Melanie Storey, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) discusses the most pressing issues in federal financial aid policy, including the Pell Grant shortfall and proposals to address it, the elimination of Grad PLUS loans and loan caps under H.R. 1, the fight over the definition of professional degree student, and the push for transparency in financial aid offers through the College Cost Transparency Initiative. Hosted by Tom Vu, AICCU Vice President for Policy.

Two former students of AICCU's Independent California Colleges Advocate program, Katelyn Pohlman and Alexis Takagi, discuss the biggest challenges facing college students today, including housing, basic needs, and financial literacy. They also make a compelling, firsthand case for why higher education remains worth it, even as its value faces growing public scrutiny. Katelyn serves as a member of the California Student Aid Commission's Student Advisory Council and is set to graduate from Chapman University this spring. Alexis is a graduate of Santa Clara University and a research analyst at the Campaign for College Opportunity. This episode is hosted by Alex Graves, AICCU Vice President for Government Relations, and sponsored by First American Education Finance.

Tom Stritikus, president of Occidental College, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing higher education and shares how Occidental College is expanding college access through transfer partnerships, strengthening support for first generation and veteran students, and increasing transparency around tuition and financial aid. Drawing on his role as board chair of the American Council on Education, the nation's largest higher education association, President Stritikus also offers a perspective on the national landscape, including growing public scrutiny of higher education, federal policy pressures, and the critical importance of collaboration across the sector. Hosted by Alex Graves, AICCU Vice President for Government Relations, and is sponsored by First American Education Finance.