Fund helps to bridge final gap for HBCU students blocked from graduating over unpaid balances

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Dr. Stacey Patton, a journalist, author, and Howard University professor, is on a mission to help HBCU students make it over the final hurdle to graduation and is rallying the community for help.

Dr. Patton launched a GoFundMe to help six HBCU students pay outstanding tuition and fees. Despite overcoming immense personal and systemic challenges, these students faced being sidelined over financial gaps ranging from $2,350 to $13,200. With a goal of $20K, donors can help these HBCU students achieve a milestone that they worked years for.

The GoFundMe reads, “Every year, thousands of talented HBCU students face this quiet injustice. Despite working multiple jobs, despite scholarships and loans, despite doing everything “right,” many are told they can’t receive their diploma, not because they failed, but because they ran out of money.” Dr. Patton’s commitment to higher education has led her to raise more than $380,000 on GoFundMe since 2018 through multiple textbook funds.

Patton noted this is not uncommon for students. With limited opportunities, students facing this challenge often struggle to find the funding to graduate.

“It’s a gut-wrenching reality that too few people talk about. And it’s devastating, not just for the students, but for the families and communities who have invested so much hope in them”, Patton said.

“Your donation — no matter the amount — can bridge the final gap,” continued Patton. “It can put college degrees into hands that have already earned them. It can open the doors of newsrooms, production studios, and communication fields to Black storytellers whose voices the world desperately needs.”

As of this posting, Patton’s fundraiser has surpassed her $20,000 goal, raising more than $50,000.

To help bridge the gap and aid in being able to put a college degree in the hands of hardworking students, visit the GoFundMe here for more information.