Wednesday: Statewide Student Rally at Capitol

(Harrisburg, PA) – College students from across Pennsylvania –some of whom are travelling more than 500 miles roundtrip– are joining forces to rally at the Capitol in Harrisburg on Wednesday, April 9th for “AICUP Day on the Hill.” Students will make their voices heard as they advocate for higher education, meet with legislators, and rally together at a press conference at the Rotunda, 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM.

Students will travel from these 26 schools to meet that day: Cedar Crest College, Chatham University, Chestnut Hill College, Eastern University, Elizabethtown College, Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Gwynedd Mercy University, Johnson College, Juniata College, Keystone College, Lafayette College, La Roche University, La Salle University, Lehigh University, Lycoming College, Manor College, Marywood University, Neumann University, Saint Vincent College, Seton Hill University, University of Scranton, Villanova University, Waynesburg University, Widener University, and Wilson College. All are members of the Association of Indepdendent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), which represents 85 independent nonprofit higher ed members, and which is organizing the April 9th event.

These three winners of a statewide student speech contest will speak at the 11:30 AM press conference: Olivia Fabiano of Elizabethtown College, Dashawn Sheffield of Lafayette College, and Dustin McMullen of Seton Hill University (and the LECOM pre-med partner program).

“Here are the faces behind the data, the students behind the statistics,” said Tom Foley, President of AICUP. “If you want to see how the state’s most successful higher ed funding programs –such as PHEAA’s PA State Grant, Grow PA, or Ready to Succeed– benefit everyday Pennsylvanians, look right here and meet our students. Here is tomorrow’s workforce and our future leaders. Listen to what they say.”

The majority of Pennsylvania’s college students are educated by the independent nonprofit sector (AICUP), which represents 275,000 students or 53% of all four-year degree-seeking students in PA. Bucking stereotypes about “private schools,” students from these schools embody facts that may surprise many. For example, in Pennsylvania, the independent nonprofit sector represents:

• 46% of all lower-income Pell-eligible students seeking bachelor’s degrees
• 47% of all PHEAA PA State Grant recipients seeking bachelor’s degrees
• 52% of all underrepresented minorities seeking bachelor’s/advanced degrees
• The best on-time graduation rates of any sector of higher ed in PA
• Lowest cost to taxpayers
• Best R.O.I. to students, the state, and taxpayers (Re: Wall Street Journal, AEI, Georgetown)
• Competitive tuition and fees that have actually fallen on average in the last decade, lowest debt default rates, and best post-grad employment rates and salaries.

AICUP member institutions graduate 44,000 new workers into the PA economy every year, the highest for any sector. In Pennsylvania, AICUP members represent 58% of all bachelor’s/advanced degrees awarded in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, math), 69% of all students pursuing a nursing degree, and 45% of all teacher certification candidates.

Learn more facts about independent nonprofit higher education and find source citations on the AICUP website. Check back to see our updated Economic Impact Report when it’s published in May 2025. www.AICUP.org

Event Summary:

• AICUP Day on the Hill
• Wednesday, April 9, 2025
• Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda, Harrisburg
• 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Press Conference (with other meetings happening all day)
• 26 universities and colleges in attendance
• 85 universities and colleges represented by the event organizer: AICUP, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania
• Purpose: Advocate for independent nonprofit higher education and highlight the benefits of college affordability.
• Photos and videos for the media: https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AICUP-Advocacy-Day-Media-4.2025.pdf

Media Contact:

Tony Gilbert
Phone: (717) 232-8649 x232
Email: Gilbert@AICUP.org

PDF Link to Press Release: https://aicup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AICUP-at-the-Capitol-April-9-2025.pdf

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) advocates for 85 independent nonprofit institutions of higher education. Learn more about AICUP online at www.AICUP.org

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