President Barack Obama, with First Lady Michelle Obama and Bard College student Troy Simon, delivers remarks during the College Opportunity Summit in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, Jan. 16, 2014.
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
At the beginning of his administration, President Obama set a goal that the U.S. would once again lead the world in college graduates. The President believes that expanding opportunity for more students to enroll and succeed in college is vital to building a strong economy and a strong middle class.
The President has already taken important steps to increase college access, including:
- Increasing Pell scholarships by $1,000 a year
- Creating the American Opportunity Tax Credit, worth up to $10,000 over four years of college
- Limiting student loan payments to 10 percent of income
- Laying out an ambitious agenda to reduce college costs and promote innovation and competition
In January, 140 college presidents and other leaders made commitments to support student success at the first White House College Opportunity Summit. To build upon the success of that summit, on Thursday, December 4, President Obama and the First Lady will join college presidents and other leaders making new commitments to improve degree completion, sustain community collaborations that encourage college-going, train high school counselors as part of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, and produce more STEM graduates with diverse backgrounds.
Here’s how you can participate in the College Opportunity Summit on Thursday, December 4th:
Fonte: White House