2. Mission
• Aim Higher Florida hopes to unite all students
and community leaders in Florida to raise
awareness on the significant impact of increasing
funding for Higher Education. Aim Higher
Florida believes increasing resources for Higher
Education has a high Return on Investment, will
improve the workforce in Florida, will improve
the economic climate in Florida, and ultimately
secure Florida’s Future as a place where a thriving
and diverse economy can flourish.

3. Who We Are
• Created by students, Aim Higher focuses on informing
students and the citizens of Florida about the
importance of investing in Higher Education
• A coalition of student leaders and Universities who
believe that Florida’s economic success and future
begins with a thriving Higher Education system and
educated electorate
• Well-rounded individuals with degrees from publicly
funded Higher Education institutions are crucial to
keeping Florida and America competitive in a changing
market while also attracting the best jobs and
employers to our great state

4. Current Issues We Face
• Florida is ranked 50th in per capita state and local
expenditures for Higher Education
• As the national average of citizens with college degrees
increased from 2009-2010, Florida saw a decrease of
about 19,000 Floridians with a college degree (Source: Sun-sentinel.com)
• Since 2008, state spending on education has decreased
by 24% and is now at 2003 levels
• The unemployment rates of adults of 25 years and over
show a 10% unemployment rate for those with a high
school diploma and no college compared to 4.4% for
those with a University degree
(Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. June Unemployment, July 6th 2012)

5. United States
Unemployment Rate of Adults of 25 Years & Over by Educational Attainment
(Seasonally Adjusted)
15.0% 14.2%
13.0% 12.6% Jun-11 Jun-12
11.0%
10.0%
9.0% 8.4% 8.4%
7.5%
7.0%
5.0% 4.4%
4.1%
3.0%
Less than a High High School Graduate Some College or University Graduate
School Diploma no College Associate Degree
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, June Employment Situation, July 6, 2012.

6. Goals
• Goal #1: Raise Awareness about the
Importance of Investing in Higher Education
• Goal #2: Encourage the Florida State
Legislature to Invest in Higher Education and
Prioritize Higher Education in the State budget
for subsequent years

7. Moving Forward
• Since Florida wants to create a knowledge based
economy, it depends on higher educated human
resources
• Higher Education must be viewed as an investment, not
a general expenditure
• Additional investments to higher education will lead to
high investment returns for our economy
• Labor is the key factor in production, and that
investments in labor creates human capital that
generates income and production over a lifetime,
significantly beyond the initial investment to educate
the labor force

8. Moving Forward
• We already see the high return on investment in
higher education through the difference between
the average earnings over a lifetime of those with
a four year college degree compared to those
without a college degree
• We also see the benefits of investment in higher
education by noting that the unemployment rate
of bachelor or higher graduates is systematically
about half of those with only a high school degree
or less

9. Conclusion
• The Higher Education environment in the State
of Florida is on a downward trend
• We need to change our view on education as
an investment not a general expenditure, in
order to compete on a national and global
arena
• Aim Higher comes into play by raising
awareness of the need to invest in higher
education and invest in Florida’s future

10. Questions