For a group of Florida Atlantic University student leaders, their advocacy has now crossed state lines. By being selected by the Youth Action Fund to advocate for higher education, these students were able to lobby all the way through the halls of the nation’s capital.
Funded by Youth Action Fund, a student activism organization, members of FAU’s Sunshine Party, May Rojas, Nicholas Ostheimer, Ángel García, Esteban Lasso, and Joey Mansour, traveled to Washington to participate in the United States Student Association’s legislative conference.
At the Capitol, they were joined by students from across the country in lobbying Congress on higher education issues, from protecting federal financial aid to defending voting access.
They met with congressional staffers from offices including Sen. Ashley Moody, Sen. Bill Cassidy, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz to present concerns about policies that directly affect college students.
“Strong higher education is one of America’s biggest strengths; students are entitled to have their voices heard by representatives in Congress, and to have their interests advanced by them,” said Ostheimer, Sunshine Party and College Democrats president.
“We literally are this country’s future, so we deserve to have a say in how it’s led,” said Ostheimer.
The group’s priorities ranged from protecting federal financial aid to defending voting access.
One of the central issues discussed was the SAVE Act, a proposed measure that would tighten voter identification requirements. The student leaders said the change could make it harder for college students, many of whom move frequently or lack access to documents like passports, to participate in elections.
“It’s already really difficult to get students out to vote,” said Ostheimer. “If the SAVE Act were to take effect, it would make it close to impossible.”
“It’s kind of cliché, but we literally are this country’s future, so we deserve to have a say in how it’s led,” said Ostheimer.
In addition to voting access, the students advocated for maintaining Pell Grant funding, preserving TRIO programs, and opposing efforts to eliminate the Department of Education. They also raised concerns about protecting free speech on college campuses.
While they didn’t meet with officials directly, they said the experience was still impactful. Congressional staffers took notes from their meetings with the Sunshine Party and asked questions to bring back to their senators.
“For what it’s worth, I was pleasantly surprised with how receptive the meetings were,” Ostheimer said.
Garcia, the Sunshine party secretary, who has lobbied before, said lobbying through the senator’s staff is typical, given the high volume of meetings lawmakers handle because they are often too busy to be a part of those discussions.
Taking in what they learned from the trip, Sunshine party members emphasized that it was not just about policy, but about representation as leaders on their campus.
Lasso, the newly elected Jupiter campus governor, emphasized the importance of building a culture of involvement on campus, noting that the conference workshops focused on organizing strategies and ways to encourage more students to participate in leadership roles.
“We are really engaged on campus right now,” said Lasso. “But the thing that we are trying to do is inspire people to do the same.”
The student leaders acknowledged that conversations with staffers do not always translate directly into policy outcomes. Still, they said the experience is an important step in ensuring student voices are part of a national conversation.
“My responsibility as someone in student government and president of the College Democrats is making sure that the decision makers in D.C. understand what students need, what students want, and what students demand,” Ostheimer said.
As they return to campus, the group plans to apply what they learned on the trip, encouraging more students to get involved, vote, and stay informed about the policies that shape their education.
Ava Hilton is the News Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or direct message Hilton on Instagram @a.vahilton10.
