Student PIRGs Staff
Rich Williams is the Student PIRGs Higher Education Advocate.
Since 2008, Williams has worked to represent college students before the White House, Congress and the Department of Education. His expertise is federal higher education policy, including affordable textbooks, student aid, grants, and loans. His views and opinions have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and other publications.
A first generation college student, Williams started organizing for higher education while a student at Coconino Community College and Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. He spearheaded a statewide affordable textbooks campaign, organizing public university students, professors and Regents to introduce and pass a bill in the state legislature making textbooks more affordable. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in history.
Get Involved!
Work on important issues, learn valuable skills, get hands-on experience, and make a difference.
-
CALPIRG students asking Governor Jerry Brown what his plan is to make higher education more affordable. -
-
We collect petition signatures - lots of them! -
CALPIRG’s Energy Service Corps: UCSD students working to engage students and the community about living sustainably at home via energy efficiency. Hello Wall-E. -
Hunger and Homelessness intern Roua Aboukhadijeh collecting interview footage on campus for a short film on poverty. -
Six media outlets covered a stop on the Textbooks Rebellion tour to promote affordable alternatives to outrageously expensive textbooks. -
-
Vote Yes for OSPIRG! -
Power Shift West 2009 organizers with State Representative Jefferson Smith. -
Students campaign for High Speed Rail. -
Fast Trains ARE Cool. -
Students volunteer at a local garden for the National Hunger Cleanup. -
University of Oregon students and staff remind their peers to turn in their ballots on election day. -
Students at Southern Oregon University gather petitions to reduce plastic bag usage in the city of Ashland. -
-
-
Volunteers wear the textbook mascot costumes to educate students about affordable textbook alternatives. -
-
-
-
Students posing with the textbook Rebellion books, We Want Cheaper TEXTBOOKS!! -
UCSD CALPIRG’s Protect Our Oceans Campaign. We want to stop the continued plastic pollution of our oceans. Join us! -
UCSD students posing with Charlie the CFL after pledging to save energy in 1 to 4 ways at home. -
Textbook Rebel and Mr. $200 drew attention to outrageous textbook prices. -
-
Students educate others about different ways to reduce energy. -
The Energy Efficiency campaign tabling to give away free CFLs and educate others about simple ways to reduce energy use. -
Student leaders educate the campus about income inequality during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. -
MaryPIRG students collect canned food for the Canpaign at UMD. -
