Cheikhou’s Fund to finish Undergrad
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Summary: I'm raising money to pay for housing and outstanding tution holds so that I may resume my final year of undergraduate studies at American University. Please donate and/or reshare!
Hello. My name is Cheikhou (he/him) and I am a 21 year old First-Gen Immigrant college student at American University. I am currently in my last year of undergraduate studies and as many other students in DC, confronting the lack of institutional support to fund housing amidst the rapid gentrification and housing crisis of DC. All my life my, my parents have told me “we can’t pay for your education, so study hard and get scholarships”. Heeding this advice, I initially chose AU because of the substantial financial aid and pell grants I received. Due to these scholarships, throughout my years of college, I have not had a serious issue with paying for school. However, in my what should be my final year of undergrad, I can no longer afford school as my FA decreased by $20,000, including the loss of Pell grants. On top of this burden, I have an outstanding balance of $11,000 due to taking summer classes in DC in order to stay on track with pursing my BS in Biology and minor in Computer Science. This bill has inhibited me from finalizing class registration and switching into the classes I need this semester to graduate on time. The deadline for add/drop is Sept 12th, and if I do not pay my summer bill before then I will not be able to enroll in my full schedule. Unfortunately as a low income student, taking out a parent plus loan isn’t an option for me because my parents do not meet the credit score qualifications. It’s come to the point where I have exhausted all my resources, so that’s why I am asking for your help. Finishing school is important not just for my sake, but also to show my 9 younger siblings that first generation students can also pursue a higher education; to ensure that my parents sacrifices, to leave their lives Senegal for mine in the US, were not in vain; to have the opportunity to ameliorate the living standards of my family and I. To return and finish my degree I am asking for support in raising $6500 to pay off my hold and secure housing for this upcoming semester. Please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser. Anything helps inshallah.
Hello. My name is Cheikhou (he/him) and I am a 21 year old First-Gen Immigrant college student at American University. I am currently in my last year of undergraduate studies and as many other students in DC, confronting the lack of institutional support to fund housing amidst the rapid gentrification and housing crisis of DC. All my life my, my parents have told me “we can’t pay for your education, so study hard and get scholarships”. Heeding this advice, I initially chose AU because of the substantial financial aid and pell grants I received. Due to these scholarships, throughout my years of college, I have not had a serious issue with paying for school. However, in my what should be my final year of undergrad, I can no longer afford school as my FA decreased by $20,000, including the loss of Pell grants. On top of this burden, I have an outstanding balance of $11,000 due to taking summer classes in DC in order to stay on track with pursing my BS in Biology and minor in Computer Science. This bill has inhibited me from finalizing class registration and switching into the classes I need this semester to graduate on time. The deadline for add/drop is Sept 12th, and if I do not pay my summer bill before then I will not be able to enroll in my full schedule. Unfortunately as a low income student, taking out a parent plus loan isn’t an option for me because my parents do not meet the credit score qualifications. It’s come to the point where I have exhausted all my resources, so that’s why I am asking for your help. Finishing school is important not just for my sake, but also to show my 9 younger siblings that first generation students can also pursue a higher education; to ensure that my parents sacrifices, to leave their lives Senegal for mine in the US, were not in vain; to have the opportunity to ameliorate the living standards of my family and I. To return and finish my degree I am asking for support in raising $6500 to pay off my hold and secure housing for this upcoming semester. Please consider donating or sharing this fundraiser. Anything helps inshallah.
Organizer
Cheikhou Mbodj
Organizer
Montgomery Village, MD