Student engagement and elevating student voice is the foundation of the Higher Education team at Public Advocates. We envision:

• BIPOC and low-income students move into positions of leadership, decision-making and power at organizational, community and government
• BIPOC students from low income and other underrepresented/marginalized  backgrounds see Public Advocates as partners they can turn to for support and guidance for system-wide policy issues. 
• A deep and evolving relationship with institutional and emerging student and community groups to address long term system issues as well as emerging issues that students face in an ever-changing post-secondary environment 
• A robust communications platform that serves to gather and distribute information amongst posts-secondary students.

Our vision reflects our commitment to our community partnership model in higher education, ensuring that the students most impacted by our advocacy are informed and active participants. 

We are implementing our student engagement vision by: 

• Building Student Power: Learning more about how we build student power in our advocacy.
• Keeping Students Informed: We strive to keep students informed about policy that impacts them, their rights and resources available to them. 
• Staying Connected: We build partnerships with student leaders, student advocacy groups, and partner organizations.

How do we build student power?  

We believe that communities most impacted by policy are the experts of their own experience. We shape our advocacy to support the power-building of those communities.

Student power building is the foundation of advocating for equitable and transformative higher education student policies. Building power within the student community means that student voices are heard and reflected in decision-making processes at all levels. Policies must be inclusive and reflective of their diverse needs. Black, brown, Indigenous, and low-income student communities face unique challenges in higher education. Advocating for student power challenges systemic inequities by giving a decision making platform to students.

Power building involves educating, empowering, and listening to our student partners. Intentional relationships with students create a lasting impact. Campus climates are always evolving, so student insights are helpful in better serving the current and future state of student policy. By building power with our student partners, their leadership skills go beyond their educational experience, encouraging future generations of students to feel empowered and contribute to change, not just for their campus, but students across California.

To partner on this work, please contact Public Advocates!