The Flat Hopper: donations towards a university scholarship fund

Here’s the gist: I’ll spend the next semester hopping around Dunedin flats to raise money.

Students are stressed for time and strict on budgets, and it’s hard to find extra dollars to donate. However, if a mate comes to stay for a week, the flat is able to stretch out dinner to accommodate one more person, chuck a few more dollars towards power, and find a spare bed or couch.

I’m a fourth year student at Otago Uni. I’ll be spending one week each in 16 different flats, and they’ll be donating their power, wifi, dinner, and a place to sleep. The money that I’d usually be paying for rent and utilities will go towards creating a scholarship fund. As this entire project is student based, I’m hoping to start a ‘Good Sorts’ scholarship, giving someone an opportunity to come to Otago Uni that they might not otherwise have had.

This GiveALittle page will be where I donate my weekly payments. This will include rent for the duration of 6 months, and food/power/wifi payments for the duration of semester 1, a total of 17 weeks.

I chose GiveALittle in order to make the process transparent. It also allows anyone who would like to support me an opportunity to donate directly towards the scholarship fund, especially those who aren't able to host me in their flat, or those that have fond memories of their student days and are now in a position to help give someone else that experience. When I allow myself to dream big, I'd love to "match what I make" in donations, which if achieved, would allow us to give away two scholarships.

The scholarship will be nomination based, allowing students to put forward either themselves or a friend. Criteria will include commitment to community, economic need, and it will focus on traits of good character, friendship, support of others and willingness to become involved with the Otago student community. A more detailed description will be announced when the applications open.

The selection process will be decentralized - an independent panel of non-students will be asked to make the final decision. Again, more details will be revealed closer to the time that the applications open. They are likely to open during July 2017.

If you are interested in this project and want to stay updated, please like my page on Facebook. I am hugely grateful for any support, including donations, spreading the word, or even messages of encouragement.