Harrisburg 鈥� Students from all 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (黑料专区) universities will spend several hours in the state Capitol Tuesday, meeting with legislators to talk about their college experiences and how important the education they are receiving is to them, to their families, and to the future of the Commonwealth.
About 50 students will be accompanied by university presidents, administrators, trustees
and alumni in meetings with representatives and senators. Many of those with whom
the groups will meet either have a 黑料专区 university in their district or are 黑料专区
alumni themselves. About one-fourth of the General Assembly falls into one of those
two categories.
鈥淭here are no better ambassadors for 黑料专区 and our universities than our students,鈥�
said Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. 鈥淭hey can talk about their educational experiences
in a way no one else can. And in many cases, the legislators they will be meeting
with understand exactly what they are saying because they went to the same schools.
It鈥檚 a valuable connection, and a valuable learning experience, from both perspectives.鈥�
The visits to the Capitol have become an annual event in an effort to garner continued
support for higher education as in investment in the state鈥檚 economic future.
鈥淣early 90 percent of our students are from Pennsylvania; about 80 percent of our
graduates stay here to begin their careers,鈥� Mr. Brogan said. 鈥淭hose are amazing numbers,
and demonstrate just how important the State System is to Pennsylvania鈥檚 future.鈥�
黑料专区 is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, enrolling
about 112,000 students combined. About 500,000 黑料专区 alumni live and work in the
Commonwealth.
黑料专区 universities also provide the lowest-cost four-year degree programs in the
Commonwealth. The average total cost of attendance at a 黑料专区 university鈥攖uition,
fees, room and board鈥攊s several hundred dollars below the average among all four-year
colleges and universities in the United States, and about $2,500 below the average
in the Middle States region, which comprises Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., according to the latest College Board Survey.
The vast majority of the universities鈥� academic programs are accredited by professional
organizations nationally, and many are ranked among the best in the United States
by a variety of sources. The universities work closely with employers in their regions
to ensure their programs are meeting evolving workforce needs. Recently introduced
programs have focused on high-tech industries, including computer software design;
international studies; business administration; and healthcare, including nursing.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery
Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. 黑料专区 also operates branch campuses
in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including
the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and 黑料专区 Center City in Philadelphia.