Update on Fund Raising Goal

https://www.flickr.com/photos/71774187@N05/12764890503/

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that I'm currently pursuing my dream of completing an MFA at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Applied Cartooning, with the goal of working with libraries and the community to help them connect to comics.  To help me towards this goal, I launched a fundraiser in December to help me out with the upcoming school year.  Since I launched it I've gotten support (thank you!) and some criticism....but I wanted to provide an update on what's going on and a bit more information on why I'm fundraising.

So here's the deal. The Center for Cartoon Studies is a fantastic and great school and is accredited by the state of Vermont, but not nationally. This isn't an issue at all, but for one thing...it limits where I can get loans from to pay for school to one place. This one place offers great rates, but does require a cosigner on the loan. I put a burden on my parents to have them cosign for me this year, which I greatly appreciate, but I can't ask them to do it again. 

Now, could I leave the school, find a FT job, and save money to come back and finish later?  I'm sure I could. But...I can't. For a lot of reasons, including health reasons, I need to keep on this path on finishing the degree on time.  Thus why I started the fundraiser for this upcoming year.  

Now, as of right now I do have two PT jobs that will cover most of my living expenses and I've arranged to do a payment plan with the school, so I'm starting to get things covered a little bit.  But there are things on the horizon that will complicate things a little bit.  Plus the fact that I would really like to put some money down for the school.

So what do I need?

• If you can contribute to my fundraiser that would be great.  Any money raised will go towards paying for tuition for next year.
• Want to help your library, school, place of business better understand comics and how you can use them?  Hire me.  
• I'm going to be teaching classes on comics, sign up to take them.  Here's the first one at Library Juice.  Others will be posted on this blog as they're posted.
• Looking for an artist for reports, portraits, or just for an idea for comic and books?  Take a look at some of my work and let me know if we can work together.

The deal still remains that I will create a unique piece of original art for every person that helps. It may take some time, but I promise it will happen. 

So that's the deal.  If you can help out that's great. If you can offer support that's great to.  I'm making the dream happen and I'm glad that y'all are along for the ride.