President McGuire on Fox Business News: Stimulus Package Positively Affects Student Financial Aid
President Patricia McGuire appeared on Fox Business News, on a program called “Money for Breakfast” on March 5, 2009. Click here to watch the 5 minute video.
President McGuire spoke about the new federal stimulus package and its impact on colleges and universities nationally, including its positive impact on student financial aid. President McGuire mentioned Trinity frequently in the interview, which was broadcast nationally on cable television.
Excerpts from President McGuire’s Interivew
President McGuire
I would like to emphasize first that that money for higher education really goes to students. At Trinity, where 60% of our students receive Pell grants, the increase in the Pell grant will really help many of our students to stay in school, to pay for their books, and to stay competitive with other students. Another piece of the stimlus package will go to increase work study, which is also great.
Our students really need the Pell grants — our students really need that federal support. Given the cost of books today, the cost of transportation and housing, students need that kind of support.
At Trinity we have a great commitment to make a higher education accessible and possible for the students in the District of Columbia and in our surrounding region — that’s our mission, we are a historic women’s college and we also have coed programs…
What I know is this: when a student has the ambition to come to college, to work hard, to complete a degree, that student should have every opportunity to do so. We specialize particularly in making the young women in the District of Columbia successful — Trinity is a great choice for them. And with the Pell grant, with the work study, with the increase in the tuition tax credit in the stimulus package, more students will be able to take advantage of this.
I love President Obama’s pledge that every American would have access to post secondary education by the year 2020. I think that’s the right direction and I think this package is absolutely right on in terms of supporting the neediest students.