Christina Pumphrey’s Last Hope

A lifetime of bullying , lead to self-doubt, self-loathing and severe anxiety. Now, is my last chance to change things.

About Me

I will be a Visual Effects Student at Columbia College Chicago in Spring 2019. I am an older student and as such, that makes it difficult for me to secure financing other than private student loans. Which could potentially put me in debt for a long while. The lack of SAT and ACT scores, combined with a poor High School GPA (2.3), limits my Scholarship opportunities.

See, I never took the SATS or ACTs because, at the time, my expectations for myself were low. The bullies and teachers at school convinced me that I was an idiot. This belief took me years to conquer. They chose to single me out because I was poor. Later on, in high school, they would threaten my life because of my Pagan faith.

A for-profit college helped to drain the majority of my federal financial funds, leave me with $40,000 in debt and a degree that is unrecognized. None of my credits will transfer to Columbia.

Although I was originally accepted to Columbia in 2014, I panicked at the cost of my tuition and threw my hands up because “I can’t afford it.” My severe anxiety (brought to me by the bullying I suffered) helped to hammer in my coffin nail and scare me away from attending for the next four years. That anxiety is still present, but it no longer is controlling my decisions or ruling my life.

Present Day

When I finally made the decision to conquer my anxiety and go back to school, no matter the cost or the stress, there were people who still could not stand to see me achieve more. I was discouraged from Visual Effects and every college I looked into. Even belittled for my dream. “Those who succeed know someone.” Even as I tried applying for Scholarships and I asked myself “Others have won enough to cover their entire education. Why not me?” I was then told, “Those people are in the top 1 to 2 percent.” I was attempting to secure free money and yet, people that said they loved me, were telling me basically that I couldn’t have that or I couldn’t do it.

My parents are unable to help fund my education. They are living in a 30 year old trailer that is consistently falling apart in one way or another. The stream of repairs and problems is never-ending. At their age, they should both be retired. However my mother is 65 years old and she has to work a dead-end job, just to keep their heads above water. My father is 71 and has hyperthyroidism and an atrial flutter of his heart, so anything he has, goes toward his medical expenses.

How The Money Will Be Used.

$93,000 seems like a lot of money. However, that would help to cover Two Years of my Education.

Tuition: $55,196 (2 Years)

Housing: $28,024 (2 Years)

Books: $3,200 (2 Years)

Fees: $5,712 (2 Years)

I am eternally grateful for all donations made to my fund, any amount will be appreciated. It will all help me to accomplish my dream of being a Visual Effects Artist which will help me to provide for my family. Your contribution will fund a dream, not just an education.

Reasons to Donate

I have a natural aptitude for art and all things creative. My skills are endless but in need development. That is where my education at Columbia College Chicago will come in necessary.

If you would, take a moment to look through the small portfolio that I have built for myself. Everything you see has been self-taught.

Christina Pumphrey's Portfolio