My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I am currently enrolled at Concordia University Wisconsin and pursuing a degree in psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond, IN while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, my family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, initially, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point, IN. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help. Eventually there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was required to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I dealt with on a regular basis. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. Becoming a therapist, I would help change this narrative. I do not want to be the therapist who calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own therapist office in my hometown of Hammond, IN. There are limited therapeutic resources in cities like Hammond or Gary, IN. There are a lot of offices in what some would consider the affluent neighborhoods of Indiana such as Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond, IN while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was just like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point, IN, a 40 minute drive from home. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help. Although there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with on a regular basis. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. By becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I do not want to be the therapist that just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office in my hometown of Hammond, IN. There are limited therapeutic resources in lower-income cities like Hammond or Gary, IN. There are a lot of offices in Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer, for example. These neighborhoods in Indiana are some that people may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was just like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help, although there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with on a regular basis. Traditionally, the African-American culture does not seek therapy. Becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I do not want to be the therapist who just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office here in Hammond. There are limited therapeutic resources in cities like Hammond or Gary. There are a lot of offices in Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer, for example. These are neighborhoods that some may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. Winning this scholarship would help me continue to pursue my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin. Upon obtaining my degree, I can begin filling a need in my community to let them know that therapy can be beneficial to your life.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond, IN while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was just like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point, IN, a 40 min drive from home. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help. Although there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with on a regular basis. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. By becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I do not want to be the therapist that just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office in my hometown of Hammond, IN. There are limited therapeutic resources in lower-income cities like Hammond or Gary, IN. There are a lot of offices in Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer, for example. These neighborhoods in Indiana are some that people may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was just like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help, although there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with on a regular basis. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. By becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I do not want to be the therapist that just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office here in Hammond. There are limited therapeutic resources in cities like Hammond or Gary. There are a lot of offices in Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer, for example. These are neighborhoods that some may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond, IN while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. I felt like the sessions were unnecessary. Initially, I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help. Eventually, I began enjoying the sessions and understood how they helped me. Thankfully I play sports, which also helps keep me sane, and they were my therapy. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with regularly. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. By becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I do not want to be the therapist that just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office here in Hammond, IN. There are limited therapeutic resources in cities like Hammond or Gary. There are a lot of offices in Portage, Merrillville, and Dyer, for example. These cities are 30-45 minutes away from my home. These are neighborhoods that some may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.

My dream in life is to play in the NFL. I realize that is a very big dream. While pursuing this dream, getting a higher education provides me with more experiences and opportunities. I will be attending Concordia University Wisconsin this fall. While in college I want to study psychology to become a therapist. I love helping people with their problems. It makes me feel good about myself when I help others cope with their issues. I plan to look for opportunities and internships within my field of study and work in similar areas like Hammond while in college. I have found therapy to be beneficial to me when facing hardships in my life. Due to my parent’s divorce, the family was forced to see a therapist. Their divorce was very ugly, and it negatively affected me and my sister. While attending the therapy sessions, I felt like they were unnecessary, and I was just like a broken record. My therapist's office was in Crown Point, IN. I was frustrated that I had to go so far to get help, although there were a couple of times when I enjoyed it. Thankfully I play sports to help keep me sane, and that was my therapy at the time. Now, I am glad my family was forced to have therapy because it made me a better person than I am today. It also sparked this new passion within me. Even though I consider playing sports as my therapy, I still love to listen to people's problems. I want to help them, understand them, and get them to open up and be completely comfortable with talking to someone like me. As a student-athlete and teenager, I know firsthand how the pressure of the world affects mental health. Dealing with the pandemic, social media and being successful in football, are a few pressures I deal with regularly. Traditionally, the African American culture does not seek therapy. By becoming a therapist, I would help change this thought process. I will be preparing for a unique situation because an African American male therapist who has experienced and endured hardships in life and has a desire to help the community is what we kids today call a unicorn. I do not want to be the therapist that just calls the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). I want to be the therapist that a patient can sit down with and listen to as they express their feelings and then provide solutions. I would want to create a bond with the patient, the couple, or the family. I realize there is life after football. Upon retiring from my football career, I plan to give back to the community by opening my own psychology office in my hometown of Hammond, IN. There are limited therapeutic resources in cities like Hammond or Gary. There are a lot of offices in Portage, IN and Dyer, IN for example. These are neighborhoods that some may consider affluent. These offices are too far for people in my community and a major inconvenience to try to get to these locations. Transportation may be limited for some people. I experienced this inconvenience firsthand. I realize there is a need for therapy in my community. I would like to help with this problem by pursuing my degree in psychology while at Concordia University Wisconsin.