Ravens Climb to Dreams and Degrees

Thanks again to those that have contributed thus far! It has helped me immensely and I am very thankful. I am looking forward to the knowledge that is available to me at this college.

I am re-opening my campaign to raise money for a new cause, one that is still education related. I returned to college at Fort Lewis of Durango this past January. Immediately, I jumped into the campus organization Village Aid Projects, with hopes of being a part of a force lending able minds and hands to those in need internationally. It is a fast pace organization with many working parts and I had to jump right in. Already I have been studying aspects of technology and the developing world.  The weekly group meeting has gone through introductions, missions, projects, and have transitioned into training for the various types of projects to be completed in Nicaragua and Myanmar this year. With that, I have signed up with the portion of the organization that will be heading to Myanmar (Burma) to help a small village with its water system. The overall task consists of many aspects. Within this group, we will have a team developing a well to source the water (myself included), a team laying and/or refining a mile-long transmission line, a team that will build and/or repair a water storage tank, and a team developing and implementing a distribution system. This new water system will distribute water to various cul-de-sacs throughout the village and will offer water to those without. We will be departing America early May and will be in Myanmar for 3 weeks, departing on the 22nd. Afterwards, I will be traveling solo to Nepal to assist in building a lodge and restaurant that recently burnt down in a fire, which was a large income source for this small village that also aids in education support for the children in and around the village. This will be from May 22nd till mid-June. This is volunteer base; all funds are to be raised. I am seeking support in the following ways: 

 Travel Expenses;

Airfare : $ 1,500 –
cost of flight and baggage.
(USA – Myanmar – Nepal – USA)

Myanmar;

Lodging and food : expenses are covered for organization needs.

Nepal;

Lodging and food :
$ 100 – cost of average cheap lodging per night 
$10 X 10 days

$ 200 – cost of average meals per day
$10 X 22 days (flights included)

$ 200 – cost of transportation to and from village

$ 50 – cost of visiting visas

Any help and support is greatly appreciated. If able to donate, please provide an address and what you are contributing towards i.e. food, travel, etc. Again, and as always, please call with questions or to hear more! Thanks!!

https://www.fortlewis.edu/villageaidproject/AboutVillageAidProject.aspx


**Lets switch this up a bit! Who wants to support a specific aspect of my campaign? I am changing up the style of seeking support. Rather than asking for a lump sum of money, I will be breaking down my costs and asking donors to support me by matching my investments on certain expenses.  For example: who wants to help out with the funding for my books? This will let donors know exactly how the dotantions will be directed and provide a sense of support for, let's say, my books! We will keep this campaign live thoughout my education so donations can be given at any point throughout this experience as education expenses are presented. Be sure to let me know what you would like to contribute to. Lets get started! Bio is below.

Spring Semester 2018: Breakdown of Cost
Tuition and Fees: $4,690 - asking for $2,345 - $750 contribution by Isaac T, Gabrielle T, Nathan W, Oceans of Love, Channing S, Dana P, Corey S,  Marnie M, Stephanie A, and Adam R. 
Books: $650 - asking for $325 - Amount raised by  Robin B, David M, Reid K, and John F - Thank you!
Professional Computer: $1200 - asking for $600 - Amount raised by Andy M! Thank you, Andy!
Supplies: $100 - asking for $50 - Raised by Bethany P, Shane M, and Gabrielle T. Thanks for your support and care!
Engineering Calculator: $200 - asking for $100 - Calculator donated by Jacqueline B. Thank you, Jacqueline! Glad I can put it to use, great thinking!

Spring 2018 Total: $6,840 - asking for $3,420

If able to donate, please choose a specific expense or contribute to one.

Hi, my name is Raven Sutton.  The purpose for this campaign is to ask for support in paying for tuition and education costs to finish my Bachelor’s degree in Engineering. In this bio, I will share my story, current situation, and hopes for the future. My intension for sharing with the readers who I am and my accomplishments is to show how this step will help me make the next steps into my profession so that the donors know how their support will be used and how I and others will be benefited. Thanks for your interest and enjoy a bit of my professional journey. 

In May of 2015, I graduated from Chattanooga State Community College with a General Engineering Associates degree. During my time at Chattanooga State, I took the time to explore different options for my education and settled in the Engineering department. I did a wonderful job at becoming involved with my academic community. I took on various roles such as President of the Chattanooga State Associated General Contractors Student Chapter, which won the Club of the Year award. I also held a position as a Statics and Mathematics tutor for the Engineering department, along with many other involvements and accomplishments. Upon graduation, I was awarded with the Presidential Excellence Award, which is the highest honor awarded to the students!  I enjoyed my time and feel my education has offered me experience and knowledge that I am using today in my profession. 

I am a young carpenter that has been in the construction field for over 10 years, starting as teenage labor to operating my own small company for custom units and woodworking.  I am currently doing an apprenticeship with M3 Property Service, a general contracting company in Grand County, Colorado. We focus on projects big and small, from new custom homes to smaller remodels. We also take on out-of-box projects that others would be reluctant to tackle, such as building back country ski huts and boathouses on frozen lakes in the winter. The focused involvement of this apprenticeship has been a great experience for me in understanding the process of construction projects. I have acted in positions such as crew leader, bidding and billing, and custom woodworking. I undertook solo projects, and was entrusted to run the company for a month while the owner was out of the country. Now I am bringing many of those positions together as project manager. This opportunity has provided so much growth within myself and understanding for the building trades and engineering fields that I seek. 

I am currently enrolled at Fort Lewis College of Durango, Colorado. The Fort, as they say, has recently started a new engineering department. After touring the campus and meeting with advisors, I am excited for the guidance and exposure offered. Moreover, I am looking forward to faculty guided independent study opportunities that allow students the chance to put more focus into the exact field of study that interests them. I believe I have the ability to truly make my degree what I need it to be.

After many years of being involved with Engineers without Boarders, the facility at Fort Lewis College has developed a new organization. Village Aid Projects is a group of volunteer faculty members, students, and community partners that travel to assist villages in countries such as Thailand, Laos, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Myanmar. I plan to be a part of this organization with hopes to offer my building experience and develop ideas to share wherever in the world I am building and designing.

Designing and building homes is largely the direction I will be taking my skills and knowledge with a great focus on sustainability. I dream of a network of homes that pull resources from the surrounding environment and are connected to the community to share resources. I plan to develop and use products and materials that have minimal impact on our environment. My recent exposure to understanding the process of home construction has provided me with insight to efficiently design, engineer, and build these systems. The donations received during this campaign will be used solely toward education cost. The amount requested is half of what I believe is the total cost to finish my degree. I am asking for community support to match my savings and investments. The total cost includes the following:

Tuition
Books
A professional computer
Software
Supplies
An international study program
And other education expenses. 

I will be beginning classes in January and estimate my completion to be in 6 semesters. I am hoping to hit my goal of this campaign by January 1st, 2018, 8 days before my first day of classes. Any funds raised from this campaign will be greatly appreciated. My education has been largely support by myself and will continue to be with the help of scholarships, fundraising, grants, and working for myself as a carpenter. 

I am greatly thankful for your time and generosity, if you see fit to donate. I would be happy to talk more, send a resume, or set up a meeting. 

M3 Property Service
Fort Lewis College 
Village Aid Project Organization