualifying payment. This past March, the Department of Education finalized the count and erased the balance on his student loans.
My message to prospective students and new graduates who want to serve their communities is that this program is a powerful tool for you to build your career without having to make enormous sacrifices. The idea that we must suffer if we want to help people is detrimental to society’s health and wellbeing.”
“My message to prospective students and new graduates who want to serve their communities is that this program is a powerful tool for you to build your career without having to make enormous sacrifices,” he added. “The idea that we must suffer if we want to help people is detrimental to society’s health and wellbeing.”
Gideonse’s story serves as a reminder of the transformative power of public service and the profound impact that individuals can have when given the opportunity to pursue their goals without being unduly burdened by debt.
“I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without this program and even though there have been attempts to repeal it, the program still stands today as a law,” he said. “This program is a lifeline to the millions of public servants, such as educators, policy analysts, healthcare providers in government agencies, and all the other roles who make up the foundational fabric of our society.”
