By: Max Bruns ~Advertising Manager~

Xavier sent four students and two faculty memebers to take part in a display of what the university has to offer students in comparison to other schools on Feb. 8.

Although Xavier is a private institution, the university still receives some support from the state. In fact, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio (AICUO) has been representing the interests of independent colleges in Ohio since 1969. The organization brings together lawmakers, citizen groups and government regulators in Ohio’s state government. Through AICUO, these representatives advocate for financial aid and other resources that independent universities rely on heavily.

Xavier is one of 53 universities represented by AICUO. As a member, Xavier was invited to the Statehouse in Columbus to participate in a showcase of different opportunities offered at each school.

According to a notice released by AICUO, “Students and their advisors from Ohio’s private nonprofit colleges will converge on the Statehouse Atrium with display tables featuring community projects, internship offerings and degree programs that set them apart from other campuses.”

One student, senior political science major Jesse Frank, talked about the impact of Xavier’s presence at the Statehouse.

“It was the first time that we went as a school, and we didn’t really know what to expect,” Frank said. “We were there to represent Xavier to the public and also to talk to our immediate representatives, Cecil Thomas and Alicia Reece.”

Thomas is a Democrat for the Ohio Senate District 9 and supports financial representation for independent institutions. Reece is a Democrat for the Ohio House District 33 and serves on the finance and appropriations committee.

“The idea behind talking to our representatives was to demonstrate to them the value we saw in education at an independent university versus a public one,” Frank. said “Both Mr. Thomas and Ms. Reece were very supportive of our defense of Xavier.”

Xavier grad Josh DeVincenzo is also represented on AICUO’s homepage as a featured alum.

His bio reads, “Why Xavier? I wanted to become a dynamic leader in the field of business with ethics and global insights as my foundations. Xavier was the place for this aspiration to be succeeded.”

If you or someone you know would like to find out more about how to represent Xavier through AICUO, please visit http://www.aicuo. edu/n/index.aspx.

Additionally, you can get in touch with professor Dr. Mack Mariani or Sean Comer, the Government Relations Director for the College of Arts and Science, through the College of Arts and Science website.