Students who attend Alabama State University never expected to see a U.S. senator line dancing, laughing and shaking hands with other students during the Fall Welcome Back Week on Aug. 21. But that was the scene when U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, (R-Alabama) stopped by the John Garrick Hardy Center, after meeting with President Quinton T. Ross Jr., Ed.D., turning an annual kickoff event into a memorable moment of connection.
Student leadership played a visible role in her visit, as members of the Student Government Association, Miss Alabama State University and Class Queens joined Ross in welcoming Britt to campus. Their presence emphasized how Britt’s commitments tie directly to both university leadership and the student body she came to support.
Britt grew up in Enterprise, Alabama, and often credits her upbringing with shaping her values and commitment to service. After graduating from Enterprise High School in 2000, she attended the University of Alabama, where she was elected Student Government Association president in 2003, and earned her bachelor’s degree in political science the following year. Those early leadership roles led her to D.C., where she joined the staff of then-U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, serving first as deputy press secretary and later as press secretary. She returned to the University of Alabama in 2007 as special assistant to the president before pursuing her law degree. She earned her juris doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2013, practiced law, and later stepped into campaign politics as deputy campaign manager and communications director for Shelby’s reelection.
Student leadership played a visible role in her visit, as members of the Student Government Association, Miss Alabama State University and Class Queens joined Ross in welcoming Britt to campus. Their presence emphasized how Britt’s commitments tie directly to both university leadership and the student body she came to support.
Britt holds the distinction of being the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate, informed The Hornet Tribune, during an exclusive interview in the Student Life Suite, who is not only advocating for Alabama’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), but also delivering millions in federal funding for Alabama State University’s public safety initiative and its engineering programs.
Britt, emphasized that she uses every opportunity to elevate the incredible work being done at HBCUs, particularly in Alabama, which she noted has more HBCUs than any other state in the nation. And as a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and the bipartisan HBCU Caucus, her position allows her to direct resources “where they matter most.”
“I have utilized my position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to find needs across the state, whether those be at Tuskegee University, making sure that their programs have the proper foundation to flourish, or Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, or the needs here on this campus. We have obtained several million dollars, and I am happy to send that to you,” she explained.
The senator highlighted the university’s specific achievements. “In this year’s bill (Fiscal Year 2025), I secured $300,000 for public safety improvements here on campus,” Britt noted. “And then in the upcoming Fiscal Year 2026 bill that we just passed out of committee, I secured $500,000 for the university’s mechanical engineering program. That bill will come to the floor when we return, hopefully in September. That will certainly be something to watch because our goal will be to get it through the Senate, in a conference with the House, and then the House of Representatives will have to pass it again to get it to the president’s desk.”
She added that the same approach has brought results across the state. “But with regards to HBCUs overall, I got a million for Drake State Technical College, and then secured in this Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) into Fiscal Year 2026, $900,000 for Alabama A&M. For Tuskegee University, in Fiscal Year 2024, I did $6.7 million for their launch program. And then for Fiscal Year 2026, I secured $5.29 million to expand the launch program.”
For Britt, the work is both personal and political. “I believe in HBCUs,” she said. “I was actually on the trustee board of an HBCU before I took office with the Senate, so I was on Stillman’s (Stillman College) board of trustees. So, I really understand the incredible role that HBCUs play and the pathway to the American Dream that they provide for so many individuals. And it is critical, not only for the individual, but when we are meeting workforce needs … investing in these types of incredible educational opportunities is important.”
Ross said Britt’s visit and commitments demonstrate the value of partnerships in strengthening the university, adding that “it was a pleasure to welcome Senator Katie Britt to ASU, and her advocacy for HBCUs speaks volumes.”
“It is important to have the right people fighting for you and in your corner,” Ross said. “And Senator Britt has shown that she cares about this university and about HBCUs.”
When asked about workforce development and how the university can align more closely with Alabama’s industries, Britt praised the university’s leadership.
“Dr. Ross has done an amazing job,” she observed. “To see what he has done, the growth on campus and then the connectivity with the community is extraordinary. Investing in these opportunities allows us to pay it forward and prepare a workforce that is ready to meet the needs of tomorrow,” she emphasized.
