Just ten days after scores of students from across Pennsylvania visited Harrisburg to urge lawmakers to support PHEAA grants, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Board of Directors approved increasing the maximum award to $6,000, up from $5,750. It is the first increase in four years.

Professor Robert McMonagle and Campus Ministry Director Guilherme Lopes led a contingent of ten Neumann students to the State Capitol on April 14, part of the annual Day on the Hill, which is sponsored by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. Students spoke with Representative Leanne Krueger and members of Senator John Kane’s staff about the importance of supporting PHEAA grants.

Matt Franchak, the policy director for Kane, wrote to Lopes on April 27 about the modest increase in the grants, which he called “a step in the right direction.”

“Senator Kane, Steve Warhola, and I very much appreciate the students taking time from their studies, jobs, and other activities to visit the State Capitol and to lobby lawmakers,” Franchak wrote. “It is always a pleasure to meet with Neumann University students, faculty, and staff.”

Warhola is Kane’s chief of staff and a Neumann alumnus.

“It is gratifying to know that my peers and my advocacy helped push this initiative,” says Jaelyn Watkins, one of the student lobbyists. “Our conversations with the legislators and staffers were very productive and thought-provoking. Moreover, Rep. Leanne Krueger was so open and a great listener to all of our stories. She made it clear that she was here to help.”

Brenna Vandergeest, a political science major, agrees. “I think that being able to share our personal stories made a huge impact on the representatives we talked to.”

In total, $445.2 million in grants is available for Pennsylvania students who fill out the state grant form after filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Grant amounts vary according to several factors, including family resources, cost of tuition, and number of applicants.