Pictured giving the HPU Yellow Jackets’ “Sting ’em” sign with Rep. Mike Lang are HPU students Sierra Ross, Cali Brockway, Jenna Stuard and Jessica Meeks, along with Karina Daniel, HPU’s director of corporate, community and foundation relations.

A group of Howard Payne University students recently traveled to the Texas Capitol in Austin to thank legislators for their support of Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) funding and to request their continued advocacy.

The TEG program, established in 1971, was created to provide state grants to financially and academically qualified Texas residents who wish to attend one of the state’s independent colleges or universities. The grant is designed to narrow the gap in tuition rates between public and private higher education institutions in the state. The architect of the TEG was Dr. Gary Price, a 1960 HPU graduate. Dr. Lynn Nabers, a 1962 HPU graduate who served as a state representative, sponsored the bill in the Texas House of Representatives.

Visiting with Rep. Keith Bell during a recent trip to Austin are (front row) HPU’s Cali Brockway, Sierra Ross, Karina Daniel, (back row) Jessica Meeks and Jenna Stuard.

The HPU group observed portions of sessions of the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas Senate and met with state representatives Keith Bell and Mike Lang. The students also visited with staff members from the offices of Sen. Pat Fallon, Rep. Dan Flynn, Sen. Bob Hall and Rep. Phil King.

While in Austin, the group also met with representatives from Independent Colleges & Universities of Texas (ICUT), a nonprofit association supporting Texas’ independent, nonprofit colleges and universities by strengthening member institutions through advocacy, policy research and collaboration.

Those who made the trip from HPU were Cali Brockway, junior kinesiology major from Terrell; Jessica Meeks, senior family studies major from Bridgeport; Sierra Ross, sophomore criminal justice and Guy D. Newman Honors Academy major from Canton; and Jenna Stuard, sophomore psychology major from Scurry; and Karina Daniel, HPU’s director of corporate, community and foundation relations.

“Seeing our state government at work was an exciting opportunity for these talented students, as was sharing their stories about HPU with legislators,” said Daniel.

Student Jessica Meeks said her experience was very informative.

“This trip to Austin was a great experience,” she said. “I was honored to get to represent our university at the capital. I gained a new perspective on the legislative process and appreciation for what our legislators do for students. I loved getting to share about the impact HPU has made on my life and thank legislators for supporting me in my college experience.”