Latest news with #AICUP
Technical.ly
6 days ago
- Politics
- Technical.ly
Thomas P. Foley
Thomas P. Foley is a former college president and the current president of AICUP (the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, which represents more than 80 nonprofit schools of higher learning). Foley is a Pennsylvania native who has long championed the economic benefits of education, having been able to graduate from universities himself thanks to the help of grants and scholarships. A peace advocate during the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland, Foley went on to lead large nonprofits and a state department in a Governor-appointed role.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Students from Pa. private colleges advocated for financial aid
AICUP President Tom Foley speaks in the rotunda of the capitol in Harrisburg (Capital-Star photo by Ian Karbal) On Wednesday, roughly 150 students from independent colleges and universities across Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg to advocate for student aid funding. It was part of the annual AICUP (Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania) Day at the Capitol. They travelled from over 25 schools to help convince lawmakers to continue or increase funding financial aid programs that support students in the state attending private schools like theirs. 'Programs like PHEAA [Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency] and Ready to Succeed are the reason I can stay at my school and have the opportunity to speak on its behalf today,' Dustin McMullen, a 21-year-old Seton Hill student, said in the rotunda. 'I stand here today, and I urge policy makers and stakeholders to continue investing in programs like PHEAA and ready to succeed.' He said the crowd, made up of fellow college students, administrators, lobbyists and journalists, was larger than his class at Rocky Grove high school in Franklin, which graduates around 60 people every year. McMullen, a first-generation college student, told the Capital-Star that he likely would not have been able to attend college without financial assistance. But with state funding, he's enrolled in a unique program, the early acceptance medical program, where he's obtaining a liberal arts degree, with a seat in Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine's grad program awaiting him when he graduates. His goal is to become an anesthesiologist. For him, it was important to come to Harrisburg and advocate on his and other schools' behalf. Before his speech, McMullen and the other students met with lawmakers and legislative staff members to stress the importance of continued financial aid for students attending private college. 'I'm an RA, a resident assistant, at Seton Hill. So I see residents who struggle with finances, but thanks to these financial aid programs, they're able to come and get the opportunity that they wouldn't get at other places.' Tom Foley, the president of AICUP, which represents 85 schools, stressed the importance of funding education at independent colleges. And part of that, he said, is dispelling myths about the kinds of students private schools attract 'I think most people assume that low income kids are all in publicly-funded schools,' Foley said. 'But actually, the majority of them are in these schools.' According to data provided by AICUP, out of all students working towards bachelor's degrees in Pennsylvania, 46% of lower-income Pell Grant-eligible students attend independent schools. That also includes 47% of students receiving PHEAA grants, and 52% of underrepresented minority students seeking both bachelor's and advanced degrees. Collectively, 275,000 students seeking four-year degrees attend AICUP schools. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Foley said that he doesn't predict a decline in funding from the state legislature for student financial assistance programs, but is worried about the impacts of the federal government's moves to slash funding at some universities around the country. In March, Foley wrote a letter to Pennsylvania's congressional delegation, warning about the potential impacts of proposed funding cuts to research programs at colleges and universities, including 35 AICUP member schools. Now, he's worried what will happen to direct student aid. 'We're very concerned,' he said. 'But we can't tell yet. When they've talked about higher education in the new administration, they always say, 'We're going to protect Pell Grants. We're going to protect the student aid programs.' Hopefully, that is the case.' Olivia Fabiano, a senior at Elizabethtown College, also made the trip to the Capitol. . Like McMullen, for her, this is personal. Fabiano said she likely would not have been able to afford tuition at the school without financial assistance, especially with other college-aged siblings and a brother with costly medical needs. 'I think it's important for everybody to have that equal opportunity to receive the higher education that they know they deserve,' Fabiano said. 