Support Sa'mya's Journey to Columbia

Hi! My name is Sa'mya and I'll be completing my journey at Smith College as a proud first-generation, low-income student this May! I'll be graduating with my bachelors as a double major in Africana Studies & English, and also have a concentration in Community Engagement & Social Change. I was recently accepted into Columbia University for a Masters in Non Profit Management and am raising funds to cover the enrollment deposit. I am extremely grateful for your support!

*If funds exceed the requested amount I will use them towards tuition payment. I am also applying for grants + scholarships and will update the page accordingly.*

If you want to hear more about why I chose this program please read here:

My engagement within the non-profit sector began at the age of eight when I joined WeLeadOurs as a participant. Through several enrichment programs, the non-profit organization provides disadvantaged Bay Area youth with an opportunity to realize their full potential. By participating in positive team-building, educational, and service-oriented activities, I was empowered to be a leader. Although I did not fully comprehend what a non-profit entailed and was unaware of the profound impact that it had on me at that age, I found myself in a constant state of growth and engagement with non-profit organizations from that moment on.

From 6th to 12th grade I was a recipient of the benefits of nonprofits. From participating in Girls Inc. (a non-profit that empowers girls to be “strong, smart, and bold”), to being a scholar in the Achieve Program (a non-profit that supports underserved high school students from low-income families with extensive college counseling), I was supported by organizations whose primary goals were to better those within the community. The most notable takeaway that I have gained from these experiences has been ingrained within my values: it is crucial to pay it forward.

Throughout high school and more extensively during my undergraduate career, this moral has informed the way that I live my life and engage in the world. From volunteering and interning at Alameda County Community Foodbank back home in Oakland, CA, to leading Smith’s first cohort of Matriculate as the Head of Advising Fellows managing the relationships between college student advisers and in need highschool students. In addition, I interned at PHiX Care, a local NGO in Kasoa, Ghana that aims to improve health and educational outcomes for girls and youth in the area. My passions include supporting the initiatives of nonprofits. Work that is rooted in empowering and serving others has given me an immense amount of joy within my life.

Having had vast practical experience within the field, it is time for me to study the theory that drives the practice, which will allow me to expand my capacities to best serve whichever community I find myself in as a dedicated leader.

The enhanced leadership, management, and organizational skills within the program will aid me in my journey to becoming the best possible leader that I can be. This program is the next stepping stone in my career. As shown in my widespread experiences, I have contributed to several initiatives in many non-profit sectors spanning a wide range of social issues including education, public health, and social services. Attending Columbia will allow me to focus on one particular area or help me find the intersections between multiple interests through the coursework and interactions with professors and other students.

Having never taken formal classes in nonprofit management, I am eager to delve into the coursework that the university offers. After having intense study within the field, I will start my own nonprofit organization within the Oakland area. Attending Columbia will allow me to do so. I have a true passion and commitment towards making a change in the world and in my community.