Commentary: Doubling Pell Grants will increase opportunities for all students

For close to 50 years, students from low-income and moderate-income families have benefited from receiving Pell Grants.

Depending on their individual circumstances, they received up to $6,495 to be used over 12 semesters. These grants diversified the student body in every type of higher education institution, and in a small way, anticipated the equity initiatives that are currently framing curriculum, hiring and admissions decisions.

The academic and workplace success made possible by these Pell Grants, especially for first-generation students and their families, has been transformative.  

Currently, 32% of all U.S. undergraduates are Pell eligible. In Ohio, this number increases to 34%, and in Stark County, home of the University of Mount Union, 40% are eligible. 

Doubling the Pell Grant to $13,000 over the next five years encourages more students to consider going to college and allows them to graduate with less debt. Studies have shown that college education increases earning potential over a person’s lifetime and leads to a more healthy and meaningful life.

It also contributes to deeper civic engagement. Students are better prepared to participate in the communities they call home. They will be ready to become teachers and welders, web designers and mayors and any other profession they choose. 

An increase in the Pell Grant makes up, in part, for inflation in college costs. The purchasing power of a Pell Grant is not the same as it was decades ago.

Keeping the same grant amount does a disservice to today’s deserving and capable students who aspire for a college education. Increasing the grant makes up for this inflation, and demonstrates our commitment to access for students of every background. 

A Pell Grant is especially valuable because it offers the most choice. Students can put this grant to use whether they choose a community college, a technical school or a four-year institution.

The grant benefits students who prefer a small private college as well as those who opt for a large public university. The student may decide on a rural or an urban college, and transfer from one to another. The student carries the Pell Grant to her choice of college and puts it to use in a place which suits her best. 

Nurturing informed and engaged communities requires that we commit to the learning of all students.

The 50th anniversary of the creation of the Pell Grant – June 2022 - is less than one year away. It is essential that we mark the tremendous success of this program by increasing the grant amount to adjust for the times.

Events of the last two years have shown that colleges must do their part to promote inclusivity. As American Council on Education (ACE) President Ted Mitchell notes, "Doubling Pell is the surest and quickest public policy move we can make to bolster opportunity for all students."

Over the last two years, we have learned a great deal about the layers of inequities that prevent students from going to college. Doubling the Pell Grant moves us one step closer to lowering this barrier for thousands. It is an investment that students and their families will cherish.

It enables colleges to open their doors to a broader and more diverse pool of students and restores the public’s trust in the ideals and role of a college education. 

Thomas Botzman is the president of the University of Mount Union in Alliance.