Hi, I am Jaleesa Whittaker, an Architectural Engineering Major at Tennessee State University. I am halfway through my college career and although it has been a struggle financially, emotionally, and mentally, I still persevere through the struggles. I am requesting help with my tuition for this current fall semester of 2025. This amount is due at the beginning of December, and anything helps. Seriously.

With my architectural engineering degree, I plan on working in Project Management. My ultimate goal is to be able to build public fine arts schools (9th-12th grade) in neighborhoods and cities where they are needed most. When I was younger, I loved art, fashion, and music. I was always told that when I grow up, I needed to pursue something like becoming a doctor or lawyer because artists didn’t make any money. I want kids who go to my schools to know that they can be anything they want to be in life and do whatever they want to do, as long as they excel in it, they can achieve greatness, including a good salary and career. I want kids to graduate from these schools with a resume, scholarship money, letters of recommendation, mentors who will be there to assist them at any time as they pursue going to college or wherever their career path takes them, and a strong outlook on their life and careers.

I also want to start a nonprofit for kids who age out of the foster care system. I want to be able to build homes for them and provide mentorship to them. This dream came about a few months ago in March of 2025, when my Aunt Calvetta Wright unexpectedly passed away. My aunt worked as an admin for the Georgia Department of Family and Child Services. She dedicated countless hours of her life to her job, helping children all over the state of Georgia. I plan on continuing her legacy through this project. Although it’s just a dream right now, I pray that one day soon it will be a reality.

Any donation helps. It helps me earn my degree in May of 2027, and kickstart my career. I want to be able to use my resources to help other children who were like me, ones who dream big, but don’t have the resources to achieve. I want to be a resource to those in my community and my family. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read my story, and anyone who decides to donate. My appreciation can’t be expressed enough through words, so I hope that one day I will be able to show you all how much this helps. Thank you and God bless you all.