Veterans & Family Scholarship

At 18, I had no clear direction. I barely passed high school and struggled academically for most of my life. When I decided to join the Navy, I failed the ASVAB twice before passing on my third attempt. The military became my turning point. At first, I was given the lowest tasks—cleaning, taking out the trash, and wiping oil off engines. But over time, I worked my way up, eventually leading teams and managing critical ship systems. Making E-5 was a defining moment. I was responsible for half of the ship’s auxiliary equipment, troubleshooting refrigeration and air conditioning in the middle of the night to keep operations running. More importantly, my peers began looking up to me as a mentor, something I never expected when I first enlisted. After leaving the service, I struggled to find stability. I worked odd jobs, played guitar in bars to make ends meet, and eventually landed a job fixing food service machines. When I was laid off during COVID, I took a job as a Starbucks barista, but the physical demands took a toll on my health. I needed a career with stability and growth—something that challenged me intellectually without breaking me physically. That’s when I discovered programming. I started with a Udemy course called “100 Days of Code” and quickly realized that problem-solving through code felt familiar. Just like troubleshooting machinery in the Navy, programming required logic, patience, and adaptability. That initial spark turned into a passion, and I soon became a self-taught programmer. But I knew that to truly break into the field, I needed a strong foundation—one that a degree in computer science from WGU could provide. My goal is to earn my bachelor’s in computer science and transition into a career as a software engineer. Long-term, I want to work in cybersecurity, where I can leverage my technical skills and military background to help protect systems from threats. I also hope to mentor veterans transitioning into tech, just as I was mentored in the Navy. Post-graduation, I see myself working for a company that values innovation and problem-solving. I want to contribute to meaningful projects and continue growing as a developer. More importantly, I want to use my success to help others—whether through mentorship, open-source contributions, or creating resources for veterans entering tech. My journey has been one of perseverance. From struggling in school to becoming a leader in the military, from working survival jobs to finding my passion in tech, I’ve learned that setbacks don’t define potential—resilience does. With the support of this scholarship, I will continue pushing forward, proving that it’s never too late to rewrite your future.

My first memories of my Pappy took place on the back of a horse. I was a little blond slip-of-a-girl; he called me Loorna-Doone. "C'mon, Loorna-Doone, time to do some riding," he'd say, and swing me up on the back skirt of his saddle, then he'd swing up in the saddle seat, so I could wrap my little arms around him and off we'd go. Other times, he would be out at the corral with me and my siblings, critiquing and coaching us as we'd work at breaking wild ponies, in hopes of making them ridable and well-behaved (he called it, making wild ponies into "good citizens") so we could sell them for a bit of a profit. Pappy was my mama's dad. He was a Vietnam veteran; he served in the late 1960's in communications. The flag was important to him, and so was honesty, integrity, his faith, his family, and his country. He reminded us -- my siblings and I -- that these things were important by dropping little nuggets of wisdom as we would ride, drawing our attention to the land around us as we'd check cows ...reminding us to be thankful for our country and what it stands for. And for those who gave so much to protect it. My siblings and I carried his love of country, hard work, and horses into our own lives. This fall, August 2024, I will begin my second year at Northeastern Oklahoma A & M, studying for a career in agriculture--agronomy. I am honored to be a part of NEO's rodeo team, to represent my college in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, traveling all over the mid-west, competing in the Central Plains Region. As I look back, it's almost a miracle that I am here. I have fought to get here. My own father left my mother...left her with seven kids, a farm, and a low-paying teaching job to get us through. My Pap (and my Nanny) was always there for us. He helped us feed hay in the freezing temperatures and assured my mama that we would make it okay. He encouraged us kids to carry on, to follow our talents and dreams. He taught us courage and mental toughness. He taught us to believe in our God, and to stand for our country. My Pap passed away peacefully some years ago. Most of us -- his family -- were beside his bed, singing the old hymns he loved and listening to him whisper his last nuggets of wisdom to us. His last words to me were how proud he was of me for my accomplishments and that I could "go any direction." I believed him. And here I am -- living out the words he left me with -- attending college, with the goal of earning my degree in Ag.Business/Agronomy. I look forward to a career with a feed production corporation, or perhaps a feed-based research firm, in my native Mid-west. As he said -- "any direction."

My training in the Marine Corp gave me the confidence, discipline, and leadership skills to achieve any goal I set my mind to. Learning the importance of working as a team and trusting the members in your unit was an invaluable lesson I apply today. Over the past 5 years, I have worked with Black Girls Smile, the Red Shoe Society and volunteered at Volunteer Gwinnett to help my communities. Additionally, I was the first freshman president of the Pre-Dental Society at Georgia Gwinnett College. I’ve also been the president for the last two years. I make sure to pay attention to what the students need and want to learn about dentistry. My life now is full of so much joy with helping other students discover their love of dentistry. Every month I have arranged for my office to allow me to bring students in to see different procedures from hygiene to full mouth extractions. Also, as the President I get to help students find new and exciting ways to give back to the community. After finishing a 4-year program at a dental school and getting my footing as a new dentist I then plan to work in a shortage area and I plan to change that. I want to visit and help as many areas as I can. Due to there not being many African-American dentists in those areas. Being able to help others see a person who looks like them will prove comfort in a dental office. This will allow more people to have less fear of the dentist and give me a chance to educate them on the importance of dental health. I know one day this will make me an amazing contributor to the dental field. I hope you don’t just see another application, but a person that cares for others. A person who has found their purpose in life and wants to use it to make the world better. I know so people may think there is no way you can do that by just being a dentist. Those same people would probably also say there is no way you can work, be a mother, a wife, and go to school. As I have proven this second statement to be correct I will do the same with the first. I hope this has given you some insight into my journey and my planned future. Thank you for your time.