Todd Ruberg
Everyone needs to step up and do their part to support higher education. That’s the messge from Todd Ruberg, general manager of customer business development at Procter & Gamble in Issaquah, who also serves on the board of directors of Independent Colleges of Washington.
Ruberg writes in an opinion column, published today in the Puget Sound Business Journal, that it’s important to provide rigorous educational opportunities for the many bright young people in our state. While the legislature did well in funding financial aid programs in the new state budget, he says the cutbacks in enrollment at public higher education institutions are disappointing at a time when employers are hurting for highly educated people. [Enrollment projections at Washington independent colleges look strong for the fall]
Ruberg adds that the buck doesn’t stop with the legislature:
There are a number of things that businesses and individuals can do to help. We can urge the government to give better support for higher education.
We can urge support for financial aid programs that make college accessible and affordable for low- and middle-income students who attend colleges, public or private, in our state. And we can and must take on some of the responsibility and do it ourselves.
Support colleges, and don’t forget private institutions which, while individually relatively small, together confer about a quarter of the bachelor’s and higher degrees earned in Washington each year.
Donating is easy, and 100 percent of gifts to Independent Colleges of Washington go directly to support scholarships for deserving students attending our 10 member institutions.
As Ruberg says, find a way to help. Our future depends on it.
