Brandywine students meet with legislators to share Penn State’s impact

MEDIA, Pa. — Five Penn State Brandywine students shared their stories with elected officials in Harrisburg during Penn State Capital Day on April 14. They were among 200 students from across Penn State’s campuses who met in the state Capitol to advocate for the University’s annual state appropriation, which supports lower tuition for Pennsylvania resident students and Penn State programs that have an important impact across the commonwealth.

Student leaders representing Brandywine were MiataMarie Alie, Ava Clements, Mary Kate Cosgrove, Tim McClure and Matteo Yusuf.

“This was my second time attending Capital Day, and I felt we were even more successful than last year,” McClure said. “I had the opportunity to meet multiple local leaders and discuss how important Penn State is to me and our community. The experience of being recognized by name in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is also something I will keep with me for the rest of my life.”

The Brandywine students appreciated the opportunity to have their voices heard by their elected officials. Between scheduled meetings and impromptu conversations, the students spoke with Reps. Lisa Borowski, Gina Curry, Leanne Krueger and Craig Williams. They also met with staff for Sens. John Kane and Tim Kearney and House Speaker Joanna McClinton, and they attended a news conference and a legislative hearing.

“Before attending Penn State Brandywine, advocacy was not something I was particularly interested in,” Cosgrove said. “Now, through the incredible opportunities, experiences and lessons I have gained at Penn State, I feel that my voice has true value. Between witnessing the legislative process, meeting state officials and advocating for a school that has shown me my voice matters, Capital Day was an indispensable experience.”

“Participating in Capital Day was an amazing opportunity to see firsthand how advocacy works and how important it is to speak up,” Clements added. “I really valued being able to represent Penn State Brandywine and share our campus’ voice. The experience showed me that even as students, we have the power to make an impact through meaningful conversations.”

Brandywine Director of Strategic Communications Bill Tyson, who escorted the students to Harrisburg, said he was inspired by the students who shared their stories with legislators.

“Penn State Capital Day was a great opportunity for Brandywine students to meet directly with legislators and key staff to share their experiences and to advocate for fair state funding for Penn State students,” Tyson said. “It was inspiring to hear them share their Penn State stories and how our campus has impacted them. The day was a great learning experience for our students.”

“Our students were prepared, well-spoken and presented themselves very professionally in their meetings,” he added. “They were great ambassadors for our campus and our University. Both the students and the legislators enjoyed the conversations.”

General support funding from the state enables Penn State to offer an average $16,000 in-state tuition discount for more than 41,000 Pennsylvania students and their families. However, Penn State and its peers have not seen an increase in funding since a 2% bump in 2019-20, a six-year stint of flat funding that Penn State hopes to end this year.

Capital Day supports the advocacy efforts for the University’s annual state appropriation. As Pennsylvania’s only land-grant university, this funding helps to keep tuition affordable for all Pennsylvania resident undergraduate students and supports Penn State’s mission of world-class accessible education, groundbreaking research and service to the commonwealth.

Supporters who wish to join the campaign can click here for easy-to-follow instructions on how to take action to support the University and its students.