Going to college is important to me because I've seen what a good college degree can do for a person, but completing college is more important because I've never seen anyone in my family do it. Both of my parents have gone to college but have neglected to complete a degree. Whether it be financial issues, lack of motivation, or just family obligations, many members in my family have fallen just short of getting a degree. I started college at the age of 16 with no guidance, no advice, and barely any financial help. I received a scholarship through Alabama A&M University, but I still ended up having to pay over $1,000 a semester, which is burdensome for me and my family. Being so young presented an issue that not many people in my community can relate to. My birthday is considered "late" by the school system and other age biased systems. I have never held a job because I was too young to work retail, food service, or other typical teenager jobs and I did not have a way to get to and from a job. Once I got into college, I could not get a job in my field, computer science, for this exact reason. No one wanted to take a risk and hire a "liability." I am in my senior year of college at the age of 18, and I still have not held a "real" job besides volunteering and side hustles that my family provides me. But now, a new problem has presented itself. There is a new narrative that DEI is a problem, and people should not be provided an opportunity based on their skin color, sex/gender, or sexual orientation. I know I am more than capable based on my university studies and projects, but as someone who has had trouble getting opportunities that hold weight on paper, there is no way that I can prove my worth unless someone is willing to take a chance on me. In addition to an oversaturated computer science field, this anti-DEI narrative slims down the already narrow avenue of opportunities that is available to me. Going to an HBCU already has an unspoken stigma behind it, but if I did not choose my HBCU, Alabama A&M University, I still would have chosen to go to another HBCU. For beginners and entry-level computer scientists, the computer science is the most competitive that it has ever been. There is a high demand for mid to senior-level professionals, but you have to hold many other positions, work on many projects, and have years of experience before you can be considered a higher-level professional. It has been difficult to build a place for myself. I have determined that college is my best bet to be successful in my line of work. As I am working on completing my BS in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence, I still find a need to better my skills and continue my education. In addition to bettering myself, continuing my education can help better my chances to build a long-lasting career. Nothing is stopping me from building this life for myself, except for money. I am determined to pursue my MS in Information Technology. My current HBCU does not offer this line of study. Therefore, I am looking for a new HBCU to call home while I pursue my Masters. I do not have the financial means to make this dream a reality. If I were to receive this scholarship, this would catapult me into the right direction to be triumphant in my career.

Hello, I am Akiya Garner. I grew up in the Hazel Green area, a predominantly white area, and I was not a girl with many friends. I was not the popular girl, the attractive girl, the funny girl, or the girl that people invited to parties. I was the weird, nerdy Black girl that definitely did not fit in. I was severely antisocial, resulting in me struggling to make friends. When I stopped playing basketball and focused on my true passion, people deemed me useless, lazy, and unathletic. It truly hurt because I quit basketball out of respect for myself. My past basketball coach was extremely disrespectful to his players, and someone can only take so much. I took a stand and quit in front of everyone, in turn, throwing away my popularity. As a teen, you feel the need to fit in with your peers and “be like everyone else.” Standing out and being different can be difficult. Though, it is for the best that you are always unique and true to yourself. I have learned not to care what people think of me. As of January 2022, I am a five-year varsity level tennis player. Black people are underrepresented in the wonderful sport of tennis, black women especially. Despite Serene and Venus Williams’ successful tennis careers, only “6.8% of tennis players are Black or African American” (Zippia, 2021). In the 2020 US tennis championship, according to USA Today, there were only “12 black women out of the 128 women present at the event.” If playing tennis was not an unusual enough thing for a Black girl in my community to do, a Black girl wanting to major in computer science is unworldly. I have taken every STEM-centered class that I have been offered and passed, I am a certified CAD user, I have been personally invited into STEM programs by teachers and counselors, and I have been paid to take classes. To say I am capable of becoming an engineer is an understatement. A Black girl devoting herself to STEM, computers, or tennis is absurd. I am an unusual occurrence in my community and my family. None of my family has ever gone to college or showed any interest in big-money jobs. I will be the first one in my family to attend college, work in a STEM field, and play tennis at an upper level. I have no support or encouragement from my community, quite the opposite actually, but the lack of support only fuels my desire to succeed. My biggest supporters are my two sick grandmothers. One of my grandmothers has been diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, and my other grandmother is having mental problems. Despite both of their personal issues, they only want to see me succeed and achieve my dreams. I have worked hard to graduate an entire year early, at the age of 16. My grandparents will see their youngest grandchild walk across the stage. They will see me become Black excellence, female excellence, and a monumental figure in my community. I stand by that.

