My 1st Time at Higher Education Action Day

Higher Education Action Day is when hundreds of students, faculty, advocacy organizations (TWI, Transit, Workforce Unions) and Activists head to Albany to speak to constituents with their representatives about various issues in Higher Education. We attended the festivities on the basis of playing an important role in the policy making process to protect public higher education in New York State for all students.

My first time at the Higher Education Action Day(HEAD) in Albany was quite the experience from the beginning. I couldn't sleep the night before because I was very hype to meet politicians.I was eager to speak my mind about the very issues that we as college students are fighting for…. Higher Education! Thou

gh I was excited to let my voice be heard, I was also a little nervous about speaking in front of the assemblymen. I was afraid that I would get tongue tied in between my words and that they would take my opinions in a negative way or simply misunderstand me. However I recollected my thoughts and was ready to take on the role as the “Spokestudent.”

We had three meetings that day. We spoke to Nick Thony, the Legislative Affairs Director of Assemblyman David Gantt.He was very intrigued about what I had to say about TAP and how it  affected me . Thony and Senator Mark Grisanti seem to have a very supporter view towards the issues even though we couldn’t get one assemblyman to support our critical views of reorganizing the funds for our higher education. Either way, I felt as if I made a huge contribution not only for myself, but also for my school, and other college students who are struggling to meet all needs of surviving in college .

 The day was very long, but so amazing from the time we left Buffalo State campus at  around 5am. When I signed up to join the fellow students of the NYPIRG Buff State chapter, I was prepared to unite with  students to give Albany a piece of our educated and inspirational minds to bring forth change and pass of the Revolutionary DREAM ACT. We want legislature to as restore TAP to graduate students and give more to higher education overall.

I hope that the legislature truly considers our requests and put the student first. We are the future and depend on them to give  us funding and a chance to be successful.

Signed,Taven D. Gibson