Kayla’s dream to become a Doctor

My name is Manuela Hahn, and I am the proud mother of Kayla Hahn, who has been accepted to the University of Missouri for Fall 2025. I am writing to you with deep respect and gratitude to request financial assistance to help support her dream of becoming a doctor.

Kayla is one of the most hardworking, compassionate, and determined young women I know. She has always taken the initiative to pursue her goals with purpose. At just 14 years old, she got her first job working at a summer camp, and returned the following summer to save money to buy her first car. In school, she maintains a top-five class rank and leads multiple organizations, including HOSA, where she serves as president and recently placed 4th at the state level. Kayla has a 4.9 GPA and got a 25 on the ACT test. She is also the president of the NIH and theater programs, captain of the band’s woodwind section, and secretary of the student cabinet. Her heart for others shines through in everything she does.

My husband and I are both college graduates who had to put ourselves through school and are still paying off our student loans. As an immigrant from Romania, I know what it means to work hard for every opportunity. After we started our little family I went back to school and I became a registered nurse, and my husband also worked his way through college. While we are grateful to be employed, the reality is that because we both work, Kayla qualifies for no financial aid through FAFSA—even though our financial obligations, including ongoing student loan debt, leave little room to support the high costs of college. We have applied for a lot of scholarships but it seems like they all dried up. We are so worried that financial burden will cause a lot of stress. When people are stressed they are not able to show their true potential.

I know Kayla is meant to do great things. She wants to become a physician to serve underserved communities and make a difference in people’s lives. But we worry about the burden of student debt she may carry just to begin that journey. I can’t think of anyone more deserving of a chance to succeed than my daughter. We are doing everything we can to support her, and any additional financial assistance for Mizzou would mean the world to our family.

Thank you so much for your time, your compassion, and for supporting students and families like ours.