My biggest inspiration in life is my mom. Growing up my mom was a single parent and supporting my brother and I was difficult for her, even though she never admits to it. I could see the struggle in her tears as she silently cried herself to sleep next to me. My mom, brother, and I have lived in various family members homes because money is tight. Although my mom has trouble making ends meet, she always found a way to make sure my brother and I were fed and fully clothed. She's my inspiration because till this day manages to pay for my college and support my brother back home. This is my driving force because I never want my kids to struggle the way I did growing up. I want a better future for myself then living pay check to pay check. I have the brain to get far and I will do anything it takes to succeed. God bless you all for giving me an opportunity to apply for this scholarship.

A woman I admire is my mom. As a single parent, supporting two kids can be rough but my mom has always made ends meet. She has impacted who I am today by showing me how to be independent and how to set goals to become the person I desire. She has shown me that I must work hard for everything I have because nothing will be handed to me. She has pushed me to become a better version of myself and I hope to one day be as strong and courageous as she is. Seeing my mother struggle to buy me and my brother school clothes every year, shoes, and give us a hot meal has inspired me to try harder. She always told me, "Mija tu puedes hacer cualquier cosa la vida", which means I can do anything I want with my life. She was right, I am currently studying to become a Mechanical Engineer at Texas A&M-College Station. The endless talks and advice shared amongst my mom and I will be used in my everyday life as well as my career. My motto is, "Everything you put your mind to, you can do". My mom is my life, she is the reason I don't complain about a heavy workload at school because suffering only lasts for a little while, success is forever.

My name is Alyssa Garcia and I plan on finishing my degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am currently finishing up my first year of College at Texas A&M-College Station. I have a heavy workload considering that my major is math and science based but I’ve maintained hard work and dedication to my studies because I know it will pay off in the end. After graduation I plan on working for Tesla or an airplane company such as Boeing. What excites me most about the world is everything I have yet to see. I would love to travel once I am set with my career because the sky’s the limit. I would like to see how other cultures work and expand my knowledge of what’s around me. There’s so much I have yet to explore. Coming from a poor neighborhood, I’ve been giving back since I was able to. I have done various volunteer events but when I am set with my career, I would like to give back to students like me who struggle paying for college because of tough situations such as single parents, low income, etc. Not only will I help kids in my area but I would like to help other students in the state of Texas.

I was first introduced to Jesus when I was 6 years old. My first church was in Spanish and it was made up of no more than 20 people. That church changed me. It was never about the size of the church, but the presence of God and the presence of God was there. Growing up I was challenged to learn bible verses, the chapters in the bible, and important stories of the bible. As I grew up I realized how much of an affect Jesus has made in my life. As everyone knows college is expensive and having a single parents income is difficult at times but God always comes through. God always provides and continues to provide. Although I am not able to attend my little church because of COVID (my church is mainly made up of old elderly people) and because I moved to a different city for college, I still watch church online and continue to pray everyday. Without God none of this would be possible. He is my savior.

The most important lesson I have learned with only one year of experience in college as a STEM major is to manage your time. Earning a degree in a STEM field is challenging. My weekends are taken up with work and my weekdays are just as hard. As someone who likes to get ahead, I had to realize that I need to make time for myself as well. Yes, studying and getting ahead is important but taking time to reflect on yourself is just as important. The work will have to get done either way, so why not spend some time on yourself. I have also learned that the suffering of a heavy workload only lasts so long. In four years it will be over and I hope to be pursing a job as a Mechanical Engineer for Tesla. Suffering isn’t an eternity and I’d rather work hard now then work hard for the rest of my life.

All of these pictures we’re taking in various parts of Europe this past summer. The most daring picture has to be of me on the side of a mountain in Switzerland. Since I am from Texas, snow was not something I was used to seeing so I got on the edge of the mountain and took a picture. I almost fell a couple of times because my friends were throwing snowballs at me, but the picture came out great and it looks like I could be sponsored in a Nike commercial.