Whitney get her B.S. in Dental Hygiene from NAU

My name is Whitney, I am looking for funding to attend Northern Arizona University for the Fall 2023 Cohort to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. Your donation would be used to fund my 20-month program paying for tuition, housing, and personal expenses.

I am requesting additional funding because my FAFSA is not covering my expenses. I am funding my college education entirely on my own. My parents have opened their home to my children and me since divorcing an alcoholic and escaping mental and physical abuse. My parents have had hardships in health these past few years, causing my mother to lose her job of 40+ years due to early onset dementia. My parents are assisting me with raising my two daughters while I work on a degree to create a better financial situation. I used to work full-time as a pharmacy technician, but when the pandemic hit, I chose to leave the pharmacy to pursue another passion in dentistry. In 2020, I obtained my Associate of Arts from Phoenix College without asking for additional funding to pursue a bachelor of science in Dental Hygiene. In that timeframe working full-time as a dental assistant, I paid off $10,000 of debt.

My personal expenses have increased due to being a single parent who does not receive child support from my children's father due to his struggle with alcoholism. My youngest daughter is in middle school, she loves heavy metal and concerts; my oldest is starting her freshman year of high school in the fall and is a barrel racer who loves her horse, Spook. I’ve been lucky to have my parents. My daughters and I live rent-free with them in the Phoenix area. However, I will have more expenses with my move to Flagstaff in the Fall. Including rent ($1,600/month), car payment ($380/month), car insurance($150/month), life insurance ($100), malpractice insurance ($50-70/year), renters insurance ($20/month), and daily living expenses totaling over $2,000. While I am receiving financial aid, it isn’t enough to cover my costs throughout my program.

My immediate concern is that unexpected fees are due before FAFSA is dispersed. These are specific to the Dental Hygiene program, like a Kilgore Typodant ($285), SurgiTel Loupes/Lights ($1,500-3,000), and Junior instrument kits ($2,000). In addition to those expenses, I am required to pay the first and second-month rent by August 1, 2023; one month's rent is $1,600, I plan to find a roommate to split the rent, but this also doesn’t include the cost of utilities and initial start-up utilities (gas, water, & internet). With my savings, I’ve acquired the necessary uniforms, shoes, face shields, nursing caps, and blood pressure kit ($500). I will use FAFSA to pay for meal plans, tuition, and books associated with NAU.

If you’re asking why I didn’t preplan for these expenses, I can assure you that I paid off about $10,000 of personal debt between 2020-2022 while working full-time as a dental assistant. However, when it came time to complete my science courses while obtaining my Associate in Arts degree, I decided to take all four science courses in person full-time and could not work. I completed my associate's degree in Summer 2022 with a GPA of 3.75. I enrolled online at NAU in Fall 2022 and kept taking online classes working towards my bachelor's degree. In January 2023, I applied for the NAU Dental Hygiene program and was accepted in April 2023. From the course of Summer 2022 until now, I’ve been working part-time as a temporary dental assistant between classes to pay for monthly expenses and things for my children. I’ve been unable to save money like I was when I worked full-time.

Currently, I am working as a temporary dental assistant making under $150/day two or three days a week while taking online classes. This is barely making my monthly payments now, making it impossible to save for expenses coming in August.

I am asking local businesses, investors, friends, and colleagues to invest in my future so that I may pursue my passion for our community as a Dental Hygienist. I have been a struggling single mother who has dedicated herself to bettering my financial situation to provide for my preteen daughters. I wish I didn’t have to ask for financial assistance, but I’ve exhausted all other government assistance and cannot cover everything I need to succeed.

I am asking for donations; if you want to donate (loan) me momentarily, I will prioritize paying you back as soon as possible (please indicate that when donating). I would greatly appreciate anything to help me get started.

I told the first dentist who hired me in 2020 that I wouldn’t let her down or disappoint her if she took a chance on me… She gave me permission to do what I needed to do, I would like to honor her investment in me by continuing my education. I’d hate to lose momentum now because of the lack of finances.

Please consider donating, whether a temporary loan or a generous donation without repayment. I promise I won’t let your funds go to waste, and I will 100% give back to students, single parents, or children in the future. I promise to keep you informed on how I allocate funds if you would like.

Thank you for your interest in the future students of Dental Hygiene. I will never forget the people who have generously pushed me this far and continue to support me and my children through this journey.

Sincerely,

Whitney Hurd