SACRAMENTO, Calif.- Today, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) makes history. The inaugural Federal Advocacy Academy begins today in Washington D.C. bringing community college student leaders directly to the heart of federal policymaking from March 1-4, 2026.
Community colleges represent the largest system of higher education in the nation, and today, these students are claiming their place on the national stage. The Federal Advocacy Academy establishes a formal and strategic pathway for community college students to shape federal policy. This groundbreaking initiative marks a bold shift from participation to power. It signals community college students are not observers of policy; they are architects of it.
Over the next four days, student leaders will engage directly with members of Congress and federal staff on Capitol Hill, translating lived experiences into policy priorities that impact millions nationwide. This immersive program equips students with strategic tools, advocacy training, and coalition-building skills necessary to influence federal decision-making at the highest levels.
“Our students bring lived experience, urgency, and vision to federal policy spaces,” said Jerry Reyes, President of the Student Senate for California Community Colleges. “Federal Advocacy Academy is about transforming those experiences into action and ensuring community college students are recognized as key leaders in shaping the future of higher education.”
Serving as our keynote speakers are Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernández, nationally recognized community college president and Ph.D. graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston; Sonya Christian, California Community College Chancellor; and Dr. Eric Mayes, Chief Executive Officer of the Umoja Community Education Foundation. Together, their transformative leadership is rooted in advancing student success, educational equity, and systemic change.
This week in Washington D.C., students will turn advocacy into action in real-time. On the steps of the U.S. Capitol, SSCCC is elevating the diverse voices of all community college students and advancing a clear message: student leadership belongs at every decision-making table.
For more information about the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, please visit: https://ssccc.org/who-we-are/
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving over 2 million students per year. The Student Senate for California Community Colleges mission is to enrich the collegiate experience for all California community college students by pursuing policies that will improve student access and success while engaging and empowering local student leaders and honoring equity and diversity.
###