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Help Jordan Scruggs With Her Tuition

When I found out that I was going to attend school at American University I was motivated and ready to learn and experience every single thing that I could get my hands on. However I found out that I would be attending American University around a month before school actually started.

When I accepted I was unaware that all of the financial aid funds had already been given out for the fall semester. With my sister and mother both attending college that semester, our budget was already limited.

Then we received news that my father was laid off from his job two weeks before school started it made things even harder. When we told the financial aid office all of this information, I was told to continue with my classes and to fill out scholarship applications online and work hard.

I did just that.

I was determined to graduate from American University.

For the first time in my academic life, I felt as though I was in a place where I belonged. I learned more there in one semester than I did in the previous three years at my old school. I pushed past my comfort zone into doing new (sometimes frightening) things in class and I've found that I can do so much more than I originally thought.



My first month in Washington, I joined clubs on campus, snagged a Communications Internship, and got the amazing opportunity to begin my work with The Trevor Project as a Youth Advisory Council Member. I worked hard. It's at this time when I became passionate about helping others. I started doing advocacy work. I grew as a person in this new city.



I left American University in 2012 and continuing my education is still the most important thing to me. At the end of the Fall 2011 semester (after I realized I maintained my 3.0 GPA) I was told that I could not register for classes until I paid off my remaining balance of $23,000+ before the Spring 2012 semester began.

My mother was still working on her degree while working two jobs. My sister was still working on degree while working two jobs. My father had only been working at his new job for a few months.

With no other option I had to return home and begin working.

However without that degree, I hit roadblocks. I had the experience. But I didn't have that tiny and expensive piece of paper that would certify that my experience was valid.

The worst part is that I was three semesters away from getting that validation.

It's frustrating knowing I'm so close to my dream and being unable to get it because I don't have money.

Because I have not paid it off, I am stuck. I can't access my official transcript. I can't apply to other schools. I can't build credit to take out a loan for other schools if they were to let me apply without an official transcript. I'm too old to get certain scholarships. I'm too inexperienced in the jobs I can get to be able to be paid above minimum wage.

That's how I went into default.

I need to pay something soon and pay something big.

I'm falling through the cracks and I can't get out without some help.

So I need help from you and maybe some friends of yours. That's the only way they'll work with me or let me start to make a payment plan.

I've done advocacy work for mental health, politicians, local and national grassroots movements, youth, and so much more.

I love doing my advocacy work for progress. I believe in it. I believe in the work that I do. I believe in the people I've worked with. I want to make this a professional job eventually.



But right now I'm the one that needs help. If you can help, thank you! If you can't, please share with your friends! I would love to raise all of the money to cover my tuition. It would mean a burden off of my back and my family's. It would mean I could get back on track to achieving my dreams.

Organizer

Jordan Scruggs
Organizer
Chattanooga, TN

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