Vickie Drum Memorial Scholarship

I gave birth to a lovely boy called Ezekiel on April 16th, 2022. He would significantly change every aspect of my everyday existence and encourage me to develop into the finest version of myself. He had given my life a brand-new purpose. Although I love watching my son develop and grow, I find it bittersweet to be saying goodbye to his babyhood and moving closer to toddlerhood. And although being a mother often required me to make sacrifices, I discovered that I wasn't willing to compromise my education. I am constantly striving to be a better person for my son, who serves as my inspiration. I want to be a mother he can be proud of, a mother who always puts him first, and someone he looks up to. He inspires me to become a better person. Every day, whether it be me learning about organizational behavior or my son learning how to walk, my son and I both learn and develop. After becoming a mother, I came to understand my genuine motivation for going to graduate school and the objectives I can achieve in life. I adore my son more than anything in the world. He is my favorite person to tell stories to, sing and dance with, and he serves as both my inspiration and my favorite person. He has shown me how to push past my limitations and aim high in life while taking risks. As adults, we have a lot to gain from our children. Because they depend on us as individuals to breathe and strive into the state of chaos as we develop patience in life. We discover how to live in the present, where they are. We develop a sense of appreciation for the little things, such as watching Ms.Rachel, taking a bubble bath, or even the smallest things like swinging and watching the birds. My son's sense of purpose in working toward his goals, such as walking and talking, inspires me. Perhaps he doesn't fear failure as much as adults do like me. However, I might benefit from a little more innocent determination and less self-criticism. I would like him to see me and be motivated by me to do his best in life. To witness a person that feels confident in herself, doesn't mind stepping outside of her zone of security, isn't flawless but is doing everything she can to have her greatest life, even when I'm exhausted or disheartened by disappointments; who still aspirations and isn't scared to go for them at all times.

I never gave much thought to furthering my education until I had my daughter. When I was pregnant, I wanted to give her more in life. I wanted to provide for her and be able to support and inspire her. I applied for college when I was 7 months pregnant and I thought, "This is going to be so easy. I'll do online schooling when she sleeps or when my husband is home to give me a break." I didn't know how hard it really would be. PPD hit me hard. I was exhausted and breastfeeding made it so my husband couldn't help with her feedings. What was once fun and easy for me turned into a difficult hassle. I came so close to quitting and finding a different career to pursue. After going back and forth on this and praying upon it, peace finally came. I imagined being miserable in a job I didn't enjoy and thinking about the regret I would feel if I quit now. I imagined in the future my daughter asking me if this is what I always wanted to be and I either had to lie to her or word it in a way that didn't make her feel guilty. I want my daughter to know that through God and determination, anything is possible. There is so much money that goes into continuing your education. You have your tuition obviously but there’s also the little costs. Money that doesn't seem like a lot, but it adds up over time. Gas, notebooks, pens, textbooks, laptops, internet, and so forth. When parents go back to school, that number jumps tremendously. You need to find a safe and reliable daycare if you don't have a family village to help out. You spend time fighting over doing schoolwork or spending time with your children. You also struggle with the guilt of leaving your child with someone else. You can tell yourself that it’s just temporary, but there are moments you won’t get back. Even though I am basically living paycheck to paycheck, I get the chance to stay home with my daughter. Money isn’t everything, which is why I decided to go to college part-time. It may take longer and cost more, but she is my main priority now. Being a parent made it easy for me to push on and not give up. I still struggle with being in school part-time, working part-time, and being a full-time parent. My husband works two jobs to keep us afloat, but I know that when I finish and get my degree he won't have to work as hard. We can make decent money and set a good example for our daughter. It would be an honor to win this scholarship because every dollar counts. Every scholarship that I win is less hours that I will have to spend at a job away from my daughter. Every scholarship, no matter how big or small, will make a tremendous difference in our lives. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to apply for this scholarship. I admire your caring soul and I aspire to be able to sponsor future college students as well. Thank you and God bless.