Alabama Woman Was Struggling to Pay for Her Last Semester in College. Then Olivia Rodrigo Reached Out
A donation that means the world to a first-generation college graduate.
Jamie Causey (@jamiemcausey) was a senior at the University of Alabama who struggled financially in her final semester at college. Then she allegedly received a message from GRAMMY Award-winning pop star Olivia Rodrigo, who offered to pay her tuition.
“Olivia Rodrigo paid for my final semester of college, and I almost never told you that—not because I wasn’t grateful, but because I didn’t want something that meant so much to become a public spectacle,” Causey alleged on TikTok. As a content creator, Causey posts lifestyle videos in Alabama. She also shared her college journey online.
“Because I’m closing this chapter, I didn’t want to leave without saying thank you,” she added. Causey graduated from the College of Communication and Information Sciences as a first-generation student in her family. During the last leg of her college journey, Causey said she struggled to pay for her last semester’s tuition. Nevertheless, she didn’t ask for monetary donations and only wanted to be honest about her struggle with tuition costs online.
At first, Olivia Rodrigo greeted Causey with a ‘happy birthday.’ The Alabama content creator appreciated the gesture, but wasn’t prepared to receive a private message from the pop star. Causey posted a supposed screenshot of her conversation with Rodrigo online.
Olivia Rodrigo allegedly slid in her DMs to help
“I know you don’t know me but I love your videos so much. You seem like the kindest coolest gal and you are such a source of positivity and light in my life!” The message, allegedly from Rodrigo, reads. Additionally, the sender wrote, “I’d love to help you out if you were at all open to that?” She also asked for Causey’s Venmo account.
“She wanted to help me graduate, and she did,” Causey claimed. She attached an email allegedly from Rodrigo’s representative, stating that the singer was willing to donate $5,000 to Causey’s education via direct deposit. Causey also posted a message thread with Rodrigo talking about the deposit, with Causey thanking Rodrigo for her help.
“Olivia, I don’t know if you understand how much that means to me. You made me feel like I belong on this platform. You didn’t owe me anything—you just chose to show kindness to a stranger. You’ve always been about giving back to others, and that’s something I’ll take with me forever,” Causey said, thanking Rodrigo once more. While the pop star is known for making fans sob over her latest album release, Rodrigo also advocates for and donates to charitable causes.
Other celebrities extended their moral support
“Allison Kuch, Mama Tot, West Wilson, Paris Hilton—so many of you have chosen to be so kind,” Causey added. These celebrities are mainstay commenters on Causey’s videos. At one point, Hilton allegedly reached out to Causey and offered to send her Paris merch to lift her spirits.
“So many of you have chosen to be so kind. You’ve told me that I make you feel less alone, that I’m relatable,” the content creator said in acknowledgement of her fans. Causey wanted to be a source of light and positivity for others on TikTok, and that kindness has been reflected onto her by strangers online. With the help she received, Causey encouraged others to pay it forward.
“Pay for the coffee, pay for the car behind you, or just smile at someone. You never know the difference it will make,” Causey ended. It doesn’t take celebrity status to help, and one teacher is looking out for her community by running a food pantry in her garage.
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