By Gretchen Millich
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-851007.mp3
Lansing, MI – Student government leaders from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan stood together Thursday at the state Capitol. They vowed to fight to save the Michigan Promise Scholarship program.
The students say they will spend the rest of the summer lobbying the state legislature. They're concerned about proposed budget cuts that could wipe out Michigan Promise Scholarships and reduce funding for colleges and universities.
Abhishek Mahanti heads the Michigan Student Assembly at U of M. "We plan on calling our senators as well as their senators and getting our 44-thousand large student body and their thousands and thousands of kids and just show that we have power in numbers. Because if we have this natural rivalry, why don't we just work together with something that we all care about, which is making college more affordable and more accessable," he says.
Close to 100,000 students are counting on Michigan Promise scholarships to help them pay for college. The program gives $4,000 to every student who completes two years of post-high school education.