Help my best friend Hermann become an Engineer!
Donation protected
Rahul:
I first met Hermann at the beginning of grade 11 in Singapore at the new-students orientation. I will be honest my first impressions of him could be summed up by the phrase "why on earth am I sitting right next to this man?"
Nevertheless I put up with him and his endless banter, and looking back today I could not have made a better decision. First impressions were deceiving as he became my best friend through high school and remains so till this day. Even though we are time zones apart talking to him feels like he is right here, next to me. Such fairy-tale friendships are hard to come across but, I find myself right int he middle of one.
He is genuinely one of the most committed and hard-working people I have seen in my life (and I'm sure his LinkedIn profile can back that up too hahaha!). As he now plans for university, a problem has arisen. Colleges today are very expensive and have far outpaced inflation, even with maximum Federal aid and the scholarships he has received thus far he is unable to afford the out of pocket fees for his freshman year.
Hermann has been accepted into some of the best universities in the US for Engineering, having primarily basing his applications on educational cost and value for money. CU Boulder has come out as his top choice, Hermann already took the hard decision of taking a gap year once and has ever since been working extremely hard so that we can reunite at some point in the states (he's currently working in South Africa). I have not seen him in over a year and miss him dearly. I don't want to let finances get in the way of Hermann’s talent and that's why I started this campaign. There is only so much I can help him as a bankrupt college kid myself but if we all put in some money together we could quickly make helping Hermann a reality!
Hermann:
I was born in Wilmar, Minnesota to a German father and Mexican mother. Most recently I have been living in Singapore. I was lucky enough to have graduated from a private school after receiving tens of thousands in external scholarships for academic excellence, community service and athletics. It was during junior year that I met and became best friends with Rahul :) Without this I would have never been fortunate enough to have received a quality education. Due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent virtual classes that arose without a decrease in tuition, I saw it as financially irresponsible to go to university. Instead opting to take a gap year and to go to work full-time. My parents finances and assets have been devastated since October of 2020 and are unable to fulfill further work-contracts given that they heavily rely on travel for in-country consulting.
My financial aid was determined from The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Prior to our revised financial situation in the pandemic my Expected Financial Contribution was $7182 it has been changed to $0 (Which qualifies me for the Federal Pell Grant). This however, unfortunately will not be reflected in my financial aid offer until several weeks after enrolling and may not yield any changes whatsoever, with commitment day coming up soon (May 1st) and fees I need help. I am generally the person my friends always come to for help or advice, I’m self-reliant and extremely resourceful but this dilemma I can’t figure out on my own.
Having graduated High School towards the end of May 2020. I kept myself busy by working as a summer camp assistant in sports as well as science recreational activities at my school’s middle school. From August onward I worked full-time as a teaching assistant for grades 9-12 at a private school in Singapore. On a part-time basis I did work as an assistant doctoral researcher investigating complex dynamical systems, private tutor in STEM subjects, advised on the Harvard Journal of Emerging Investigators advisory board, worked as a Climate Action Project Ambassador and volunteered as an EAL (English As A Second Language) tutor.
At the same time I received the opportunity to participate in Global Citizen Academy’s Gap Year education program in collaboration with Minerva K.G.I where I received a $7000 scholarship to enroll in the inaugural cohort of 200 students.
Global Citizen Academy summary:
An intensive, 12-week leadership experience that equips students worldwide with powerful skills for a lifetime of social impact. The Academy adds an enriching layer of purpose to high school, college, travel, or work.
My schedule for the next months involved waking up at 5am and commuting 40km daily for work, and then taking x4 classes a week during the evening and finishing my classwork assignments (Papers, group-projects, extensive reading, questionnaires etc) and other work responsibilities by 10PM. Monday to Friday I worked an average of 16/hrs a day or 80hr/wk with anywhere from 8-12/hrs a day on weekends (Yes I hated working on weekends but it was necessary). Giving myself around an hour of free-time on weekdays and a few more on weekends.
