Help me afford college

I am the daughter of Cambodian refugees, who moved to the United States to escape a genocide.

As refugees and parents to four children, we didn't have much in the way of resources growing up. Once we reached working age, all of us had to work to support each other to ensure there would be food on the table and that the rent would be paid.

My parents were never able to save anything in retirement for themselves, which didn't seem to bother them as long as we fulfilled the hope that we'd get an education and an opportunity to rise above our circumstances.

As for myself, I found it extremely difficult to work full-time and go to school full-time. I realize and deeply regret that I squandered the public resources available to me because I was young, stupid, and too stubborn to admit that I couldn't get a handle on finding a balance between work and school.

As it stands now, I am blessed to have a full-time job that enables me to send money to my aging, worried parents every month so they can live comfortably.

And by some stroke of luck, I was accepted to Arizona State University as a Technical Communications (User Experience) major, a major I have slipped into almost seamlessly as it combines writing and technology -- two of my favorite things.

But with my up-and-down unreliability of my past, Federal Financial Aid has deemed me ineligible for financial assistance, and justifiably so.

I don't normally ask for handouts and in fact, it's usually me donating to my friends' causes or various charities involving education, children, and women's health.

If you could spare something - anything - I would be forever grateful.

I am also happy to be 100% transparent about where the donations go which will be one place and one place only: tuition. I promise.

Thank you for reading my story.

Shawna