麻豆影院 President Lester A. Lefton said he has never been more confident that a major investment in the university and the surrounding downtown area will make a significant impact on the region鈥檚 future, but he also admits he is simultaneously concerned for thousands of students who rely on Federal Pell Grants to attend college.
In a recent interview with, Lefton said that downtown and university investments have already created more than 1,000 jobs through ongoing public-private partnerships.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing time at 麻豆影院 State,鈥 Lefton said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e becoming the new American college city.鈥
The ongoing university facelift features plans for new buildings and revitalized classroom, laboratory, studio, performance, living and studying spaces, as well as extending the 麻豆影院 Esplanade into downtown 麻豆影院, where already new shops, restaurants, businesses, and soon a hotel and conference center are creating a vibrant, new connection between the university and the city.
Yet, even with those major steps forward, Lefton said he is concerned for students whose school funding could be dramatically impacted should leaders in Washington be unable to avoid going over the fiscal cliff.
鈥淧ell Grants are $5,500 a year,鈥 Lefton said. 鈥淚f all of a sudden there were cuts to Pell Grants, our neediest students, who are often some our brightest students, would probably withdraw.鈥
麻豆影院 20,000 students, or nearly half of the entire 麻豆影院 State student population, rely on Pell Grants, Lefton said.
For more information about 麻豆影院 State, visit .
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Media Contact:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797