Help Me Leave the Library and Study Abroad

***THE FUND IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU ALL FOR DONATING SO GENEROUSLY AND FOR HELPING ME TO FULFILL MY DREAMS. IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO MS. TARA PENNY FOR DOUBLING THE CONTRIBUTIONS. I TRULY AND DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR UNSPARING KINDNESS. FROM THIS OPPORTUNITY I HOPE TO CREATE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OTHERS WITH THIS EXPERIENCE.***

*** A GENEROUS DONOR HAS AGREED TO MATCH ALL FUNDS UP TO $1250***

My name is Deidra Jackson and I am asking you to help me leave the library and study abroad this summer at Charles University in Prague. I am currently a rising junior at Loyola University Maryland, with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. I am completing a double major in Accounting and Political Science with desires to enter the legal field. I was accepted into the program, and I planned to finance my dreams through scholarships, the money I had saved while working during the academic year and summer, and family assistance. After totalling everything I received it was clear that the offer could not have offset the cost of the journey, leaving me with a gap of $3,100. You don't have to be an Accounting major to realize that my funding was substantially short.

To be completely honest, I thought I would just have to give up on my dreams and relinquish myself once again to the extent of my imagination. I however asked myself, now what? How badly did I want this opportunity? Should I wait until next year and save more money and apply for more scholarships? And then I recalled that during the pandemic, I spent hours in the library, with a mask on, head down learning exclusively from books. Books are great. After all, how else would I have acquired knowledge about the world and its vast array of beauties? But it was also this increased connection to books that made me want to engage in new experiences. I want to have experiences that put me in that place and with people, customs and cultures I have only encountered in daydreams as my imagination sought to replicate my readings.

I became motivated to find a second job to work from May until August and have searched for additional scholarships. I thought about small fundraisers I might also provide further assistance. This was, however, still not enough to fill the gap.

I talked to some trusted advisors, and they encouraged me to try crowdsourcing. I resisted at first. It was so public and I was very uncomfortable with the idea.

And then it hit me. I came to the understanding that books were my comfort zone, and me pursuing this dream was me wanting to push outside of my comfort zone. It wasn’t enough to talk about getting out of my comfort zone. I had to do it. That is when I decided to use crowdsourcing. I am asking anyone who can, please help me raise the remaining $3100 to study abroad and to fulfill my dream. If my goal is not met and I am unable to study abroad in Prague I will return every donation I receive. I am a bit scared of the risk, yet tremendously excited at the possibilities. Thank you for supporting me and helping me realize my dreams.

(I have included the cost breakdown.)

​​Total Estimated Costs

$4800 Prague Program Costs Cover

Tuition for two courses (Ethics and Business)

Business and Cultural Site Visits & Tours

Housing & Breakfasts

Prague Transportation Pass

5 Team Dinners

$1500 Average cost of Airfare.

$ 450. Lunch and dinner 30 days @ $15 per day.

$6750 Total Estimated costs excluding independent travel and spending money.

Costs Currently Covered by Myself

$2000 Academic Scholarship

$ 800 Savings from summer June and July work (2 jobs)

$ 800 Family contributions

$3100 Remaining costs currently uncovered.