Led by Young People from Connecticut, First-Generation College Students Sound the Alarm on Republicans' Cuts to Higher Education

[WASHINGTON, DC] – This week, more than 20 college students – including first-generation students from Yale University, Connecticut State University, and Eastern Connecticut State University – traveled to Capitol Hill to advocate against Republicans’ reconciliation bill. The legislation, which passed the House last month, includes provisions that would make college less affordable and accessible for students.

At a press conference with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), the students spoke out against provisions in Republicans’ budget bill that threaten access to higher education, such as an increase in the endowment tax and cuts to federal financial aid programs. At the press conference, students shared their stories about how federal financial aid programs have helped them pursue their dreams of attending college and sounded the alarm that Republicans’ agenda could put higher education out of reach for many Americans. 

Emi Glass

Rising Sophomore at Yale University

“I am a proud first-generation low-income student who is deeply concerned about the implications of several provisions in the House budget bill, particularly those affecting Pell Grants, student loans, and endowment taxation. Educational affordability and equal access to higher education are deeply personal issues to me. I grew up in the heartland of America, just outside Dayton, Ohio. I was raised by a single mother who works in law enforcement…Going to college isn’t something that’s a given in my family or in the communities that I’m from.

“The Pell Grant, outside scholarships, and Yale’s generous financial aid made this dream of not just attending but also affording college possible for me…But I’m not just here to talk about my story. I’m here because this dream is under threat for countless others. Thousands of other talented, hardworking low-income students will no longer be able to access higher education if these changes are enacted.”

Cayla Waddington

Rising sophomore at Yale University

“This time last year, I was gearing up to head off to college—an insane, miracle dream that somehow came true. A dream that wouldn’t be possible without financial aid funded by Yale’s endowment. A dream that this ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ aims to threaten…We need our school’s endowments. The endowment tax isn’t just taking money from some faceless institution. It’s taking education from kids like me.”

Jackson Howe

Rising senior at West Virginia University

“I’m here today because, for students like me, financial aid isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Programs like Pell Grants and higher education grants don’t just help reduce tuition, they make a college education possible…In West Virginia, we already know how tough it can be to access opportunity, but when federal and state aid work together like through the West Virginia Invest Grant or the higher education grant, we start to see real hope.”

Rebeckah Rubin

Recent graduate from Eastern Connecticut University

“Coming from a working household with three younger siblings, financial aid wasn’t just helpful, it was absolutely essential. Without federally subsidized loans and Direct PLUS Loans, pursuing higher education out of high school simply would not have been an option for me. These federal financial aid programs that made my degree possible are now being threatened by the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ passed by the House.

“This bill proposes an elimination of federally subsidized loans beginning in July 2026 as well as strict limits on loan borrowing…These changes hurt families like mine, who despite our wishes, cannot afford to pay out of pocket for higher education institutions, especially when the cost of these institutions continues to soar with each passing year.”

Riley Getchell

Rising junior at Yale University

“For the last two years, I have been lucky enough to attend Yale University as a first-generation, low-income student. I always say that the moment I opened my college acceptance letter changed my life, but the reality is the moment that really changed my life was when I opened my financial aid award…So when I opened my financial aid award letter a few weeks later, I still remember the disbelief on my dad and I’s faces as we did the math, and we realized that I would not only be the first one in my family to graduate from college but the first one to graduate debt free as well.

“If Congress passes Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ as it stands with provisions to increase the endowment tax by nearly 16 times over, Yale could lose $700 million each year. Last year alone, Yale spent $598 million on undergraduate financial aid…Let’s be clear, this outrageous cut in funds could put me in $90,000 in debt my senior year of college. How can any working-class American family accept that burden?”

A full video of this week’s press conference is available here.

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