I’ve had a passion and excitement for the arts for as long as I can remember. Despite that, it wasn't until my sophomore year in high school that I found myself diving deep into what the arts meant to me. My sophomore and junior years were filled with traumatic events related to my personal life that ultimately resulted in me losing all of my closest friends. On top of that, I experienced physical and emotional abuse from two individuals during those years. I went from having a great friend group and a joyful outlook on life to having no close friends and a lot of trauma to work through. Simultaneously, my sophomore year was also the same year that I had taken my first art class in high school, a drawing class led by a cheerful man, Mr. Hauber. We had gotten a new art teacher that year as well, someone who would become extremely influential to me, Mrs. Blaschke. I spent almost all of my free time during those years in one of their classrooms. The art became therapeutic for me, a way for me to get things off of my mind and to sort through my emotions. Even if I wasn’t working on an art project, Mr. Hauber and Mrs. Blaschke were happy to let me sit in their rooms. Their classrooms even became my place to eat lunch because I had nobody to sit with in the lunchroom. It was during those two years that my passion for the arts grew the most and by the end of my senior year, I was sure that my calling in life was to pursue a career in the arts. The culmination of arts education in high school not only lit my heart on fire for the arts, but it exposed me to two amazing teachers that became an integral part of my development. I don’t know what I would have done without access to the arts during those years or without two strong educators willing to be teachers and friends to me. With that said, it is without a doubt that I can say Mr. Hauber and Mrs. Blaschke have inspired me the most to push myself and to pursue my artistic career. I can proudly say that the combination of arts education and two amazing educators in my high school years are the reason that I had the ability, passion, and support to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design & Architecture. Without that foundation, my life would not be the same as it is today. Now as I enter my senior year of college, I look forward to the future ahead of me and doing what I love to do the most.

In the spring of 2022, during my sophomore year of college, I had the opportunity to work for a local non-profit organization in my area called Adoption Network Cleveland. This organization, founded in 1988 by a wonderful woman named Betsie Norris, provides resources to educate, advocate for, and support anyone impacted by adoption, kinship, and foster care. During my time, I worked directly with Betsie Norris. The organization found that because of the impact of COVID-19 and economic repercussions, they would have to downsize their office space. As a student majoring in interior architecture, I spent two months helping Betsie develop furniture plans for the new downsized office space. The new office was located on the upper floor of a shared building and was previously utilized as a small doctor’s office. Many of the rooms were small and outdated. It was less than ideal compared to the spacious complex that the organization previously had. Overall, the organization had to sell over fifty percent of its furniture to fit into the new office space. Even in a less-than-ideal situation, I was able to give Adoption Network Cleveland everything necessary for their daily work through meticulously planned furniture layouts. In addition to my work with Adoption Network Cleveland, I’ve been privileged to work with two other non-profit organizations, both needing help with the layout and organization of their locations. For me, these experiences have brought to light a large social issue that I believe is hindering many non-profits from being able to maximize their outreach to their audiences. Most non-profit organizations function with a small budget and are people focused, meaning that many of them cannot invest their resources into improving the functionality and design of their office spaces. In working firsthand with these organizations, it’s clear that many of them are operating out of locations and shared buildings with less than enough space for their employees and events. In turn, this can cause large issues that hinder the number of people these organizations can work with, hire, and support. With minimal resources, these non-profits that are aiming to help as many people as possible, cannot do so because of cost and space restrictions. Thankfully, because of the industry that I am soon entering, I have the power to provide free or low-cost organizational and design services to non-profits with similar situations as Adoption Network Cleveland. As I step into the last year of my undergraduate career, I am making plans to serve non-profit organizations within the walls of their office spaces so that they can focus more on their clients and work as efficiently as possible. I have found that interior design is not only about making a space look good but is essential to the functionality and success of the business operating within the space. Upon graduation, I plan to be a designer that is accessible to non-profit organizations and to use my extra time to lend a helping hand to this often overlooked issue. Once I establish myself within the design industry, I hope to speak with fellow designers and co-workers about this issue to raise awareness and encourage other designers to lend cost-effective solutions to non-profits. Many things make an organization flourish, and I believe accessibility to design services is one of them. I hope to help many more organizations throughout my career, giving them the ability to carry out their meaningful work to as many individuals as possible.

