I am writing to remind all concerned legislators and the governor that education is an investment of delayed gratification. As a student and resident of illinois, i understand the economic challenges at hand but cutting down or eliminating the illinois MAP Grant is never going to change situations. It will rather worsen it both in the short and long run. There will be an increase in the number of school drop outs. In my case, the MAP grant is God sent grant that complements my tuition fee. If eliminated, i do not have any other hope than getting a second job. Then my questions will be: where are the jobs? How do i cope with two jobs and school? How do i maintain my GPA?
I currently maintain a 4.0 GPA. Other students will be asking how they can improve their GPA.
You are in power today because God wants you there and people believe in you. It has come to the point where you must be exceptionally considerate. Your decisions determines the lives of the populous; in this scenario, it determines whose education has come to a full stop.
I believe i have spoken the minds of all students, parents and educators.
Sincerely,
Ganiyat Ojifinni
Olive-Harvey College.

I am currently a student majoring in Criminal Justice. I believe I can make a change one day. I FEEL that as a student it’s hard to just pay for college so I truly believe that the MAP is needed. The MAP would enable me to be able to complete my career, and not just my future but others too.

Well, It is now going to be funded. Overwhelming votes in both the house and senate suggest that there was no real cause for concern. Our government was just using the students in a power struggle between the legislative and executive branches.

MAP is very important for me to have. I am majoring in Early Childhood. Id love to make a difference in a childs life and without my grant im not able to. college is not cheat by any means and having health care and bills to pay for PLUS college due to them taking away grants is not fair at all to me or anyone. I did not qualify for much as it was, but what was approved paid for a good deal of my fall courses. Education is so important to everybody and for me wantiong to teach children is also important because they are constantly saying on the news and such “children are our future” if they are not educated by people like me wanting to earn my degree to help them, they will not be successful

Im a 23yr old mother thats is trying to better myself for my kids & myself & can’t afford to pay for school. The fact that my map grant is going to be cut really affects me to be able to stay in school. I really want to graduate & get my bachelor in psychology & wouldn’t want to give up when Im almost done but my income doesnt allow me to pay out of pocket. I bed that something gets done soon.

I am a student at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. I rely on the MAP grant for funds to be able to go to school. It would be a big setback if the MAP grant were to be taken away.

My NAME IS Y.CRAIG AND I’M A MOTHER OF THREE, I’M A JUNIOR AND MY MAJOR IS CRIMINIAL JUSTICE.I’M SADDEN ABOUT THE CUT IN THE MAP GRANT. I REALLY NEED THE MONEY TO FURTHER MY EDUCATION. I’M THE ONLY ONE IN MY FAMILY WHO HAS WENT TO COLLEGE. MY CHILDREN LOOK UP TO ME AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE A FAILURE BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY OF PAYING FOR MY EDUCATION. I’M ASKING ALL LEGISLATORS AND SENATORS TO PLEASE RESTORE THE MAP GRANT TO MANY STUDENTS NATION WIDE DEPEND ON THE MAP GRANT. NEXT SEMESTER I HAVE ON WAY OF KNOWING HOW I’M GOING TO PAY FOR SCHOOL. TAKEN OUT LOANS AND NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW I’M GOUING TO REPAY IT. PLEASE RESTORE THE MAP GRANT I NEED IT.

Making the decision to return to school, was a big step for me, mentally and physically. I’m majoring in Criminal Justice. For the government to take away a major part of my finances for me to continue to attend school. What are we to do, in order to continue our education? By, cutting that grant cuts into my going forward in my studies.

How dare these capitalist take away the students money. What ever happened to this being the land of opportunity. This place is looking more like a caste system to me!

Illinois had to garuantee to spend One Billion dollars to even apply to host the olympics, Guess we know where the MAP GRANT MONEY WENT.

I would like to state that the Map grant has been a very important instrument for almost every student in the state of Illinois, even more so for those who live a very small budget, without it students will have to use monies that would noramlly be used for household necessities will now have to be used to purchase items for school. Example one physics’ book cost $200 dollars supplies just as much and more. Many can not afford to pay for school feeds, classes, and other materials. Those who are in proverty and know it and want to do something about it by going to school to better their situations and the lives of their family. The Maps Grants help support the finanically strapped student student in need. I Hoping that the Illinoins government will reconsider and allow the people to have a say in what sacrifices they are willing to may for the success of the future generation.

