Help Elon Cross the Finish Line!

Hello everyone,

My name is Elon Ptah. (Yes, like Musk.) I am a 25 year old undergrad senior at Saint Louis University. I previously studied at University of Illinois-Chicago.  In addition to being a student, I am a writer, director, bookseller and actor. And a veteran. Yeah, I keep busy. 

The summer before my senior year of high school, I enlisted in the Air National Guard. I wanted to enlist active duty, but I compromised with my mom that I would also go to college. So, while my friends went to prom and graduation, I endured Basic Training. 3 weeks after getting home, I moved to Chicago and became a UIC student.

So, for 2.5 years, I attended school full-time in Chicago & attended drill 2 days a month in Southern Illinois to maintain aircraft. I would take the Megabus, Greyhoud and Amtrak at odd hours to arrive on time for drill on Saturday morning and class on Monday morning. Several times, I left the country on a Thursday or Friday and was back in class that Monday.

I wouldn't take seeing the world back for anything, but I was only 18-19 and I was exhausted. And I had a foot in 2 worlds that didn't understand one another. Eventually, it all began to beat me down. I started struggling with medical & mental health issues, for which I was getting few answers and little help. Then I learned I would have to deploy. I withdrew from UIC that December. 

I moved to South City Saint Louis, which is close to my hometown, to slow down and regroup. I worked my first civilian job (shout out to Mud House) and worked hard on the flightline.  I earned a promotion to Staff Sergeant and an Associate Degree from the Community College of the Air Force.

I enrolled at SLU for Fall 2018. It was rough transition. I made 1 friend that semester, another 24 year old veteran returning to school after separating from the military.  Don't think I would have made it without her. But I  made it, barely. I learned during SLU orientation that I was not eligible for ANY federal or state financial aid for my 6 years in the Air Force. While I had tuition help during my time at UIC, I have not received a penny toward SLU for serving. I had been lied to by my recruiter, like so many.

I worked 30-35 hours each week at bookstore off campus & commuted. My account had holds upon holds upon holds & I received bills every week. I requested a Leave of Absence after my 1st semester back in school. That spring, I wrote, directed and starred in an original short play, resumed working on my webseries and began 2 new jobs, including an on-campus work-study position.

Now, I am months away from the finish line! I've been told I may even walk this May with my classmates! I will still need to complete 3 courses this summer to officially graduate, but that would mean a lot to me and even more to my mom, since I missed my high school graduation. I am working 2 jobs and still nowhere near making ends meet. I have a 35 minute bus commute to and from campus. But I am so close!

-I will need 3 summer courses, $770 per credit hour.
-I have an outstanding bill of $1,522 on my university account.
-I will soon receive a bill for enrolling in SLU's healthcare, as my family just lost coverage. I expect that to be $1,000-1,800.
-For books for the remainder of this semester & summer session, $100.
-On-campus meal plan $300

My post-graduation goals are to continue writing, reading and selling books, which is what I love to do. I am currently working on a webseries that I hope to begin pitching to producers or to start casting and shooting myself. I also have plans to further my film and stage directing and book editing experience. 

I just want to create and tell stories, and to help other do the same for themselves.