Help A Woman In STEM Attend Her Dream School

My name is Samantha Wilder and I am currently a high school senior at Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tennessee. I am very excited to announce that in the Fall of this year, I will officially be attending the University of Tennessee in Knoxville to pursue my dream of being an astrophysicist and studying physics!

I have been dreaming of going to this school for years, and I have been working very hard to make that happen. I currently have a weighted 4.28 GPA and 4.0 unweighted, as well as a 35 ACT super score and 1450 SAT. I scored a perfect score on the PSAT, allowing me to become a National Merit Scholarship Finalist! I also participate in several extra curriculars, including being the Project Manager of my school's robotics team for the past three years, the co-founder of an environmental group called Cool Cats Cleanup Crew, and a member of both the Beta Club and the Women In STEM club. I have also been working after school since the beginning of my junior year in an attempt to save for college. I have worked various part time retail jobs and even had the opportunity to take part in an internship with Bell Helicopter during the second semester of my junior year and over the Summer.

Through doing this I managed to save around $6,000 dollars which is currently being invested in a certificate of deposit so that I can make about an extra $500. I am also continuing to save what I can from work. My academic achievements have also earned me $13,500 in scholarships through the university. Unfortunately, this is not enough to cover the cost of my first year. According to the financial aid offer I received from the university, the estimated direct cost I would pay to the school is $28,885 which consists of tuition, books and fees, dining, and housing. The total cost, which is the direct cost plus the other expenses I will incur but not pay directly to the school such as transportation and personal necessities, is estimated by the university to be about $35,291. With extra scholarships, savings, and some careful penny pinching, I am estimating I will need about another $9,000 to avoid putting my family into further debt and to cover the cost of housing, transportation, dining plans, books, and fees.

This is why I would appreciate any help you may be able to offer me! Every dollar is a step closer to my dream and the future I have been working towards, and I will never stop working to achieve this. I hope you will consider donating, and I thank you for your time and interest.

Go vols!