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Allison McGowan

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Finalist

General information

Location
Wichita, KS
US Citizenship
US Citizen

Hobbies & Interests

  • Volunteering
  • FFA
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities
  • Martial Arts
  • Child Development

Reading

  • Adult Fiction
  • Christianity
  • Cultural
  • Environment
  • Gardening
  • How-To
  • Health
  • Magical Realism

I read books daily.

Bio

It is nice to meet you, I am Allison. The most important thing in my life right now is my three year old daughter named Jade. She had a sister that died after open heart surgery. Because of this loss I cherish her above all. The second most important thing in my life is my schooling. After my first daughter passed away shortly after graduating high school my hopes of obtaining a college degree seemed to fade. Ten years had flown by and my dreams of going to college and making something of myself felt like they had as well. Until my second daughter was born and I came to the realization that I would honor my my first born by continuing my education and obtaining a degree that would put me in a position to help others. As well as show my second daughter how important it is to receive an education. Although, I don't know what my future holds, I do know I'm going to make a difference in my community and more. With this being said, the only way I will be able to spread the love and light I hold inside of myself is if I continue to pursue my dream of obtaining a college education. Furthermore, A college education will broaden my skills, opens more doors, and bring forth opportunity. With those things under my belt I can show my daughter how important helping others and spreading love to everyone you meet really is; all while honoring her sister, Esme. Thank you for everything.

Education

Cowley County Community College

Associate's degree program

2021 – 2023

Majors:
  • Health and Medical Administrative Services

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Majors of interest:
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
Medical school interest:
No

Career

  • Team leader

    Food & Beverages · McDonald's

    Jan 2008 – Jan 2013

  • Assistant manager

    Retail · Doller General

    Jan 2017 – Jan 2019

  • Shift manager

    Food & Beverages · Braums inc

    Jan 2013 – Jan 2017

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Public Health
Dream career goals:
Public relations specialist and parasitology researcher that aids in finding breakthroughs and cures for NTD in the United States..
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Politics
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
REVIVAL Scholarship
Shortly after I graduated high school in 2008, I gave birth to a baby girl I named Esme. Esme was born with heart defects and was extremely ill. Unfortunately, in 2009, at only 11 months old, she passed away, shortly following open-heart surgery. A miracle happened when a part of her lived on when she saved a 67-year-old man's life with her kidney. Subsequently, a decade had flown by, and my dreams of going to college faded. That was until 2018, when I gave birth to my second daughter, Jade. Again, being a mother made me realize that it wasn't too late to begin college. I decided I needed to enroll in college right away because Jade's father had been sick on and off for a while. My biggest fear is something happening to him, and I won't be able to take care of my daughter the way she deserves financially. I enrolled in college in 2021 to become economically independent and show my daughter how important it is to get an education. Since attending college, it has brought forth a feeling of accomplishment and potential I thought I no longer possessed. Furthermore, I can proudly say that I'm a 31-year-old stay-at-home mom, a full-time college student, and the first person to graduate high school and attend college in my family. It is the first time since high school that I have goals for the future. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm going to graduate college with an associate's degree in Health Administration and community development. Afterward, my goal is to continue to a bachelor's degree program. I am excited, and I am hopeful for the future. I'm going to honor Esme's memory by getting into a career field where I can help others. I couldn't picture what my future would be like before I enrolled, but now that I'm attending college, there's an infinite amount of opportunity for me. I love being a mom, but I have way too much potential to be known as just a mom. I will set a good example for my daughter and enjoy every minute of it. With my daughter by my side and a special angel protecting us, the sky is the limit.
Bold Self-Care Scholarship
I have to take a few small steps before the beautiful chaos that is my daughter has a chance to wake, before I grab my phone to scroll social media, and before I let negativity into my mind and body. I cleanse the negativity from yesterday by showering, brushing my teeth and hair, and dressing in fresh clothes. Those small steps are so vital to my well-being. If I skip even one of these steps, I will feel heavy all day. Kind of like I'm carrying an invisible weight all day. I also am sure to make my bed because a neat bed feels better than a messy one. Afterward, I go to a room I call my "peaceful place" and meditate. While I meditate, I let go of all of yesterday's stressors, and before I allow any negativity to bring me down, I remind myself it's a new day and a fresh start. After letting the negative energy I absorbed yesterday, I begin thinking positive thoughts, and slowly, I allow my mind to become quiet. I do that by imagining a magnificent light of pure love. This mentally and emotionally prepares for the day to come. Meditation rests my mind and body and makes me feel invigorated and ready for anything that day could bring. Of equal importance to my well-being is setting boundaries. I believe in the law of attraction wholeheartedly. Negativity is not welcome in my life. These things have impacted my life exponentially. I went from being a depressed, negative person to a fulfilled, happy person at peace with myself. I feel good about my life and myself and feel a sense of peace that I truly love. If I do not care for myself, I am useless to anyone else.
Allison McGowan Student Profile | Bold.org