'There shouldn't be a financial burden holding a student back from pursuing any sort of college, or the one that they want to be at.' She was drawn to Elizabethtown over other state-owned and state-related schools because of the small class sizes. She had been able to attend a private middle school because her mom worked there, and attributed the level of individualized attention she could receive to her social and academic success. Coming to Harrisburg, Fabiano felt that communicating her lived experience to lawmakers would be more effective than AICUP just providing them with statistics. And it was a chance to see first-hand how the process works. As a marketing student, she hopes to land a job at an advocacy organization, or in government, where she feels that she's working towards positive change. 'I'm very interested in doing marketing for something like this, in politics,' Fabiano said. 'I'm actually having coffee with someone on [Governor Josh] Shapiro's communications team because it's so interesting to me.' Dashawn Sheffield, another student who travelled to Harrisburg, felt it was important to tell lawmakers how much financial assistance meant to him. He said financial aid programs, like the Ready to Succeed scholarship, along with four jobs on and off campus, are the reason he is able to attend Lafayette College. It was his second year attending an AICUP day at the capital. 'These grants do not just fund education,' Sheffield told a crowd in the rotunda. 'They fuel opportunity, ambition and success.' Another reason he wanted to be on hand is because of his fascination with politics — he's double majoring in government and international politics. And, in his spare time, he advocates for campaign finance reform in Pennsylvania. 'I've always known I wanted to be a politician of some sort,' Sheffield said. 'I am really looking to make a large-scale impact one day.' For him, two years of coming to Harrisburg to advocate for low-income students like himself helped build that resolve. 'It really strengthened that for me, being able to experience firsthand testifying, giving a speech, and also speaking to the legislators,' Sheffield said. 'I'm leaving knowing I was a voice for many different students like me.'
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Independent colleges in Pa. warn congressmen about impacts of funding cuts
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is pictured as snow began to fall on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom) An organization representing Pennsylvania's 85 independent colleges and universities is warning the commonwealth's congressional delegation that cuts to federal research funding could damage the state's economy, reduce the number of students who come here for higher education and set back American science, among other consequences. On Monday, the president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) sent a letter to the commonwealth's 19 congressional representatives and senators amid layoffs and threats of large research funding cuts at the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Last year, Pennsylvania-based researchers were awarded $1.8 billion in NIH funding, about half of which went to AICUP member schools. In the last fiscal year, the state received $332 million in NSF funding, with $186 million going to AICUP colleges and universities. 'These proposed cuts will do severe damage to Pennsylvania's economy and jeopardize America's role as the world leader in science and research, potentially for generations,' AICUP President Thomas Foley wrote. 'The bottom line is that this national research funding is an investment that pays dividends across Pennsylvania.' The Trump administration has proposed cutting the NSF budget by as much as 66%. The National Institute of Health has also attempted to institute a policy cutting all funding of research institutions to 15% of indirect costs, far less than many colleges and universities currently receive. A judge has blocked those cuts, for now. Foley estimates, if allowed to stand, the policy could cost Pennsylvania researchers $425 million. 'It is simply inaccurate to characterize indirect costs as 'administrative overhead' or 'bureaucratic bloat,' Foley wrote. 'The kind of research these grants support involves the creation of unique laboratories, the invention/purchase of expensive equipment and the capacity to run experiments in time frames that require 24-hour supervision. These costs are not waste but in fact processes that are essential to the results which produce cancer-defying medications, heart-saving therapies and so much more.' NIH- and NHS-funded research has led to the development of many pharmaceuticals and disease treatments, as well as nascent technologies that are now central to commonly used products. 'If you have ever used the internet or chatted on an iPhone, then you have benefited from the products born of federal research funding,' Foley's letter said. Moreover, higher education institutions are a major employer in Pennsylvania, according to data from the Department of Labor and Industry. They help attract many scientists and researchers to the state. Thirty-five AICUP member schools would be at risk of losing research funds with the proposed cut, according to the association. They include: Arcadia University Allegheny College Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Carlow University Carnegie Mellon University Chatham College Dickinson College Drexel University Duquesne University Elizabethtown College Franklin & Marshall College Gettysburg College Haverford College Holy Family College Juniata College King's College La Salle University Lafayette College Lehigh University Mercyhurst University Moravian University Muhlenberg College Saint Joseph's University Saint Vincent College Salus University (Drexel) Swarthmore College Thomas Jefferson University University of Pennsylvania University of Scranton Ursinus College Villanova University Widener University Wilkes University Wistar Institute
