MADISON, Wis.—University of Wisconsin System President Jay Rothman issued this statement today:
“Over the last 50 years, hundreds of thousands of low-income students have received a University of Wisconsin education with the help of a Pell Grant. This bipartisan aid program helps two of every five university students in the country receive an education. In Wisconsin, the program provided $118 million to more than 27,000 Wisconsin resident undergraduates in the 2020-21 academic year. I applaud the students who have achieved a higher education with the help of a Pell Grant, and hope the program is sustained and enhanced for years to come.”
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 165,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree – with a median salary of more than $66,000. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System universities also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.