Nelly's New York Dream Fund
First and foremost I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my story!
If you've been following my blog or personally know me then you might already know some of the things I will mention in this post. Nevertheless, I'm happy to know that you're interested in my dream :)
I started blogging 3 years ago because in a way I wanted to escape my reality at that time and it seemed as a great media to meet people that shared my passion. Networking and connecting with people that have a drive for fashion is always fun! My blog has shown different facets of my life because throughout these past 3 years countless events have happened. I began as a product design graduate, I then worked as a designer for over a year and during the past year and half countless events have occurred.
Between 2012 and 2013, I was sorting out my future or at least trying to... For some people it seemed like a simple equation because if you love
FASHION + DESIGN = FASHION DESIGNER
wouldn't you agree? Yet, I've always been that weird kid that likes to be unconventional. I felt like everyone that loved fashion and lived in Montreal ended up at LaSalle College... which is not bad but for the money that it's worth, I thought to myself why not try elsewhere?! Somewhere that could give me more options and perhaps better opportunities as a graduate. I started to search and found this Accessories design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Every line I read in the program description was exactly what I had been looking for. I eventually looked into the prerequisites and the application deadlines...and I still felt insecure about making the jump. Exactly a year ago, I decided that no matter what would be the outcome of my decision I would give this a shot. So during the summer (2013) I began my design inspiration for my portfolio and I slowly began to develop some concepts that could be potentially be presented at my program interview. I spent most of the winter holidays writing essays for my application, getting transcripts and even passing an English test. Countless paper work just to send my application and after the holidays I travelled to New York... I had so much anxiety because all the work that I had invested in my portfolio was finally going to be reviewed. I was so stressed out but thankfully my sister came with me for moral support. That day I was extremely nervous in the subway and I simply did not know what to expect...
My interview went WAY better than I expected and the lady was truly impressed by my work. Getting positive feedback is always great yet I still felt insecure... I was never 110% sure that I would get in...I kept working at my regular job and tried to sale some things here and there, I would occasionally apply to jobs... Until two weeks ago that I received the letter of admissions congratulating that I GOT IN!!!
I had a mix of feelings because I got accepted in such prestigious fashion school but I was also scared because that meant moving to the Big apple!
Now that I'm looking into my finances in a deeper level I'm a bit scared to close down this chance because of lacking monetary resources... I have to show a financial statement which demands more money than my initial plan... I was quite disappointed for this and it kind of set me back but everyone has been encouraging me to pursue my dream and knock every door to make it happen. Not everyone gets chosen to study in this institution...
Through this process of evaluating my monetary options I've encountered the cruel reality that it's extremely hard to be eligible for a scholarship outside of Canada, especially for returning students. Another awful fact is that art and design fields don't have many scholarships... which is quite sad because they are expensive programs. Markers, paper, brushes and textiles are not cheap... and let's not forget about the books!
I have some savings and my family will do their best to support me but I'm trying every single possibility out there to get funded because I really don't want to shut down this chance.
I have started a Plum Fund account to get contributions and I will also be selling some of my personal artwork...I'm looking into other options of raising funds! If you personally know me, you can simply call me or text message me, facebook message me to donate something :) All the money will be put in my little Bulldog piggy bank! My plum account is connected to my Paypal account! Or send me an e-mail at nellycerri@gmail.com
If you don't personally know me well I hope that by reading my story you will see that I'm a passionate girl from Montreal asking for help to accomplish her dream. It might seem impossible to reach but I've been taught that nothing is impossible if you put all of your heart and faith into God's hands.
Share with friends and family, please spread the word.
God Bless You.
-Nelly
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