"It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can do with it, and make it the life you want to live" (Mae Jemison). Mae Carol Jemison made history as the first African American woman to travel to space. I am not stranger to Jemison. I live near and constantly visit her hometown Decatur, Alabama, and her high school. She is a local inspiration to black women and girls all over Alabama. She is also an engineer, just like I will be. I plan to major in computer science or computer engineering. I would be honored to be an inspiration to Black girls around the world. I was inspired by experienced black engineers to follow my STEM dreams. Mae Jemison is a prime example of Black excellence. STEM is my outlet. I have my CAD certification in SolidEdge and, soon, Autodesk. I love to 3D print things, CAD modeling, work with computers, program, and build things. Through engineering and computer science, I can occupy myself by inventing and creating. Computer science is a versatile art. I can design and print fidget toys for children who have trouble focusing, I can design programs for people who can't afford therapy, or I could program robots to teach children with learning disabilities. Engineering and computer science is a way that I can help those in need while having fun and being creative. STEM has always been my passion, and it always will be. Recently, I have been 3D printing fidget toys for a competition in my engineering class. The concept behind fidget toys is to help people who have trouble focusing or those who have nervous energy, anxiety, or psychological stress. This is very similar to the concept behind my engineering business. I want to combine STEM and entrepreneurship. I would like to own a STEM company that makes products and programs that help people with illnesses, anxiety, depression, and mental health issues. As someone who suffers from anxiety and mental health issues, I know how it feels to be uncomfortable in unfamiliar settings. I want to give back to my community by combining health solutions with STEM. If someone could have reached out and helped/talked to me about my problems in an engaging and fun way, it would have helped my confidence and self-image when I was younger. I want to be that person to the upcoming generation, and adults too! Giving back to my community while pursuing a career in STEM is an absolute dream come true! I am going to own a STEM company where I reach out to the mentally and physically ill. My company and I will be known worldwide for our products. It all starts with a good education.

Virtual hangouts and calls have taught me that technology can make the world a better place. FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meets, and other apps to communicate virtually have improved modern-day life. Today, people can chat with their doctor, therapist, friends, and family all from the comfort of their phone/computer. This technology has really been utilized due to Covid, but it can have a more significant effect down the line. If someone does not have a way to transport to the doctor, apps now allow doctors to have virtual appointments with patients. Therapists can now reach out to people from the comfort of their own homes. Some apps allow mentally ill people to talk to someone across the world for encouragement. Computer programmers and software engineers are revolutionizing the world through the tiny device in your pocket. Compared to 1992 IBM Simon, which had a stylus and limited applications, today's iPhone 13 Pro Max is an avant-garde. As an aspiring computer scientist/engineer, I hope that one of my programs can aid people in the way virtual meetings do. I want to own a STEM company that revolutionized the medical field. I would create apps, programs, and gadgets that help the elderly, mentally ill, and severely ill. My company would also cater to those who just need a friend. As someone who went through her detrimental years with no friends, I want to make sure no child knows that type of pain again. Mental health has plagued my generation for far too long. With my company's inventions, people would have an outlet to go to for their mental and physical state. Virtual hangouts, calls, and meetings showed me that we do not have to be together to feel united. Through apps and programs, I can revolutionize the world. I can help those with depression, anxiety, disorders, illnesses, and much more. It all starts with an education.

