Valentina's College Fund

Valentina Clamens is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Perseverant. Proactive. Confident. Three words I use to describe myself, Valentina Clamens. That's me, a 20 year old Venezuelan student struggling to afford her education in the United States. I am currently attending Santa Fe College, and hopefully next semester I'll become a student in my dream school, the University of Florida.

Why am I here?
Three years ago, after graduating from high school, I went to Wisconsin for an exchange year. Everyone who knows me understands what this experience meant to me. However, they don’t understand how I enjoyed living in a 842 people farming town hosted by an American family. The truth is that this experience changed the person I am today, but most importantly, gave me a group of lifetime friends and a second family. It was during this year that I fell in love with the American culture and decided to go to college in the U.S.
Also, since Venezuela’s situation was getting every time worse, it seemed like a good time to leave the country.

Did I have a plan?
Well, in my home country it is really difficult to have a plan. Having the highest inflation rate in the world makes you think you have money today, but tomorrow that money is worth nothing. When I left in 2014 each dollar was at BS. 170. Right now the price for $1 is Bs. 900, which is nine of our highest bills. Also, having a corrupt government that offers student programs abroad (CADIVI) and stops paying for them, does not allow you to really "plan" ahead.
So yes, considering all these facts, I did have a plan. My parents told me they did not have the money to afford my whole education in the U.S, so I told them: "pay for my first semester. I'll figure out the rest." At the end, the United States is the country of opportunities, isn't it?

The journey began... What I've achieved so far
So there I was starting my college life. It was hard. Every time I saw a job offer or a scholarship application it included the classic phrase “must be an American citizen.” I was very frustrated and thought about giving up. Thank God I didn't because, after working hard, I got two partial scholarships that really helped me out. Furthermore, I found two jobs in campus and ended up being a Physics Lab Assistant and an International Student Diplomat (that means my face is on the main website!) Because of these, I do not have to ask my parents for money every single month.

Even though I feel proud of my achievements, they are not enough. I live stressed for not being able to pay my UF tuition, and feel terrible asking my parents for money. I know they want to support me with all their hearts, but they simply can’t…

What comes next...
I want to transfer to the University of Florida. Even though I have the grades and motivation, I do not have the funds to complete my education here. Unfortunately, the college only offers scholarships once you have been one semester there.
The story repeats itself, but this time my parents are not able to give me the financial support they did before. For this reason, I am asking you...
Can you help me pay my first semester, and then I'll figure it out? :)

My dreams, my goals... the reason of my perseverance
Following my mom's example, my main goal is to become an independent woman. I want to be able to afford my own life, to give as much as I can without expecting anything in return. My dream is to never stop dreaming, to keep thinking big and to go for whatever I set my mind into. Right now I am obsessed with working for Google, so I hope to pay you back while working there some day.
I am not expecting to get the money for the whole semester's tuition. I just want a push, a little bit of motivation to keep looking, to keep fighting, and to keep moving forward to find financial support to finish my education.
Your help would mean the world to me and to my entire family. I promise I'll do my best to make every cent worth.