UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the first time since 2022, hundreds of students will be in Harrisburg for Advocate Penn State Capital Day telling their Penn State story to elected officials from across the state.
Capital Day, happening today (March 18), is the University's single-largest day of advocacy, combining in-person student meetings in Harrisburg with a virtual element. Capital Day offers all Penn Staters the opportunity to use their voice to speak up in support Penn State's state funding and highlight the University's positive impact on the commonwealth.
Virtually, Penn Staters are encouraged to demonstrate their support by filling out a brief form that will automatically connect them with their legislators to send a pre-written email asking them to level-up Penn State’s per-student funding to align with Pennsylvania's other public universities.
During Capital Day, students from University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses will meet with members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to advocate for the University’s annual state appropriation.
Each year, state funding allows Penn State to offer low-cost in-state tuition to more than 42,000 Pennsylvania undergraduate students and their families. Penn State receives, on average, $5,757 per Pennsylvania resident student in state support. The University then significantly amplifies this funding to offer an average tuition discount of $15,000 for Pennsylvania resident students.
“As Pennsylvania’s only land-grant university, Penn State advances the needs and priorities of the commonwealth in so many ways, from driving economic development and conducting cutting-edge research to educating more Pennsylvania students than any other institution,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “Capital Day is an opportunity for our community and our students to connect with our elected officials to advocate for their support in helping our University continue to have the level of impact on our commonwealth for which we are known. I am so encouraged by our students’ passion and their participation to help advocate for equitable funding from the state.”
Currently, Penn State receives between $3,000 and $3,700 less in state appropriations on a per-student basis than its in-state counterparts. Additionally, Penn State has not received an increase in its general support funding since a 2% bump in 2019-20.
By advocating during Capital Day, all Penn Staters across Pennsylvania — current students, faculty and staff members, alumni, family members, and Penn State friends and supports — can show their elected officials that fair funding for Penn State matters to them. State funding is critical to helping Penn State continue to invest in high-quality academic programs and experiences that set students on a path for a lifetime of career and personal success.
Capital Day will close with a press conference hosted by Paul Clifford, CEO of the Penn State Alumni Association, featuring several student speakers and remarks from Bendapudi.
Included in the closing press conference will be the presentation of the Penn State Alumni Association’s Friend of Penn State Legislative Award to Reps. Pete Schweyer and Jesse Topper. The award, first given in 2006, is a continuing effort sponsored by the Alumni Association that recognizes Pennsylvania legislators who play a significant role in the continued improvement of Penn State.
The Capital Day advocacy action campaign will remain open beyond March 18, so all Penn Staters have a chance to participate.
A Capital Day On Campus event will be held at University Park on April 12 to encourage students and the University Park community to show their support for the University’s state funding. Several Commonwealth Campuses will be holding their own Capital Day On Campus events throughout the rest of the spring semester.
All Penn Staters are encouraged to follow scenes from the day in the Capitol on Advocate Penn State's Instagram page.