Scholar. Student. Servant.

Those are the three words that quickly come to mind when I think of Rose, my godsister and friend.

Rose is the kind of woman who would give you the shirt off her back and then find a way to get you a pair of shoes without a second thought, without missing a beat.

She is a friend to anyone, no matter their age, socioeconomic status or position. Call her on any given day and you'll hear that she's on her way home from bringing food to an elderly person. Or going to spend time with a new mom who could use some support getting the hang of things. When she's not in her books or working on projects for her kiddies in her role as a student teacher, Rose is doing what she does best, being there for others.

I need as many people as possible to be there for her and help her cross the finish line to her fulfilled dream.

Rose just finished her final course as a graduate student in education. Completing graduate school came with its own challenges yet the financial ones carried a significant weight. When she had to leave her first graduate program because the institution was closing its doors, the partial scholarship she was awarded didn't follow her. She was on her own to pay in full. Those who've transferred before already know that many classes from one university will not be accepted at the next, leaving students to foot the bill for new courses, as well as additional required courses to make up the ones that didn't cross over.

Rose's promising grad school journey now had unexpected baggage. On top of that, she was managing the responsibilities of being a temporary guardian to a minor to help out a relative.

As an international student, she's not eligible for any state or federal financial aid.

Her work ethic and determination made her the first in her family to graduate college--with honors at that!--after receiving a private, full-tuition scholarship that covered her years of undergrad.

When she came to the United States from the Dominican Republic to attend college, she came without many connections, relying on faith and discipline, and a compelling drive to set an example for her younger siblings back in D.R. and Haiti.

A word I intentionally didn't define Rose by earlier is probably how she's known to most, as a survivor.

Before studying in the Dominican Republic, she survived the life-altering 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti in 2010, witnessing her best friend and loved ones lose their lives right in front of her.

While Rose is a survivor, she's never looked at herself as a victim. She's taken advantage of every opportunity presented, fully grateful and mindful of the shoulders she stands on.

Her tuition fees for this semester are still outstanding, but your generous assistance will do more than clear a bill. It will permit her to walk in her upcoming graduation ceremony, as well as release her official transcript so that she can provide it to the entities considering offering her employment.

During this season of giving, I ask you to please consider what you can do in the present to help transform a generation's future, and make Rose's childhood dream of serving children come true. Thank you!