I am an African American female in a predominantly white area. There are not many black people in my school district, let alone black girls. The few that are in my school take the stereotypical football and basketball route. Black girls and boys all are interested in sports, but they do not want to challenge their minds. Many are in and out of trouble, some even expelled and/or sent to reform schools, and it is hard not to fall into the crowd. The only people in my age group and area that look like me are troublemakers, basketball stars, football stars, or track stars. The majority of the STEM and computer science field in my area is white and not many are females. It is tiring for me to be a young, black woman in the STEM field. I experience a lot of mockery and judgment, and sometimes, it can be overbearing. Sometimes, it makes me want to give up and choose another career. I had to find people that looked like me and think like me to finally feel like I "fit in." It was hard to find STEM programs for black people, let alone black women, but it was not impossible. In May 2021, my counselor reached out to me about the LEGACY program with the University of Alabama. It is a program for black females in the state of Alabama interested in computer science. After starting this program, I was introduced to lots of black women in the computer science and engineering field. These women provided me with the confidence I needed to pursue my interest in computer science. Women in the computer and mathematical occupations only make up about 25.8 percent of the STEM field, and they only make up about 15.7 percent of engineers. Black women make up only a small percent of this number Nancy, Grace Roman (“The STEM Gap: Women and Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.” AAUW, 2019, www.aauw.org/resources/research/the-stem-gap.) If I were to receive this scholarship, I would pursue an education at an HBCU for a computer science or computer engineering major. Once I become a computer scientist or engineer, I would go back to school for my business degree. One day, I will own my engineering company. I will be an inspiration to black girls everywhere that we can do whatever we put our minds to. I will talk to the troubled black youth and tell them that they can do better. I have seen many talented young black boys and girls throw their life away to things that do not even matter. I would try to keep the black youth on the right path and inspire them to go after the big titles. When children have the confidence to reach their goals and achieve their dreams, they will not hesitate or doubt themselves and go for the absolute gold. I am living proof of this. 1. It means everything to get a college education to me. I would be the first in my family to graduate from college. I would love to go to college and major in computer science or computer engineering. It has always been my dream to own a company and help people in need. If I go to college, I could fulfill my dreams by achieving my computer science degree and my business degree. Getting a college education would be the foundation of my life journey. 2. A typical day outside of school for me would consist of helping my family out. My grandmother has a hard time remembering things, and she constantly needs help around the house. I love to cook and bake for my entire family, but my grandmother especially loves my baking. She loves for me to spend time with her, talk to her, and share cake with her. Just talking with her keeps her mind sharp, and I am making sure she does not hurt herself or forget what she is doing. A typical week for me consists of spending time with my family, helping out in my church, singing in my church, and spending time with my family. My family is my motivation to keep going. Going to college and succeeding in life would mean everything to them. 3. I feed my curiosity in and out of school through STEM-related activities. I am in the Engineering program at Madison County Tech Center, where I attend every day, and I am participating in the EXCITE program with the University of Alabama. The EXCITE program takes up the majority of my evenings. I also put a lot of time into computer science courses. Whenever I am not focusing on bettering my engineering skills, I am doing community service with my church, FBLA, and FCCLA.

I have always been taught to respect and value my elders. One elder, I valued very dearly is my late grandfather. He passed away back in 2016, but he will always be missed. He taught me many valuable life lessons, but one that resonated with me and never left me was, "Love and treat others the way you would want to be loved and treated." He taught me to protect and love those who couldn't defend themselves. One way I help and improve the lives of seniors in and outside of my community is by protecting and serving those who can and can't help themselves. My most recent improvement is a sock drive for elders in nursing homes in nearby states. Over three million older people slip and get injured and need emergency medical attention each year. Most fall injuries lead to hip and head injuries that require hospitalization (How Many Slip and Fall Cases Go to Trial? (2021). The Law Offices of Blaine Barrilleaux. https://barrilleauxlaw.com/how-many-slip-and-fall-cases-go-to-trial/). I am involved in FCCLA, and my classmates and I have donated and received no-slip socks for elders in nursing homes. This is not my first improvement and service project for seniors. In the past few years, I have visited nursing homes and homes for the elderly. I take home-cooked food to those who have no homes or families, I take clothes, blankets, and other things elders may need, and sometimes, I just go to spend time with elders who have been ignored and put off by their families. Last Halloween, I participated in trick-or-treating with elders. I was praised by elders, their caretakers, and their families. I was told, "It means the world to me" and "They never get visitors like this." A little love and respect can make someone's day.