Mike's Story

My husband, Mike Manalo-Pedro, is getting his doctorate in education (EdD) at UCLA to improve educational outcomes for underrepresented communities. Since Fall 2015, he has taken EdD classes Thursday evenings from 6-10pm and Saturdays from 9am-5pm. He has hustled so hard to fund his education for the past few years and needs your help to get across the finish line!

The EdD provides training on how to change institutional culture and centers race in education but is typically not designed for first-generation students of color. They expect students to pay more than $77,000 out-of-pocket for all three years.

Mike has served the community since he graduated college ten years ago and needs his community to lift him up now that he is in his third and final year of his program. Mike does not have the capacity to teach this upcoming semester because he will focus on his dissertation, so we humbly but earnestly ask you, our community, to help fund the difference. This fundraiser is more than an investment in his education; it enables him to focus on his role as an ally and uplift the broader immigrant community through his study on Dream Resource Centers in higher education.

Rewards

We appreciate your support in any amount, but have identified a few small ways to express our appreciation:

• Donate at least $10 and Mike and I will give you a shoutout on social media.
• Donate at least $25 and Mike will acknowledge you in his dissertation.
• Donate at least $100 and we will invite you to an appreciation dinner.

Note: If you are a student that Mike has worked with, he has asked that you do NOT donate. Instead, please share this fundraiser with others (https://assets.gogetfunding.com/mikempedd/) and add a short blurb of how you’ve worked together.

How to Give

We're accepting contributions through the following methods:

• Through this GoGetFunding.com page - PayPal or Stripe (credit card)
• Venmo - @Erin-Manalo memo "Mike's EdD"
• Check - payable to "Mike Manalo-Pedro" or "Erin Manalo-Pedro"
• Cash

The Hustle So Far

The following list shows how Mike has funded his tuition so far:

Part-time jobs

• Community Engagement Coordinator at the Claremont Colleges (2015-2016)
• College Academic Counselor at UCLA (2015-2016)

Full-time job

• Undocumented Student Services Coordinator at Cal Poly Pomona (2016-present)

Classes taught

• Asian American Non-Profits at Pitzer College (Spring 2016)
• Introduction to Allied Health Careers at California State University, Fullerton (Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017)

Speaking engagements

• Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Graduation, Claremont Colleges (2017)
• Family Empowerment Festival, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (2017)
• Pre-Matriculation Program, Health Careers Opportunity Program, Cal State Fullerton (2017)

Scholarships

• Erickson Scholarship, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies (2016)
• Alumni Scholarship, UCLA Educational Leadership Program (2016)
• Winter Scholarship, UCLA Educational Leadership Program (2017)
• Excellence in Community Service Scholarship, UCLA Asian Pacific Alumni (2017)
• Dissertation Scholarship, UCLA Educational Leadership Program (2017)

We know that Mike wouldn't have gotten this far in his education and had all these opportunities without his community supporting him. We really appreciate all that you've done so far. Can you find a few spare dollars to show that you believe in him and his work to push him over this last hill?

Last year, I vowed to support this remarkable man in his journey for social justice and I hope you will join me. Thank you for your time and attention.

--Mrs. Erin Manalo-Pedro