GoFundMe nabs $122K for Stark teen’s Howard University tuition
LAWRENCE TWP. ‒ In a time of need, the community has rallied behind an 18-year-old Stark County high school grad.
Tamia Akers, a 2025 graduate from Northwest High School, is planning to attend Howard University this fall with the goal of earning a law degree.
But the passage of the Big, Beautiful Bill posed a potential obstacle because of its possible impact on student loan programs and university budgets, leaving her unsure whether she could afford tuition.
So a different route was taken via GoFundMe — with a hat tip from her 16-year-old sister, Xylaa Akers — who set up an account to raise money.
In a matter of days, a GoFundMe page for Tamia Akers had raised more than $122,000 for her education, as approximately 4,400 donations have been received. The sum is almost double the fund’s goal of $64,000.
“I’m so happy and grateful, and that people who’ve been reaching out have been so compassionate towards me, my story and my family,” Tamia Akers said. “I had a lot of different people reaching out to me and feeling seen and heard. That makes me feel seen and heard as well.”
Digital funding venues like GoFundMe, Indiegogo, Fundly and Kickstarter have given people opportunities to raise money for those in need, or help fund worthy causes they believe in, such as tuition assistance, replacing a lost pet, home repair and medical bills.
Tamia Akers said President Donald Trump’s signature bill this year raised questions on undergraduate student loans, graduate loans, as well as Pell grants. So her sister recognized the concern and went to work.
“I knew (Tamia) wouldn’t set (the account) up for herself, because she’s not that type of person,” Xylaa Akers said. “So really, I started it. … And I was just like, ‘Hey, I started a GoFundMe (page) for you.”
Tamia Akers: ‘When I do something, I’m not just doing it halfway.’
Tamia Akers was adopted at the age of 13, and for as long as she can remember, she’s gravitated toward speaking up for what she believes in.
“I like to really pour myself into activities,” she said. “So when I do something, I’m not just doing it halfway.”
Now, with the help of the donations, she’s able to put her ambitions into becoming an attorney.
“I’ve wanted to be an attorney since my sophomore year of high school,” Tamia Akers said. “I’m majoring in political science with a minor in business administration, and then attending law school.”
Malone University fundraiser says people often rise up to help others
People genuinely seem to want to help others financially when there’s a high need, and even if they don’t know them personally, said Brian Hollingsworth, who raises funds as the vice president for advancement at Malone University in Canton.
Over the years, fundraising has morphed from traditional avenues like car washes, spaghetti dinners and 50-50 raffles to more of an online variety, he said.
“At its core, (fundraising) is all about supporting people and giving. Although the methods have changed, people respond to a call for need,” said Hollingsworth, who has about 20 years of fundraising experience with Akron Children’s Hospital and Malone. “Online has become more prevalent than it used to be.”
But there are also people that see fund-generating sites like GoFundMe as an easy way to get money for any ridiculous request that might pop up.
“Online opportunities do have a capacity for fraud,” Hollingsworth said. “Do your due diligence and investigate (the individual or group) when making a contribution.”
Helping someone replace a lost cell phone, pay for cosmetic surgery and fund a vacation or airline ticket are examples of extreme requests for money.
Online venues have made it easier to find people willing to donate to almost anything, Hollingsworth said.
For the most part, reasons are legitimate — such as people needing funds for a lifesaving medical procedure or to rebuild a home after it was destroyed by a tornado, said Hollingsworth, noting that giving to nonprofit groups is tax deductible, while GoFundMe donations are not.
A GoFundMe spokesperson said campaigns like Akers’ are successful in part because the site has been a trusted fundraising avenue for more than 15 years.
“We’ve witnessed an extraordinary rise in online giving — something that continues to inspire us daily,” a GoFundMe rep said in a prepared statement. “With over $40 billion raised through our platform, we’re proud to see our mission come to life every day as people help each other through every fundraiser created, shared and supported.”
One way to help lure people back to giving financially is when a receiver of money shares followup information on how that assistance benefited them, said Hollingsworth.
“People who donate also appreciate updates to see how their money is helping,” he said.
Xylaa Akers: ‘I’m happy (my sister) got so much support.’
Xylaa Akers said it’s great to see all of the positive feedback her sister has received in the fundraising effort.
“I’m happy that she got so much support from all these people,” she said. “I find it really inspirational because it’s showing how the world can come together and help just one person.”
The money brought in through GoFund Me is well beyond the initial goal.
“Although she could use more money to finish her schooling, she has what she needs for the first year,” Xylaa Akers said. “It makes me feel really good that I’m going to see my sister do what she wants to do with her life.”
Prior to the account being setup, Morgan Stuart, Tamia’s sister-in-law, said Tamia Akers was thinking of changing course and studying at the University of Akron instead of Howard.
“It ripped all of us apart, not just her, because she has worked her tail off for this,” Stuart said. “With the GoFundMe being set up, she’s able to make her dream happen.”
No one could be more deserving of the support, Stuart added.
“Tamia is probably one of the most kindhearted (people),” she said. “She has volunteered just about anywhere and everywhere, and she has never ever asked for anything in return.”
Reach Steven Grazier at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE
Reach Janson McNair at JMcNair@gannett.com.