Veerappan Memorial Scholarship

Like many others in this country, I was raised to believe that I could do anything I put my mind to. However, I, again like many others, grew up in a single-parent household. My mom is a teacher and has been for most of my life, and she loves her job and students. She does what she loves. I hope to love my future career as much as she does. Even though my mom did go back to school and get her degree in teaching, she did not go to school until she was out of the military and my eldest sister was school-age. Taking care of my two older sisters while trying to provide for them was hard enough, school added onto that never felt like an option for her. That was until she decided that going back to school was the best option for her, but it was best for all three of them. I was born just 6 months after she graduated college. Through everything that came her way, my mom persevered. It is because of my mom that I know that no matter what life throws at me, I can get through it and accomplish anything I set my mind to. She not only told me this but showed me multiple times. Growing up with a single mom who taught in a low-income school district, the biggest trouble that came my way when pursuing my education was the funding. I had the grades, and the scholarships that I could, however, I still ended up having to take loans out at the beginning of every semester I've been in college. I want to be an attorney, I desire to help others through the practice of law-- either family law or immigration law. With family law, I want to help children find a place that is safest and best for them. Growing up in a family riddled with addiction, abuse, and neglect, I have seen firsthand the communities that often need assistance are the least able to afford that help. I want to be able to help those children and families that need it most. In the case of immigration law, I want to help people whose only goal is to make a better life and future for themselves. Millions of immigrants come from all over the world to our nation, for a multitude of reasons. Whether that is to escape dangerous situations in their home countries or to simply chase the “American Dream.” These people deserve a chance to obtain these goals legally and safely. I want to help these people achieve whatever goals they may have. Whether I end up practicing family, immigration, or another type of law, being a lawyer has been my dream since I was young, and it is not a dream that I intend to give up on. No matter what kind of law I end up practicing I hope to not only have a positive impact on the children or the families that I help but also my community around me. I grew up volunteering and this is something I have continued to do throughout my college career and plan on doing so in the future. This scholarship will not only allow me to continue my education and one day achieve my goals, but for the Fall of 2024 specifically, it will allow me to spend the semester in Washington DC, interning and getting the experience that will help me throughout my educational and professional career, all while still having classes and obligations back home.