Young American Creative Patriotic Art Scholarship

Logic of FAFSA / US College Financial Aid

Me: Okay but I'm not a dependent, my parents haven't claimed me in two years. I claimed myself. I am independent. Why do I need to turn in my parental information or the form saying they don't support me and I don't get shit?

FAFSA: Oh that! It's because you're not 24 or married. So you're not an independent.

Me: But I pay my own bills. I live separately from my parents. They don't give me anything.

FAFSA: Nope. Not an independent. You can give us their tax info and see if you could qualify for more.

Me: Okay here it is.

FAFSA: Oh...No you don't qualify for any more. Sorry. But hey! Two more years and you'll be independent.

Me: FUCK YOU FAFSA!!

Scholarship: Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program

Application Deadline: May 15, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/nordson-builds-scholarship-program/

Scholarship: The No Bull Sports scholarship

Application Deadline: March 1st, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/no-bull-sports-scholarship/

Horseball is not for the faint-hearted. 

Image: sbridingclub on Instagram 

Scholarship: SAWE Scholarship / Frank Fong Memorial Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 1, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/sawe-scholarship-frank-fong-memorial-scholarship/

It was such a sunny day at home I couldn’t resist the chance to take the train along the coast. I’ve taken my dissertation reading and I’m heading to Brighton. ☀️📖🚃

Scholarship: Forest County Potawatomi Foundation Lois Crowe Scholarship

Application Deadline: March 30, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/forest-county-potawatomi-foundation-lois-crowe-scholarship/

Scholarship: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

Application Deadline: March 1, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/freeman-awards-study-asia/

Apropos “Mitmachen”… ;)

Information Professional - Academic Library - Germany

Scholarship: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

Application Deadline: March 1, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/freeman-awards-study-asia/

Preparing to ravenously stuff his face, the grad student catches the confused and pitying glances of two of his students.

Free Online Course on Chicken Behavior and Welfare

The course will start on 6 February 2017.

http://usascholarships.com/free-online-course-chicken-behavior-welfare/

For those of you who still aren’t sick of studying even during the summer break or for those who want to pimp their CVs with some awesome certificates and skills, I made a list of all of the online platforms where you can take courses. :)

I listed them from my favourite to least favourite. edx is definitely number one since it’s partner with so many good universities and you can get certificates for free (or paid if you want to get your identity verified). So yeah, feel free to try them out and don’t hesitate to ask me about my own experiences with these platforms. ;)

Scholarship: The Farm Kids for College Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 13, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/farm-kids-college-scholarship/

© melanie o'brien - dining hall of an agricultural college - trim, co meath, ireland - 2014

 Free Online Course on Managing Finances

The course will start on 6 February.

http://usascholarships.com/free-online-course-managing-finances/

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Making People Connected

Its not the matter of status and age people get alienated. The idea is how we interact and respond to situations we believe to be unusual to our senses. We tend to make distance from them believing that the feeling of security will not threatened. Makes sense?

Scholarship: Nordson BUILDS Scholarship Program

Application Deadline: May 15, 2017

Link: http://usascholarships.com/nordson-builds-scholarship-program/

A guide to being a vocal citizen

For people wondering how to take action post-election of a racist demagogue (pulled from Twitter and cleaned up):

Make a spreadsheet or a file for your representatives with names, addresses to their offices, phone numbers, and contact forms. Put everyone there. Make a note in your calendar app to check in on issues once a month.

Pay attention to news. If you get angry, upset, or worried, seek support from friends but ALSO shoot these reps an email, too. Be courteous but firm and blunt. It’s a numbers game. Often we remain invisible because we don’t go to events and rallies and can’t be physically present. But we can attach our names to emails, we can write letters, we can be vocal. We don’t have to be invisible.

You can do this with your national reps, state reps, and local reps. If someone reps you anywhere, note them. Open a line and revisit it. It’s hard work and slow. One email at a time. One letter at a time. One call at a time. Emails are easy these days, so splurge every few months on a stamp and send a letter if you can. Put your humanity in front of these people. Flout it. Some won’t care, but others will. Change ONE mind and results can cascade.

Rural areas are bubbles full of bigotry and now it’s newly revealed. But we white people who live here have the clout and power! We can speak up when our reps say terrible things, and do terrible things, and vote terrible ways. We can go “I am disappointed in you.” It’s work, but as we’ve seen the last six months, it’s time for us to do that work. If someone goes “who are your reps” you gotta know. If you don’t know and you’re mad about this election, it’s time to create that file and keep it with you and use it.

The time for social media rants only is over. Or, do those, but maybe pull those threads out into a paragraph and send them to your reps. And don’t ONLY email or contact when things go badly. Also reach out when things go right. Even if they voted AGAINST something. Treat them like you would want to be treated if you were wrong or mistaken. But we’ve gotta reach out and let them know we’re here.

Anyway, I know this is hard work. If you need help collecting your reps, give me a ping via DM and I’ll help you get started.