Photo by AP

With student debt at a national all-time high of $1.2 trillion dollars and the average of each student's personal debt at $35,051, it is no surprise that the 2016 presidential race will focus heavily on this topic. With a tough and wide race for the Republicans, with a total of 10 confirmed running candidates, it is a much tighter race for the Democrats with a total of four confirmed. Leading the pack as a female is presidential candidate and former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton.

Clinton faces a tough battle of separating and allying herself, politically, with both her husband, former President Clinton, and former boss, President Obama. With college students and millennials making up a large portion of the active voters, projected to be nearly one-third of voters in next year’s presidential election, campaigns will focus on student debt. College debt has become a national issue that has finally made its way to Capitol Hill.

President Obama introduced the proposed “American College Promise,” an idea for a free tuition to a community college for the first two years. Of course President Obama’s plan doesn't come without its stipulations, but it is one of the first proposed programs that would change the debt level of an increasing amount of students.

While Clinton hasn't really addressed this program in any specificity, she has mentioned during a recent stop in Iowa that college should be as "debt-free as possible." But until recently she hasn’t expanded her position on student debt.

She launched her campaign with an energizing speech this past Saturday, covering a wide variety of topics all on the topic of a better, more equal future America. Clinton made bold statements on a variety of economic topics and further explained where students fit into her plan for a new America.

In her fiery speech she explained, “I believe that success isn’t measured by how much the wealthiest Americans have, but by how many children climb out of poverty… How many young people go to college without drowning in debt…How many people find a good job…”

Clinton made it clear that her idea of success is based on the very real successes of every day Americans, even placing higher importance on college graduates and the need for them to not be overwhelmed in debt so that they can pursue a good job. The presidential candidate went further to say, “Let’s make college affordable and available to all, and lift the crushing burden of student debt.”

Her speech as a whole was quite liberal and covered more ground than any of her other competitors on either side of the aisle.

While Hillary Clinton still has a long road ahead of her as the presidential race continues to grow and diversify, she will most certainly be one to watch as she fields questions on her plans for debt reduction.

To watch Hillary Clinton’s full campaign launch speech from this past Saturday, check out: http://www.c-span.org/video/?326471-1/hillary-clinton-presidential-campaign-announcement

For more information on Hillary Clinton, her road to the White House, and how to volunteer, check out: www.hillaryclinton.com