Raising 40,000 pounds sterling (about $ 69,000) on the internet to pay for university studies: the goal set by a student in London seemed unattainable, but it was without counting on an unexpected donation from the American star Taylor Swift.
Vitoria Mario presents herself on the fundraising page as “an 18-year-old black girl with a dream”. Determined to secure her place in mathematics at the University of Warwick in central England, she appealed to hundreds of businesses for help and slipped words into area letterboxes to fund her four years of study, including housing.
After reaching almost half of her online goal, she was surprised to receive a donation of 23,373 pounds (nearly $ 40,000) to supplement the sum, signed Taylor Swift.
“I’m so inspired by your fundraising and your dedication to making your dreams come true,” wrote the 30-something artist, who broke into country before moving on to pop.
“I want to give you the rest of the amount sought. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor, ”she added.
The singer did not comment on her gesture, but her official Twitter account “liked” a tweet about the story posted by a friend of the student.
“It’s awesome!” reacted Vitoria Mario on the BBC.
Vitora moved to London four years ago from Portugal when she did not speak English. She obtained the maximum marks in all of her exams.
“My father passed away and my mother remained in Portugal. Moving away from her was tough, but it was a sacrifice worth it, ”she said on her fundraising page.
She points out that women, especially black women, are under-represented in academia in the field she wants to integrate, mathematics.
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