St. Paul high school seniors Saylia Moo, Lay Lay, and Let Let have a lot in common. They all came to the United States from refugee camps in Thailand as young children. They work part time at Panera Bread. Before the pandemic, they volunteered at a local hospital.

The three friends also have their eyes set on the University of Minnesota. But the pandemic has made navigating the application process—college counseling, savings, and financial aid forms—harder than ever for these first-generation students.

A recent federal court ruling has given new life to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, marking a significant step forward for its 600,000-plus beneficiaries.

On this episode of River to River, current DACA recipients talk about the latest court decision and what it means for them and their future. Policy experts join the conversation to offer their take on immigration policy under President-elect Joe Biden.

After months of unrest over racial injustice across the country, Catherine Volcy, a 20-year-old junior at Towson University in Maryland, would really rather be on campus this semester. But like so many college students, she’s studying from home. And that reality makes it harder to talk through difficult issues with her peers and professors. 

A psychology major, Volcy says online education has become a barrier to standing up for the issues she believes in—but she has also found creative new ways to communicate.