friend-raises-$15k-for-man’s-college-debt

Friend raises $15K for man’s college debt

Lifestyle

Revay Stewart and Ruffin Tchakounte met inside the Methodist emergency room. Tchakounte was in rotation as a fourth-year Des Moines University student. “My class, we have three Black students out of 220, including myself,” Tchakounte said. “And so I’m always delighted to see other people, Black people specifically, in medicine.”Stewart was working as a scribe, not in medical school yet. Undergraduate degree debt was holding him back. “I owed well over $10,000 and so I’ve been working these long hours trying to pay that off,” Stewart said. DMU professor John Bennet said that barrier is far too common in this field. “Many individuals may not necessarily have adequate resources, especially within the Black community,” Bennett said. So Tchakounte rallied his mentors and decided to do something about it. “When Ruffin came to me with this huge heart, and a sincere heart, to want to make a difference, I was just impressed. And I said let’s work together. Let’s make this happen,” said Richard A. Salas, DMU chief diversity officer. Stewart gained a circle of support and soon, more people started rooting for his success. A GoFundMe amplified his story, raising $15,000 in just days. “I was speechless,” Stewart said. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know if this was wrong, like if this was an error.”Stewart could pay off his student debt. He’s now studying for the MCAT and one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor. “In five, six years he’s going to be serving in the community that he came from, and for people that look like him to see him serving them is invaluable,” Tchakounte said.Stewart will take the medical college admission test on June 30. If he’s happy with his score he’ll then be able to apply for medical school. He said DMU is high on the list.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Revay Stewart and Ruffin Tchakounte met inside the Methodist emergency room.

Tchakounte was in rotation as a fourth-year Des Moines University student.

“My class, we have three Black students out of 220, including myself,” Tchakounte said. “And so I’m always delighted to see other people, Black people specifically, in medicine.”

Stewart was working as a scribe, not in medical school yet. Undergraduate degree debt was holding him back.

“I owed well over $10,000 and so I’ve been working these long hours trying to pay that off,” Stewart said.

DMU professor John Bennet said that barrier is far too common in this field.

“Many individuals may not necessarily have adequate resources, especially within the Black community,” Bennett said.

So Tchakounte rallied his mentors and decided to do something about it.

“When Ruffin came to me with this huge heart, and a sincere heart, to want to make a difference, I was just impressed. And I said let’s work together. Let’s make this happen,” said Richard A. Salas, DMU chief diversity officer.

Stewart gained a circle of support and soon, more people started rooting for his success.

A GoFundMe amplified his story, raising $15,000 in just days.

“I was speechless,” Stewart said. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know if this was wrong, like if this was an error.”

Stewart could pay off his student debt. He’s now studying for the MCAT and one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor.

“In five, six years he’s going to be serving in the community that he came from, and for people that look like him to see him serving them is invaluable,” Tchakounte said.

Stewart will take the medical college admission test on June 30. If he’s happy with his score he’ll then be able to apply for medical school. He said DMU is high on the list.