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Susana's College Dream Needs Support
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$4,355 raised of $24K
29 donations
My name is Susana, and I am a first-generation college student, currently pursuing a Biology
major with a Chemistry minor as I prepare to enter my senior year of college. I am writing to
share my story, not only as a student, but as a daughter, an immigrant, and a young woman
determined to create a better future despite the obstacles that continue to rise before me.
I immigrated to the United States when I was 11 years old, leaving behind the only home I had
known to follow my family in search of stability, opportunity, and safety. Like so many
immigrants, we came here full of hope, but the road since then has been anything but easy.
Navigating a new language, a new school system, and a new culture as a child was disorienting. I
often felt out of place, like I was constantly trying to catch up. My parents worked long hours,
low wages, but never complaining so that my sister and I could build a future they never had. We
shared the same goal: that I would go to college, that I would succeed, and that one day, I would
give back to my community.
Today, I am so close to achieving that dream. But I am now facing an unexpected challenge that
threatens to take it away. Recently, I was informed that my residency status for tuition
classification is being re-evaluated and will be reclassified in a way that would significantly
increase my tuition. This change is not just inconvenient, it is devastating. It puts my education,
my graduation, and my path to PA school at serious risk.
The timing could not be more painful. The current political climate has made it increasingly
difficult for immigrant families like mine to feel secure. There’s a growing sense of fear,
instability, and displacement even among those of us who have called this country home for most
of our lives. The policies and attitudes shaping the lives of immigrants are not abstract to me,
they are deeply personal. They affect where I live, how I study, and whether or not I can even
afford to finish the degree I’ve worked so hard for.
I’ve always believed in the power of education. I’ve believed that if I worked hard enough,
sacrificed enough, stayed late enough at the library, put my basic needs aside, I could make this
dream a reality. But now, I find myself in a place I never expected, pleading for the opportunity
to finish what I started.
Please understand I’m not asking for favors or handouts, I’m asking for an opportunity. A chance
to keep going, to honor everything my family has sacrificed, and to become someone who gives
back. This isn’t just about tuition. It’s about the right to finish a dream that was built from
sacrifice and resilience. Your generosity wouldn’t just fund another student, it would help lift a
family, honor a journey, and invest in a future healthcare provider determined to make a
difference.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story.
Sincerely,
Susana Fernandez