"Knowing that my tuition would be covered, I was excited because that was a huge burden," Emmanuel said.
Emmanuel qualified and got approved for full tuition coverage and quickly enrolled to become a registered nurse at Excelsior University.
All the expensive classes Emmanuel took last year added up, but at the end of the year, the college said her scholarship wasn't funded, and she owed a five-figure bill.
"The school was also confused. They kept telling me to reach out to 1199. They told me I was never part of the program," Emmanuel said.
The tuition, over $16,000, meant Emmanuel couldn't enroll in the following semester without paying for some of it. She wasn't about to let her career fail, so instead of quitting, Emmanuel took out a loan.
"I had to take a loan to get the hold off my account and continue on my education. When I have a goal, obstacles won't stop me from pursuing my RN degree," Emmanuel said.
When she couldn't get any answers from the union, Emmanuel pursued another avenue.
"I did some research. You guys came up on Google. I found the email and sent over my story," Emmanuel said.
The RN-in-training found 7 On Your Side.
"All my tuition was paid, and they notified the school that was reversed. I was in the hole, so that 16,000 was reversed," Emmanuel said.
As soon as 7 On Your Side contacted the union, they paid Emmanuel's tuition in full - $16,000.
The union said, "The 1199SEIU Training and Employment Funds is committed to supporting educational advancement and excellence in the health care industry. We have thoroughly reviewed Ms. Curiah Emmanuel's case and are taking steps to resolve this matter. We will be paying the $16,000 tuition balance Ms. Emmanuel owes to Excelsior University. While this debt was incurred during a period when she was not actively enrolled in our sponsorship program, we recognize that administrative confusion may have contributed to this situation."
"I got the news from 1199, they are going to pay for everything. The vice president said she was sorry for everything that happened these past couple months and all the loans will be reimbursed," Emmanuel said.
The news came just in time for her to say, "I do" and get married.
"Thank you so much for your help, I wouldn't have been able to do it without you guys," Emmanuel said.
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