Students, administrators, Governing Board members and others made up delegation
Yavapai Community College identified seven persons it sent to the Washington, D.C. to attend the Association of Community College Trustees National Legislative Summit in early February 2022. They included: Community College Student Government Association officers President Brian Moultrup, Vice President Andrew Tucker and Treasurer Hannah Lowe. The students were accompanied by Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine, Vice President of Community Relations and Student Development Rodney Jenkins, District Governing Board Chair Deb McCasland, and District Governing Board member Chris Kuknyo. In a Community College press release dated February 22, 2021 the College indicated there were “others” who attended but did not elaborate on who they might have been.
The delegation met with education officials in the Biden administration along with Senator Mark Kelly and Congressman Representative Tom O’Halleran. According to Mr. Kuknyo, who spoke about the trip at the Governing Board meeting, they also visited the office of Representative Paul Gosar.
During discussions with officials in Washington, the College representatives urged the government to extend Pell grant eligibility to community college students in technology and workforce training certificate programs. They also urged that Pell grants be increased to cover cost-of-living increases.
District Governing Board member Chris Kuknyo described the student government officers as “absolutely fabulous” and thanked them for helping the College “make our points” with the Arizona Congressional delegation.
You may view the report by students and administrators to the District Governing Board on the trip to Washington, D.C. in the video clip below.
Sources: Community College press release of February 25, 2022 by JJ MCCormack; Governing Board meeting of Tuesday, February 22, 2021.