Taylor Swift has again shown her appreciation for her fans with the news that the “cardigan” singer surprised an 18-year-old student by paying for her university tuition.
UK teen Vitoria Mario had been accepted to the University of Warwick in Coventry England, but as she was unsure if she would be eligible for tuition, she created a GoFundMe page to help raise money toward her dream of one day becoming a mathematician.
“I am a young Black 18 year old with a dream,” Mario explained. “I have received a conditional offer to study Mathematics (MMath) at the prestigious University of Warwick…However, I am still in a position of uncertainty as I may not be able to attend university due to my circumstances.”
Vitoria continued, “I have lived in the U.K. for 4 years now, after migrating from Portugal to live with family in Tottenham. The socio-economic barriers of not being eligible for maintenance loans/grants is due not only to not having ‘Home’ status, but also because my family are low income, and unable to help me self-fund through university. Sadly, my father has passed away, and my mother remains in Portugal.”
“Moving away from her was a challenge but it was a sacrifice worth being made, in my family’s eyes. ‘If you can get a university education in the UK, you will be set apart for life'”.
Mario went on to detail the fact that “only 35% of STEM students are female, and as of 2018, they make up just 26% of STEM graduates.”
She added, “In addition to the gender imbalance, there is further under-representation of BAME women, particularly Black women, who are in shortage within the field and academic institutions.”
However, Taylor Swift happened to see the student’s post and quickly reached out offering to pay the amount.
“Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality,” Taylor shared. “I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor.”
Taylor’s generosity comes as the Grammy winner continues to celebrate the huge success of her latest album folklore.