Mental health is a topic that has become a part of the mainstream conversation over the past couple of years. Despite the many recent advances around the world towards research, counseling, and mental health support, cases of mental illness continue to rise. This matter has become a worldwide crisis, affecting hundreds of thousands of individuals per year. Therefore, mental illness is what I believe to be the biggest problem facing the world right now. Without a society that is of sound mind, heart, and health, we cannot be a strong world. As mentioned before, I recognize that a focus has been made on mental health research and mental health care over the last decade, but I do not believe enough advancement has been made to understand proper mental illness treatment. Therefore, one way that we can work on this problem is by changing the way that we think about mental health and its treatment, exploring as many avenues as possible to find the best solutions for each illness. A fast track must be made focusing on this global crisis and how to overcome it. Our best scientists, psychologists, leaders, and citizens have to come together to find a treatment for mental illness that is sustainable, safe, healthy and thought out. Without a doubt, it will take a world united to get to the center of this problem, but I know that we can find a solution and ease the suffering caused by mental illness once and for all.

"Save at least thirty percent of each paycheck." This piece of financial advice, given to me by my mom, is also the most helpful and the most practical piece of financial advice I have ever received. Although a simple practice, this advice has been revolutionary for me and it is very feasible for young adults compared to many other pieces of financial advice. When I began to put this advice into action in my own life, I experienced great amounts of financial freedom and I was able to begin to understand the importance of having emergency money put away. I now have the privilege of being financially stable and of exercising a healthy financial lifestyle. It has given me the ability to save for my first home, budget my money successfully, have funds for college, and have little worry about for future expenses. This piece of advice also provided me with a stepping stone toward other important lessons in the finance world. I strongly believe that applying this step in financial delegation should be the first step that young adults take to teach themselves the necessary saving skills for their future. Putting at least thirty percent of each paycheck aside for savings is an essential financial plan that will not only result in better financial skills but will offer financial freedom in many different ways. Taking this step should be promoted by everybody and I am glad to share it with as many people as I can to raise their chances of living a worry-free, stable, and educated financial lifestyle.

"Beep, beep, beep." It's another morning. Your alarm clock goes off, you shuffle into the bathroom that is conveniently located close to your bedroom. You throw some clothes on, taking them out of the functional walk-in closet in your bedroom. Heading to the kitchen, you make a cup of coffee, taking a coffee mug out of the overhead cabinet above you that is at the perfect level for your height. Next, grab your car keys and throw on your shoes before leaving the mudroom that attaches to your garage for rainy days like this. As we live our day-to-day lives, it is easy to forget that everything we touch and see was designed and created by somebody. Even down to a simple cabinet, everything in our world requires careful design to be functional for its use. As a design student entering their junior year of college, pursuing a degree in interior architecture, this reality has become ever-present in my life over the last three years. I am overwhelmingly passionate about building, structure, and interior design. I apply creativity in my life almost every day as I work towards my degree, spending my time completing design projects and jobs that require nothing less than my best creativity. I not only apply creativity to my life daily, but I mix creativity with problem-solving to introduce solutions that make the world more functional. Similarly, once I receive my degree, I will continue to apply creativity in my career. Therefore, it is safe to say, that creativity will impact my personal and professional goals for the rest of my life.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Mathew 6:34 During my freshman and sophomore years of high school, I experienced multiple forms of abuse from two different boys. It was not until I was out of those relationships that I began to come to terms with the abuse that I had experienced. Understandably, it took me a long time to talk about these experiences, but because of persistence and patience with myself, and some help from God, I was ultimately able to heal from the circumstances that I had been in. Now, as a junior in college, I am happily married and have used my story to inspire close friends and others, realizing that even though the situation was terrible, it allowed me to gain strength and new knowledge to help others. Obstacles, regardless of how impossible they may seem to get past, can become fruitful experiences that forever shape your future. Our imperfect world, much like my imperfect high school experience, gives us more to worry about than we can handle. Even though we understand our inability to control our daily troubles, we often find ourselves worrying about tomorrow. I often think about this Bible verse when I start to worry about what tomorrow will bring, reminding myself that tomorrow is tomorrow, today is today, and my only knowledge is of the past and the present. This piece of wisdom has cured much of my daily anxieties, reminding me to live in the present and to leave my worries behind.

I have many future goals that I hope to achieve that will allow me to better myself, continue to grow, and impact the world around me in a positive way. First, I aim to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture that I am currently pursuing at the Cleveland Institute of Art in Cleveland, OH. After earning my degree, I aim to begin working in the design industry where I can make connections with others in the field and educate myself further. As I grow, I will push myself to continue to explore new things, exposing myself to different work environments that can create a strong foundation for my career skills. Additionally, I have personal goals that include bettering myself daily, living a life of selflessness, traveling to new places, and living a healthy lifestyle. I also strive to continue to grow in my Christian faith, possibly volunteering at local non-profit Christian organizations that help others in the community. In the future, I hope to start a family with my husband and raise our children to be compassionate, educated, and strong individuals. These goals are things that I am currently working towards daily and that I am confident I can achieve. I will continue to set new goals for myself for the rest of my life, always aiming to improve. Like everybody else, I have aspirations for a career, but I also do my best to make goals that will allow me to become a better person. Overall, I am happy with the goals I have set and hope to be an example for others because of them.

