Simone Speaks

Quinnnipiac University student Simone Elliott, talks about President Obama decision to increase the Pell Grant for college bound students.

High Anxiety

Recent reports state that Virginia Tech perpetrator, Seung-Hui Cho suffered with an severe anxiety disorder named selective mutism. However,area student shares her thoughts on the incident that changed college campuses forever.

College accessibility

Research shows that only 65 percent of students starting at four-year colleges and 38 percent of students starting at two-year colleges earn a degree within six years.

The President's Budget includes a five-year, $2.5 billion fund to improve college access and help America's colleges and universities graduate more students. The fund will identify, test, and promote what works in boosting college enrollment and persistence.

A drop in grants

The value of Pell Grants have fallen from 77 percent of the cost of attending a public university to 33 percent over the past three decades. The ARRA invested $17 billion, making it possible to increase Pell by $619 for 7 million students.

But these funding increases are only temporary, and without additional resources the value of the maximum Pell Grant will fall by $1,400 in 2011. President Obama is committed to a strong, reliable Pell Grant program. He will make Pell an entitlement, provide $116 billion over the next decade to prevent any drop in the size of Pell Grants, ensure that they continues to grow faster than inflation, and eliminate the frequent budget shortfalls that have plagued the program.

Stimulus stimulates students

With a stroke of a pen President Obama provides affordable education to more students. His stimulus bill increases the maximum Pell Grant by $500 to $5,350 in 2009 and 5,550 in 2010.