Freshmen Silvia Lu and Paul Snell will represent Claremont McKenna College in Sacramento on Wednesday, March 9, to lobby against further state-proposed cuts to Cal Grant funding.
Snell, a Cal Grant recipient who says the funding "made all the difference" in his ability to enroll at CMC, says the morning of March 9 will be spent preparing for anticipated meetings with state legislators that afternoon. "I'm very excited to be going to Sacramento to represent CMC on this issue," Snell said. "I look forward to giving voice to the concerns of students who receive the Cal Grant."
Studying financial aid issues affecting education has "really made me aware of how very important this trip is going to be," says Lu, also a Cal Grant recipient. "I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to be a part of the process."
Since the 1950s, Cal Grants have helped students finance their education, providing the opportunity for many students regardless of their financial circumstances to attend colleges and universities within California, says Georgette DeVeres, associate vice president for admission and director of financial aid. Even more specifically, it affords them the choice of attending a public or private institution.
Private institutions, says DeVeres, who also serves as chair of the College Board's board of trustees, have always played an important role in California's higher-education master plan, providing educational access for many students at times when public institutions exceed their mandated capacity to enroll students on their campuses. Reducing the Cal Grant award at private institutions would reduce the ability for some of these schools to keep their doors open to many students they have traditionally enrolled, because of the loss of these state revenues, DeVeres says.
"I'm confident that both Paul and Silvia will effectively convey the important student perspective to our state lawmakers as these issues are deliberated through the state budget review and approval process," DeVeres said.