Photo, from left to right: Jacquilinn Wenzlick, Stacey Babcock, Casey Cornelius, Dr. Jill Biden, Andrew Niedzinski, Ski VanderLaan, Candice McMahan, Joshua Haley.

Delta College Student Leaders Attend National Advocacy Conference featuring Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Special Guest Dr. Jill Biden.

A delegation of student leaders from Delta College just returned from Washington D.C. where they spent four days discussing critical issues to community college students and then visited members of Congress from the Great Lakes Bay Region to advocate increased federal investment in higher education.  Student Senators Andrew Niedzinski, Candice McMahan, Stacey Babcock, Joshua Haley, Megan McCarthy and Jacqulinn Wenzlick met with nearly 350 other student leaders from across the country.  "The contribution of Delta College at the American Student Association of Community Colleges (ASACC) National Student Advocacy Conference was critical," said Phil Clegg, Executive Director of ASACC, "we have seen the effects of student leaders not being on Capitol Hill in the form of lower aid and increased loan interest rates. Students must 'show up' and be heard."

The students of Delta College did just that as they met with the offices of Representatives Dave Camp and Dale Kildee as well as Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow. During these visits they discussed Pell Grants, Perkins funding for technical education, student loan interest rates, and textbook prices among other critical issues.  With the current battle over budget priorities the timing for their visit could not have been better.

 The meetings and workshops held over the course of the conference prepared the students for their meetings with Members of Congress or their staff. A highlight of the conference was an address by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Secretary Duncan spoke about the important initiatives on higher education proposed in the Obama 2010 Budget and asked the students to encourage their Members of Congress to support those critical investments.  He encouraged students to continue to be involved in the political process and in working and volunteering to make our country better.  He said, "It is exciting to me to see the involvement of student leaders in the political process and taking an active role in shaping their future."

Secretary Duncan brought with him a very special guest and friend of community colleges, Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden.  Dr. Biden told the group, "I know you, I know your struggles, I know the support you need to obtain higher education," to the cheers and standing ovation from the 350 ASACC students in attendance.

The American Student Association of Community Colleges hosts two student meetings each year in Washington D.C.  ASACC makes leadership, citizenship, and advocacy central themes for the conferences and encourages students to become engaged citizens.

For more information contact Casey J. Cornelius at 989-686-9540.