As a student who is a visual learner, my most successful study strategies include color coordinating and adding pictures to my notes. Using these two elements while studying allows me to successfully locate topics, memorize terms, and remember specific subjects. As a result of these study strategies, I have achieved great academic success in my studies. To elaborate, I always keep different colored pens and highlighters with me. Applying different colors to my notes gives me the ability to put them into different categories or mark certain subjects per their importance. Color coordination also allows me to organize my thoughts better, locate information in my notes faster, and have fun as I admire the rainbow of colors on my paper. As mentioned above, I also include small hand-drawn icons or found images in my notes. Sometimes I use icons and images to point out important information. Other times, I draw pictures to help myself better understand what my professor may be speaking about. For example, if my professor is teaching about different styles in building design, I might draw examples of those different styles instead of writing about them. Including images in my notes helps me understand the topics better and gives me the ability to have some creative expression while studying. Additionally, I sometimes find that images are easier to recall than written notes. Overall, applying color and pictures to my notes helps me tremendously when I study, giving me the ability to be organized, better retain information, and to have fun. I strongly encourage other students to try this study method, especially if they are visual learners like me.

Self-care is crucial in my life because it allows me to slow down, enjoy time away from my required daily tasks, and nurture my mental health. I practice self-care in many different ways, including spending time in nature, reading my Bible, being with my family, and relaxing in bed or on the couch. These self-care approaches allow me to recharge after busy days or hard weeks to continue to lead a life of happiness, strength, and health. To explain, spending time in nature allows me to appreciate the world's beauty, soak up much-needed vitamin D, and get physical exercise. Reading my Bible helps me clear my thoughts and achieve a balanced mindset. Being around my family results in laughing with the people I love and enjoying simple interactions. Lastly, reserving time to be alone and lie down lets me recharge by watching my favorite television shows and catching up on sleep. I believe that everyone needs to incorporate self-care into their lifestyle to nurture their mind, body, and soul. When I neglect to take time for self-care in my own life, I end up burnt out and sad, which often affects my ability to focus on work and daily tasks. Therefore, I aim to take care of myself so I can lead a fulfilling, happy, and productive life.

As a student pursuing a career in design, it is no surprise that creating and designing are my favorite pastimes and hobbies. I am passionate about design and the different ways I can use my creativity to impact the world around me. As mentioned above, I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture at the Cleveland Institute of Art in Cleveland, OH. I have become overwhelmingly passionate about the design of buildings and structures because of my schooling, broadening my design passion. Architectural design's ability to impact a person's mood, social interactions, and thoughts as they carry out their everyday tasks inspires me greatly. The reality of this is striking, understanding that what I create through my passions and hobbies can impact thousands of people's lives. I believe that art and design are the stepping stones of almost every aspect of society, paving the way for individuals to do their jobs effectively, enjoy the pleasures of life, and educate themselves with ease. Therefore, a hobby in art and design allows me to dabble in many different creative processes, opening the door for many opportunities within my career. I expect to continue to be passionate about design for the rest of my life and look forward to where these creative hobbies will take me, allowing me to enjoy myself while impacting the world one day at a time.

Love can heal, create smiles, produce friendships, and make someone's day better. I do many different things to make my friends, family, and peers feel loved. Sometimes, communicating love to others means me offering to help them in any way that they might need. Other times, it may be as simple as giving someone a hug or surprising them with their favorite coffee. One of my favorite things to do to make strangers feel loved is paying for other people's orders in the drive thru line. Regardless of what it is or who it is, I do my best to offer my help to others so that they feel loved and valued. Although there are many situations in which a person needs love, I try to show my love to others even on their best days. No matter the situation, I try to do anything that I can do to let my family, friends, and peers know that they are loved.

Joy is something that almost everybody wants in their lives but is proven to be difficult to have in a world full of trials. To me, pure joy means to be thankful for the privileges, things, and people that I have in life, regardless of the trials I face. My joy comes from the ability to be alive, experience a new day, have the privilege of freedom, and have the means to help others. Another large source of joy in my life comes from my Christian faith, which teaches me to be fully content with every circumstance in life. Often, we are taught to base our happiness and joy on objects, money, and success, but I have found that those things only produce temporary joy. Learning to find joy in the simple things in life has given me a forward-thinking mindset, allowing me to find happiness even on the hard days. Of course, there are days when I find it hard to smile, but I am slowly teaching myself to be joyful through every circumstance. The gifts of living, having new experiences, meeting new people, and having such a good God are foundations in my life that produce abounding joy in me. I hope to inspire other people and to show others that everlasting happiness is possible, even in an imperfect world.

