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Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” This is a simple enough phrase, yet very profound. Basically, in life you must seek out what you want and deserve in order to truly receive it.

Well, today I am asking for assistance. My name is Tatia Little. The assistance is not for me, but for my son. He is a 23-year-old African American college student from Baltimore, MD. He has excelled his ENTIRE life, but just cannot seem to get the break that he DESERVES. I am not just speaking these words because I am his mother, but because he deserves. In an era where African American males make up only 5.5% of the college population, I truly believe that he is a standout student.

His name is Fred T. Gaddy, but he goes by Freddie. He is currently in his senior year at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City, majoring in advertising. He has been an artistic person his entire life. He has danced, sung, painted, sculpted; he is a huge foodie, a world traveler, and he is now pursuing his dream of having a career in the Advertising arena as an Art Director. He wants to assist other minorities who want to enter the advertising field.

He has always been one to finish what he starts, no matter the price. He was a member of Boy Scouts of America for 12 long years and finished this path by achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.

He has been in New York City for four years pursing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. The tuition for his final year at SVA is approximately $63,000.00. Today, I am asking for any financial assistance that you can offer, refer, or direct him to so that he is able to complete his degree and graduate in May 2017.

He, his family and I have worked as a team to fund his college career especially during his upcoming senior year. At this time, we are at the end of the road and the final year’s college expense goals are almost impossible to reach. We have basically exhausted all of our financial “back-ups” and we just need some assistance.

He does perform work-study in SVA’s Records Office where he is a valued employee. He has applied for numerous scholarships, internship programs and various other positions to no avail. There was little financial assistance offered for his major and no offered internship opportunities. It seems he has fallen through every crack that exists.

Fred is not enrolled at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), so those scholarships are not available to him.

He has always maintained a very high G.P.A. (3.6), but that has not helped with funding his college tuition.

Last year, Fred was forced to defer attending school his senior year due to finances and other circumstances.

My father had been in a coma, since July 2015; my grandmother and mother moved in with us, as a result of this. My grandmother and my father, unfortunately, passed away in January and February (respectively) of this year. These events have put additional financial strain on the family. Yet Fred has been an UNBELIEVABLE and unselfish help and strength to both his grandmother and me.

Whatever aid you can donate to his cause would be a GREAT blessing. We all have those moments where we’re at the end of the road of something and need assistance. Let’s see to it that he has this! Please feel free to peruse his online portfolio at www.ftgaddy.com . Freddie and I both appreciate ANY consideration that you can give at this request.
#GFMScholarship