CALPIRG Staff
Nicole Allen is the CALPIRG students Textbook Advocate and director of the Make Textbooks Affordable project. Since 2007, she has worked with students, faculty and decision-makers across the country to address the rapidly rising cost of college textbooks through grassroots organizing, public education and advocacy.
Nationally recognized as a leading issue expert, Ms. Allen's research and opinions have been cited in numerous publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.
A life-long activist, Ms. Allen began her career in higher education advocacy as a student at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, where she graduated in 2006 with a degree in Philosophy.
Get Involved!
Work on important issues, learn valuable skills, get hands-on experience, and make a difference.
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Students from across the state organize a press conference to STOP CUTS to CalGrants in Sacramento with their elected officials. -
UC Berkeley Intern Kat Lockwood speaking to students at Cal about the NO on 23 campaign to protect California’s clean air and global warming law with Van Jones. -
UCSB interns host the Textbook Rebellion as part of a national tour to fight high prices and successfully get both TV and print media to report on their event. -
Actress Amy Smart speaks at the CALPIRG Statewide Organizing Conference about activism and banning plastic grocery bags. -
Four TV, two radio, and two print media cover our High Speed Rail Spring Break Tour stop in the central valley. -
UC Davis students kick off a TEXT-2-GIVE table for Somalia Famine Relief on the quad – our efforts statewide raised thousands of dollars for famine relief. -
UC Davis CALPIRG Interns Justin Hassis and Manny Rin take a photo petition during the CALPIRG Alternative Spring Break Tour- gathering hundreds of petitions calling for a statewide ban on single use polystyrene containers and plastic bags -
UCR, USC, and UCLA interns come together for a joint beach clean-up! -
Jared Calinisan, UC Mercd AmeriCorps Member and CALPIRG intern, teaching kids at a local elementary school about energy efficiency (UC Merced educated 1,157 kids in one quarter – way to go!) -
UC Merced intern caulking a window as part of our Energy Service Corps program’s work to save Californian’s energy and money while also saving the environment!