James Turner Second Chance Scholarship

Picture this: you’re a paramedic who is soundly sleeping after a long day of patients and transfers. You deserve, no, you need this sleep, for you’ve worked a long day, and tomorrow is another 12-hour shift. In the other room is your 14-year-old son playing Europa Universalis IV. Suddenly, you're ripped from a state of deep sleep, awoken by pounding and unpleasant words. You roll onto your back while rolling your eyes. After a sigh and a glance at the clock, you yell, “What’s the problem this time?” That was a frequent occurrence in my home for many years. I had –and still occasionally struggle with– anger issues. They have led to detention, referrals, being labeled a “cry baby” by peers, embarrassed relatives, and they have often hindered my learning ability. I had long recognized that I had a problem, but dealing with it was another story. Moreover, at times I didn’t want to shout in anger or punch my desk, yet I heard my voice echoing off the walls, and my fist ached with pain. Nonetheless, I have greatly improved -particularly in the last few years. While I still have occasional outbursts, I believe I am over the hump. Now I sometimes find myself the one watching a tantrum instead of being watched. Having had over-the-top reactions to the most minute of things for years also means I have had years to develop the skills to prevent, or bring myself down from, an outburst. When facing a challenge, or when things go wrong, I use my learned techniques to stay calm and think clearly. I have discovered such skills are lacking in many children and adults. That differentiates me from them: I try to approach problems with a calm mind and maintain that mindset. Furthermore, when I feel my anger rising, I have learned to walk away and come back later. While I may have managed to conquer a problem and change a behavior, I have an interest that has never changed: history. During one of the long winters in Indiana, I was surfing YouTube when I stumbled upon a video about history. It was far more interesting than anything else I may have otherwise watched. Since then, I have spent much of my free time watching history documentaries, reading non-fiction, exploring museums, or talking about what I have learned. My appetite for knowledge of the past is insatiable, and I greatly enjoy every minute. Moreover, spreading the knowledge to others is equally -if not more- enjoyable. Logically, a career in history is the path I have chosen. For this field, higher education is a necessity. Therefore, in 5 years, I hope to have achieved a bachelor’s degree and be completing a doctoral degree. Unfortunately, many years in higher education costs a lot of money. There is also a lot of potential for waste were I to derail my progress with an angry outburst. But, I, fortunately, work every day to completely eliminate what was once a major issue and now aim to achieve success despite my past problems. Today, I ask for help from the James Andrew Turner Second Chance Scholarship to reach my goal.