When Tina Walker decided to invest in her education and pursue several advanced degrees, she knew she was making a choice that would cost her. In order to pay for her continuing education, Walker, now 52, took out several student loans in the early 2010s — and she knows it will take her more years to pay back the almost $160,000 than it did to earn her Ph.D.
Today, Walker serves as vice president of human resources at the non-profit organization California Community Foundation, which works to support and uplift communities within the Los Angeles area. Walker earned her doctorate in organizational leadership in October of 2017, and just three months after graduation, the Department of Education came knocking. It was time to pay up.
