Galveston College students, faculty, regents and staff joined other community colleges Wednesday, Jan. 30, at the Texas State Capitol for Community College Day.
There were 50 community colleges and hundreds of students — including Galveston College students — in attendance, advocating for their colleges’ needs.
“For the last few legislative sessions, Galveston College has taken student leaders to Austin for Community College Day,” said Carol Langston, director of public affairs.
“Many of our students have never been to the Capitol, and it’s also their first time to be in Austin. Many of them have never met their elected officials. So, we set up meetings with our elected representatives and their staff members.”
During the trip, the group met with Rep. Mayes Middleton, District 23; Sen. Brandon Creighton, District 4, chair of the Senate Committee on Higher Education; Sen. Larry Taylor, District 11; and Daniel Warner, senior policy analyst with the Texas Senate Higher Education Committee.
Rep. Middleton presented a proclamation honoring Andre Derouen, former Whitecaps baseball player who died in March 2018 while rescuing his younger brother from drowning in a neighborhood pond.
Cynthia Parra, director of student activities at Galveston College, said this is a once-in-a-life-time experience for students.
“Community College Day gives students the opportunity to meet their elected officials face-to-face and shake their hand and realize those are the people working for them and their benefit,” Parra said. “Not everyone can say that they had meetings with a senator and a representative.”
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