JoshToTheFinish - Completing My Cambridge Masters

Hi guys, I hope you are well. My name is Joshua Obichere, and I am fundraising for my FINAL TERM at Cambridge University due to financial difficulty with fees as a self-funded student.

I am thankful to my twin brother (who crowdfunded successfully for an architecture workshop in Porto, 2018) and two good friends who encouraged me to set up my crowdfunding page unashamedly.

A Bit About Me

I am 24 years old and was born in East London. I grew up in Barking before my family moved to Romford, Essex where we currently live. I am an identical twin and love sports, music, gospel and talking to people. Currently, I am studying a Masters In Education (MEd) at The University of Cambridge and only have 4 months left. Previously, I studied the PGCE in Art & Design at Cambridge, Downing College, and successfully completed it in July 2021. Following my PGCE I worked as a Full-Time teacher whilst studying for my MEd, which commenced in October 2021.

About My Cambridge Journey

I have always had a passion for pursuing a career in Art & Design and never took the opportunity at first. Cambridge University alone seemed like an impossible goal and to have studied my PGCE here, as well as be a member at Downing College, has been a privilege I will never forget.

I am the only individual out of my entire family history to go to Cambridge and to have come this far with THE FINAL TERM LEFT, before the end of my masters, is a fantastic achievement for me. Having been diagnosed with ADHD/Dyspraxia, whilst at Cambridge, in January 2021, I have worked hard to get my academic writing to scratch and gain the confidence to keep striving and remain resilient in any given situation. An example is coming from doing a degree in Construction Management at UCL, to resigning from a well-paid job as an Assistant Design Manager at Mace (a global construction consultancy), in order to pursue my passion for educating people within art and design https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-obichere-920a1bb9/ . I applied to Cambridge in my final year at UCL in 2019, and was interviewed but did not receive an offer.

I then worked on developing my portfolio https://www.artbyhandcreative.com/portfilio and got experience at the sixth form I attended. I applied the 2nd time, and got the offer at Cambridge to studying my PGCE in Art & Design in 2020. Ever since then, I have grown in my teaching and have embraced the opportunities to carry out art commissions and create platforms whilst at Cambridge. I have been able to grow in connections and network with a range of students, academics and societies.

The Masters I Study at Cambridge

The master's degree that I study is only for students who have done their PGCE at The University of Cambridge. It is an opportunity to expand the research done during the academic writing on the PGCE programme, and to develop it as an actual research project. The aim of my masters programme is to transform the practice in which I operate in, and this is within Arts Education. My master's research is therefore focused on the arts, race and social justice. Currently, my work is concentrating on a post 16 exploration on blackness in portraiture. I am seeing how fine art and photography students in year 12 respond to black and contemporary artists and photographers' work to inform their own design ideas on a piece of work they will plan, on blackness in portraiture.

So far the project is going really well, and I am extremely fortunate to have an exhibition coming up in July 2022 at Cambridge Arts Space, where I will be showcasing 10 pieces of artwork, large scale, as a response to the 10 students involved in the research. Each student was given a booklet I created, and they have been able to develop their own thoughts around blackness. Students have also been able to analyse the work of roughly 20 black artists and photographers to find inspiration for planning their own piece of work in response. I look forward to the curation of the exhibition and have been working hard. I have an instagram page that you can follow to get an understanding of my research: @blackness_in_portraiture and I hope that you are able to find time and see the exhibition when it is set up and running in July 2022.

Current Situation

Whilst preparing to commence studies on the masters degree, I was told that the University of Cambridge do not support part-time courses like my MEd, and as a result, student finance rejected the request for funding. The master's degree costs £6,081 which is not funded at all. Knowing that I would be working, I thought that it would be fine, however, I did not realise the financial strain it would have or the other costs that I needed to consider.

A letter from student finance followed after the email from Cambridge admissions

This meant that I would have to use my teaching salary each month to fund my master's programme. With the costs that I needed to pay, including rent, insurance for my car and at the time in December 2021, MOT and car repairs, self-funding my master's degree has been extremely difficult as well as keeping up with exhibition prep financially and practically. I came to the point in January 2022, where I was unable to complete payment for the fees of my master's programme, and therefore, I had to withdraw from my master's programme at Cambridge.