I ended up graduating from the program with a 4.0 GPA and accepted an opportunity to gain hands-on Engineering experience in Cape Town, South Africa. An experience I have loved so far, having studied the intricacies of South African history in school. It also meant lower expenses for my family due to much lower living costs. Using the money I earned as a teaching assistant I have been supporting myself, cooking my own meals, washing dishes, vacuuming and washing my clothes. Which all has served as great preparation for living independently in university. I have immersed myself in the culture, tried historical dancing, reciting the South African national anthem in its 11 languages, faced my fears of heights climbing table mountain and many others exciting experiences. I now eagerly await to start studying in the fall as I have been waiting for what feels like ages now.
Why Engineering? I would like to take advantage of the opportunities STEM provides in order to benefit the greater good of mankind. I see myself becoming an engineer specializing in sustainability and climate change mitigation efforts. Potentially, going into industry, teaching, research or academia. This may involve me going to graduate school in the future. If this were the case I would most likely go for a masters in Chemical Engineering or Material Science after completing my undergraduate in Chemical & Biological Engineering. My PhD would then most likely be a blend of the two and I would want it to have an industrial focus/application.
Before working full-time as a practicing engineer I would like to partake in Peace Corps to get a feel for what the NGO engineer space might be like. Ideally, I would like to serve in Fiji, Togo or Guyana. Another potentially alluring opportunity would be the Fulbright scholarship program which would allow me to conduct research or study almost anywhere in the world. Given my international upbringing and background I have a great sense of appreciation for different cultures, countries and environments. As part of my career in the future I don’t think I would want to stick in one place for prolonged periods of time, but would rather explore the world and offer my expertise and services to where they are needed most.
The funds will be allocated as follows:
$500 Health Insurance
$4500 Dorm Costs
$5000 Tuition
After freshman year the cost of attendance will go down since I will no longer be required to live on-campus, I intend to rent a house or apartments with a few friends of mine Sophomore year to save money. I will also be eligible for more scholarships then. I acknowledge that I won’t have the traditional college experience like my friends as I will have to work out of necessity. Regardless, I look forward to facing the challenge head on and receiving my education.
Feel free to check out my LinkedIn and my personal website!
For further information regarding large donations or other details, contact Hermann at: +65 93801784
I first met Hermann at the beginning of grade 11 in Singapore at the new-students orientation. I will be honest my first impressions of him could be summed up by the phrase "why on earth am I sitting right next to this man?"
Nevertheless I put up with him and his endless banter, and looking back today I could not have made a better decision. First impressions were deceiving as he became my best friend through high school and remains so till this day. Even though we are time zones apart talking to him feels like he is right here, next to me. Such fairy-tale friendships are hard to come across but, I find myself right int he middle of one.
He is genuinely one of the most committed and hard-working people I have seen in my life (and I'm sure his LinkedIn profile can back that up too hahaha!). As he now plans for university, a problem has arisen. Colleges today are very expensive and have far outpaced inflation, even with maximum Federal aid and the scholarships he has received thus far he is unable to afford the out of pocket fees for his freshman year.
Hermann has been accepted into some of the best universities in the US for Engineering, having primarily basing his applications on educational cost and value for money. CU Boulder has come out as his top choice, Hermann already took the hard decision of taking a gap year once and has ever since been working extremely hard so that we can reunite at some point in the states (he's currently working in South Africa). I have not seen him in over a year and miss him dearly. I don't want to let finances get in the way of Hermann’s talent and that's why I started this campaign. There is only so much I can help him as a bankrupt college kid myself but if we all put in some money together we could quickly make helping Hermann a reality!
Hermann:
I was born in Wilmar, Minnesota to a German father and Mexican mother. Most recently I have been living in Singapore. I was lucky enough to have graduated from a private school after receiving tens of thousands in external scholarships for academic excellence, community service and athletics. It was during junior year that I met and became best friends with Rahul :) Without this I would have never been fortunate enough to have received a quality education. Due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent virtual classes that arose without a decrease in tuition, I saw it as financially irresponsible to go to university. Instead opting to take a gap year and to go to work full-time. My parents finances and assets have been devastated since October of 2020 and are unable to fulfill further work-contracts given that they heavily rely on travel for in-country consulting.
