UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Lion Caucus and Advocate Penn State will host their Fall Advocacy Festival at University Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, at the HUB Monumental Staircase to encourage students and the campus community to demonstrate support for federal student aid.
Penn Staters are encouraged to go to advocate.psu.edu or click here to participate in the University’s advocacy campaign by sending emails to Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators and their U.S. representative in support of vital funding for Penn State students.
“Federal student aid programs allow talented students from all backgrounds the opportunity to pursue their education, strengthen Pennsylvania’s workforce, and contribute to the commonwealth’s future,” said Mike Stefan, vice president for government and community relations. “Advocating for robust federal student aid is one of the most impactful ways we can support our students and their families.”
The Fall Advocacy Festival celebrates the day of advocacy with various giveaways throughout the event, including cookies, pizza and Advocate Penn State swag. The event also will feature a series of Penn State student speakers, including Lion Caucus President Cristina Mac Cormac, Penn State Student Trustee Ruby Bjalme, and Lion Caucus member Megan Soto-Benitez.
Advocates, both in-person and virtually, can show support by completing a brief form that will automatically connect them with their U.S. senators and representative to send a pre-written email asking them to support funding for these important aid programs.
Nearly 20,000 Penn State students currently benefit from federal student aid programs like Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Federal Work-Study.
Lion Caucus students will be asking Congress to support:
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A maximum Pell Grant award of at least $7,395 per student.
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The Senate’s proposed funding for Federal Work-Study, which faces a $451 million cut.
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The Senate’s proposed funding for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, which faces funding elimination.
“Federal student aid programs open the door to higher education for thousands of Penn State students each year,” said Melissa Kunes, assistant vice president for enrollment management and executive director for student aid. “Consistent and reliable funding from Congress is essential to ensure that these opportunities remain available, allowing students to complete their degrees on time and build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.”
While the current campaign requests that Congress fund Pell Grants to the current maximum amount of $7,395, Penn State has continued to support an appropriation necessary to fund the maximum award at $13,000 per student.
The University’s partnership with the federal government via the Pell Grant expands access to high-quality education to students statewide, with 14% of University Park students and 32% of Commonwealth Campus students benefiting directly from Pell Grants.
In addition to Pell Grants, Penn State also supports continued investment in the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work-Study programs. While 75% of funds for these programs are from the federal government, 25% are provided by the University.
FSEOG provides additional grant aid to Pell Grant recipients, serving as a core component of financial aid packages for students with the greatest financial need. At Penn State, the average award for each recipient is $1,811 per year, representing significant assistance to more than 3,000 of Penn State’s lowest income students. Over each of the last few years, nearly 10,000 undergraduate students at Penn State qualified for FSEOG, but federal funding limits the number who receive the grant.
More than 1,100 students at Penn State receive an average of $2,313 by earning Federal Work-Study wages. The Federal Work-Study program is a critical partnership between the federal government, institutions and students, providing funds for part-time employment.
Recipients not only benefit financially from the Federal Work-Study program, but they learn professional skills and expectations, while contributing to a variety of jobs and community service roles.
To participate in the Lion Caucus Fall Advocacy Festival, those around the University Park campus are encouraged to stop by the HUB-Robeson Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to take action alongside Lion Caucus students. All members of the Penn State community can use the action page linked here to urge Congress to support these important programs.