Funding Difficulty

Unfortunately, Downing do not provide any support for part-time students. As a result, all the applications made for funding or for a bursary or financial assistance has been rejected as part-time students are not eligible for those financial support. Cambridge only provide the support for Full-Time students.

Withdrawn from the Masters and Prior Debt

During the process of withdrawing, it was disheartening and everywhere I reached for help, there was no hope. My parents by God’s grace, from all they had, considering the bills and how much they do for my siblings and I, they lent me £2000 to cover the cost of Cambridge, which included a prior debt of £1516.99 (you will see this in the evidence below)

The prior debt was unfortunately unavoidable as last academic year, due to my PGCE placement being extended by 1 month because of my disability, I couldn't end the tenancy for my accommodation at Downing until September because of Downing's 2-month accommodation policy. The prior debt of £1516.99 was covered by the £2000 lent from my parents leaving £483.01 towards Lent Term.

Reinstatement and Payment Plan

I let Downing College know of the payment being made to cover the prior cost In February 2022, I was reinstated to studying the Masters. Downing had advised to set up a payment plan which for me, still seemed difficult. I gave most of my salary in February to Downing towards fees and had to keep borrowing from my Dad to get by which I did not want to keep doing as it was a financial strain on him. Fast forward, I was reinstated in February on my degree as I planned on using my February salary to go towards my fees (£1013.50). Money left from the finance my parents lent me was £483.01 after paying the prior debt. With the £483.01 and the £1013.50 paid for Lent Term, (£1496.51), this left £530.49 still to be paid and brought into the last term at Cambridge. This leaves me with £530.49 left to pay plus Easter Term fees of £2027. I am hoping to raise £2557.49 which will cover the cost of the remaining Lent Term Fees (£530.49) and also cover my final term fees in Easter Term (£2027). I believe with your support, even non-monetarily in the sharing and encouragement, I can raise the £2557.49 to take me to the finish line of my masters degree at The University of Cambridge on the 29th of July 2022.

Managing Teaching, McDonalds and Academia

During the struggle of supporting myself financially whilst being an Art Teacher, I took up in December 2021, a part time job at McDonalds to give myself security. Balancing teaching, McDonalds, a masters course at Cambridge, and the financial strain from having to fund myself was not easy at all. When applying for grants and scholarships, companies and organisations I was unsuccessful in (all of them) advised me to crowdfund. I am a transparent and open person, and in setting up this crowdfunding page, I believe that it has made me recognise that help is closer than I think and no matter whether you can support or cant, even taking the time to read this is greatly appreciated.

What's going on now?

Due to the exhibition preparations and making sure that my master's goes well as it can, I resigned from my post as an Art Teacher. In addition, I also felt that my teaching was affected by my instability and therefore worry and doubt in my circumstances kicked in. During the period of resignation, which was only recent (1st April 2022), it brought a lot of clarity as to the potential that I have to do extremely well on the masters programme, but to deliver my solo exhibition which will take time leading up to June. I have signed up to an agency to work as a supply teacher where I am able to choose my days, and in addition, I will be working on creative projects and establishing my art more. I am also waiting for the outcome of a grant I applied for and will keep you all posted on that. Fundraising for the remaining cost of my degree at Cambridge will relieve a massive weight off me, and I can put all my efforts into finishing well without being distracted by my circumstances or limited by uncertainty. Any money I make will go towards my exhibition to make it as best as it can be, living costs, as well as maintenance.

Your Support Means A Lot

I have only 4 MONTHS left of my master's programme at Cambridge and through your help and support, I look to raise the £2554 required to complete my course fees by the end of the course date which is 29th July 2022.

You Are More Than Welcome to my Solo Exhibition in July- you will all be sent information and details on it near the time.

Your support does not have to just be financial, but it can be in the sharing of my research page, in the prayers and in keeping updated with what I am doing @blackness_in_portrairture, and also finding time in July 2022 to check out my solo exhibition titled, “SKIN DEEP - Blackness in Portraiture”.

Final Words

I hope I haven’t been long-winded, I just wanted to share as much on my circumstances as possible, and I want to say thank you for reading this! Don't forget; NOTHING IS TOO SMALL. I will update you all. Have a blessed day! For any more information, please do not hesitate to let me know concerning my crowdfunding, Cambridge or even my research and exhibition. God bless you all! :)