MAP Grant Funding Crisis Calls for Forum at Wright

The MAP Grant, or Monetary Award Program, is free money to Illinois residents attending college or university in the state of Illinois and who are in need of financial assistance through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Recently, no state funds have been established for the 2016-2017 school year. On October 6th, Wright College held a MAP grant forum to discuss the issue and information tables were displayed on campus a week earlier.

Photo of Dr. Maria Jaskot-Inclan by Caitlin Cabanas

Speech and theatre professor, Dr. Maria Jaskot-Inclan, was one of the people running the forum, mentioned that it is important to invest in students' future because it impacts everyone.

Students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members were encouraged to fill out a petition postcard demanding MAP funding. The postcard campaign was initiated through 'Fund Our Future Illinois', a group of Illinois organizations that are working together to try to convince the Illinois state government to fully fund higher education.

Photos taken by Caitlin Cabanas

The postcard states the following: "For more than a year, Governor Rauner has refused to sign a full budget that adequately funds higher education and the Monetary Award Program (MAP). Last year another 160,000 hard-working, MAP-eligible Illinois students were denied much needed grants due to insufficient funding, forcing them to flee the state or give up on their dreams. In 2016-17, the state has again failed to fund MAP. The future of Illinois' students and our state hangs in the balance. Demand the Governor sign a full budget and fund MAP now!"

The only things required to fill out the postcard are name, address, school, and email. For more information on the MAP grant, or if you are interested in filling out a postcard petition, you can visit FundOurFutureIllinois via Facebook.