Hello my name is Shataun Tankson. I am a student at Western Illinois University. I get MAP Grant funds to get my degree from this school. My family does not have the money to send me to college. I use the MAP Grant and student loans to get me through school. I believe that we need to have the funds available to make sure every student in the state of Illinois has the ability to get a higher education. I am not the only person in the state of Illinois who is affected by the funding cuts. The need for the grant is great and students will not be able to get an education without the grant funded to meet the needs of the students. Education is important to the future of this state and the students are the future of this state. Thank you for your time.

This is rediculous…I am a junior in college in illinois. I need the map grant just as bad as the next person. I can no longer take out any sub loans and its becoming harder and harder to contiune my education at my chosen school. I feel as if the state could put up all this money for the olympics and evrything else that really dosent matter why not fund our education, after all we are the future of the state. Illinois is the state where our current president is from, I feel like there should be more options for college students instead of the piling on more debt option. I understand that the recession has affected a lot of things, but something as serious as education should’nt be affected in such a way. I’m only stating how I feel about the situation. Hopefully something can be done to restore some of the money to the map grants for the students who are really stuggling to maintain…like myself for example!!!

I was PROMISED a map grant at the beginning of the school year and later find out that its being taken away from me. That is not fair and its unjust. I am serious about my education and would like to make a difference in the world. I have two semesters left to graduate and and now suddenly I am being burdened by a lack of ~$2500 for tuition. I am already angry at the fact that $1 million were WASTED when Chicago paid that money for the Olympic bid. Why couldn’t have IL legislators used THAT money for us. We are the future here, who will bring the economy up IF WE CAN GO TO SCHOOL. Now I am in a situation where I either go to school or work 24/7 to save money. And low behold, there are no jobs available either.
Thank you very much!
~angry MAP deprieved student

Eliminating the MAP grant would the worst thing possible especially since many families are going through very bad times due the economy and the layoffs. Parents are being forced to dip into their children’s college funds in order to survive due to higher costs and for some no income coming into the household. Many families are struggling including mine and by eliminating this type of financial assistance would make it even more difficult for my sister and I to finish school. Many jobs now days require higher education, which force us to return to school.

I am writing to protest for the right to continue to receive my assistance for the Illinois student assistance commission, this is known as the MAP Grant. I am a 45 year old women supporting a child and myself a on very limited income, I Have been attending school while working for more than 10 years. I am at the last few classes needed to obtain my first Bachelor’s degree. I was lucky enough to have gotten approved for the first portion of the MAP grant. It is a vast amount of students that depend on the state and the federal government to help us become more marketable in the employment field. This recession we are currently experienceing has been hard for everyone, but it is people like myself that has came to a decision to become more marketable in the job market by returning to school to get an education. The MAP funding is essential for me to obtain my goals, it would be a shame if I am not able to continue school due to the lack of funds. My income solely pays for just what we need to survive daily and I as while as others cannot afford college with out this help. I look so forward to walking across the stage because I have worked so hard to get to this point. I look forward to my son going to college and he will need this type of help, because I cannot afford to pay for him to go to college at this time. I know the government officials are looking for ways to keep the funding available to us. I just needed to let you know how much your help is need in the state of Illinois for working class individuals trying to make it on very little, we all are trying to become better for this country.
Sincerely Meshoun Dorsey

Quick and easy way to find your representatives, both state and federal:

Go to http://www.chicagojwj.org/ – Chicago Jobs With Justice website
On the right side, “Find Elected Officials”
Fill in your Zip Code – 9-digit is better
Click “Find”, Click “State”

Send an email to EACH of your state representatives. Even better, write or call them.

Good Evening,
I am a mother of 2 wonderful children. I am now back in school to better myself. The MAP grant will come in handle for me to save so I can get my master degree. If you take it away I will have to work double just to make the money to continue to go to school.

Thanks in Advance,
Monik Logwood

With almost 12 % of the state on unemployment, going back to receive a higher education has become a top priority for a lot of Illinoisans. I think Gov. Quinn and the rest of the law makers need to realize that there is a lot of time between January and November to breed a lot of discontentment towards them from the prime group of active political civilians in this state. Wake up legislature and realize that these are your voters that you are making suffer, and surely we will not make the mistake of keeping you in office in November if this issue is not resolved!

