Liberty students thank legislators during annual Thanks for TAG Day at Virginia State Capitol

A group of Liberty University students and staff from Liberty’s Office of Government Relations traveled to Richmond, Va., on Monday, Feb. 17, for Thanks for TAG Day.

Every year, the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia organizes this student advocacy day at the Virginia General Assembly, where students who receive the VTAG (Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant) award and institutional staff members can meet with legislators and staff to thank them for their support of funding for the VTAG program. While seated in the House gallery, participants were able to observe some of the session and were recognized from the House of Delegates floor.

VTAG is a state-funded grant provided to Virginia residents enrolled in a private, nonprofit college or university within the state. For the 2025-26 academic year, eligible residential undergraduate students may receive grants of $5,250, and eligible graduate students pursuing a health-related field may be awarded $5,000. Online students may receive grants of up to $2,625.

Liberty participates in Thanks for TAG Day every year. The event offers an immersive and educational opportunity for students to visit the historic Virginia Capitol and see the government processes required to disperse state financial aid. Additionally, the experience bolsters students’ confidence in their ability to advocate for themselves and their fellow students.

Liberty’s group included freshman history student Chandler Lilley and senior criminal justice student Ryan Cone. Government Relations staff Kenny Craig, Director of Government and Community Relations, and Lauren Whitt, policy and regulation analyst, also attended.

The group met with multiple Virginia delegates, senators, and representatives during the visit, including Senators Mamie Locke, Mark Peake, Schuyler VanValkenburg, and Delegates Wendell Walker, A.C. Cordoza, Rodney Willet, Erik Zehr, and Tim Griffin. The students were able to share their personal stories of how the VTAG grant has helped them in their collegiate journeys.

“Thanks for TAG Day was the perfect opportunity to express my gratitude to the Virginia legislators who made the VTAG possible,” Cone said. “Thanks to VTAG and other financial aid contributions, I have been able to pursue my degree without taking on student loans. I will graduate debt free. This is a tremendous blessing, and I am incredibly grateful to the Lord for providing this opportunity. Without VTAG, not only would it have been more challenging to pursue my education, but I may have also missed out on the faith-filled community I longed for (at Liberty University).”

“As a student dependent on financial aid, the VTAG is extremely beneficial to my education,” Lilley added. “Attending Liberty University was a decision I was led to by God, and He helped make it possible through resources such as the VTAG. (Thanks for Tag Day) was an enjoyable time where we got to see what goes on in our state legislature. It was more than just thanking our representatives, it was seeing what goes on to make legislation such as the VTAG possible. … The experience was invaluable to my development as a learner and citizen.”

Whitt said VTAG is a beneficial financial aid award.

“It is important for recipients of the VTAG, like Chandler and Ryan, to share with these lawmakers the difference that this award makes in their lives,” she said. “It is our goal to see this grant continue to get funded in the state budget each year, and having bright and motivated students like Chandler and Ryan advocate to our General Assembly members greatly helps this effort.”