Raising Money For Students Without Losing A Cent
By: Aaron Cheslock
Updated: October 13, 2012
One Penn State alumnus is partnering with an organization. And get this... They've figured out a way for you to help struggling Penn State students financially, without opening your wallet. Where's the catch? There isn't one.
The fundraiser's set up by Penn State Forever, they're an organization that shares stories about how "Penn Staters" give, but the way that they're doing this fundraiser, that's what's really interesting.
Anne Lehman's one of the organizers of the Penn State Forever Challenge, the first of it's kind at Penn State. PSU Alumnus Tom Sharbaugh agreed to partner with the organization to donate a dollar, every time someone clicked like or follow on social media sites Facebook and Twitter. Lehman says there are plenty of students needing help.
"There's about 75 % of Penn State students who need loans to finish their education at Penn State. And many of them, aren't able to get the funds necessary they need to leave school, and this fund was created to make up that gap so students don't have to drop out and they can finish their education."
Rebecca Fry is one of those students, she has $8,000 dollars a year in student loans. And although she's a year and a half from having to deal with them, she can already imagine a "cash-strapped" future.
"...it's going to be a huge burden, that's what I'm saying, I'm hoping that I can land a job that I'll be able to afford paying it off, while also being able to live on my own and stuff, and if not, then I don't even know what I'm going to do."
Sharbaugh has agreed to match up to $10,000 worth for the "Micro Finance Match Fund" which any Penn State student can apply for. It's a little bit of money, here or there, from current and former members of Nittany Nation to current students who need it. Many of them are like Rebecca, who just may have gone online after hearing about it.
"That's an awesome idea, that's an awesome thing that he's doing, like I would definitely want to get involved in that..."
The fundraiser ends on Sunday, so if you'd like more information on how to donate a buck or two, check out their Facebook page at "Penn State Forever", or on Twitter @PennStForever.
