University of Louisville students who participated included Carrie Mattingly, SGA president; Chase Riddle, SGA political coordinator; Monali Haldankar, SGA president-elect; and Aaron Vance, SGA member and Task Force freshman. The students were accompanied by University Government Relations staff on the trip.
All students participating in ACC Advocacy Day had the opportunity to meet with members of Congress while in the nation’s capital. UofL students met with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie and U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth.
All participating ACC students were able to hear from Yarmuth when he spoke as part of the formal ACC Advocacy Day program. Students also heard from U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia and U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland of Florida. The program also included presentations from David Soo, senior policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Education and Kei Koizumi, assistant director for federal research and development of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
“We are very excited we were invited by the ACC schools to attend before our official entry into the ACC, Riddle said. I never imagined the University of Louisville would be so ready and willing to help facilitate the dream of a student-run lobbying group at the state and federal government level. Thank you to the university for giving the students a voice to advocate for an affordable, sustainable, and valuable college education.”
Mattingly and Riddle spearheaded the creation of the Cards In Action student group, which also advocated in Frankfort for higher education during the 2014 regular legislative session.
