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Angela Muscheru had everything she needed to be thankful. The wife and mother of four boys, ages, 14, 10, 8 and 4 worked in the housing industry, taking jobs as a loan officer and then a Realtor. However, she wanted to move toward a corporate career in finance and to show her family that “anything is possible.”

So at age 44, Muscheru decided to go back to college, the first in her family to do so. Muscheru had attended college in her native Romania, but the credits did not transfer to the American higher education system. But she was determined. Georgia Gwinnett College was nearby and offered the major and coursework she wanted in a beautiful campus setting.

Juggling family, school and a job is hard, but her dream inspired her to persevere. And then the global pandemic hit.

“I lost my job,” she said. Like so many other industries, the housing industry was hit hard and Muscheru’s family went from two salaries to one. As a result, she thought she might have to put her dream on hold.

Enter GGC’s Student Emergency Fund, which seeks to help students in times of emergency or great need. Because many emergencies can derail a student’s education, the Fund provides grants to students to address basic necessities. Through the Fund, Muscheru got the financial help she needed for rent, daycare and other expenses.

“Without the scholarships, I would not be able to do it,” she said. “My husband is the only one who works so financially, we could not have done it.”

GGC’s Student Emergency Fund is just one of the many scholarship and grant funds that exist to help GGC students. While GGC, through the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation, accepts donations for the Student Emergency Fund and other GGC scholarships year-round, it will join organizations across the country that participate in Giving Tuesday, a movement which seeks to inspire generosity worldwide.

“This year has impacted students like no other,” said Jennifer Hendrickson, GGC’s vice president of advancement and president of the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation. “The generosity of the GGC community has allowed students like Angela Muscheru to focus on their education during the most trying of times.”

Grateful for the assistance during her most trying time, Muscheru has a message for those who donate to GGC’s scholarship funds.

“I want to thank them. They helped build a dream for some somebody like me,” she said. “I want them to know that they are changing lives.”

During Giving Tuesday (or any day) visit GGC’s webpage to donate and change lives.