Toliver's Panamanian Study Abroad

Greetings friends, family, aquaintances, and caring persons whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting! My name is Toliver Costello. I am a first generation college student attending my third year at George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia. After changing my major from Biology to Criminolgy and again to Tourism and Events Management I believe I have found a home in a field of study that will ultimately lead me to fulfilling my biggest passion, that is to be a catalyst to human happiness and enjoyment of life and all the possibilities it has to offer. Coming to college has made me realize that I am drawn to fast paced city living; however, I will always have a dear place in my heart for the small country town I call my home. Recently, over the past five years rather, I have seen a decline in my hometown's community development. Weused to be  striving tourist area, this no longer seems to be the case. I want to make it my goal to give people and the communities they are part of the tools and plans to develop more healthy and successful lives whether on a personal,communal, or societal level. I have grown up seeing business after business and family after family come into my hometown just to leave a year later simply because correct measures and invstments are not in place. 
This being said leads me to the reason I am asking for all of your alls help. Within the past month I have been accepted to a study abroad program by the name of Kalu Yala Institute in Panama. I will be following the Outdoor Recreation Management program track. There are several other track options that each contribute to the overal program in unique ways! 
Here is a link to their education opportunities page!
Kalu Yala is like any other program I have seen  before! They accept around 50 applicants each summer, spring, and fall to travel to the valley roughly 30 miles outside of Panama City to live off-the-grid in a self-sustaining community of like minded individuals with a passion for finding new and innovative methods of practicing healthy community development. Founder of Kalu Yala, Jimmy Stice, is a strong advocate for the cause as well. Here he outlines three changes that need to be made within communal investment strategies; these changes are the ultimate mission of the interns at Kalu Yala. Check them out! You might just change how you view development in your own community! 
In order to attend I need to raise roughly $6,500 by the end of April 2017. This is a huge goal to reach! This number however, is nowhere close to the amount of money I have seen go down the drain in not only my hometown community due to a financially unstable business plan, but within my immediate family as well. This is the single thing I have felt most passionate about in my life and have very little means of obtaining the funding. I have two jobs while also attending college full time. It is an understatement to say that I would be eternally grateful to each and every one of you that is able to contribute in any way you can! Wether you donate one dollar, 50 dollars, or simply share this with your friends and family I could not thank you enough. 
Please help me pursue my passion. Please help me help future community development so that future generations can have a home that is not stuck in a constant state of fluxuation between the first run down business and the next. 
Thank you very much.