Stevie Kirton Memorial Scholarship

Losing a parent remains to be one of the most life-altering events that can impact countless lives in detrimental ways. At the age of six years old, I lost my father to metastatic esophageal carcinoma, an event that has permanently changed who I am and who I wish to become. We often overlook just how significant the loss of such an important figure in a person's life can impact their personal, academic, and financial situations and success. On a personal level, losing a parent has led me to struggle for many years with anxiety and depression. Grief can be very difficult for everyone, and it is something I have spent the majority of my life learning to cope with. We as people tend to focus on hypotheticals and what could have been, and oftentimes don’t work towards moving forward. It can be extremely difficult to overcome this feeling of sorrow and staticity within our emotions, and it isn’t something that ever truly disappears, but I have learned to accept life for what it is and work towards a better future for myself. This is largely due to the nature of my father; he was a very kind-hearted and loving man who always wanted the best for everyone around him. After witnessing his battle with cancer for four months, he taught me that even in our darkest times, we can still find the strength to keep fighting and be there for those we care about. For this, I believe I have become a better person, one who can overcome any setback or difficulty. Academically, the loss of my father has led me to always try my hardest at everything I do, my studies included. My dad was a very successful man, and every day I work towards being as accomplished and well-respected as he was, and this starts at the academic level. Even if he isn’t here physically to see my accomplishments, knowing how proud he would be for any success I see drives me to work harder towards accomplishing my goals. The nature of my father’s passing has led to lifelong interest in pursuing a career in the healthcare field, to help others the way countless people helped him during his time of need. As someone who lives in a single parent household, only having a single-income makes my future academic endeavors more difficult to pursue. I will have to rely heavily on scholarship money to afford my schooling, which serves to be a barrier between myself and college-level education. Losing a parent, and in turn their income, has led me to worry about money for a considerable portion of my life. Although my father is no longer here, I hope that this scholarship can help carry on his legacy of success, compassion, and perseverance above all else.