Help Keep Brooklyn on Track at Howard University

Hello, my name is Brooklyn Gilyard, and I'm a rising sophomore at Howard University, majoring in Chemistry and looking to minor in Biology and Business. I am a first-generation college student from St. Louis, MO, and I currently reside in Texas. I come from a low-income, single-parent household. I love Howard University. The education, the people that I have met, and the opportunities presented to me have all truly been a blessing to me.

However, I have encountered some major obstacles these past couple of weeks and I am in need of help. I currently have an outstanding balance of $24,978.96. This balance must be paid in full by July 31, 2025 for me to return for the Fall 2025-2026 academic school year. Due to this outstanding balance, I cannot register for classes and there is a hold on my housing. This situation is very devastating to me and my family because we did everything in our power to avoid situations like this. But due to a lack of effective communication from Financial Aid/Bursar at Howard, I am facing setbacks in my education. Throughout my time so far at Howard, I have grown so much as an individual while enrichening my love for science. This financial strain is taking a toll on me mentally and my academic career, but I know I must keep going. I've worked to hard and have come to far now to stop now. I refuse to give up.

My journey hasn't been easy, but by the grace of God, I always move forward. This school has given me something to build from, but it has also put a strain on certain things in my life.

I see a future of becoming a doctor, opening my own private practice, volunteering with organizations like Doctors Without Borders, and creating programs that support single-parent households like the one I was raised in. I want to use my education to uplift my community, provide access to healthcare and counseling, and become the kind of resource that provides help for others.

Every step I take at Howard brings me closer to that future. Howard is more than just an opportunity for education, it's also become a second home for me. Therefore, I am putting aside pride and reaching out to the people around me to help me move forward. Anything will help and is very appreciated.

My Cashapp and Venmo is $NaturallyBrooklyn

Thank you