As an art teacher at a summer camp who looks after large groups of children from ages two to thirteen, I have to practice patience often. Although it can be hard to be patient, it has always paid off in the end. I believe patience is important because it allows for growth and perseverance. I remember a specific time last summer when I had a young boy, who was four years old, who quietly sat in the corner and kept to himself, not wanting to take part in any of the activities. I realized that I had a choice in this situation. I could get frustrated and force him to take part in the daily crafts, or I could be patient with him. I chose to be patient, allowing him to sit out for craft time every day for almost two weeks. I made it a point to ask him daily if he would like to participate, and when he would inevitably respond "no," I would reassure him that it was okay. On the third week of camp, as I began the craft for the day, the boy sat down at the craft table and began speaking to the other children. When I asked him if he would like to participate, he smiled and responded, "yes please." It would be a lie if I said I didn't want to jump up and down in excitement at that moment. My patience had paid off and because of it, the boy was comfortable moving at his own pace, eventually growing and persevering to participate. In conclusion, I believe patience is important because it always yields growth and perseverance and is an integral part of learning.

My favorite book is the Bible because it offers instructions for all facets of life, helps me to grow in my Christian faith, and has changed my life for the better. I grew up in a household with parents who practiced Christianity, but I did not find the Christian faith until high school. Before finding my faith, I was not the best person. I was very judgmental, got lost in the wrong group of friends, and struggled to find happiness in life. By sophomore year of high school, I had lost many friends and was depressed. Knowing about the Christian faith because of my parents, I turned to the Lord and began to read the Bible. My eyes were opened and I effortlessly transformed into someone who valued love, found happiness in mundane things, and began helping others more often. My depression vanished, my relationship with my boyfriend, now husband, improved significantly, and the quality of life that I experienced improved. The words in the Bible changed me and my husband permanently and continue to change us daily. Now, a couple of years later, I read the Bible nightly and crave to learn more about it. I attend church weekly and have many amazing friends as a result. As an individual that started off my high school years at rock bottom, I can personally say that the Bible has the power to change lives. I hope that others experience this kind of transformation and I stand as a testament to a life forever changed because of the Bible.

As a student pursuing a career in design, it is no surprise that creating and designing are two of my favorite hobbies. I am passionate about creating and being creative. I believe that without art and design, the world would be dull and without anything new. Specifically, I am pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture. As a result, I am overwhelmingly passionate about the design of buildings and structures. As an interior architect, I can impact a person's mood, interactions, and thoughts as they walk through a space. The reality of this is striking, understanding that the form and function of what I create can impact every person who experiences it. Therefore, I enjoy designing the most because it gives me the ability to positively impact thousands of people's moods as they move through everyday life. Art and design are the steppingstones of almost every aspect of society, paving the way for individuals to do their jobs effectively, enjoy the pleasures of life, and educate themselves with ease. I will continue to be passionate about design, and I look forward to where my creations will take me, impacting the world one at a time.

I have always had a passion for taking care of children. As I grow into adulthood, I have found that I not only enjoy taking care of children, but I enjoy being able to serve parents, allowing them to get much-needed work done or to catch up on sleep. I do this by serving my church members, watching their children during church services, and watching my nieces and nephews. Although it may seem like a small gesture, raising kids is hard work and I truly believe that by serving parents in this way, I can take the weight off of their shoulders, giving them time outside of parenting to rest or to better themselves. As a result, these adults can recharge and come back to their children feeling rested and ready to tackle the day ahead of them. Taking care of children will always be a passion of mine and having the ability to serve others through this passion makes it even more rewarding. I continue to look forward to finding more ways that I can serve in this way and the impact that I can have on the overall health of parents because of it.

To me, friendship means the opportunity to show unconditional love, support, forgiveness, and care to others in order to improve both their quality and my quality of life. In a world full of turmoil, pain, and hurt, friendship breaks through as a strength in pairs to defeat all of the bad things in life. Friendship allows you to have a direct impact on another person's life and visa-versa. Having close friends should not be taken lightly and should be utilized as an opportunity to make that person smile, laugh, and feel loved more often. Additionally, a result of being a loving and supportive friend is feeling more fulfilled in your own life because you know that you have the helpful hand of your friends to offer you advice and company. Overall, friendship is a human need that offers daily positivity, growth, and support. Friendship is a privilege that should be appreciated daily.

