Support Nicole's Dream to Continue at Spelman College

Hi everyone,

My name is Nicole Reid, and I am a rising junior at Spelman College. Currently majoring in English (on the pre law track) with a minor in Dance Performance and Choreography. I am an independent college student, balancing jobs/internships, all while remaining a leader on Spelman's campus and within the Atlanta community at large. If I am unable to secure these funds, I will be unable to finish my degree. With only two years left at the institution that I fell in love with in high school, it breaks my heart at the thought of transferring. While I have set my heart on transferring, something has compelled to give things one last try; this fundraiser is me trying again.

As any Spelman student who has been in the situation that I am in knows far too well the anxiety and stress that comes with dealing with Spelman's financial aid office. The nerves of going in there and being vulnerable, voicing your family history and concerns, and practically begging for help is enough to make anyone anxious to step inside the office However, it is the reality of many low income, independent scholars at Spelman that are working to make their dreams a reality.

Just to tell you a little bit about myself and my journey at Spelman

I'm a southern girl (born in Manhattan, NY) and raised in south Georgia. I've danced for 12+ years in counting; training in contemporary, modern, ballet, contemporary/ballet partnering, African dance forms, and HBCU danceline (with ballet being my favorite style). I started my matriculation at Spelman during Fall 2023 with a dream and prayer to sustain me. I arrived to campus with just the help of my myself and my mother. I've been involved in various organizations and service events while being at Spelman such as: the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, the Spelman chapter of the NAACP, Breaking the Cycle Global, the Spelman Protege program, and the Morehouse College House of Funk Marching Band - Mahogany N' Motion. While balancing a strenuous course load of 17+ credits (equivalent to 5-7 classes) each semester, different internships/fellowships, being forced to live in an off campus apartment without reliable transportation, and balancing the stress and pressure of helping my family where I can, I have been stretched thin, but this journey has shown me the art of resilience, not giving up on my dreams, and not taking "no" for an answer.

If I transferred to Georgia State University

While I have made the conscious choice to submit a transfer application to another institution so that I am still able to receive an education, it isn't the most pretty option either. Being that I have been at Spelman for going on 3 years. I have accumulated about 60+ credits during my matriculation, some of which the courses are very niche to a Spelman degree, meaning that there would be difficulty transferring all my credits over. After I submitted my application, I found a website from GSU's admissions office that allows transfer students to input the courses they would like to transfer over and it gives you and estimate at how many credits would transfer over with the major/degree you are trying to pursue at Georgia State. After doing this, I found that not all my credits would transfer over and I ultimately would be considered a second semester freshman student. This is disheartening to experience because all of my hard work, late night study sessions, and previous loans taken out to fund Spelman would have gone to waste. This would also prolong my intended graduation year of 2027. Spelman is also withholding my transcript because of the hold on my account. As I mentioned earlier, I was forced to stay in an off campus apartment because of the lack of housing on campus and the amount of freshman Spelman admitted. However, I was blessed to stay in a Spelman sponsored housing program apartment. Meaning that I don't pay rent to my apartment's leasing office. I am billed a room and board credit (as if I were staying on campus). If I unroll from Spelman, I would have to pay rent to the apartment. At the moment and with the internship that I have, I wouldn't be able to do THIS without having at least a second source of income.

Now, I know this may be lengthy but I want to make sure that any donor who intends to make a donation understands fully why this is important and how their donation will be used to its fullest extent.

I currently have a balance from freshman year (Spring 2024) of $2,725. You may ask how was I able to complete my sophomore year with this balance still being there. My only answer is prayer. Student Accounts at Spelman was kind enough to allow me to register for classes but informed me to try to pay it off or I would be unable to register again. Fall 2024 comes around and I joined the band which has been a lifelong dream of mine since I began researching HBCUs in middle school. Because of my school schedule and practice schedule, I was unable to handle a job and band. Which led to the balance still being there. This is still a huge amount for any college student to cover with or without a job. Student Accounts allowed me another chance to enroll in classes for Spring 2025. I promised myself that I would obtain a job to offset the costs of this. But of course, life happens. I picked up a heavier course load of 20 credits (to possibly graduate early so I can have less loans), my mental health was at an all time low this semester, and all the other life things that happen to pop up when you are already stressed enough.

I have a Spring 2025 balance of $5,407 as well. However, I do believe financial aid would work with me in allowing me to still register for classes with this balance as they have done in the past. Just with speaking with students who have gone through similar situations and being an upperclassmen, our financial aid/student accounts office hate to see upperclassmen unenroll from Spelman with just 1-2 years left. However, they still have a job to uphold. Which I understand and respect.

I've exhausted every resource that I can including Spelman's limited institutional scholarship support, federal loans, parent plus loans (which can't be used for past balances). With limited parental financial help and guidance, I've been left to handle this on my own with the help of my small network of my college friends, some mentors and their networks, etc. However, I do understand the economy that we are in and a lot of us are experiencing financial struggles of our own.

I've debated making a GoFundMe for months because of these back and forth feelings. However, I truly do believe that I am meant to be at Spelman because even when I thought things wouldn't work out, there always have been ways made.

My fundraiser is to raise funds in effort to be financial enrolled at Spelman. Attached you can find screenshots of the balance on my student accounts.

Thank you in advance for your donations, for sharing, or just even reading my story.

With love and gratitude,

Nicole Reid