Local Students Travel to Washington, D.C.

SAN BERNARDINO >> Focusing on key issues in higher education, two Cal State San Bernardino (CSUSB) students were among the many student representatives from the California State University (CSU) who visited federal officials in Washington D.C., as part of CSU Hill Day. Associated Students Inc. President Bryce Davis and ASI External Affairs Director and Lobby Corps chair Amanda Monroy, both of Hesperia, joined CSUSB Director of Executive Affairs Pamela Langford and legislative assistant Juan Herrera. Together, the group advocated for the restoration of the “Year-Round Pell Grant to Support Investments in Cyber Assurance Education and the Re-authorization of the Higher Education Act,” Monroy said. “We met with six of our U.S. Representatives including Norma Torres (D-CA 35th District), Pete Aguilar (D-CA 31st District), Raul Ruiz (D-CA 36th District), Mark Takano (D-CA 41st District), Paul Cook (R-CA 8th District) and Ken Calvert (R-CA 42nd District),” Monroy said. Prior to that, Davis and Monroy had been in Sacramento joined by six other CSUSB ASI representatives as part of the California Higher Education Student Summit (CHESS), the only statewide higher education advocacy conference planned specifically for CSU students. The CHESS conference, which is hosted by the California State Student Association, attracts students, university leaders, public officials, and higher education policy experts for a common purpose – to educate and empower CSU students to advocate on issues important to them. The CSUSB delegation, all members of Associated Students Inc., who had diligently prepared and trained for the summit, met with elected officials to convince them that CSU and its students should be a priority in 2016, the importance of their continued reinvestment in the CSU and to support the full budget request of the CSU Board of Trustees, which is $102 million more than the governor’s proposal. The students met with staff from the offices of Assembly members Cheryl Brown, Chad Mayes, Jose Medina, Jay Obernolte and Marc Steinorth; and with officials from the offices of senators Mike Morrell, Sharon Runner and Jeff Stone. Monroy called the meetings “a unique opportunity to be able to share my personal story as a student and advocate on behalf of the nearly 20,000 students on our campus. Pamela Langford and Juan Herrera were very instrumental in the success of this trip. I want to thank my Lobby Corps team for their dedication and hard work in preparing for these legislative visits and all CSUSB faculty, staff, and administrators for their continued support and passion for student success on our campus.” “Upon the return from Sacramento and Washington, D.C., I realized that I am truly living the Cal State San Bernardino experience as I feel fortunate to have participated in these wonderful events. I encourage all CSUSB students to get involved on campus.” The other students who attended the CHESS conference were: Alex Gutierrez of Fontana vice president of finance; Nicholas Hall of Rancho Cucamonga, Lobby Corps member; Michael Jraisat of Rancho Cucamonga, Lobby Corps member; Jake Orta of Riverside, Lobby Corps member; Anais Franco of Fontana, Lobby Corps member; and Dora Baldwin of Fontana, vice chair of Lobby Corps. Images of the CSU Hill Day and the CHESS Conference as well as more information about the students visit are available from the CSUSB Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.