PennLive published an op-ed, “Pennsylvania needs to double the Pell grant to help more students stay out of debt,’ by President James M. MacLaren, Ph.D., on Dec. 5. President MacLaren joined fellow presidents to call “on elected officials to double the size of the Pell Grant,” noting that Pennsylvania “had the highest rate of federal Direct Loan borrowing” in his guest editorial. 

Dr. James M. MacLaren, LVC president, was interviewed for the CBS TV 21 story, “Project Education–As COVID cases surge, colleges prepare for the fall semester.” Dr. MacLaren and fellow Central Pennsylvania educational leaders discussed their institution’s plan for safely returning to campus this fall.

The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (AICUP) acknowledged President James MacLaren in its Presidents Update for his leadership during the COVID-19 crisis, as noted in a recent PennLive op-ed and live Facebook panel. AICUP president Tom Foley gave Dr. MacLaren and his fellow presidential panelist “kudos” for participating in “We can thank Pennsylvania’s responsible college students for not spreading COVID-19.”