Meredith College President Contributes Piece to The Hill

Meredith College President Jo Allen, ’80, contributed a piece supporting an increase in the  Federal Pell Grant to The Hill, the largest independent political news site in the United States.

The opinion article titled “Why doubling the Pell Grant should be back on the table” was published on January 18, 2022. 

A Pell Grant is a form of federal financial aid that often does not need repayment, reducing the price of college for low-income undergraduate students. Created in 1972, the Pell Grant is the most extensive grant program offered by the Department of Education. 

In this piece, Allen calls on lawmakers to return to the topic of doubling Pell Grants. She writes that Pell Grant amounts have failed to keep pace with cost increases and now cover 30 cents on the dollar when it used to cover half the cost of college, causing students to take on large loans and long work hours on top of being full-time students.

You can read the full article at thehill.com and stay up-to-date with President Jo Allen’s messages and news at meredith.edu/president.