Hello, I hope this finds you well. First of all, it is extremely hard for me to admit I need help and assistance. Having said that, please feel no pressure at all to donate- truly. But know that any amount is very much appreciated and will be used directly to help with expenses related to a transition into graduate school.

I’m reaching out because I’m preparing for a major and deeply meaningful step in my life: starting my Masters Degree! I will be receiving a funding package that helps with tuition, but it really only covers a small portion of the real cost of being in grad school. I will also be applying for educational loans, just as I did during my undergraduate degree, but I expect my overall costs to be much higher this time, especially with moving to a whole new city, general living expenses, and the supplies and materials required for my program.

Getting a graduate degree means a great deal to me. In many ways, this is something I feel I should have done when I was younger, but at the time it simply didn’t feel possible because of a mix of personal, financial, and life circumstances. Being able to pursue it now is necessary. It is my dream to push myself into these unknown waters, to grow through challenge, and to build toward a future where I can teach at the university level.

I also want to share something important about my situation. I live with a chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia- and it has made every step of my path in the last 10 years extremely difficult, including working consistently. Most don’t know this (because I have tried to hide it), but I have lived well below the official poverty line for many, many years managing pain and fatigue while trying hard to crush it in school. It has taken a real toll, but it has also strengthened my commitment to this path. Your support would help ease some of the pressure that comes with balancing health, work, and full-time study.

My research and creative practice focus on meditation and creativity, especially how exploring the inner world, attention, and awareness can shape artistic practice, learning, and human experience. These questions are deeply personal to me, and they carry real implications for how we think about creativity, care, education, and the ways people come to know themselves and the world.

If you choose to support this fundraiser, please know how genuinely grateful I am. Whether you are able to donate, share this page, or simply send encouragement, it truly means a lot. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for supporting me as I take this step into a future centered on research, teaching, and creative work. Thank you thank you thank you!

Dave Buschemeyer