Congressman Hakeem Jeffries to Visit SJC Brooklyn

July 13, 2015 BK

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – July 13, 2015 - St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that it will welcome Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) to its Brooklyn Campus on Monday, July 20 at 11 a.m. Jeffries will present a talk entitled “Pell Grants and the Importance of Advocacy” to nearly 200 high school students enrolled in summer enrichment programs at SJC. 

"For nearly a century, St. Joseph's College has emphasized the importance of citizenship and advocacy to its students," said Jack P. Calareso, Ph.D., president, St. Joseph's College. "By illustrating the significance of Pell Grants and how crucial political advocacy is to supporting such programs, Congressman Jeffries will illustrate how students can directly impact the issues that will shape their futures."

Congressman Jeffries will discuss the Pell Grant program and how it has made it possible for millions of students across the nation to earn a college degree. Pell Grants are one of the cornerstones of federal financial aid for higher education, providing much-needed support to students. However, the purchasing power of funds from this program has greatly eroded. Forty years ago, a maximum Pell Grant would cover 75 percent of the total cost of enrollment at a four-year public college or university; it now barely covers 30 percent.

The congressman will address this disparity and illustrate the pivotal role that students can play in influencing the programs and issues that directly impact them. He will share his insights on the political process and share with students how to work toward the future they seek. Following his talk, students will have the opportunity to email their elected officials and tell them about the issues that affect their lives.

“It is an honor to speak to these exceptional students at historic St. Joseph’s College,” said Jeffries. “The strength of the United States is personified by the boundless spirit of its young people. Pell Grants make it possible for millions of hardworking students across our nation to have access to high-quality educations. It is time that America invests in our sons and daughters by protecting the opportunity for younger Americans to get a college education and robustly pursue the American Dream.”

For more information, contact Michael Banach at 718.940.5584 or [email protected].

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility, and service. With campuses located in the Clinton Hill area of Brooklyn and in Patchogue, Long Island, the College offers degrees in more than 35 majors, special course offerings and certifications, affiliated and pre-professional programs.