My financial aid was determined from The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Prior to our revised financial situation in the pandemic my Expected Financial Contribution was $7182 it has been changed to $0 (Which qualifies me for the Federal Pell Grant). This however, unfortunately will not be reflected in my financial aid offer until several weeks after enrolling and may not yield any changes whatsoever, with commitment day coming up soon (May 1st) and fees I need help. I am generally the person my friends always come to for help or advice, I’m self-reliant and extremely resourceful but this dilemma I can’t figure out on my own.
Having graduated High School towards the end of May 2020. I kept myself busy by working as a summer camp assistant in sports as well as science recreational activities at my school’s middle school. From August onward I worked full-time as a teaching assistant for grades 9-12 at a private school in Singapore. On a part-time basis I did work as an assistant doctoral researcher investigating complex dynamical systems, private tutor in STEM subjects, advised on the Harvard Journal of Emerging Investigators advisory board, worked as a Climate Action Project Ambassador and volunteered as an EAL (English As A Second Language) tutor.
At the same time I received the opportunity to participate in Global Citizen Academy’s Gap Year education program in collaboration with Minerva K.G.I where I received a $7000 scholarship to enroll in the inaugural cohort of 200 students.
Global Citizen Academy summary:
An intensive, 12-week leadership experience that equips students worldwide with powerful skills for a lifetime of social impact. The Academy adds an enriching layer of purpose to high school, college, travel, or work.
My schedule for the next months involved waking up at 5am and commuting 40km daily for work, and then taking x4 classes a week during the evening and finishing my classwork assignments (Papers, group-projects, extensive reading, questionnaires etc) and other work responsibilities by 10PM. Monday to Friday I worked an average of 16/hrs a day or 80hr/wk with anywhere from 8-12/hrs a day on weekends (Yes I hated working on weekends but it was necessary). Giving myself around an hour of free-time on weekdays and a few more on weekends.
I ended up graduating from the program with a 4.0 GPA and accepted an opportunity to gain hands-on Engineering experience in Cape Town, South Africa. An experience I have loved so far, having studied the intricacies of South African history in school. It also meant lower expenses for my family due to much lower living costs. Using the money I earned as a teaching assistant I have been supporting myself, cooking my own meals, washing dishes, vacuuming and washing my clothes. Which all has served as great preparation for living independently in university. I have immersed myself in the culture, tried historical dancing, reciting the South African national anthem in its 11 languages, faced my fears of heights climbing table mountain and many others exciting experiences. I now eagerly await to start studying in the fall as I have been waiting for what feels like ages now.
Why Engineering? I would like to take advantage of the opportunities STEM provides in order to benefit the greater good of mankind. I see myself becoming an engineer specializing in sustainability and climate change mitigation efforts. Potentially, going into industry, teaching, research or academia. This may involve me going to graduate school in the future. If this were the case I would most likely go for a masters in Chemical Engineering or Material Science after completing my undergraduate in Chemical & Biological Engineering. My PhD would then most likely be a blend of the two and I would want it to have an industrial focus/application.
Before working full-time as a practicing engineer I would like to partake in Peace Corps to get a feel for what the NGO engineer space might be like. Ideally, I would like to serve in Fiji, Togo or Guyana. Another potentially alluring opportunity would be the Fulbright scholarship program which would allow me to conduct research or study almost anywhere in the world. Given my international upbringing and background I have a great sense of appreciation for different cultures, countries and environments. As part of my career in the future I don’t think I would want to stick in one place for prolonged periods of time, but would rather explore the world and offer my expertise and services to where they are needed most.
The funds will be allocated as follows:
$500 Health Insurance
$4500 Dorm Costs
$5000 Tuition
After freshman year the cost of attendance will go down since I will no longer be required to live on-campus, I intend to rent a house or apartments with a few friends of mine Sophomore year to save money. I will also be eligible for more scholarships then. I acknowledge that I won’t have the traditional college experience like my friends as I will have to work out of necessity. Regardless, I look forward to facing the challenge head on and receiving my education.
Feel free to check out my LinkedIn and my personal website!
For further information regarding large donations or other details, contact Hermann at: +65 93801784
Organizer and beneficiary
Rahul Rao
Organizer
Boston, MA
Hermann Klein-Hessling
Beneficiary