Mathematics freshman Seth Singson kept his friends in mind when he filled out a postcard for the Aim Higher Florida rally Wednesday.
“Tuition is already kinda steep,” the 18-year-old said. “I have friends back home who can’t go to college.”
Supporters of Aim Higher Florida, a statewide plan to raise awareness and keep tuition from increasing at Florida’s public universities, gathered on Turlington Plaza for the rally.
Students were asked to write postcards about why higher education is important, sign a petition and like the Aim Higher Florida Facebook page.
Abby Whiddon, co-founder of Aim Higher, said she printed 3,080 postcards at Target Copy, which cost $550 from Student Government funding. She said participants filled out about 500 postcards and supporters will take them in bags to the Rally in Tally April 3 and 4.
“It’s such a simplified campaign,” the 21-year-old public relations junior said.
Whiddon said the initiative began last summer at UF. Aim Higher is supported by all 11 state public university Student Body presidents, which govern about 330,000 students.
At Tuesday’s Student Senate meeting, Student Body President Tj Villamil said the idea for the initiative was inspired by the viral Kony 2012 video. The Senate unanimously passed a resolution endorsing Aim Higher.
Senate President Christina Bonarrigo walked around the plaza with a clipboard asking for signatures.
“So many students are coming to us telling us that they can’t afford a tuition increase next year,” she said.
Contact Colleen Wright at cwright@alligator.org.
