My name is Jake, and I am a financially independent student currently serving as a National Volunteer Personnel with the United Nations, focusing on international public health and maternal health through UNICEF. From a small town in Minnesota to graduate school in Boston, I have built every step of my journey on my own, driven by a commitment to global economic justice and a belief that systems can be changed for the better.

This volunteer opportunity is a crucial step in my path toward agency sponsorship with the UN and, ultimately, a career as a sovereign debt restructuring specialist. I am pursuing a JD in international finance so I can help address the deep inequalities that exist between countries. But access to these opportunities is not equal, and financial barriers are real—especially for those of us without wealth or connections. As a financially independent student, I receive no outside support and must finance this opportunity entirely on my own.

The funds raised here will go directly toward daily living expenses, including food, shelter coverage fees (volunteer rent), and both in-country and out-of-country travel related to my relocation for work. Your support would not simply fund living expenses—it would allow me to show up fully, contribute meaningfully, and begin building a career dedicated to addressing the very inequities that make opportunities like this difficult to access in the first place. If you choose to support me, you are not just supporting one person—you are investing in the kind of leadership and perspective that global institutions need more of. Thank you for seeing me, and for being part of this step forward.