American pop star Olivia Rodrigo is not only a successful singer but also a generous one, and thanks to her a young woman from Alabama was able to complete her bachelor’s degree.
Jamie Causey, 21, a public relations student at the University of Alabama, said Tuesday on TikTok that Rodrigo gave her $5,000 to cover the remaining tuition for her final semester, which she had been struggling to pay. She said she had debated whether to share the story with her followers, “not because I’m not grateful, but because I didn’t want something that meant so much to become a public spectacle."
She said her connection with the star began last year when Rodrigo commented on a video she posted on her birthday and wished her a happy birthday. “It meant so much to me,” Causey said. She later shared another video in which she said she was the first person in her family to attend college but was struggling to pay for her final semester.
Olivia Rodrigo reached out and helped a struggling fan
(Photo: Valerie Macon/ AFP)
“I wasn’t asking people to pay for me and I didn’t want pity. I was just being honest,” she said.
Causey then received an emotional surprise when Rodrigo sent her a private message that read: “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! I watched ur last vid about tuition and I’d love to help out if you were open at all to that? So cool that you are so close to graduating! Do you have a Venmo I could send to?”
Causey responded: "Oh my god, hi! I love your music so much, I am so sorry TikTok filtered your message and didn’t show it so me until now. I’m actually about to cry. I do have a Venmo. I haven’t shared it publicly because I realize it’s not others fault that I chose to go to college. Honestly your music has been a source of strength for me and I just keep thinking this is a dream,”
She added: “Please don’t feel like you have to but at this point I’m willing to accept any help.
It was not a dream. A representative for Rodrigo sent Causey another message in April 2025 and transferred the promised amount. In the video Causey shared Tuesday, she said: “Olivia, I don’t know if you’ll ever 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.”
Rodrigo was not the only celebrity to reach out to Causey. A representative for Paris Hilton also offered to send her products from the star’s brand as a gift. Causey thanked Hilton as well in the video, and Hilton responded by writing: “Love you.”
Causey concluded with an emotional message: “I came here because I wanted to bring positivity and light into other people’s lives, and you did the same for me. You helped me in ways I never asked for and was almost afraid to accept. So if you’re watching this and wondering whether being a little generous will make a difference to someone, the answer is yes. Send the message, pay for the coffee, pay for the car behind you or just smile at someone. You never know the difference it will make.”