TLU President Dr. Debbie Cottrell made her annual winter pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to attend the 2025 National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) Meeting and Advocacy Day.

Cottrell was joined by other presidents and senior leaders in higher education to hear speakers, discuss timely issues, and pay visits to elected representatives in Congress to advocate for private, nonprofit schools.

This year’s meeting, entitled “Advocacy Amidst Upheaval: Thriving in an Uncertain Political Era,” brought to the table the issues that colleges and universities are currently facing in the wake of the historic upheaval of the policymaking agenda in the nation’s capital.

While in Washington, Dr. Cottrell met with Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz and Senator John Cornyn.

“Participating each year in the annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities allows me to meet directly with TLU’s elected representatives in Washington, as well as to collaborate with the Texas delegation of independent universities on key issues that intersect with federal matters,” says Cottrell. “This year was a particularly timely meeting, and helped all of us make sure our voices were heard on multiple fronts. I’m grateful for many good and important conversations that took place.”