Many can agree that a simple act of giving can brighten one's day. For this reason, giving is extremely important to me. I live with the daily goal to give to those around me. I believe that giving can not only make a person's day better, but it can improve their overall outlook on the world. Everybody has bad days, therefore if you can give to those around you, then you have the chance to change a person's bad day into a good day. There are many ways to give back to others but the most common ways that I give back is through the giving of gifts and friendship. In my daily life, I strive to lend a helping hand through gifts of all types. Whether the gift may be money, a warm coffee, flowers, or an object that the individual needs, I am happy to give it. But, in my opinion, the gift of friendship is the most valuable gift of them all. So many times are people in need of a friend. As I walk through life, I remind myself of this fact and I do everything that I can to let the people around me know that if they need a friend, they can find one in me. Overall, the ability to give back should never be taken for granted and should always be utilized. The world needs more people open to giving to others and I will always do my best to be a part of the positive change towards giving.

Listening is an action that can have many purposes and many outcomes. Not only is listening important to be able to learn and understand, but it is an integral part of forming relationships with others. To me, listening means being open to learning, growing, and creating new friendships, as well as being an important tool to communicate love and respect to those around you. Although it seems like a simple task, listening, regardless of how beneficial one knows it is, can be a very difficult thing to do. We live in a very fast-paced world and our own thoughts and desires often get in the way of being able to actively listen. One tactic that I use that helps me listen effectively is consciously reminding myself of the importance of making others feel like they are being heard. I find it hard to listen when I am only focusing on myself, but when I think about the feelings of the person speaking to me, I come to my senses that it is disrespectful and hurtful to the speaker to not listen. This tactic is very effective in helping me listen with purpose. This is only one approach to how someone can actively listen to those around them, but I find it is the best approach for me. I encourage others to try this and to search for other ways of listening that might work better for them. Regardless of how it is done, being able to actively listen is extremely important for the betterment of yourself, your friends, and your peers.

My name is Alli Cola. I strive to live a life full of love for others and for design. I am in the process of pursuing my BFA in interior architecture, and I am proud of the hard academic work that has led me to follow my dreams. I believe that design is the basis on which most things in our world function and that design can make the world a better place. Within my career, I plan to focus on sustainable commercial and residential building design. Outside of academic life, I spend my free time with my family and friends, exploring nature, traveling, and being active within my church.

My name is Alli Cola. I grew up and currently live about forty-five minutes East of Cleveland, Ohio. I graduated in May of 2019 from Chardon High School with grades that reflected my hard work and determination. I took many art classes in high school that taught me everything from traditional drawing to laser engraving. I have had a passion for art and design for as long as I can remember. During my sophomore year of high school, I decided to pursue a career in design, specifically at the Cleveland Institute of Art in interior architecture. After graduating high school, I enrolled in the Cleveland Institute of Art and opted to take a gap year, a time in which I worked as an assistant manager at a pottery studio and married my high school sweetheart. Now, in December of 2021, I am a Sophomore at the Cleveland Institute of Art majoring in interior architecture. I plan to acquire my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and continue my career as an interior architect by working in the field and possibly owning a firm in the future. As a student pursuing a career in design, I am passionate about creating and being creative. I believe that without art and design, the world would be extremely dull. I am interested in the interior architecture field because it allows me to have a creative outlet where my ideas become physical fragments of my imagination. Being an architectural artist lets me contribute to the world in a way that is concrete compared to most visual artwork. While my ideas are executed on paper, they later transform into beautiful solid structures and interiors that can impact the thoughts of people passing by, the skyline of a city, and people’s everyday lives. To aid my education, I spend a lot of my time reading books that further my knowledge about my career path and about life. I read books such as "Architecture: Form, Space, and Order by Francis D.K. Ching", which gives me insight into design principles, allowing me to advance in my studies. I also spend time reading articles and magazines, specifically from design companies. Outside of reading to gain design knowledge, I spend a lot of time reading my Bible, books about improving myself, and books about marriage that my husband and I often share. These books have given me the ability to further my education and strengthen my knowledge and confidence to continue to educate myself about all topics. These books allow me to set goals with conviction, giving me the tools to do so. I am fortunate for the ability to read and educate myself, helping me to be confident in the goals that I set for myself. I will also continue to be passionate about design, looking forward to where my creations will take me. My passions for art, design, and life will live on in my future and I look forward to the growth that I will experience as I continue on.

