My MSW Graduation Shower! Help Celebrate and Support :)
Donation protected
As many of you know, I moved to Portland, Oregon in order to follow my dreams of being a student for over a decade. JUST KIDDING, sort of. My dream was, and still is, to advocate for and help empower others through mental health care and to help build better systems of care and support. I started the Master of Social Work program at Portland State University in September 2023. I am in the full-time, 2-year, clinical track and set to graduate this June 2025!
I created this GoFundMe after a lot of deliberation because, while asking for help is hard, grad school is expensive!! Who knew?
As a kid I grew up on free-reduced lunch and in Section 8 housing and as young adult who really struggled financially and emotionally in undergrad, I truly didn’t see graduate school in my future. I’m really proud of myself for getting in and getting through it, but the financial burden is real. I've been taking out the maximum amount of federal loans each term. As part of being a full-time grad student in the 2 year program, I have been working 20+ hours each week in unpaid internships in the field. I have poured my money, blood, sweat and (A LOT OF) tears into learning and reflecting and studying and doing all of The Work™️ - as a client, myself, and as a newbie therapist.
The Grad Plus loans have been enough to survive with the additional financial (and emotional) help I’ve received from my partner, James. His help has been monumental in supporting us and our 3 pets and it has made the ability to save money impossible, since he has been the sole financial provider for us both (in THIS economy!!).
Graduating in June is very exciting and very scary. Graduating means loan dispersement ending and a lot of financial obligations that will continue on and others that restart immediately. I'm hopeful to get a job as soon as possible but that’s not exactly a guarantee, especially when considering time frames related to applying for and taking all the social work licensing exams/applications post-graduation.
If you are able, please consider donating. Call it mutual aid, a birthday gift (May 2nd, Taurus bb) and/or graduation gift (or any other holiday you love to celebrate). This fundraiser is really my idea of a Graduation Shower—because we should be celebrating so many huge life milestones with the same enthusiasm, and financial support, we give weddings and baby showers - including academic milestones!
Your donations can help to fund:
- Me existing without an income until I secure a job (did I mention loans are coming to an end?) (and account for the 2-3 weeks I will need to wait until my first big kid paycheck once a job is secured)
- ASWB exam prep fees (~$200-$400 - the ASWB Practice exam itself is $85 lol)
- ASWB Masters exam ($230)
And if all THAT gets covered, any additional would go towards:
- Getting my LCSW, the whole point of going to grad school! - the new application fee, initial licensure fee, and background check fees ($250)
- Repaying loans (who knows what’s going on the SAVE repayment plan but it’s a scary time!!)
- A small graduation gift to celebrate having done the damn thing!! A massage? Weekend glamping trip?
Also, if you want to watch me graduate and celebrate with me from afar, here’s the link:
I set my goal high because costs are high. The amount of required money I’ll need for exam prep, exam fees, licensure fees and transportation to/from job interviews in the first few weeks following graduation is ~$700 alone. Loan payments will hopefully not be a mortgage each month but will likely be an on going financial struggle. I’m planning to share this page at least a few times before graduation - likely in March (Social Worker appreciation month), May (birthday), and June (graduation).
With all that being said, truly any amount and all donations, whenever they are sent, are so very much appreciated ✨❤️
Sending all of you love and gratitude xoxo
Organizer
Danica Williams
Organizer
Portland, OR