President Obama launched his official nationwide Greater Together campaign on Historically Black Colleges and Universities on Tuesday at N.C. Central University.
The Greater Together program began with the HBCU student summit, a plan implemented by the Obama campaign to target 18 to 29 year-old voters. “I’m very excited that we’re all here for a common cause to help President Obama,” said Jonte Miller, A&T junior criminal justice major from Gastonia. “I hope this will rally students to help with this campaign and to vote.” Miller also volunteers with the Obama campaign taking part in Organizers for America.
At N.C. Central, actress Gabrielle Union mediated a panel discussion about the election season and plans for the Obama campaign. Members of the panel included Congressman G. K. Butterfield, Senior Democratic strategist Valerie Jarrett, national campaign manager Jim Messina and selected students from the university. Congressman Butterfield has teamed up with his daughter, Clark-Atlanta graduate, Valeisha Butterfield-Jones, who is now the National Youth Vote director for the re-election of President Obama. Students from N.C. A&T State University, Bennett College, Shaw University, UNC-CH and other area schools were in attendance.
“I think the event yesterday went very well,” said Mitchell Brown, A&T’s student body vice president of internal affairs. “It was good to hear them talk about issues that appeal to college students. It was very empowering and very enlightening.”
North Carolina is said to be a key state in the 2012 presidential election. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama took the state of North Carolina, marking the first time in over 30 years that North Carolina was a Democratic state.
The main topics of discussion during the student summit included the cost of higher education, employment opportunities, and healthcare among college students. In terms of financial aid and school funding, Obama not only plans to decrease the amount of student loans but he also intends to increase Federal Pell Grants. He plans to double Pell Grants that are distributed to college students as well. A Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.
Obama also changed the policy of $60 billion going to banks to administer financial aid. Now money goes directly to students. Students at the summit voiced their concerns about being encouraged to apply for internships but not being able to accept them because they cannot afford to have unpaid internships, which has hindered some students’ ability to begin an ideal career.
In some cases, it is cheaper for undergraduates to live off campus.However, while it is an easier financial burden to live off campus, they still have the responsibility of managing money for food, gas in order to drive to campus, and providing health care assistance.
Many graduating students will also leave college without job offers, nor have the money to pay for graduate school. Jarrett explained that during Obama’s administration, there has been a consecutive 23 months of private sector job growth.
Since President Obama has been in office, 3.7 million new jobs have been created. At the end of the event, Union stressed the importance of voting this November. She went on to add that, “If you can keep up with the Kardashians, you can keep up with your community.”
- Karmen Robinson, Sports Editor