Governor JB Pritzker arrived on campus Thursday to discuss higher education investments that he had proposed in his budget. He was also joined by President Freeman, DeKalb Mayor Barnes and three NIU students. 

President Freeman first spoke and expressed gratitude to the governor for his commitment to higher education, NIU and its sister institutions. Freeman also pointed out that NIU is responsible for 8,100 jobs and $1.2 billion dollars in economic output for the state of Illinois.

As Pritzker takes the podium, he mentioned in the live stream how Eric Wasowicz, board chair at NIU, called him before he was sworn in as governor to take a closer look at NIU and the work that they are trying to do. 

Pritzker’s three priorities to lower the cost of higher education proposed in his budget were to increase MAP grants by $200 million, make Illinois a top 5 state in receiving federal assistance and Pell grants and increase state support directly to state institutions. With the passage of this year’s budget, he has achieved all three priorities. 

The governor also proposed $122 million more to MAP grants bringing the overall total to $6 million. There will also be an increase for funding directly to NIU at 5% and the same being done with NIU’s peers. 

With the budget, there will be more funding for scholarships such as minority teaching and nursing.

Lorena Nava, a sophomore sociology major with plans to go to law school, spoke on the experience of undocumented immigrants and the struggles of being rejected from FAFSA. She was able to qualify for the Rise Act and receive MAP funding. 

Devlin Collins, a fourth-year nonprofit NGO studies major, detailed his experience in a middle-class household and how MAP funding has helped him through college. 

“Had it not been the funding I got through MAP grants, through Pell grants and through general federal financing, I wouldn’t be in college right now,” said Collins.

Rebecca Gonzalez, a double major in medical laboratory sciences and chemistry, detailed how she didn’t think she was going to be able to afford school. She mentioned that things have been easier knowing that she hasn’t had to pay out of pocket for school. 

Pritzker applauded the three students and expressed how amazing they were.