A team of Pierce College student leaders traveled to the nation’s capital on Feb. 7 - 11 to advocate for critical federal support of higher education.
Pierce College student leaders Sarah Aunspach, Ruffaro Guzha and Xander Bediones meet with members of Congress as part of the Community College National Legislative Summit, an annual event that draws community college trustees, administrators and students from across the nation to Washington, D.C.
The Pierce College delegation placed students at the center of the conversation with members of Congress, and the students highlighted the importance of accessible higher education and the role federal support plays in helping students complete their degrees.
Pierce College District Chancellor and CEO Julie White, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom President Matt Campbell and trustees Lauren Adler and Bryce McKibben also met with Congressmembers. Staff members who supported the students and college officials on the trip included Marie Harris, director of operations for the Chancellor's office; Aki Smith, Pierce College Puyallup Office of Student Life director and Teresa Josten, faculty advisor in the Office of Student Life.
The summit, hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees, gave Pierce College students the opportunity to speak directly to decision-makers about the policies shaping their education and to ensure student voices remain central in conversations about the future of community colleges.
“Knowing I was there, advocating for students and discussing issues that were of great impact on a large group of people, made me feel more passionate and stronger about the issues," said Sarah Aunspach, president of the Associated Students of Pierce College District Puyallup. “I’m proud of our group and all the work we’ve put in to prepare for that trip, and I’m very grateful to have had that experience.”
Before traveling to the nation’s capital, the student leaders spent Feb. 4 - 5 meeting with Washington state legislators. The focus on the state level centered on continuing to financially support the Running Start program, which allows high school students to earn college credit at no cost.
“The most valuable message we told our state legislators was that they don't cut the solution, especially now that community college enrollment is rising as four-year universities become more expensive,” Guzha said. “Community colleges are emerging now more than ever as the vanguard of economic development in the state that they have always been.”
The students advocated for increasing Pell Grant funding, ending the taxation of Pell Grants and protecting federal funding for Title III and Title V programs, which support programs such as TRIO and ASPIRE.
“These are examples of efforts to address those concerns, especially in this time of extreme uncertainty, and so being able to advocate for students on a level to highlight them beyond a statistic or an afterthought was an incredible impact I felt that our team had made,” said Xander Bediones, legislative senator of the Associated Students of Pierce College District Puyallup.
Aunspach said the trip left her feeling more informed, empowered and connected.
“It was memorable, intriguing, and spectacular,” she said. “We grew as leaders, and I’m proud of the work we did advocating for issues that impact so many students.”