Emma Jane Hastie Scholarship

Hello! My name is Kenneth Armstrong Jr. I am a senior currently attending Valdosta State University. I am majoring in Psychology. I am very passionate about service and giving. I am always looking for ways to be helpful and considerate of others. I have been eager to help others since childhood. My focus is on Clinical Psychology. I have chosen this field because I am interested in understanding the physiology of the brain. As the master organ, it regulates every single operation throughout the body. As it relates to behavior, I find it interesting to pinpoint the reason for particular actions. I believe I will make a huge impact because I had a beginning interest in my eighth-grade year. My interest in this field will motivate me to work hard and learn everything I can. I am passionate about helping others. Understanding the root causes of behavior will allow me to offer therapy to clients. I have always been compassionate and possess excellent listening skills. I could put myself in an individual's shoes and offer legitimate solutions. My one goal is to make a difference in people's lives. Psychology is a field that I am serious about. That love is enough to motivate me to work towards this dream. I have devoted personal time to volunteering in several ventures. I am a member of the Christian Collegiate Fellowship Club at GMC, where we conduct fundraising endeavors, community service events, clothing and food drives, and host an annual Christmas Toy Drive. I can recall a couple of instances when we delivered toys to kids at a local elementary school and at the Boys & Girls Club. I really enjoyed singing Christmas Carols as we served the children during the holiday season. It was a privilege to also deliver baked goods and Christmas cards to the local Police Department. Putting smiles on all of their faces was quite exhilarating and definitely rewarding. That experience was one of many instances where I have done community service. My past volunteering experiences have helped me to be more compassionate. It is easy to make assumptions about people. However, you have to interact with those who you want to understand. In my career, I will have to excel in the art of understanding someone's perspective. I have to put myself in their shoes. My interactions within my community help me to develop creativity. Problems require creative solutions.

Greetings! My name is Jordan Cruz. I am a first-generation college student studying psychology and anthropology at Stetson University. Ultimately, my goal is to become a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist for children and adolescents First of all, I have learned that with servitude comes selflessness. When I hear servitude, selflessness is the word that floats in my mind. It's easy to say that I have learned from my own experiences. When I attended youth group at the local church, we set up a Thanksgiving food drive. The church bought lots of cans, ingredients for special Thanksgiving dishes, and more essentials. We organized everything into bags and gave them to people in our community that were not as fortunate. It was an honor to guarantee the best Thanksgiving holiday for those people as much as possible. Another thing that I have done was donate clothes and other items to the local Goodwill donation center. It was simply a drive-thru where you were able to put unwanted things into special bags they had, as long as they were gently used and in good condition. From there, those items would be transported to Goodwill stores for a lower price. In all honestly, I would much rather people in need have those things than myself. Living selflessly is something I value and will never let go of. I am all about putting others before myself. If I were given the choice between having wealth or keeping my friends, family, and loved ones secure, I would choose their wealth and safety over my wealth and safety. I would give my last dollar to someone who needed it. I want to see everyone living the best life that they can live. Happiness, love, and good health are the most important things to me for each individual out there. At the same time, I know there are circumstances where I must put myself before others. However, that does not inherently mean selfishness. We must take a moment to evaluate ourselves, especially when it comes to our mental and physical health. This is because our health can dictate how we perform in our daily life. For example, if I got super sick and could not go to school or important meetings, the solution would be to stay home to ensure a fast and easy recovery. Although that sounds basic, it's true. Loving selflessly, having a giving heart, and helping others are wonderful attributes to have. I will make sure to convey those characteristics forevermore.