DESERT SUN (COACHELLA VALLEY) -- Giovanni Hoyos, a junior majoring in cinematography at San Francisco State University, had to leave campus and return to his hometown of Thousand Palms soon after the state shut down.
He received scholarships and financial aid to cover tuition, but the pandemic meant he could no longer work to afford his townhouse.
His return to Thousand Palms, he said, means he is missing out on opportunities to further his career. He is part of Delta Kappa Alpha, a national and gender-inclusive fraternity of the Cinematic Arts. But he lacks the resources to travel the nearly 500 miles back to campus to access equipment he needs to complete digital media projects and gain experience and networking opportunities in his field.