RICHMOND, VA (TIP): Virginia Assembly’s Indian American Delegate J.J. Singh’s proposal to provide $55 million in tuition relief for students at Virginia’s public universities and community colleges has been signed into law.
The measure included in the final state budget released last week with bipartisan support is aimed at easing the financial burden on college students and their families.
“Now, more than ever, we need to invest in our next generation and ensure every Virginia student can achieve the American dream,” Singh, who represents Southeastern Loudoun County, posted on X.
Singh who was sworn in earlier this year after winning a closely watched special election, pointed to the steep rise in tuition costs as a critical issue facing families across the Commonwealth.
“When I went to the University of Virginia, tuition, room, and board cost just $15,000 per year; now it’s over $40,000,” Singh wrote. “The rise in tuition is an epidemic plaguing the entire Commonwealth, and the country, for that matter. Students and families can’t afford it. For any parents who can help, they have to choose whether to help their children or fund their own retirement.”
The $55 million in tuition relief will be directed toward Virginia’s public universities and community colleges, with the aim of reducing student debt and making higher education more accessible.
“As elected officials, we have a duty to invest in the future of our Commonwealth, and no investment is more important than the education of the next generation,” Singh stated.
Singh, the son of Indian immigrants and the first turbaned Sikh to serve in the U.S. Peace Corps, previously worked in the Obama administration’s Office of Management and Budget. His focus on affordability and access has resonated with voters and colleagues alike during his first term in office.