I believe that love is at the root of everything good in the world. Without love, there is little joy, peace, patience, kindness, and selflessness. I also believe that lasting change does not happen through one event or action but an abundance of impactful measures. Combining these two beliefs leaves me aspiring to make a positive impact on the world by showing love to as many people as I can, through multiple different avenues, to make a lasting difference in their lives. Consequently, inspiring the ones I show love to will ultimately deposit more love into the world. The importance of love is abundant, being an action that can heal, help, save lives, create smiles, and so much more. Love can outshine pain, struggle, and negativity, giving people a sense of hope and strength for the future. As stated earlier, love can be displayed in a range of different ways. For example, love can mean giving a person a place to sleep for the night, helping them pay their bills during a period of uncertainty, or offering them friendship amid hardship. Love can also be shown through small acts such as leaving a server a large tip, hugging someone, complimenting a person's outfit, or even sharing a friendly smile with an individual walking past. In explanation, most actions that are good and helpful are actions that start with the ambition to love others. Therefore, I aim to be a person that shows love to others regardless of their differences and encourages my peers to live a life led by love for others too. By choosing to live this way, I intend to show people what it truly means to be loved, hoping that it will create a butterfly effect in which more people can experience unconditional love. With the spread of more love comes the spread of more positivity, therefore leaving a positive impact on the lives of others and the world as a whole. Although it may be difficult at times, choosing to show unconditional love to others through selfless and thoughtful acts is absolutely necessary. I believe that the world does not have enough people willing to love their peers unconditionally and I hope to be an example of the positive changes needed within the world. I aim to carry out acts of love and kindness daily and continue to be passionate about the necessity of love until I am no longer here, leaving a positive impact on the world through my actions towards others. At the end of the day, love is what matters, and I encourage others to have the same mindset so that the world can be a place of acceptance, joy, and selflessness.

My Christian beliefs have taught me that the meaning of life is love, service, and faith. I strongly believe that humans exist because of God, and the truth that the Bible speaks tells us that one of the most important things of all is love. We are here to love each other, support each other, to spread the knowledge of Christ, to serve each other, and to be strong in faith. In a world that is often full of chaos, hatred, and judgment, I try to be a light to others. I do my best to offer unconditional love to everybody around me, regardless of their race, gender, beliefs, political views, or societal status. I also try to serve as many people as possible, understanding that life is hard and sometimes we all need a helping hand. Knowingly, I am not perfect, and there are days when I fail at being loving, non-judgmental, and strong in my faith, but I do my best every day. Love, service, and faith are what give my life the most meaning and are what I believe to be the true meaning of life on Earth. Achieving these things is not always easy, especially when society speaks of ideas that are the exact opposite, but they have resulted in an overwhelmingly fulfilling life for me.

I am a student pursuing a career in design; therefore, I am extremely passionate about creating and being creative. I have had artistic talent since I was little, having the ability to create and design from a young age. My talents in art have become more than talents for me, now being a career path for my future. Specifically, I am pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture. I practice my creative skills almost every day as I work towards my degree, spending my time completing design projects that require nothing less than my best creative ideas. Similarly, once I receive my degree, I will continue to apply creativity in my career field. In addition to practicing building design, I participate in other classes such as printmaking and drawing. Being a part of different forms of artmaking, other than building design, allows me to be well versed in all media of art, which strengthens my artistic talents. Art and design are talents that I am thankful for and passionate about. I look forward to honing my talents as I pursue them, and I am confident that I will continue to be passionate about creativity and design for the rest of my life.

In a world full of diversity and differing opinions, it can sometimes be challenging to stay true to yourself and speak your mind, especially when you know your views may not be accepted in a particular setting. Even though it may be scary, I believe that being honest and true to yourself is important for self-confidence and the well-being of others. I stay committed to speaking my mind mainly because of my Christian faith. I realize that not everybody agrees with Christian ideals and beliefs, but I stay true to who I am and what I believe even when I face uncomfortable moments. I not only stay publicly committed to my beliefs, but I use my beliefs as a tool to guide me in any situation. For example, the Bible speaks about trusting in the Lord no matter what and understanding that he is always with you to guide you. This knowledge brings me great comfort and gives me the confidence to speak my mind because if the God of the Universe is watching over me, I have nothing to be scared of. I know that God created me uniquely, so I embrace the differences I have with others and remain thankful, even in the eyes of disagreement. In my opinion, having different ideals as others is what makes the world function effectively. The blessing of each person being unique allows for diverse conversation, education, and inclusivity. God created everybody for a specific purpose, therefore there is no shame in staying true to yourself. We are all beautiful in our own ways.

I am blessed to have a life so far that is full of love, friendships, a strong family bond, and unwavering faith. Although I have faced hardships, such as relational abuse, mental health issues, and minor medical setbacks, I continue to value the experiences I have had thus far. These aspects have shaped my hopes for the future by offering me strength, joy, resilience, confidence, and a support system. Growing up in a large, supportive family has given me life-long friends that I know have my back through any situation. Getting married has also given me a lifelong relationship that produces support. The faith that I have found in Christianity, again, offers support. All of this support has given me the confidence to be myself without holding back and to make large goals. I am joyful for all I have been given in life, allowing me to live with overflowing happiness. Even the setbacks in my life, like experiencing abuse in high school relationships and mental health issues, have ultimately made me a more well-rounded individual. These situations strengthened me and my confidence, giving me the ability to go head-on in life without hesitation. After reflecting on all of this, I am thankful for the life I have and my ability to have strong hopes for the future because of my life experiences. Of course, everybody has bad days and moments when it is hard to feel confident, but overall, my life has given me the tools that I need to remain strong in the future. I look forward to continuing to grow and for all of the experiences to come, good and bad.

