Keep The Dream Alive!

Hello. My name is Stormy. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Mine is a long story, but even the longest journey must begin with the first step, so here goes.

I am what the University of California considers to be a "non-traditional" student. That is to say, I am a re-entry student, a financial aid/Pell Grant recipient, a Student Parent with two kids, and have an “invisible” disability. I left junior college more than thirty years ago and told myself at that time, "I can always go back." Well, in January 2012, I went back. I returned to the school I left years earlier, Moorpark College, in Southern California. Because I was working full-time, I attended night school as a three-quarters (3/4) time student, carrying twelve units.

In the Fall of 2013 I graduated from Moorpark College as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and the proud owner of two Associate Arts degrees—Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Arts & Humanities. I graduated with Honors in both programs. 

During the transfer application process, I realized a vital truth about myself: That receiving a world-class education had always been a dream of mine. A dream I never allowed myself to dream because our family was economically disadvantaged. In other words, we were working class poor, and depended on state and government welfare to help make ends meet.

I was accepted to six of the seven University of California campuses that I applied to, and received unsolicited offers of expedited application and fee waivers from several schools, including Columbia and St. Johns.

I chose the top-rated public university in the world (number three, overall): Berkeley. I moved to Berkeley in January 2014, never even having visited there before. I moved into the Berkeley Student Cooperative, one of the largest student co-ops in the nation and have held four different management positions at the co-op house I lived in. I even held four positions at one time, though only for a short while.

Approximately one year afer arriving in Berkeley, I declared as an English major and participated in a recital of my own poetry in front of graduate students, professors, and student-peers. It was very exciting, and nerve-wracking, as I had never done anything like that before. (Apparently, I did quite well, because my professor told me that she wanted me to read her poetry at the next event!)

Last semester, I applied for my second major, Interdisciplinary Studies Field (ISF). In order to be able to fulfill the requirements for both majors, I had to meet with the Dean of Instruction to get a special dispensation allowing me to exceed the “unit cap.” He granted it, and I declared my second major: ISF.

At around that same time, I applied for the Education Abroad Program (EAP). I chose Singapore as my target program. I have never traveled overseas and my goal, after graduating, is to teach English in Southeast Asia. Singapore was a logical choice, as English is one of four official languages there.

As part of this study abroad application process, I also applied for several scholarships, as I would not have been able to afford to go on my own resources alone. Fortunately, I was honored to receive two study abroad scholarships, the UC System-wide EAP scholarship, and the Campus-Specific EAP scholarship.

Every step along the way, during this process, I was utterly unconvinced that I would EVER be able to participate in such a prestigious program.

Now, I am studying in Singapore at the National University of Singapore (NUS). NUS is the top-rated university in Asia, and number thirteen, overall.

This, literally, is a dream come true for me, a dream I never knew I had. A dream I never allowed myself to dream.

Unfortunately, this dream is in jeopardy of becoming a nightmare, at least it has certainly felt that way for the last several weeks. This is why I am here, on GoFundMe. I need help! Not a lot of help, but the kind of help I cannot muster from my own resources.

Here is what is happening. The University of California requires that all students attending any of their campuses maintain a certain level of health insurance (SHIP) coverage. As a financial aid recipient at my home campus (Berkeley), the financial aid office paid the SHIP directly, as well as paying for my tuition, etc. However, unbeknownst to me, as an exchange student, the financial aid that has, in the past gone directly to SHIP is disbursed to me, and it is my responsibility to pay the SHIP.

Simply put, I simply have not got the money. I have not made any extraordinary purchases here, but Singapore does have a very high cost of living. However, I did encounter several difficulties that were unforeseen, and beyond my control. Specifically, within the first few weeks of my arrival, I lost my prescription glasses. Even with SHIP, my co-pay is more than $400 (US). I also injured my knee last month and incurred medical expenses related to that (x-rays, medication, consultations, etc.). For ALL of these expenses, I am “out of pocket,” and will get reimbursed for a portion of it some time after my return to the US.

UC Berkeley has now applied a registration block against me, which remains in effect until and unless I can pay the balance of the SHIP: $2,000 (US). 

This is an extremely TIME-SENSITIVE issue. I am told that this must be taken care of BEFORE November 1st, or I will, effectively, be kicked out of school! thus ending my life-long dream, which I am so close to fulfilling. 

I have tried everything I know to do. I have a student advocate that has not been effectual, and I have no confidence that she will have any bearing on the results here. There is no appeal available to me, and they will not accept any sort of payment plan. There are no additional funds in the form of grants, loans, etc. that are available that can be applied to this problem. I have even reached out to the US Embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce here in Singapore. I have also reached out to everybody I know here and in the US that I feel may be in a position to help. So far, I have only come up with the promise of $100, which I am extremely grateful for.

This is why I am here, hoping against hope that something in my story will resonate with someone here and that they will feel led to help with a contribution of ANY AMOUNT. Please, do not let the dream die here. I’m so close!

Thank you!