Liberty students and staff thank legislators for support during annual VTAG Day

A group of Liberty University students and staff traveled to Richmond, Va., on Monday to participate in “Thanks for TAG Day.” The annual event provides an opportunity for students to meet with Virginia legislators and thank them for their past and continued support of the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG).

The VTAG is a state grant that is awarded to residents of Virginia attending a private college or university within the Commonwealth. Each year, students receive grants of $3,400 as undergraduates and $1,700 for graduate students pursuing a degree in a health-related profession.

Liberty students and staff met with Delegates Kathy Byron, Matt Fariss, Will Wampler, Wendell Walker, Les Adams, Terry Austin and Senators Steve Newman and Mark Peake. The students were able to tell their compelling stories of how VTAG helped them pursue their educational goals at Liberty.

“VTAG not only helped me afford my academic experience at Liberty, it allowed me to afford a multicultural experience to study abroad in Japan this upcoming March,” said Raven Moses, a senior pursuing a degree in Information Technology-Web and Mobile Programming. “I would not be able to have this opportunity if VTAG didn’t help supplement some of my tuition cost.” Moses recently received a job offer with United Technologies.

Calum Best, a senior studying finance and accounting, will be working for Teach for America in Memphis, teaching high school math.

“I thanked my legislators for their past support of VTAG and updated them on my future plans,” he said. “VTAG has helped make it a financial reality for me to begin my career in public service with Teach for America, so I’m very grateful for my legislators’ wisdom in supporting the program.”

They also reminded each of the state representatives of the Governor’s proposed budget that eliminates online students’ eligibility for the grant and why they should support the amendments within the House and Senate which seek to reinstate online eligibility back into the Governor’s final budget.

“Thanks for TAG Day is a great way to show students that their voice matters in order for education to remain affordable and accessible,” said Ashley Reich, vice president of student financial services. Liberty’s director of government relations, Kenny Craig, and associate director of financial aid Katherine Marston also accompanied the students on the trip.

VTAG Day is coordinated by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) and is part of its yearly VTAG Advocacy Campaign in which Liberty is a participant. Approximately 5,500 Virginia residents received VTAG for either online or residential education programs during the 2018-2019 award year.