Wildlife Biologist Needs Help!

Hello! My name is Patricia Mey! Growing up in rural Maine, wildlife and the outdoors were a major part of my early childhood. While I was still in elementary school, my family moved to suburban North Carolina. Nostalgia was quick to set in, and I longed to return to the outdoorsy lifestyle that I had become accustomed to. My love for animals was fostered through my involvement with a dog-focused 4-H called "K9 Capers." I quickly learned to train rescued dogs, and it was through this group that I was able to rescue my personal dog, Buddy.  Rescuing animals became a huge part of my life, and I began volunteering with a rehabilitator, and helped her raise and release countless fawns and small mammals. That was the defining experience that showed me what my true passion and calling was. After an extensive search for training classes, certifications, and really anything that would allow me to persue my dream of becoming a wildlife rehabilitator, I happened across Lees McRae College.  Lees McRae is a small private college nestled away in the Appalachian Mountains, and happens to be the only college with an on-campus wildlife clinic run almost entirely by students.
I was accepted to Lees McRae last December.  Along with the excitement of being accepted to the school I had dreamed of attending since middle school, came worry and apprehension due to my financial situation. I was facing paying for private school completely on my own.  Luckily I was awarded scholarships for my academic and extracurricular success in high school and one semester of community college, but unfortunately financial aid was minimal because I am technically still a dependent due to my age.  I've exhausted every option of paying for school, including a work study program and the maximum amount of student loans, and I am still coming up short for the year.
The $10,000 will pay for the 2014 fall semester, 2015 spring semester, as well as the required Summer Clinical, which involves working in the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center during the summer.  The cost of the clinical is not covered by tuition or scholarships, and has to be paid separately and in-full before the summer.
Any support you are able to give me will get me one step closer to achieving my dream of graduating with a degree in Wildlife Biology with a Concentration in Wildlife Rehabilitation.  I cannot put into words how in love with this school I am, and how ready I am to put in the hard work necessary to earn this degree and go on to pursue a successful career in this field.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story, and for supporting my academic endeavor. Please share my story with your friends and family, because every little bit of support makes a huge difference!

Check out the center online!!

If the $8k goal is broken, then the rest of the donations will be split in half; half going towards future tuition payments, and half going directly to the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.