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Hello Community! I am a First Generation, Low Income, International, Black student who will graduate from Smith College in May 2024. This period of time is really exciting for me but also extremely stressful because of all the expenses associated with it.
One of my biggest desires is for at least one of my parents to be able to see me walk across the stage at graduation. They really want to come since I am their firstborn and the first person in the family to graduate from college. However, because they make so little money and the exchange rate is so high, they cannot afford to.
In addition to this, I am facing the immediate expenses of visa processing fees and securing housing before I begin working. Honestly, I am not sure where that money is going to come from as I have no other financial support except myself. As an international student my options for loans or scholarships are limited and I would really love to avoid starting my adult life in even more debt.
Any amount you can contribute is greatly appreciated. It would be such a profound joy to look into the crowd on graduation day and see one of my loved ones smiling proudly at me, and to start the next chapter without the financial stress that has followed me all my life.