Through its work with the Coalition for Transforming Higher Education Funding, the Partnership for College Completion spoke alongside Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford and State Representative Carol Ammons for a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 17, urging Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to adequately and equitably invest in higher education in our state.
Representing PCC was Student Board member, Emelia Ibarra-Franco, sharing her lived experience as a current college student and her work with the PCC Board. Her full remarks can be found here.
Sen. Lightford and Representative Ammons are co-sponsors for the Adequate & Equitable Funding Formula (SB13 and HB1581, respectively). The formula:
- Calculates what each university needs based on their unique mission and student population
- Increases resources to all universities, while prioritizing the most underfunded
- Directs the resources needed for an estimated 122,000 more Illinois bachelor’s degree-holders, who would contribute $692 million per year in state taxes when fully funded
- Includes a “hold harmless” provision—meaning no university would lose funding. All public universities and their students will benefit from the implementation of SB13 / HB1581
The press conference emphasized the critical importance of the student-focused investment into Illinois’ public universities. Speaking alongside Ibarra-Franco, Sen. Lightford, and Rep. Ammons were:
- Sen. Mike Halpin – 36th District, Illinois General Assembly
- Rep. Norma Hernandez – 77th District, Illinois General Assembly
- Dr. Dan Mahony – President, Southern Illinois University
- Megan Fox – Student, Eastern Illinois University
Watch the full press conference below
Emelia Ibarra-Franco’s Full Remarks
Good afternoon, my name is Emelia Ibarra-Franco. I serve on the Board of the Partnership for College Completion, and I stand before you today not solely as a product of immigrant parents but as a first-generation college student committed to making an influential change in this pivotal moment in higher education.
As a first-generation scholar pursuing my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education, a field rooted in care, equity, and the belief that every child deserves a strong foundation. My current role allows me to gain classroom experience as a Bilingual Preschool Assistant. But my journey to higher education has not been linear or easy. I entered this space without having the collegiate guidance of my single mother. I navigated financial aid systems unfamiliar to my family, balanced academic responsibilities while working full-time, and often carried the weight of uncertainty alone. Despite the struggle, I continued to strive for more —because I believe education is not only transformative for individuals, but generationally powerful for families and communities.
My lived experience is not unique. It reflects the reality of thousands of first-generation, low-income, and students of color across Illinois who are striving for upward mobility through education. That is why Adequate and Equitable funding stands at the Partnership’s number one legislative priority this session.
Affordability remains one of the greatest barriers for students like me. I have had to earn paid internship roles, apply for countless scholarships, and obtain federal work-study jobs on campus to help lower the overall cost of tuition. When higher education is underfunded, the burden shifts onto students and families who can least afford it. Sustained investment in need-based financial aid and public institutions ensures that students are not forced to choose between completing their degree and meeting basic needs. Funding is not just about numbers—it is about retention, completion, and dignity.
As a future early childhood educator, I know that what we invest in today shapes tomorrow. When students from historically marginalized communities are supported through higher education, we return that investment many times over—through classrooms that reflect our diversity, educators who understand their students’ realities, and communities strengthened by representation and opportunity.
It’s time for Illinois to invest adequately and equitably in the institutions that open the most doors of opportunity. Doing so will affirm that students like me belong in higher education—and that our aspirations are worth investing in.
When we expand access and fund equity, we do more than open doors. We change lives, uplift families and communities, and build a more just future for generations to come.
Thank you.