Hi, my name is Joel, and I’m a U.S. Veteran currently pursuing a degree in Linguistics at Columbia University. After years of serving my country both in the military and as a private contractor supporting U.S. embassies abroad I made the decision to return home and pursue higher education. I experience lots of issues mentally which prevented me from working the types of jobs I’ve been doing most of my life. Now I am finally adulting again but as a student at one of the most expensive cities and universities in America. Good news is I made it far and need help to finish on a good note:
This journey hasn’t been easy. I’ve faced financial hardship and accumulated debt while trying to build a better future. I’m now reaching out for support to help me stay afloat and finish what I started.
Serving the red, white, and blue has been my mission since I was 18. Today, as a full-time student at one of the world’s top universities, I’m working toward a new mission: earning my degree and continuing on to graduate school, where I hope to create opportunities not just for myself, but for others who come from backgrounds like mine.
While I’m thankful to be using the GI Bill, it doesn’t cover all of my costs especially at a private university like Columbia. I’m married, with a dependent, and currently without a source of income. I had planned to take summer courses to stay on track for graduation and strengthen my grad school applications, but financial constraints made that impossible.
My GI Bill benefits will expire in January 2026, just months before I graduate in May, and they won’t carry over into graduate school. I’ve come too far to give up now.
As the first in my family to attend college, and as an African American man who grew up without parental support, the military was my only path out of a difficult situation. Returning to New York City is my birthplace I’ve committed myself to this institution and to a new beginning. I want to move somewhere south in the States to teach and start a new life But the reality is, I need a little help to get there.
Your support would help cover:
- Tuition and educational materials
- Living expenses for my family
- Application fees and graduate school prep
- Paying down current education-related debt
Any contribution, no matter how small, will help lift a huge weight and allow me to continue pursuing my goals. Thank you for believing in me, for supporting a veteran’s journey, and for helping my family and me cross the finish line.
With gratitude,
Joel
