By Matt Sepic, St. Louis Public Radio
St. Louis – Students at Missouri's private colleges and universities are speaking out against Governor Jay Nixon's plan to cut state scholarships and grants.
At Missouri Baptist University in suburban St. Louis, students gathered Monday to make phone calls and write letters to the governor.
Amid dwindling tax revenue, Nixon wants to eliminate the $4,600 per year that students at private schools may receive in Access Missouri grants.
Missouri Baptist sophomore Angela Dickson said the money is vital.
"I also receive Pell grants, and I'm taking out loans for college, and they're maxed out right now," Dickson said. "It's not like if we were to lose this money I could borrow my way out of the situation. I'm at a dead end."
Nixon wants to keep the grants for students at public colleges. However those are smaller than what students at private schools receive.
The governor is also targeting Missouri's Bright Flight scholarship program in an effort to cut $500,000 from the state budget.