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is college worth it? Here's what schools like Gannon, Mercyhurst, LECOM deliver
We're optimistic about the promise of 2025, and this new year, we're betting on Pennsylvania. Here's why: The state is on an upswing and benefiting from a stellar reputation as a magnet for talent. If that comes as a surprise to you, then here are facts and stories from 2024 you may have missed about how independent nonprofit higher education is transforming Pennsylvania and setting us up for success in the new year. Pennsylvania is the second most popular destination in the USA for out-of-state freshman college students, and two in three of those students move here to attend one of the state's 85 independent nonprofit colleges and universities (called "AICUP"). Why are students choosing Pennsylvania over alternatives like Florida or California? The Wall Street Journal found that Pennsylvania is home to the third largest number of "best colleges" in the country according to "how well each college sets graduates up for financial success," considering factors like salary after graduation and social mobility (AICUP-member schools make up all the top 10 and 19 of the top 20 in Pennsylvania, according to the WSJ). Pennsylvania even saw a net increase of 51% in the number of college-educated new residents. This all translates to a "brain gain" and "win-win" for all Pennsylvanians that adds to our talent pool, boosting industry and innovation. At the local level, a college can "anchor" a community by bringing students to local shops, providing good jobs, adding to the tax base, and infusing new dollars into the economy. Pennsylvania's 85 independent nonprofit colleges and universities collectively generate $24 billion for the state economy, contribute $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, and support nearly 200,000 jobs. Locally, that translates to six schools in Erie and northwest Pennsylvania that generate $930 million in annual economic impact, add $43 million in state and local tax revenue, and support 8,000 jobs. Local examples include Allegheny College, Gannon University, Grove City College, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), Mercyhurst University, and Thiel College. Pennsylvania's residents and taxpayers can all agree then that having a college for a neighbor is an asset that benefits everyone. But what about at the individual level? Is a college degree even "worth it?" YES! And here are three ways Pennsylvania's independent nonprofit colleges and universities are making a degree worthwhile, in terms of affordability, workforce preparedness, and social mobility. Affordability: We're told that college "costs keep going up," and while that may be true in other states, the average net cost of a degree at one of Pennsylvania's independent nonprofit schools has remained flat for a decade, even rivaling the cost of big state and state-related alternatives — who share $1.6 billion in state-supplied revenues. The independent nonprofit schools themselves offer the largest share of grants, scholarships, and discounts to their students, 10 times the financial aid from the federal/state governments, saving Pennsylvania taxpayers $1 billion each year. Workforce preparedness: Despite repeated claims that "college isn't worth it," a college education will be increasingly necessary in an AI-driven tomorrow. Seventy-two percent of jobs in 2031 will require postsecondary education. AICUP-member schools already lead Pennsylvania in educating the most career-focused majors, producing far more nurses, teachers, and STEM professionals (science, technology, engineering, math) than any other sector. Social mobility: In addition to The Wall Street Journal's 2024 report that found Pennsylvania's independent nonprofit colleges and universities are leading the way in economic outcomes for graduates, the nonpartisan Third Way Economic Mobility Index found that AICUP schools are 20 of the top 25 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania for economic mobility, enrolling 47% of Pennsylvania's low-income students. More low-income students in Pennsylvania are earning their degree at an independent nonprofit school than any public alternative, and they're doing that with better chances of graduating on time, with overall less debt and lower rates of default. Your local independent nonprofit college "neighbor" is helping the community thrive in many ways this new year. Colleges serve as an anchor and engine to their community, and their education and training helps Pennsylvania to be competitive in a changing world. Thomas P. Foley is president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP). This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Independent colleges boost revenue, fight brain drain in Pa. | Opinion
