News Release for Immediate Release
BREMERTON, WA - A delegation of student leaders from Olympic College just returned from Washington, D.C., where they spent four days discussing critical issues that impact community college students and then visited members of Congress from Washington state to advocate on behalf of their fellow students for increased federal investment in higher education.
Brett Pollinger, Tovi Agtay, Derek Kleinrichert, and Malikah Campbell, members of the Olympic College Student Government, met with 350 fellow student leaders from across the country.
“The contribution of Olympic College at the American Student Association of Community Colleges National Student Advocacy Conference was important for the students at their college,” said Phil Clegg, Executive Director of ASACC. “The Dream Act, Pell Grants, America’s College, and Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act are critical issues concerning community college students and ensuring they have the resources needed to fulfill their educational goals.”
In addition to the ASACC’s given topics of discussion, Olympic College’s Student Government also advocated for bills pertaining to Washington’s students and their needs. Specific needs include mental health, military-affiliated, and digital/STEM literacy resources. Using specific bills like H.R. 1050 (digital literacy), H.R. 822 (mental health), and S.10 (military-affiliated) they were able to talk to legislatures and advocate for the necessary changes that benefit Washington students and students of Olympic College.
The students of Olympic College advocated for those priorities as they met with the offices of Sen. Maria Cantwell, Sen. Patty Murray, and Rep. Derek Kilmer. During these visits, the student advocates discussed the importance of sustaining and increasing the Pell Grant and making it available year-round, as well as reauthorizing the law that governs all student aid which has been delayed for more than fifteen years. With the current battle over the budget, spending, and modifications to student financial aid programs, the timing for their visit could not have been better. They also encouraged Congress to pass the bipartisan Dream Act, providing a path to citizenship for children who were brought here by their families.
The meetings and workshops held over the course of the conference prepared the students for their meetings with Members of Congress or their staff. Highlights of the conference included speakers from ForCollegeForLife and Congressional Management Foundation. Brad Fitch from the Congressional Management Foundation spoke to the group about ways they can enhance their grassroots organizing. Jasmine Williams spoke to student leaders about their campus roles and fulfilling the responsibilities of the positions they hold. Evan Austin and Casey Cornelius opened and concluded the conference by discussing strategies to improve leadership among students and combat apathy.
ASACC is the largest annual student group national meeting in Washington, D.C. The conference participants were excited to network with colleagues in person from across the nation. ASACC traditionally has one of the most diverse student leadership groups in the nation, thanks to its community college membership.
The American Student Association of Community Colleges hosts a National Student Advocacy Conference each year in Washington, D.C., and other conferences for training. ASACC makes leadership, citizenship, and advocacy central themes for the conferences and encourages students to become engaged citizens. For more information, visit the ASACC website.
