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Yusra Farzan
What I cover
I report on issues affecting students (prospective and current), their families and communities. Some big questions I am pondering on this beat: who are higher education institutions set up to serve? Who determines who has access to these institutions? How is changing technology affecting higher education? Is access to higher education a ticket to a different trajectory in life?
My background
I didn’t think about university up until I graduated high school. Neither of my grandparents nor parents had completed college. We were residents in the UAE and that residency was dependent on my dad holding down his job. A college degree was a nice to have, not a need to have in my family. And it was only thanks to a combination of luck (Sri Lanka’s civil war ended), grit (I balanced 3 freelance jobs and a paid internship) and sheer determination (I dodged countless marriage proposals) that I graduated with a degree.
And it’s these forces that led me to complete my master’s in race and social justice reporting from USC almost a decade later. (Add a 2-year-old to the mix and grieving the sudden death of my mother.)
I previously covered Orange County for LAist.
My goals
I want to find what works and expose what doesn't, and help students and their families find solutions to their problems.
Best way to reach me
Covering Southern California’s universities and community colleges can be a lot, so I need your help in being my eyes and ears on the ground. If you have a tip, you can email me at yfarzan@laist.com or on Signal at username: @yusramf.25
Stories by Yusra Farzan
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Nonstop rain force mandatory evacuations for parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
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The second atmospheric river could bring “life threatening impacts.”
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The emergency funds will go toward restoring passenger rail service after a recent landslide.
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Another stronger front is expected to hit Saturday, with the National Weather Service warning of dangerous, even life-threatening impacts.
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Tips for those living in areas prone to coastal erosion like along the coast or on a bluff.
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The presence of the Oriental fruit fly has also prompted a quarantine of produce grown in a large portion of the Inland Empire.
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Applications open Tuesday, Jan. 30.
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The program is designed to explore ways to combat inequity.
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The rail track sits on a hillside prone to landslides in recent years.
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What do you think came in first in the snack category? Here is a hint: It leaves a trail of bright pinkish-red dust behind.
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While mental health counselors will see an increase in pay, their demands for increased hiring of tenure-track faculty was not included in the agreement.
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More than 100 employees were notified Tuesday that they were going to be laid off.
