By Raymond AlQaisi, Policy and Advocacy Manager, and Jalen Moore, Communications Intern
NCAN’s annual #Thankful4Pell advocacy campaign celebrates and elevates the crucial importance of the Pell Grant for our students. This year, given the diminished purchasing power of Pell over time and the devastating
economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign also highlighted the potential of #DoublePell. This policy proposal would double the maximum Pell Grant amount to ensure today’s students have the support for their futures that they deserve.
The 2020 campaign received outstanding engagement from many NCAN members and their students who shared the real impact of Pell in making higher education more affordable and accessible. Using the NCAN Action Center, 62 advocates sent a total of 193 emails
to 84 members of Congress (44 representatives and 40 senators).
The campaign's reach on social media was also impressive this year. In all, 119 federal elected officials were tagged in #Thankful4Pell tweets. (Shout-out to Jalen Moore, NCAN's communications intern, for tracking all of those tweets!)
Members of Congress also supported the campaign. Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) tweeted: “Increasing Federal Pell Grant funding will help our students lead innovation into the future!”
Additionally, Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO) retweeted a message from NCAN member College Bound, St. Louis showing appreciation for Pell and support of #DoublePell.
Lastly, Nov. 22 would have been Sen. Claiborne Pell's 102nd birthday. We are thankful for the senator’s lasting contribution to higher education access and for his role in the creation of the Pell Grant program.
We've rounded up some social media highlights below from this year's advocacy campaign (though it was hard to choose from so many great messages!). A huge thanks to all who supported the #Thankful4Pell #DoublePell effort.
@RepMikeTurner, I'm #Thankful4Pell because it makes education after high school possible for Montgomery
Cty students. The max Pell Grant once covered more than 75% of the avg cost of a public 4-year school. Today, it covers less than 30%. Will you #DoublePell?
@LtoED
Congressman @KenCalvert, #UCR is #Thankful4Pell because it’s an engine of upward mobility for the students we serve. But we also need to #DoublePell because we want to make sure Pell Grants continue to support
the next generation of students’ educational costs. #UCinDCpic.twitter.com/tRRMBBFGip
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