Every year, CICV organizes a student advocacy day at the Virginia General Assembly, where supporters can meet with legislators and staff to thank them for their support of funding for the VTAG program. Participants also have the opportunity to visit the historic Virginia Capitol and sit in the House or Senate Gallery to be introduced by the legislators representing their colleges.
Details & How to Register
Thanks for TAG Day was held on Monday, February 16, 2026.
In 2027, Thanks for TAG Day will be Monday, February 15. Please plan to join us then!
Our Thanks for TAG Day Agenda 2026 included a robust day of programming where students were introduced to members of the Governor’s administration, legislators, legislative aides, and the Executive Director of Virginia21, an advocacy organization focused on the issues of young Virginians. We were also very fortunate to have a cameo appearance by Governor Spanberger herself.
Our students had the opportunity to sit in on either the House of Delegates or Senate floor session, where they were introduced to the Assembly as representing our member colleges. We spent some time in the “Old House Chamber” learning more about legislative process from a former member of the House of Delegates (our very own CICV President Chris Peace), and also heard remarks from retired Senator John Watkins, who represented parts suburban Richmond in the General Assembly for an incredible 34 years (16 in the House and 18 in the Senate).
We had 40 student participants from eleven of our member institutions and are very grateful to them all for making the trip to serve as our newest cohort of Ambassadors for the TAG Program!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our participants said this about their experience:
| “I was surprised at the general level of availability each of the offices provided to connect and talk with constituents even on a hectic day!” |
“I loved meeting/seeing the (my college) alums and Seeing Abigail Spanberger in person!”Thanks for TAG buttom image
I was surprised by “the accessibility one has towards the building. My perception of a General Assembly that was unreachable to the general public was completely changed when I observed people from all ages, backgrounds, and even schools participating today.”
And from one of our staff mentors, “I deeply valued the learning experience that was offered to our students who joined. It was awesome to see their confidence grow throughout the day as they shared their stories. I would also say it was a valuable learning experience as a professional as well!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each member campus has a “Campus Legislative Coordinator” among its staff, who coordinates the delegation and logistics for their school. If you are interested in participating, contact Sabena Moretz (sabena@cicv.org) and she will connect you with the legislative coordinator for your institution.