Help Me Finish My Master’s in Marketing at the University of Tennessee

Hi all, my name is Renee Cortez. I’m currently a senior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and I will be graduating a year early with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, majoring in Management with a Marketing collateral. I will also be graduating Magna Cum Laude. I was recently accepted into UTK’s Master’s in Marketing program, which starts this summer and runs for one year.

I didn’t always know exactly what I wanted to do, but during my marketing classes here at Haslam College of Business, I found my passion for consumer behavior, A/B testing, and digital and social media marketing. I love the psychology aspect behind all of the analytics. I love learning why people choose certain products, what influences decisions, and how people use data to make company decisions. That’s what I want to build my career in, and someday, I know I want to come back and teach at a university level.

I’m a first-generation college student and graduated from Lewis County High School in 2023 in the top 10 of my class. My parents have always supported me, but they aren’t in a position to help financially. My dad is a disabled veteran, so I grew up in a household with one working parent. Because of that, I’ve worked throughout college to support myself while in school.

Graduate school is different from undergrad when it comes to financial aid. Scholarships are more limited, and because this is an intensive one-year program, it’s very difficult to work enough to fully cover tuition and living expenses at the same time. After the scholarships I received and the money I’ve saved, I still need about $25,000 left to cover tuition expenses for the program.

I’m starting this GoFundMe because I really don’t want to turn down this opportunity due to finances. I’ve worked very hard to get to this point early in life, graduating early, Magna Cum Laude, and getting accepted into this program in the first place. I’m trying everything I can to make it possible to attend.

If you are able to donate, thank you. If not, sharing this would also mean a lot to me. Thank you for your support!