Greetings everyone, my name is John Valdes-Elliott, and I attend the illustrious North Carolina Central University, majoring in Criminal Justice. I am currently achieving a 4.0 GPA, and my goal is to maintain that 4.0, graduate on time, and become a defense attorney. This is my first semester, and I am raising funds to help cover next semester’s tuition, housing, and fees so I can stay enrolled and continue pursuing my degree.

Unfortunately, I experienced a change in financial support that has created an unexpected gap in my cost of attendance. I did not receive enough financial aid to fully cover the upcoming semester, and my family is not in a position to assist with the remaining balance. I have been doing everything I can to stay in school — budgeting carefully, applying for scholarships, and looking for work — but I still need help to secure the funding that will allow me to remain at NCCU.

I am genuinely dedicated to my education and determined not to lose my momentum or delay graduation because of finances. Any support, whether donating or sharing, would truly mean the world to me. Thank you for believing in my education, my goals, and my future.