My name is Jerry Pinkard, I am 19 years old and I am very passionate about Missouri states Musical Theatre Program, however I am currently unable to continue attending due to financial constraints. It has been a dream, goal, and passion of mine to become a professional performer since I was a child. Although I am incredibly grateful for what I have achieved, there are millions of goals ahead of me. I come from financial struggle and it’s been incredibly challenging to Pay for college thus far while also balancing basic necessities. I was lucky enough to get into one of the best programs for musical theater in the country, Missouri State University, and I’m excited to become a stronger more employable performer because of the training there. Achieving a college degree is important to me and I certainly have a lot to learn from such an incredible institution.

ideally, I would be returning for my sophomore year, but I currently owe a balance of $7,000 dollars which is preventing me from doing so. i’ve looked into countless options, and unfortunately, almost every financial aid opportunity provided by the university, or through outside sources can only be applied to current and future balances, whereas my balance is owed from a past semester, and therefore, most financial aid opportunities are inaccessible to me. I have been working all summer but am limited by transportation constraints as I am unable to afford a car and so must rely on my parents and conform to their schedules. I have also looked into loans, which, unfortunately I do not qualify for independently and no one in my family is eligible to cosign for me because of their own financial struggles. I know you may not know me, but I am a very hard-working person, and I am desperately searching for someone to believe in me and give me a chance to pursue my dreams and aspirations of entertaining and making people happy through the art of performance. I’m reaching out to ask if you could find it in your heart to even consider being the person that gives me a chance of pursuing my dream? Here’s a video showcasing some of my performances!

*The previous goal for this fundraiser was $7,000, and I am so excited to say that we have achieved it! However, there have been some developments involving the schools registration policy that require a balance of under $1,000 (you were previously able to register at a balance of under $2,000) to register for classes. On top of that I was awarded a grant that I previously thought would be applied to my past balance, but unfortunately can only be applied to future semesters. This was a $2,000 grant. I am eternally grateful for every person who has donated. Your contribution means more to me than I can express. We are nearing the finish line so if you are still considering helping please know how much your support means to me! Thank you so much.