Cutting education funding in any aspect is generally a bad idea. I think we have seen the consequences of cutting by our former governor in the closing and forced-combining of many schools all over the state. Now you are cutting funding at the college level. I realize that you are trying to promote a state of workers and not of thinkers, but let’s face it, most of the work force requires a higher level of education. Cutting funding will not only hurt those of us who cannot afford tuition and books, but will surely have adverse effects on the work force of our once-great state. The state was handed billions of taxpayer dollars from the several stimulus packages and the money is going everywhere but where it is needed. Reinstate the MAP grant, We The People demand it! Do your jobs or we will find someone who will.

Sincerely,
Benjamin Sutter

I need the map grant. There are 3 people in my family in college right now, and my parents arent paying for ANYTHING. I am an education major, and if I dont get my degree, I cant teach. DONT cut funding! Especially since these are the students that will be stepping up to run the state in the future….

I am currently going to a little 2 year technical college near the quad cities and not getting any of the money for the second semester of school has none the less infuriated me but my family as well. I am paying for my education 100% and i have 2 loans out for me. My parents are of little help; not because they aren’t willing, but rather because they are unable. My Father has been unemployed since February 2008 and because of that, they have no money at all. However in the above stated paragraph stating the problem, it said that some students are being awarded half of their potential amount…at least they are getting some. I have to come up with about $1000. That wouldn’t be such a problem if i didn’t work at minimum ($8.00), only get about 10 hours a week and have my own class schedule do deal with. By the way work study, which is what my job is considered, doesn’t bring in more than minimum, unlike what some may think; especially what i do which is tutor. What these law makers need to realize is that many of us don’t make $15 or so dollars an hour and even more of us don’t have parents that earn that much either!! It is a disgrace that they had to cut financial aid in order to make the budget possible! plus there is a reason why we are applying for this money…it’s because we don’t have much of our own!

Let’s be clear, Gov. Quinn has fought hard with state representatives to push for a modest income tax increase to fund state programs across the board (he puts strong emphasis on higher education). In other words, he knows the solution and has tried to get our district reps to support funding of MAP. As a whole, it is the representatives that fight him tooth and nail demanding that he cut all programs (child-care, seniors, education), they have tied his hands. I do not believe he is the real target. The true target is our state reps not Quinn. Sign up to become a member of Student Advocates for Success at http://www.womenemployed.org/sas they are organized, have the correct information, and the means to make your voice heard. SAS will be in Springfield Oct. 15th to rally for the restoration of MAP. Otherwise, good luck.

I am really saddened by the governments actions. I feel like they are cutting funds to pay for other things that we don’t need. They tell us to go to school and further our education, but how are we to do that when there is no money out there for us to do it. We are in a literal recession and full time students can’t come up with thousands and thousands of dollars on the spot. I think this whole situation is crazy and ridiculous. Most college students getting themselves more and more into debt and something I personally feel, we don’t need. Not funding the MAP Grant puts a lot of students into predicaments that probably no one will be able to help them out. Many people are struggling as it is and now you don’t want to fund the MAP Grant. This is utterly ridiculous. Fund the MAP Grant and stop funding your pockets!!!!!

I am writing to protest revocation of my Illinois MAP Grant financial assistance for education. I have been notified by my college’s financial aid department that my MAP grant is revoked for the following semester. I am disabled, on SSDI and Medicare and severely impoverished. I was previously self-supporting in the mortgage industry and have been out of the work force in that capacity since 2006. I have been unable to find employment even remotely comparable to my previous level of income. I have not been able to attain funds from maintenance and a separate Judgment from my fleeing former spouse, totally about $58,000; I may have located his residence out of state but lack funds to retain an attorney. My car burned and was totally destroyed, and I believe him responsible. I have lost my home to foreclosure, have filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy, have no assets at all and honestly could not come up with $50 if I needed to this moment.

I am trying to become self-supporting again by working to attain my first bachelor’s degree and then go on to graduate school and fulfill a life-long desire to become a teacher. I am a top student with a current GPA of 4.0. I do not understand how revocation of the MAP grant constitutes “appropriate reduction in education costs” to the state when my funds are revoked while I am a most financially destitute and academically highest achieving student.

Sincerely, Shellie Lewis