More than 40 Benedictine University students rallied in Springfield on Thursday, October 15 with hundreds of other students from Illinois colleges and universities to put pressure on legislators to pass legislation supporting Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) grants for the spring 2010 semester.

Continued funding means that students who receive MAP grants will have those funds available this spring.

The students were successful in encouraging lawmakers to vote on a measure funding these scholarships. The Illinois House voted 115-0 and 56-1 in the Senate to authorize Gov. Pat Quinn to spend $205 million for the grants. The MAP program provides funding for approximately 137,000 college students in Illinois, including about 1,000 Benedictine University students. The students receive about $2,400 per term.

Congratulations to the Office of Financial Aid, the Student Success Center, the Political Science Student Association (PSSA), the Student Senate and all faculty, staff and students who wrote to their legislators to ensure that funding for the MAP program is extended.  Thank you for a job well done!

William J. Carroll, President
Benedictine University