Jessica Duarte, 34 year old, first generation, single parent of two recently was accepted into the Registered Nursing program at Samuel Merritt University. After several unsucessful attempts applying to different programs Jessica had become depleted. Jessica has had to come up with ways to balance being a scholar with her financial obligations. However, her children have been her driving force in continuing her educational goals. She has sacrificed so much to ensure the livelyhood of her family. Her tribe would like to ensure Jessica is able to follow through on this amazing opportunity without any financial burdens.

Jessica's total tuition for the academic school year is 59,704 dollars. Financially we are only requesting donations of 12,000 dollars because 47,704 dollars has been covered by financial aid and grants. Such a blessing! In the past, at times, Jessica's energy balance has been skewed away from academics so that she could maintain a livable income. Since returning back to higher education, she has developed a way to achieve success in all areas of her life by focusing on her long-term goals and the steps required to reach them. Earning these monetary gifts will help to mitigate some of the financial pressures that encourage Jessica to focus more on business and less on school. Because Jessica's son was born premature and her experience she encountered during labor, she will continue to pour her energies and advocate for families within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital after graduation. Please reward and encourage Jessica to continue on this path.