A world without diversity and equality is without love, acceptance, freedom, and education. Diversity and equality are essential to having a healthy country and creating a world of inclusivity. The actions that I take to support equality and diversity are simple and are actions that everybody can do. To support equality and diversity, I simply treat everybody around me with kindness, acceptance, and equal treatment. Regardless of race, sexuality, religious beliefs, and political ideals, everybody deserves to be loved unconditionally and treated with equality. As well as taking these actions, I publicly express an attitude of likeness to my peers, hoping to inspire them to support equality and diversity. In moments of discrimination, I do my part to stand up for the suppressed and stress the importance of equal treatment. As stated before, for a country to be healthy and for people to learn from each other, there must be equality and diversity. No person is the same, a fact that should be valued rather than looked down on. I will continue to stand up for marginalized and suppressed groups, proving that appreciation towards other people's differences makes the world a better place.

I have many future goals that I hope to achieve in my career that will allow me to better myself, continue to grow, and impact the world around me positively. First, I aim to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture that I am currently actively pursuing. After earning my degree, I plan to use that degree to begin working in a firm where I can make connections with others in the design field and educate myself further. As I grow, I will push myself to continue to explore new things, exposing myself to different work environments that can create a strong foundation in my skills. Additionally, I have goals of bettering myself, living a life of selflessness, and being a reliable friend. Although these are not traditional career goals, I believe that being a person that is well-rounded and compassionate creates a better quality of life in all areas, including professionally. These goals are things that I am currently working towards daily and that I am confident I can achieve. Like everybody else, I have aspirations for a career, but I also do my best to make goals that will allow me to become a better person daily. Overall, I am happy with the goals that I have set for myself, and I hope to be an example for others to make goals that will have a lasting impact on the world.

I have been passionate about nature and travel for as long as I can remember. Understandably, because of my parent's work schedules, my family was not able to go on many vacations when I was younger. As a result, most of my bucket list is comprised of different places that I would like to travel to. Some of the places on my bucket list are within my country, the United States of America, including Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Maine, Georgia, Florida, and California. Other places, like Italy, Iceland, and Egypt, are outside of my country. Because of obstacles like money, college, and the current worldwide Coronavirus pandemic, I have not been able to make much progress on my bucket list. I hope to begin traveling more after I receive my degree, as long as the pandemic is no longer a threat. On the positive side, I have had the ability to make small trips with my husband to surrounding states near me such as Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Tennesse, and Maryland. I look forward to continuing to pursue traveling and I hope that by the time I receive my degree I can do so safely without the threat of Coronavirus.

Humans, including myself, have an innate, deep connection to nature. As an artist, a lot of my artwork is inspired by nature, exploring this connection and its profound meanings. These pieces also delve into why I love nature, why it should be appreciated, and how it should be appreciated. I have created pieces of artwork that illustrate the similarities of the human body and nature, exploring ideas like growth, cycles, and the similar forms that humans and nature have, like veins and ligaments. In explanation, these works show that my love of nature is not only because of its beauty but also because of the overwhelming presence that nature has within the human body. I believe that humans find so much inspiration from nature because we are deeply intertwined with it in ways that even science cannot understand. To actively appreciate nature, I take part in keeping it healthy and clean. I support the preservation of parks and rainforests, recycle as much as I can, invest in small businesses that are involved with the saving of animals, and as said before, make artwork that illustrates the power of nature in order to inform others of its importance. My relationship and passion for nature is something that I have always had and that I believe most humans have. It is no secret that nature is beautiful, profound, and deserves to be taken care of at all costs. As I continue on in my life, I plan to keep focusing on sustainability and supporting natural preservation as much as possible so that future generations have a healthy Earth.

Before I begin this story, I would like to be respectful to the readers in disclaiming that it includes mention of relational abuse. I decide to be open about this obstacle that has happened in my life because I believe that I have the ability to help those around me through this story. During my freshman and sophomore years of high school, I experienced multiple forms of abuse from two different boyfriends that I had during those years. It was not until I was out of those relationships that I began to come to terms with the abuse that I had experienced. Understandably, it took me a long time to be able to talk about these experiences, but I was ultimately able to heal from the circumstances that I had been in, emerging on the other side of them with a strength that I am thankful to have. Now, as a sophomore in college, I am happily married and have used my story to inspire close friends and anybody else that can benefit from it, realizing that even though the situation was terrible, I came out stronger than before and I can now help other people who may be going through similar situations. I hope to inspire others through this story as well, showing that life comes with many obstacles but those obstacles can be steppingstones to a life that yields more strength, resilience, and joy. Obstacles, regardless of how impossible they may seem to get over, are simply life experiences that offer the ability to grow, gain skills, and help others.

