The Higher Education program and the Community College Leadership program partnered up for our DC Policy Trip on Friday, October 24, 2025.
Students from both programs, along with faculty members Dr. Charlie Mathies, Dr. Mitch Williams, and Dr. Kim Bullington, with the help of Associate Vice President of Federal Relations (and Ph.D. student), Kristin Dini, were able to visit Capitol Hill and professional organizations in DC.
The trip started with meeting at Union Station, and we walked to meet with representatives from Congressman Bobby Scott’s office who discussed Mr. Scott’s legislative agenda and working across the aisle with Republican counterparts.
After that, we went to ODU’s legislative office in DC and had lunch with Ken Redd from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). Mr. Redd discussed NACUBO’s legislative initiatives and the concerns NACUBO has with current appropriations and regulatory updates and how they affect college and university finances.
We then took the metro to Dupont Circle and were able to visit with two other professional associations. The first was the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), where we met with Kathryn Gimborys, Manager, Government Relations. The AACC’s legislative priorities are increasing the Pell Grant, additional funding for federal student aid, HEA reauthorization, benefits for low-income students, workforce development, tax benefits for low-income college students, veterans, DREAM Act and immigration policy and international education.
Our final meeting was with the American Council on Education (ACE). We met with Lindsey Tepe, Director of Government Relations, Emmanuel Guillory, Senior Director of Government Relations, and other staff about ACE’s legislative priorities including access, completion, and success for all students, with increasing the Pell Grant, and protecting and strengthening institutions with legislation like Title IV, quality and accountability, and fostering innovation in postsecondary education.
It was a great day and we learned a lot about everything going on in DC and higher education politics! We will be doing a Richmond Policy Trip in the Fall.