Student Advocacy Day

The Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) Program has made education possible for thousands of students throughout the state. On Tuesday, January 15, over 300 students representing the 16 South Carolina technical colleges gathered at the State House to show their support for the LTA Program. Students wore shirts proclaiming, “Lottery Tuition Assistance makes a difference….one of $175,000+,” referencing the number of technical college students who have utilized the lottery-funded aid. Twenty-four York Technical College students, Kelli Dawkins, Warren Cook, and I rode by motor coach to Columbia to show our appreciation to the General Assembly. Dr. Barry Russell, System president; Senator John W. Matthews (D-Orangeburg), Senate Education and Finance Committees; Representative Dan Cooper (R-Anderson), Chair, House Ways and Means Committee; and Catalina Abruntilla, an LTA recipient and student at Midlands Technical College spoke to the hundreds of students gathered at the steps of the State House. As members of the House and Senate began their sessions, they recognized sixteen students representing each of the technical colleges. I enjoyed spending the day with the students and greatly appreciate Kelli Dawkins, Sherry Glenn, and Carolyn Stewart for all their hard work in making the day a success!

Lottery Tuition Assistance is just one of the many legislative priorities for the SC Technical College System this year. The following link provides a list of the System’s legislative priorities.

http://www.sctechsystem.com/LegislativePriorities/2008-09/index.html

The 2008-2009 Legislative Priorities: An Overview provides a brief summary of all the priorities.