MADISON, Wis.—To highlight the impact of federal financial aid, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman today invited UWs students and graduates to share their stories about how Pell Grants and other aid creates educational opportunities.
The UWs have created a web page to feature the stories, wisconsin.edu/fuelfutures.
“Federal financial aid, especially the Pell Grant, is a lifeline to many of our neediest students. Let’s protect this opportunity,” Rothman said. “Over the decades, countless Wisconsin students have benefited from these crucial programs, and as these students have benefited, so have Wisconsin communities and employers. Let’s make sure the next generation of students has the same opportunities as the generations before them.”
Last month Rothman joined the leaders of the Wisconsin Technical College System and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to express concern over potential changes to federal financial aid programs, including the Pell Grant for low- and moderate-income students.
More than 74,000 UWs students received some form of federal financial aid in 2023-24, or nearly half of the total enrollment. Of those, nearly 31,600 received the Pell Grant.
Several student stories already populate the Fuel Futures web page. Current UWs students and alumni are invited to submit their own testimonials about how federal financial aid, including the Pell Grant, helped them pursue their studies, progress toward graduation, and advance their careers.
Stories can be submitted on the web page at wisconsin.edu/fuelfutures. Participants will be asked to indicate their university affiliation, graduation year, and current career. All submissions will be subject to review.
“We all know someone who has been helped by federal aid,” Rothman said. “Now it’s time to share these stories.”
The Universities of Wisconsin serve approximately 164,400 students. Awarding nearly 36,000 degrees annually, these 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in the state five years after earning a degree. The universities provide a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. Learn more at wisconsin.edu.