My name is Tasneem Cherry, and my husband, Patrick, and I are raising money on behalf of our daughter’s friend. Our daughter, Jordyn, is in an undergraduate dance program, and one of her classmates is struggling to stay enrolled in school.

Her friend started college two years ago but quickly realized she could not afford college. So she took a leave of absence for a year and worked to save money to return to school this year. Unfortunately, what she made only got her through one semester. She still works part-time and attends full-time classes, rehearsals, and performances. She is passionate, hard-working, and determined.

We offered to pay her fees two years ago, but she declined our offer, sharing that she hoped to work her way through school. Unfortunately, it has proven to be much more difficult than she expected. She is now at risk of having to withdraw again as she has more unpaid school fees, which has caused the school to freeze her account and prevent her from registering for future classes.

She has not asked for our help, but Patrick and I would like to ask our community to pitch in alongside us to anonymously pay her fees and allow her to focus on school without the added pressure of financial insecurity.

I contacted the school to determine how much is outstanding and confirm that we could anonymously pay her fees. We are trying to raise enough to cover her current and next semester.

Thank you for considering, and kindly thank you for contributing whatever you comfortably can.