Who We Are – Michelle Sparling

Hi! My name is Michelle Sparling and I am one of the five contributors of Rai$e It. This is my second semester as a transfer student at the University of Maryland. I am currently in my junior year majoring in communications.

Minimum wage has always been a personal issue because I have worked for these unlivable wages. When I was 16 it was a bit of a different story since I was living with my parents and I did not pay rent. I jumped from retail store to retail store just for the difference of a few cents. I finally found a decent job when I was a senior in high school working as a swim instructor, paying about $10.50 and hour. I was beginning to save for school but it almost seemed impossible with College Park’s tuition and living expenses. Rent alone on average is $900 a month and to simply park my car is an addition $120 a month. This does not include the cost of tuition, textbooks, groceries, and any other activities. I did not want to burden my parents or myself with thousands and thousands of dollars in debt. I had to make the tough decision to continue living at home in order to work and go to community college. Now here, it was still mind blowing to come up with over $1000 just to live each month. I again had to make a saddening decision to live a few miles away from campus in order to afford rent at half the cost. With my family being labeled as “upper-middle class,” it is unthinkable that it is still a struggle to live comfortably as a young-adult and student.

Who We Are – Ryan Jeffers

Hey! My name is Ryan Jeffers, I’m a proud contributor of Rai$e it! I transferred to the University of Maryland last semester from Salisbury University. I am a senior majoring in Communications.

I have worked countless jobs since I was 14 years old. Any low paying/broke-college-student job you can think of, I have probably done it. From camp counselor, to groundskeeper, to automotive transportation, to every single restaurant job under manager; I have done it all. My very first job paid $50 per week for 40+ hours of work ($1.25 per hr). Since it was my first job and I was 14, I was ecstatic to be getting paid at all. While I was attending Salisbury University, my job paid $8.50 an hour and I worked around 30 hours per week. I found myself struggling to pay for daily expenses such as meals, clothes, or gas money. Considering the fact that I was not paying for rent or tuition makes me think that $7.25 an hour for ANY job should be a crime. If we can gradually raise minimum wage to a reasonable number,  America’s economy and overall quality of life will improve right in front of our eyes.

Who We Are – Christine Troiano

Hi! My name is Christine Troiano and I am a contributor to Rai$e it! I am a senior at the University of Maryland, studying communications. Post grad I plan to venture to the West Coast in pursuit of a job in branding/marketing.

I have worked in retail as well as a a marketing and social media intern for a non profit organization. My internship was unpaid, but as a sales associate I never questioned to issue of minimum wage. The benefits of raising the minimum wage far outweigh any sort of negative implication it would cause. As Caroline said, raising minimum wage by even just $2.85, over 3 million Americans would not have to rely on food stamps. When the minimum wage was raised to $7.25 a number of states saw their unemployment rates decrease. It is proven that $7.25 is not an income someone can comfortably live on. By raising the minimum wage, the American community and economy will improve drastically.

Who We Are – Caroline Crowder

Hello! I’m Caroline Crowder and also a contributor to Rai$e it! I am also a Junior at Maryland studying communications and minoring in business. Ideally after college, I hope to work in event planning or marketing.

I’ve worked as a sales associate as well as an apartment CA, and always seemed to accept minimum wage as it was. It wasn’t until last semester that I took a class about the economy and realized all of the benefits of raising minimum wage. As Joey said, many people would be able to lead less stressful lives and be able to afford basic necessities. In addition, I’ve learned that there are even larger benefits that would affect the general public. According to a study by the Center for American Progress, raising minimum wage to just $10.10 would help over 3 million Americans get off food stamps. I’ve also learned that raising minimum wage would also be beneficial to businesses because many successful businesses already pay their workers beyond minimum wage to attract skilled workers. I want livable wages for all because I believe that those who work hard should get what they deserve and also believe that raising minimum wage would have a positive impact on businesses and our economy.

Who We Are – Joey Ciampa

Hey Guys! My name is Joey Ciampa, I’m one of five contributors to Rai$e it! I’m a Junior at the University of Maryland, College Park currently studying communications.

Gratuitous Selfie

I’ve been working various jobs since I was legally allowed to; 16 in Connecticut where I’m from. Coming from a fairly privileged household, I had never stressed about money. Working 20+ hours a week was enough to sustain my selfish need for cash. Along the way, I had encountered coworkers who didn’t have it as easy as me. Working multiple part time jobs, working 60+ hours a week, barely earning enough to eat dinner that night. These coworkers were not afforded the luxurious safety net I was so fortunate to receive from my parents. Connecting with these kind and generous people, I knew no one should have to live such a stressful life, scouring for available hours just to keep a roof over their heads. This is why I fight for livable wages for all!