The Graduate and Professional Student Association sent three members to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with U.S. congressmen and push for more federal funding for financial aid.
"They were truly interested in why we'd flown across the country to meet with them," said Robert Fischer, GPSA vice president of external affairs and a second-year law student.
Fischer and John Kesler and Jacob Clark, who both work on local and state government relations for GPSA, traveled to Washington for the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students Legislative Action Day.
The organization asked graduate and professional students from across the country to meet with their senators and representatives to discuss financial aid issues.
The students met with Arizona Reps. Ed Pastor, D, Raùl Grijalva, D, and Jim Kolbe, R. They also met with aides to Arizona Republican Reps. Rick Renzi, John Shadegg, Trent Franks and J.D. Hayworth.
"We focused on the House of Representatives because they're the chamber that's driving the two bills we're focusing on," Fischer said.
In particular, Congress will update the Higher Education Act of 1965 this year. The legislation determines the amount of federal funding that goes to financial aid.
Fischer said the House of Representatives has traditionally taken the lead on updating the legislation.
Fischer said he wanted representatives to know that universities and the Arizona Legislature cannot afford to give as much in financial aid as is needed.
"We didn't have time to talk to the senators," Fischer added.
The three met with representatives in their offices on Capitol Hill. Fischer said Hayworth had an ASU flag in his office.
"Other congressmen had UA and NAU flags," Fisher said. "The flags were definitely the source of a few jokes. They asked questions about student life in Arizona, what students were interested in and cared about."
Fisher said he thinks students in Arizona are interested in getting a high-quality, affordable education.
"We told our own personal stories," Fischer said. "I want to go into a public service career.
"What type of career I choose will depend on the amount of debt I have when I graduate."
GPSA and the Associated Students of ASU funded most of the trip, Fischer said.
Undergraduate Student Government will also focus on additional funding for financial aid this year, said Ed Hermes, government relations director for USG.
USG will begin meeting with state legislators next month, Hermes said.
"We're looking forward to upcoming legislative session [in January]," he added. "Now we're doing research."
Reach the reporter at emilia.arnold@asu.edu.
