Hi, my name is Grisaudy—though most of you know me as Gri. I’m a first-generation sophomore at UMass Boston, and I’m currently facing financial challenges with paying off the remaining balance from my Fall 2024 semester. I had to take the Spring semester off—not by choice, but because I had no other option. When there's an outstanding balance on your student account, the university places a hold that prevents you from registering for future classes.

At the end of the Fall semester, my balance was $7,000. I’ve worked hard to bring it down to $4,500, but progress has been slow because I don’t have strong financial support outside of my job. I help my mom with bills at home and also have to cover my own personal expenses. It’s been a lot to juggle. Recently, my financial advisor informed me that I will need to have my balance cleared by June 15th or I will not be able to register for the classes I would like to take. Due to the time being so close, this will be something that’ll be very challenging for me as I am basically taking care of my school finances on my own.

Eventually, I realized I needed to set my pride aside and ask for help. I’m lucky to be surrounded by an amazing community—parents, teachers, mentors, and coworkers—who have always shown me support. If I sent this message to you and you're reading it, it means I trust and feel comfortable enough to reach out.

This isn’t an obligation—just a humble request for help. My mom has always taught me the value of humility and gratitude, and that’s exactly how I approach this. My plan is to pay the balance that I currently have and any money that is left over I will use to cover any extra fees for my fall semester of 2025. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this and for being part of my journey.