Gabriel Toro, 23, stands on the sidewalk near his apartment in Boston on March 11. Toro completed the credits required for a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston but the school wouldn't release Toro's transcript or degree because of an unpaid balance. Gabriel Toro choked up behind his mask as he described the lengths it took him to complete his bachelor's degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Estranged from his parents and briefly homeless, he took out $50,000 in federal loans. He worked as a mental health counselor, a busboy in a bar, a team member at a Whole Foods and a cashier on the night shift at a diner while juggling a full slate of courses. He skipped meals and shared a studio apartment to save on food and rent. He took a job in a clothing store to get the employee discount on the clothes he needed for his internships.