Kenny Hulshof: Equipping Missouri with Brains

Author: Kristin Cox

Missouri is only ranked 47^th in the country in regards to higher education funding; students struggle with paying alternative education loans because federal scholarships, grants, and loans do not cover the insurmountable cost of colleges and universities around the state. Graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1980, U.S. Representative Kenny Hulshof is familiar to the numerous problems within higher education programs. He wants to help fix these kinks by better equipping and supplying school administration, which will give more students the opportunity to reach higher education and, in turn, will boost Missouri’s economy as a whole.

One plan Hulshof is a part of is the establishment of the ‘Missouri Prosperity Initiative.’ It is a partnership that will strengthen programs within science and math as well as designing new programs for more efficient research. He believes that the specific branches of study that will be most effective to the state of Missouri are those in math, engineering, biotechnology, and chemistry. Better funding is an absolute necessity for students studying in these areas in order to thrive. This initiative includes higher accountability measures and increased funding for those in need of scholarships.

Hulshof also supports the ‘Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative.’ This program has raised $335 million for Missouri’s higher education for the benefit of students without raising the state tax. He believes that through good administration and the feedback of the schools that receive this new support many goals will be accomplished; he truly understands education is something worth investing in.

Evidence of Hulshof‘s interest in education reform is enhanced by the fact that he has recently been taking the time to go to colleges and universities around the state to speak and share his visions. This month one of the colleges he visited was Hannibal La-Grange College in Hannibal, Missouri – partaking in the 150^th sesquicentennial celebration the college was holding. Hulshof was the guest speaker and shared with the students his ideas while congratulating the institution for its efforts. Hulshof stated, “I’m less concerned with what my approval rating is going to be at the end of my term, but graduation rates, how many new start-up businesses have we had, how many plant expansions have we had, how have our math scores improved, how about higher education are we making progress.” He also spoke on a more personal note, telling the audience of his childhood, and how he is the, and I quote, “black sheep” of his family by following a career in politics.

Also, although Hulshof is putting much emphasis on higher education, he has not forgotten K-12. He has in mind to hire better math and science teachers around the state as well as make it easier for a student to apply and study at technical and community colleges. He does not want someone to miss out on an education due to financial reasons. According to Hulshof, this is going to aid the economy of the entire 21^stcentury. For more information on legislative bills concerning higher education in Missouri, click here.