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Selling Out At Graduation? Student Looks To Wipe Out Debt With Ads On Cap

DETROIT (CBS DETROIT ) - One college graduate has an ingenious plan to cut down on his student loans.

WWJ's Russ McNamara reports that a University of Michigan - Flint student is calling attention to a problem plaguing millions of college grads across the country.

About 62 percent of graduates leave college with substantial debt, and one of those students is 22-year-old international business student, Alex Benda of St. Claire, but he has a plan ... sell advertising space on the top of his graduation cap!

"If anyone knows of a job opportunity out there - I would absolutely love to pay it off myself if I could," said Benda. "For ten dollars I'll send you a letter, twenty dollars I'll write you a letter and draw anything you want me too ..."

Benda hopes he'll draw attention to the crippling student loan debt students have to face with the paid ads on the mortarboard.

"It's very scary going out into the world, the job economy is bad, if I get a standard job it's going to take me 10-20 years just to pay back four years of education," he said.

So far he's raised about $1,200 to go toward his cost of higher education.

Benda is selling one inch squares for $300 each through his online fundraising effort.

The average student will be looking at just under $30,000 in debt as they walk across the stage to collect their diploma.

Benda's fundraising page: HERE

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