An aspiring mathematician was left shocked after finding out that American pop star Taylor Swift had donated £23,373 to her GoFundMe page that was raising money to help her attend Warwick University. Vitoria Mario set up the GoFundMe after finding out she was not eligible for government funding because she is originally from Portugal and hasn’t been in the UK for five years, which is a requirement.
Vitoria’s family has always been dedicated to education and was passionate about Vitoria studying in the UK. Four years ago, she left her mother in Portugal to live with family in London as an investment in her education. She decided to set up the donation page after getting the idea from a member of her church. She never expected to see a donation from a celebrity, let alone global superstar, Taylor Swift.
Speaking to Sky News, Vitoria said; “It’s amazing. I’m just over the moon and so thankful. I was utterly shocked when I found out she’d made the donation, I just couldn’t believe it. This is a dream I’m now able to achieve, not have this financial burden for getting to university.”
Student, Vitoria Mario tells Sky News how Taylor Swift donated £23,000 to support her going to university to study mathematics
She says “it was a blessing” and adds if it wasn’t for the donation, she would “definitely be struggling” financially.https://t.co/lQOWYiiYer pic.twitter.com/OWbpbWMWeb
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) August 21, 2020
Taylor Swift commented on the donation page along with her gift, saying; “Vitoria, I came across your story online and am so inspired by your drive and dedication to turning your dreams into reality. I want to gift you the rest of your goal amount. Good luck with everything you do! Love, Taylor.”
Vitoria estimated she would need to raise £24,000 for accommodation, £3,000 for equipment and a further £13,000 for living costs including food, transport, and utility bills. Swift’s donation provided the rest of the money needed to help her reach the fundraising target.
This news comes to light following Taylor Swift dropping her surprise eighth studio album Folklore in July, which reached number one in the UK charts making her the first female artist to possess 5 UK Number 1 studio albums in the 21st Century.
