Help Erica Study Abroad

Hello there :) Among all other things, this may seem like another post about a college student just trying to study abroad. I won't say it isn't, but I hope you'll still take the time to read some of what I have to say. 

 

My name is Erica Manson and I'm currently studying at Goucher College. I'm majoring in Communications with a double minor in Philosophy and Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies. As you may or may not know, studying abroad is a mandatory experience for all students who attend Goucher.

 

Last fall I was accepted to study abroad at Yonsei University in South Korea, one of the top universities in the country. After passport delays and program changes, I'm finally studying abroad this spring! Despite this acceptance there have been various obstacles that have arisen.

 

As I will be there from mid-February to mid-June, I will be unable to work during this time. Last semester I allocated my pay as a Residential Assistant at Goucher towards the fall semester along, using any other additional funding to cover this upcoming spring semester. Though I have been rewarded scholarships from Goucher and from programs like the Gilman Scholarship for study abroad that cover my tuition, housing, flights and medical insurance, other essentials such as food, quarantine housing, and addition travel expenses are variables I have to budget for.

 

There are many parts of me that didn't want to reach out in this way, but the value I have placed upon my education, my experiences, and my memories has encouraged me to do so. Moreover, though I am working even now, I realize that given the time frame I currently do not have the financial security to fund the rest of my trip solely on my own.

 

Honestly, it is hard for me to recount the things I have done that make me worthy of this kind of consideration. Still, I do know that for me, getting an education has always been the platform I needed to take the next step especially in a world where the intersectionalities of my being exist in ways I can't always control. Opportunities like this may not always cross my path.

 

I have once before experienced a time where financial insecurity and inaccessibility deterred me from my major goals. Although I believe things are not linear and deviations are not inherently negative, this is an experience and a goal that I do not want to give up so easily!

 

I hope for this trip to South Korea to be a novel, enriching, and exciting experience where I can continue to grow. I hope to go abroad without constantly being worried about my finances.

 

In all, if you donate, if you share, if you just read it, or if you read it and the thought of helping crosses your mind - I want to say thank you.

 

I deeply appreciate any contributions that are possible, or any consideration given (even if you are not able to donate).