Help my niece, Vanessa, become a woman in STEM!

Christy Lynch is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hey, everyone. My niece, Vanessa Banegas, was admitted to the University of North Alabama to study biology! Her concentration will be pre-veterinarian, and her ultimate goal is to become a wildlife veterinarian for exotic and wild animals.

Vanessa will be the first person in her family to attend college, and we're all really proud. Just 3.5% of bachelor's degrees in STEM fields were awarded to Latinas in 2010, and only 1.8% of positions in science and engineering are held by Latina women. Vanessa feels nervous and excited to blaze this new path as a second generation Honduran American, but systemically and financially, she's looking at an uphill climb.

Vanessa will be taking out a modest amount of student loans to help cover her tuition of $11,300/year. Me being the sage aunt that I am (one who is still paying off her own student loans), I've discouraged Vanessa from taking out any unsubsidized loans (duh). So $9,995 of her first year's tuition will be covered by grants and subsidized loans—leaving $1,305 in tuition costs ($652.50/semester) and around $1,500 in textbook costs.

I'm hoping that 40 of my friends and family will each give $70 to help Vanessa cover her out-of-pocket educational expenses for the 2021–2022 academic year. (Though, of course, y'all should give as you're able or as the spirit moves you!) She'll be working part-time while in school to pay for her own housing, utilities, food, car insurance, phone bill, wi-fi, and other material needs. That was my situation in undergrad, too. College is tough when your family doesn't have the resources to assist you much while you're in school, but it's not impossible—especially if there's a community of people around who can lighten your load.

If you believe in social justice, educational justice, economic justice, or just lending a plain old helping hand, we would really appreciate your support. Vanessa has got brains and sense in spades, and it cannot be overstated how much this opportunity will change her life.

Now, just for cuteness, here are some pictures of Vanessa at my own college graduation in 2012 when she was 10. <3 <3 <3