Josiah Manners: What happens to a dream deferred? It dries up, festers, and ultimately dies.

As a first-year finance student at Barry University, I represent the future of Florida’s workforce — a future that is now at risk. Nearly 22,000 students across the state could lose access to the funding they rely on to pursue their degrees.

I’m not just another statistic but a real student whose dreams could be derailed by budget cuts.

The Florida House is proposing significant cuts to the Effective Access to Student Education (EASE) voucher, which provides tuition assistance to Florida students attending independent colleges and universities.

From the moment I began my college career at Barry, I’ve known it was the right place. The smaller class sizes, connected campus, and familial atmosphere immediately drew me in. Professors, deans, and even President Mike Allen — who takes the time to know students by name — ensure that I never feel like just another face in the crowd. Barry is the perfect place for me to grow both academically and personally. I’m on track to succeed.

The EASE voucher plays a significant role in making my attendance at Barry possible.

Growing up as the son of a single parent educator, I learned early on the transformative power of education. My mother, who works tirelessly to support our family, including my younger brother, instilled in me a deep appreciation for academic opportunity, but she can’t support my educational journey alone.

The support EASE provides not only helps me cover the cost of tuition but also allows me to focus on my studies without worrying about putting more financial strain on my family.

This isn’t just my story. Losing EASE will affect many of my classmates who work overnight shifts, care for siblings or their children, and are still pursuing their dreams of becoming nurses, social workers, and health care professionals.

These are the people who will form the backbone of Florida’s workforce.

Cutting this scholarship doesn’t just trim a budget line; it undercuts the very future of Florida’s skilled workforce. Short-term budget relief should never come at the cost of long-term prosperity.

To balance the state budget on the backs of students is to defer dreams—and as poet Langston Hughes asked, what happens to a dream deferred? It dries up, festers, and ultimately dies.

I urge legislators in Tallahassee not to disqualify schools like Barry from awarding EASE. Do not hinder the dreams of nearly 22,000 students and undermine Florida’s long-term growth and prosperity. Florida cannot afford to let that happen.

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Josiah Manners is an undergraduate student at Barry University. He serves as the Chief of Staff for the university’s Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF).