On Tuesday, April 3, I joined several of BC3’s finest students in Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania Commission for Community College’s Annual Lobby Day. The purpose of the event is to meet with legislators to lobby on behalf of the Commonweath’s 14 community colleges.
Sophmores Zachary Cavaliero, John Spigelmyer, Corey Miller, Katy Albert and Chelsea Pfeifer accompanied Sherri Osborne, Assistant Director of Student Activities at BC3, to proudly promote the community college mission and the importance of BC3.
Our first meeting was with state representative Brian Ellis, Scott Hutchinson, Jaret Gibbons, Chris Sainato, Dick Stevenson and Mark Longietti. The students detailed their experiences, boasted about our great faculty and staff, juggling work with school, and their future plans. Each did so in a poised and professional manner. Afterwards, I discussed the community college’s budget request.
Later in the morning, we met with Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and his staff. Again, our students provided exceptional testimonies. Afterwards, I again talked about the community college’s budget request and BC3’s efforts in the Upper Allegheny region.
Our day in the Capital was complete by noon, but our time together wasn’t over. We headed to my alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, and enjoyed a beautiful spring day. We ate lunch together at the Deli, visited the Penn State Bookstore, snapped photos at State College’s famous mural and the University’s Nittany Lion statue, and capped it all off with ice cream from the Creamery.
We should all be so proud of these students, who carried themselves with Pioneer Pride. Congratulations to each of these fine individuals!
