Stay the Course Education Fund

Education has always been deeply important to me, both personally and through my work in higher education and public service. Over the years, I have seen students who are determined to earn a college degree while also working, helping support their families, and managing financial challenges that can make staying in school difficult. My husband and I are starting this fund because we want to help remove some of those financial barriers for students from American Samoa. We believe that financial hardship should not be the reason a student is unable to begin college, has to stop before completing a degree, or cannot continue on to further education. Our goal is to build a scholarship fund that supports students throughout their educational journey, from graduating high school and beginning college, to continuing and completing their studies, and eventually pursuing further education at a four-year college or university. Funds raised will be used to create scholarships for tuition and grants for required textbooks and other education-related expenses. We hope to begin by helping one student and, as the fund grows, expand the number of students we are able to support. Ultimately, our goal is simple: to help students go to college, stay in college, and keep moving forward in their education.