Help Lum Reach the Finish Line for Grad School

Greetings from Lum! I am writing to you from Kingsburg, California, where I have lived for the past year and a half. As some of you may know, I moved to Kingsburg in May of 2020 to be near family, when my internship at Taylor Guitars (located in San Diego) abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. My plan, at that time, had been to return to Cameroon at the end of my internship. However, that was not possible because Cameroon had closed its borders due to the pandemic. Thus, no commercial flights were able to enter the country.

As an international student on an F-1 student visa, when my internship at Taylor Guitars ended, I had a 60-day grace period in which I could legally remain in the U.S. without working, or being enrolled in an academic program. At the end of the grace period, I would have to leave the U.S. Following the counsel of the foreign student services at Biola, I decided to enroll in a master's degree program to ensure that I would both remain in legal status and continue my education. Much to my surprise, I quickly found a study program at Fresno Pacific University (FPU) which is very much in line with my interests. Though a bit late, the school was still accepting applications to this program. I applied and was accepted!

Since August of 2020, I have pursued a Master of Arts in Strategic and Organizational Leadership at FPU. Although unplanned, I have thrived and immensely enjoyed my time in this program. I am confident that the skills and knowledge I have acquired will enable me to be an effective change agent when I return to Cameroon. I am currently in my last semester and need additional financial support to cover my tuition and related expenses.

The F-1 student visa comes with strict limitations on options for work to only on-campus jobs. The pandemic lock-down made this impossible for over a year. I now have a job on campus, for which I am deeply grateful. However, with a series of health problems (and the associated costs) and limitations on the number of hours I am legally allowed to work (20 hrs per week), I am unable to cover my tuition and school-related expenses for this last leg of the program. I humbly ask for your support to reach the finish line; whatever you can contribute towards the goal of $9,650 will be much appreciated. Thank you for your time and consideration!

Here is a link to my program, if you are interested in knowing more about my studies. Also do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like any additional information.