Ah, summer. A time when students do not have to look at books, live in extremely small dorms, or have to struggle finding a spot at the library. But while some prepare to enjoy quality time by the pool or beach, two students from Dartmouth College have turned to crowdfunding to help raise funds for living and travel expenses during their internships.
Emmanuel Hui decided to launch a campaign on GoFundMe for basic living and travel expenses for his upcoming trip to Fiji. The ivy-league student is planning to work as an unpaid intern with the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. During his time in the third world country, he will be shadowing doctors and educate the island’s residents about disease prevention.
According to his campaign page, “Emmanuel Hui is a freshmen at Darthmouth College double majoring in Biology and Religion modified with Public Policy (premed). He is also an EMT with Dartmouth Emergency Medical Servics and hopes to have a career in global health. Emmanuel has recently been offered a summer internship (July-August) by the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission to venture into Navuniyaro, Fiji, to assist in screening 400 patients for diseases, providng medication and conducting physical therapy. Villagers do not typically have access to medical services, so identifying high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases that can be controlled through lifestyle changes, is an essential service to provide. Even meetings will also educate villagers to develop healthy lifestyle choices and engage in VBS programs.”
For his crowdfunding campaign, Mr. Hui is hoping to raise $2,000. The primary cost of the trip would be for airfare, which costs $1000. The other $1000 will go towards operational costs such as an administrative fee paid to the Fijian government, medication, and medical supplies.
Although he has a job working night shifts to help pay for the trip, Mr. Hui’s pay of $8/hour is just not enough. He stated,
“There will always be the sick, there will always be the poor. My mind holds not the answers, but I’m knocking on your door. The thing I ask most of from you is not what’s in your purse, but that you have some faith in me, to help relieve our curse. So be it 5, 10, or none- His will I pray to be done, that you read through this horrid verse, my thanks thee has full won.”
So far, the campaign has raised only $650 dollars from 7 backers. While he has yet to reach his goal, Mr. Hui believes it is important for people who use crowdfunding sites to reflect on whether their motives are worthwhile. He also noted that he does not approve of others launching crowdfunding campaigns for “superficial and self-serving reasons.”
Miss Autumn Brunelle also turned to GoFundMe to campaign for her internship at the Kahalu’u Bay 
Education Center in Hawaii. Miss Brunelle was recently hired for an unpaid position at the educational center, which will require her to protect and provide educational outreach for coral reefs, as well as ancestral knowledge surrounding the island’s marine life. She will be working with children, tourists and Hawaiian residents to protect the reefs.
Miss Brunelle wrote, “Unfortunately, I do not have the funds to fully see this through. Housing in Hawaii is not cheap and food is very expensive. Much of the funding that I have now will be going towards my plane ticket. As much as I love the beach, I would rather not live there 24/7. Your donation will allow me to follow my passion for environmental education, provide protection for coral reefs, provide marine knowledge for our younger generations, and will allow me to afford rent and food for my time on the big island.”
Miss Brunelle has managed to receive $710 out of her $1000 goal so far through the campaign.
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