Letters to the Editor: I was broke in Ohio in the 1960s. The Cal State system was my ladder

To the editor: It was with great interest that I read your article “When it comes to elevating livelihoods, a CSU degree is tops in California, study says.” The article called to mind my own experience.

In 1961, I was living in Cleveland and had just completed my freshman year at Western Reserve University. I was also flat broke, and I knew it was the end of my college career. My parents were hard-working high school dropouts who could not afford tuition at even a public college in Ohio, much less a private school.

Then I heard about Long Beach State College. The fees per semester were $47.50. As an out-of-state student, I had to pay an additional $124. I knew I could afford that, so I packed everything I owned into a 1956 Plymouth and headed west.

Ultimately I graduated from what is now Cal State Long Beach with bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Then I went to USC to earn my doctorate. I taught in California for 47 years, mostly at the community college level, enjoying jobs that allowed me to give back to my adopted state.

I owe my professional life to the forward-looking government and taxpayers of California. Thank you for my chance at upward mobility.

Robert Kopfstein, Bonsall, Calif.