College is an exciting time for anyone lucky enough to take part in it. But it is expensive. Whether it's campus housing, books, general tuition, dining options, or any of a dozen other college expenses, these things add up. These expenses pile up at a time when young people are least able to pay for them.

Brianna Gasgonia grew up in Southern California and is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, double majoring in German and Russian and pursuing certificates in Russian and Eastern European Studies and European Union Studies. Her interest in international affairs began shortly after high school graduation, when she had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany as a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholar.