NYU students and staff visited Washington, D.C. and Albany for NYU Albany Day on Tuesday to share their stories and discuss the importance of financial aid initiatives with legislators. Students met with Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon and assemblyman Thomas Abinanti’s office. This is the program’s 30th year.

As part of the day-long trip, students visited the New York Capitol, visited legislators’ offices in Albany and participated in a rally demanding more student aid. In conversations with legislators responsible for funding educational programs and financial aid, students and alumni emphasized the need for education to be a top priority in the following budget year.

LS freshman Byron Ramirez said people on the trip were able to explain the importance of funding educational programs to legislators.

“We spoke to the assistants of some of our government’s assembly members and we gave our stories of how state funded financial aid is helping us,” Ramirez said. “We convinced them that their aid in fact does play a major role in funding programs like HEOP, C-STEP, and TAP.”

Instructor and Opportunity Programs representative Robert Dunks said the trip is an extension of the projects done on campus.

“We brought NYU OP to Albany today, we did up here what we do down in campus,” Dunks said.

CAS freshman Jess Tejada, who was part of the group traveling to Washington, said the trip indicates the effort made at NYU to provide assistance to underrepresented groups.

“I think that NYU’s Albany Day was another instance in which NYU is continuing to be the global university that it is,” Tejada said. “It is continuing to try to help give under-represented groups an equal opportunity at success.”

Ramirez said the trip was an exciting experience despite the long distance students had to travel.

“We arrived in Albany with a great view of the Capitol Building and even with an extremely long bus ride we were still excited to represent our fellow NYU scholars who receive financial aid,” Ramirez said.

A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Feb. 11 print edition. Email Marita Vlachou at [email protected].