South Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson was elected to serve as chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment (HEWI) Subcommittee of the House Committee on Education and Labor.
The subcommittee has broad jurisdiction over issues related to college affordability, campus climate and safety, apprenticeship programs, and workforce development.
Wilson said that she was thrilled to take on this important responsibility.
“As chair of the HEWI Subcommittee, I will seek to help make attaining a quality degree more accessible for all, which includes robust investment in historically black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions, fostering a more inclusive environment on our nation’s campuses, and stronger support for first-generation, low-income, and minority students,” Wilson said.
Wilson said that she will also seek to address the nation’s student loan crisis and work to create alternative post-secondary opportunities for high school seniors.
“Because college isn’t for everybody, this new leadership position will enable me to advocate on behalf of high school graduates and workers who want to attain other forms of post-secondary opportunities, such as career and technical education, apprenticeship programs, and vocational rehabilitation. The pandemic has dramatically reshaped our economy from top to bottom. My goal is to help provide workers access to the tools and support needed to thrive in this rapidly changing landscape.
“I look forward to working with President Biden and Department of Education secretary nominee, Miguel Cardona, to address these and other pressing priorities,” Wilson said.
Congresswoman Wilson is a former school principal whose district includes Florida Memorial University, the only HBCU in South Florida; St. Thomas University; Barry University; Broward Community College; and Miami Dade College, and Florida International University.
She is also the founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, an in-school, dropout prevention mentoring program for boys of color, which has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships to thousands of students seeking a college degree or other post-secondary educational opportunity.
