Help Me Cross the Finish Line: From Gilgit to Graduation

Hello everyone,

I’m Arslan. After traveling 7,000 miles from my small village in Gilgit, Pakistan, to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Michigan, I’ve successfully completed my program with high academic standing. However, a final financial hurdle of $22,000 is preventing me from receiving my diploma. This final hurdle threatens to undermine years of hard work and dedication, and I need your help to overcome it.

Growing up in a lower-middle-class family in the remote valley of Gilgit, my parents instilled in me values of perseverance and dedication, believing that education is the key to transforming not just my life but the lives of those around me. After earning a scholarship to study Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Central Asia, I graduated with honors and returned to Pakistan to volunteer with an NGO, assisting communities devastated by the 2022 floods. I was then accepted into the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability for graduate studies.

I was able to cover the expenses for my first three semesters through teaching positions and generous donors. However, as an international student in the U.S., the types and number of jobs available to me are very limited. If I had the option to work more freely, I would have done so to contribute toward my tuition. During my fourth and final semester, despite doing everything I could, I was unable to secure funding. Now, despite successfully completing my program, my diploma is withheld by the university. The situation is urgent, as the university has notified me that my case may soon be reported to credit bureaus, threatening my financial future. I've done whatever I could, and now things are falling out of my hands, hence I need your support.

I am deeply grateful for any assistance you can offer in helping me reach my goal of $22,000. Your generosity will profoundly impact my ability to secure my diploma and future opportunities. With your support, I can continue my work in protecting the environment by making clean water more accessible to families, improving how food is grown and distributed to reduce waste and hunger, and keeping our rivers healthier and safer for communities that depend on them. I am eager to contribute to solutions that create a more sustainable world, and with your help, I can take the necessary steps toward making that vision a reality.

Thank you for your kindness and support.