SKH Empowering Scholarship for Women

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” As a senior in high school, I selected this quote as my “senior quote” not only because it inspired me, but also because it was a quote I wanted to live by forever. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to study in college, but after endless days and nights of consideration, I decided to study business management. I have always been interested in business studies and knew that pursuing business as my career would help me live a life that I am proud of. It is my goal to make the necessary changes needed to create a better environment for myself and the world. I am on track to graduate in May 2023 with my Bachelor’s in General Management and a minor in dance. Through my program at Bridgewater State University, I have gained knowledge in accounting, marketing, management, and learned how to use Microsoft Office to properly set up business documents. I hope to use this developed knowledge to pursue a career as a fashion business manager. It is also a goal of mine to create my own business where people feel supported, appreciated, and valued. I would like to use my business to promote healthy living and raise awareness of mental health. Through my volunteer work at my local church, I have grown to understand the stigma behind mental illness. I hope to work to end this stigma and help people create healthy coping mechanisms. By using my developed knowledge from my undergraduate studies in business and dance, I will work to create a more understanding world. As a young woman studying business, I have found myself facing challenges such as not being taken seriously, struggling to find support systems, and not being able to find business opportunities to support my educational and professional growth. There have been many times so far in my business career that I have had limited support, as people felt my job goal was the best fit for a man. It has been difficult to find opportunities that will help meet my goals, as the business industry is extremely competitive. It is my goal to study abroad in Milan, Italy in the fall to further my education in fashion business. An experience like studying abroad and living longer term within a fashion culture that is important to my future is the best way to learn about the fashion business management field first-hand. It is my goal to become more educated and experienced in this field to help achieve my goal of making women in business feel supported, heard, and valued. Through these challenges, I have learned to remain true to myself and to find my own voice. Not only this, but I have learned the importance of perseverance and hard work even when others do not take me seriously. Through my experience in Milan, Italy and in my program at Bridgewater State University, my goals of helping to raise awareness of the problems surrounding women in business and to expand my luxury fashion knowledge and skills will be much closer to becoming complete due to the extensive coursework, the experience of being in a thriving city, and being able to experience the Italian culture.

A life goal most people aspire to be is successful; while yes, this is a goal I set for myself. However, what is more important to me is the way I get there. With my mom being a first-generation graduate from the Dominican Republic, who was given so little being a minority, she did not let that stop her from becoming great, not only for herself but for the rest of my family and me. She always wanted to give her family a better life than what she was capable of having. That is why she gave us access to private education for our entire lives. She believed they set morals into us and help us achieve maturity and responsibility, which I believe did help me. I aspire to make my mother proud and achieve my full potential. I want to help everyone and anyone who needs it. Growing up as a minority, I have been fortunate enough to see the world how it is. This is why I want to help people just like me and people who are in different situations than I am. As I grow I want to help the people around me grow and help my community grow. Success is not about the end result but the journey. Who you have helped, who helped you and giving back. I believe with the right support system I will go for my goals and let nothing stand in my way to becoming the best version of myself. I did not have the ideal childhood most children get to experience; nevertheless, everyone has their own story and their own experiences. The types of obstacles I have faced definitely helped mold me into the person I am today. I feel as if going to college will definitely help me grow as a person and also grow my knowledge and mentality. Going to college will make my family proud and it was always and will always be a life accomplishment I will stop at nothing to achieve. One of my life goals is to go to college excel in everything and take nothing for granted. I want to take full advantage of every tiny opportunity I am given. I believe a college degree is critical for my future plans of success. Yes, I could get by without a degree; however, that's not what I want to do. I do not want to just "get by" in life and take it as it comes. That is not who I am. I plan to set goals for myself and achieve them. I feel having a goal is different than having a dream. Dreaming is more of wishing, when people talk about goals those are accomplishments they set for themselves and go for. I will not just wait for something to happen, I will go after and achieve my aspirations in life.