Send Aidan to Notre Dame PreCollege

My name is Aidan Reed, I'm 17 years old and am currently a junior at Traverse City Central High School. After a long application process and some time spent waiting for the decision, I've been accepted into the Summer Scholars program at the University of Notre Dame to study Psychology and the Self.

I am incredibly grateful for this amazing opportunity to both further my education and to get a taste for campus life at a prestigious university. However, I would not have created this GoFundMe if I had all of the means at my disposal necessary to attend the Summer Scholars program. The program itself costs a total of $3200, which includes room and board but not travel expenses. Through hard work on my part as a busser at a local downtown restaurant and a generous contribution from my parents, I will be able to cover some but not all of this cost.

I’m reaching out to the online community as well as my family and peers in the hope that some generous souls will help me achieve my goal of $2000 in order to cover most of the cost of attending the program. In the following paragraphs I will tell you more about myself and the program which I hope to attend, please consider donating and thank you for your time.

I was born and have been raised in Traverse City, Michigan, the cherry capital of the country where it seems to snow 7 months out of the year. I've had the privilege of attending and succeeding in great public schools for my entire academic career thus far, going through advanced programs and later taking college-level Advanced Placement courses for college credit beginning in 10th grade. I participate in various clubs at my high school, including Model United Nations, Students for Environmental Advocacy, and the Progressive Activism Club, the latter of which I founded and am currently leading. Additionally, I participate in sailing and track & field through my school, as well as 4H, football, and tennis in the past.

I currently work as a busser and food runner at the Franklin, a restaurant in downtown Traverse City, along with great coworkers and a very kind management team. During the winter months I also work as a volunteer ski patroller at Traverse City's Mt. Holiday, patrolling the ski hills and drinking unreasonable amounts of hot chocolate. In the past I have worked at the downtown Omelette Shoppe as well as the Sugar Beach hotel, jobs which helped me to grow as both a person and a worker, though I did eventually decide to move on from both.

Once I have graduated high school I plan to go on to college, studying psychology or political science with a minor in international relations as an undergraduate. I hope to do well in college in order to be able to attend law school with scholarships, so that I may eventually work as a lawyer for the greater good of my community and country. I also hope to eventually become involved in politics, either in a local office or in a higher position. I feel that being able to afford and attend the Summer Scholars program through Notre Dame will help me achieve my goals, helping me gain experience in my field of interest as well as helping me in my pursuits of eventually attending a reputable college.

The Summer Scholars program at Notre Dame, specifically the Psychology and the Self subprogram, has been a goal of mine to attend for some time now. The program itself runs from June 23rd to July 7th, consisting of lectures and class time as well as leisure time to explore the campus and fraternize with my fellow attendees. The Psychology and the Self  program focuses on studies of the self, from identity and relationships to prejudice and aggression. This is done through attending lectures, viewing documentaries, reading articles and papers, and participation in class discussions. Please feel free to click on the embedded links to learn more about the Psychology and the Self Program or Summer Scholars as a whole.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me through the provided means. Thank you for your time and consideration!