Emily Olivares was surprised when a friend told her she is $50,000 in debt after paying for four years of college. I almost had a heart attack, Olivares said. That’s a lot of money. She has no such problem. Her tuition for four years at Western Michigan University was about $40,000. But, a program called Kalamazoo Promise paid for it all. Since 2006, a group of secret donors provided money so students who graduate from Kalamazoo public schools can attend a Michigan state college. The money pays tuition for students in part or fully. I don’t think I would be in the same place in life right now if it wasn’t for this program, said the 22-year-old Olivares. She recently graduated from Western Michigan University, and works for Kalamazoo Promise. In the future, she hopes to set up international study programs for college students. The Kalamazoo program is now getting more attention because of Hillary Clinton. The Democratic candidate for president is proposing a free tuition program for the entire country.