1. Home
  2. About
  3. Our People
  4. Joshua Hagen

Joshua Hagen

he/him
Vice President of Policy and Advocacy
Sacramento Office
Connect
Downloads
Full Bio Headshot
“Systemic barriers limit a student’s potential to succeed far too often – I believe wholeheartedly in the transformative power of a college education, and I want to ensure this opportunity is more accessible and equitable.”

Born and raised in New York, Josh’s journey into higher education began at home, with the unwavering support of his family who encouraged him to pursue a college education. Without the countless hours his parents sacrificed helping him find a campus, academic program, and financial aid options, his path to college would have been much less certain.

As he began his college education, Josh experienced firsthand some of the barriers that can push the reality of a college degree out of reach. From gaps in financial aid to difficulty accessing academic advising and student support services, there were numerous points where his path to a degree was nearly derailed. With guidance from a handful of faculty and staff mentors on his campus who recognized his potential to succeed, Josh was able to remain on a path to graduation. It was a passing comment from one of these faculty members that sparked his interest in a career in higher education advocacy, and changing students’ college experiences for the better: “if a policy isn’t helping students, what else are we doing if we aren’t fighting to fix that policy?”

Since joining the Campaign for College Opportunity in 2019, Josh has held various roles in supporting the development and implementation of the Campaign’s policy priority initiatives – leading statewide initiatives to improve transfer, expand equitable access to financial aid, and ensuring that previous policy initiatives are implemented with fidelity and demonstrating impact in supporting students in reaching their college goals. In his current role as Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Josh leads efforts to develop and cultivate support for the Campaign’s bold, ambitious policy and advocacy agendas to drive systems and culture change in support of students.

Prior to joining the Campaign, Josh worked directly with students on college campuses, creating programs to ensure transfer student success, supporting initiatives around LGBTQ student advocacy, and developing cultural competency training. Josh holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Communication from SUNY Geneseo, and a master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from New York University.