My name is Noe Defranc, an African American student at SUNY Purchase College. I've been fortunate enough to attend multiple colleges in my pursuit of figuring out what career path I'd like to follow, and have finally landed at SUNY Purchase with only three semesters left until graduation.

Since 18 years old I have been financing my entire education and life alone; working multiple jobs (while in school and over breaks), taking out loans all while still maintaining my grades and relationships with my friends and my passions. While I love my friends, my family is not in the picture at all. Neither of my parents are stable or financially viable options, and while I was lucky to receive help from a friend for a semester, financial aid has been barely pushing me through and my ability to take out loans is reaching a maximum.

Those close to me know that my pride is my downfall, and this is truly a last resort. I'm currently an RA and am maximizing my resources at my school. Asking for help hurts, but worse than that is not graduating simply because of price. I'm a hard worker and will continue working throughout these final semesters, but the sinking feeling of coming close and still falling short is looming.

Thank you for whatever you can give, anything and everything is helpful to me right now. Much love, hope you're having a great 2026!