As a student pursuing a career in design, I am extremely passionate about creating and being creative. I believe that without art and design, the world would be extremely dull and without anything new. As we live our daily lives, it is easy to forget that everything that our hands touch and everything that our eyes see has been designed and created by somebody. Even down to a simple pencil, there is nothing that is produced in our world that was not carefully and artistically designed. Specifically, I am pursuing to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Architecture. As a result, I am overwhelmingly passionate about the design of buildings and structures. As an interior architect, I can impact a person's mood, interactions, and thoughts as they walk through a space. The reality of this is striking, understanding that the form and function of what I create can impact every person who experiences it. It is understandable then what a large undertaking it is to be a designer and why I must be passionate about it in order to be successful. Art and design are the steppingstones of almost every aspect of society, paving the way for individuals to be able to do their jobs effectively, enjoy the pleasures of life, and educate themselves with ease. I will continue to be passionate about design and I look forward to where my creations will take me, impacting the world one at a time.

I have many goals that I hope to achieve in the future that will make a lasting impact on the lives of the people around me. Although some of my goals are personal goals about my career and life, I aim to set goals that will have positive impacts on my friends, family, co-workers, and peers as well. First, the personal and career goals that I hope to accomplish are to receive my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Architecture from my current art institution, to use that degree to begin working in a firm in which I will find a specific job title that I enjoy, to begin building a family with my husband, and among all to continue to nurture my religion. On the other hand, I have goals that include bettering myself, living a life of selflessness and giving, being a friend that is reliable and understanding, loving the people around me unconditionally, and raising my children to be people that do the same. All of these goals are things that I am currently working towards daily and that I am confident I can achieve. Just like everybody else, I have aspirations for my personal life and career, but I also do my best to make goals that don't only benefit myself, but other people too. Overall, I am happy with the goals that I have set for myself and I hope to be an example for others to make goals that will have a lasting impact on the world.

My favorite piece of art is the piece "Walking on Water - Glacier" by artist Makoto Fujimura. This piece of artwork inspires me because of its ability to strike emotion and wonder in its viewer as well as communicate an important tribute, regardless of how minimal the mark-making on the canvas is. The ability of Fujimura to make a piece of contemporary abstract artwork that is able to impact the viewer and to make them wonder about the piece's meaning is extremely telling of how talented this artist is. An aspect about this piece of work that I like is the successfulness of depth created in such little subject matter, allowing the viewer to lose themselves in the layers of the painting. Another aspect that I greatly respect about "Walking on Water - Glacier" is that this piece of artwork is a tribute to the 2011 Tohoku Great Earth Quake and Tsunami, a natural disaster that took the lives of many and negatively impacted many others. Makoto Fujimura's mission to make a tribute to this devastating disaster is truly an act of compassion and allows the artwork take on very important meaning. Overall, Makoto Fujimura did a wonderful job drawing his viewers into this artwork as well as presenting them with an important salute to the ones who lost their homes and lives in the 2011 Tohoku Great Earthquake and Tsunami.

The quality that I most value in myself is my ability to act as a leader and through that, God has given me the ability to show the people around me what true love, acceptance, and friendship looks like. I truly believe that our lives should not be spent on our ambitions and talents, but on leaving a mark on the people around us in order to better their lives. Having this quality of leadership in my life, paired with the ability to offer others unconditional love, allows me to make large positive impacts on the people around me and to help guide others to devote their lives to loving others too. Although being able to do this will help me to network and grow, the true joy comes to me from knowing that I can inspire the people around me to make the world a more loving, progressive, and accepting place. I firmly believe that a better future is not based on superficial matters, better technology, or political readiness, but that it is based on power and love in the masses working together to create cultural change. The more individuals that I am able to encourage, love, and lead to a life of caring for others, the more that they will be able to lead others in this way too. I stand strong and passionate about this matter and strive to encourage as many people as possible to be the change that the world needs. It is possible to make a change, even if it is one person at a time. If the world were to join forces on this matter of unconditional love, society would become unrecognizable. Suicide rates would plummet, poverty would nearly diminish, financial hardship would be a thing of the past, and fear for the future would become joy for tomorrow. Having been given the qualities of leadership and the ability to spread love is something that I will never take for granted and will continue to utilize as much as possible, striving to outreach to as many individuals as I can. On the other hand, the true change has to happen through the masses. A world that exemplifies unconditional love is a world that almost everybody needs. A world full of love is possible, but only through the power of our God-given abilities and human compassion uniting to make a lasting change in the world.