Delegate Jason Miyares (R-Virginia Beach) has been one of the lawmakers in the Virginia House of Delegates working the most on trying to curtail the rising cost of a college education in the Commonwealth. During his time in the state legislature he supported the business-driven initiative “GO Virginia,” which facilitates greater collaboration between the business community, higher education, and local governments to alleviate impoverished areas.
Now, the Virginia Beach legislator is announcing a college affordability town hall to bring together members of the public to find solutions. The town hall event will be held this Thursday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is free to the public.
The town hall will include a panel of experts with diverse viewpoints on the issues facing Virginia’s colleges and universities today, including state legislators, college administrators, business leaders, parents, students, and others. A local media representative will serve as the moderator during the hour-long event.
Along with Miyares, those headlining the event are:
- Delegate Glenn Davis (R-Virginia Beach)
- State Senator Bill DeSteph (R-Virginia Beach)
- Dr. Ellen Neufeldt, Vice President of Student Engagement and Enrollment Services at Old Dominion University
- Lynn Hattery, Executive Director of Funding the Future, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching financial literacy
- Jeff Ainslie, President of the Ainsile Group, a Virginia Beach-based construction company
During the event, the hosts will facilitate constructive dialogue between the panelists focused on solutions. Panelists will be provided with a list of discussion topics in advance, but there will also be a question and answer session to allow for audience participation.
Delegate Miyares said, “We believe this event will be a great opportunity to come to the table and discuss ways we can all work together to ensure every Virginian has access to an affordable, quality higher education.”