The system of education allows me to feel like I’m accomplishing something. Education also builds my self-esteem. This pertains to classroom education and independent learning. I’m not a traditional 4-year college student, but I am a multitasker. After graduating from high school in 2023, I enlisted in the Ohio National Guard. I wanted to further my education and serve my country, so I chose both. I basically had to take a gap year due to the length of basic training and AIT. Many people told me that I would never go back to college. I overcame this doubt in the fall of 2024. Higher education also allows me to transition from childhood to adulthood in a positive way. I don’t need structure, but I want structure. Even though I’m now an adult, I only want some of that responsibility. I have a part-time job and manage responsibilities such as finances and social life. I don’t have to worry about being entirely independent. I still use my parents as a resource, and that’s entirely okay. I’m learning how to be independent and use the resources available to me. I was recently deployed overseas. During my deployment, I transitioned to taking online classes. This was a rough transition. This provided an introduction to the responsibilities that many adults carry. I took 2 semesters of college during this time period. During my first semester, I struggled to balance my time. This caused me to miss the dean’s list. I was very disappointed in myself. During the following semester, I made the dean's list while performing my military duties to standard. These duties sometimes consisted of 60-hour workweeks. I learned how to balance my time, which allowed me to accomplish my goals. Educators in my journey have pointed me in the right direction, and I’m grateful for that. I view many of my former teachers and professors as mentors. My major is criminal justice. I’ve expressed my desire to work in this field to many of these people. This has allowed me to make connections with members of local and state law enforcement. These connections will be valuable in this harsh job market. Both college and the military are areas where I’ve met some of these people. This is another reason why these structured environments are beneficial to career development. As previously mentioned, education doesn’t just occur in the classroom. I want to improve in areas such as finance and fitness. I’ve used my knowledge and research to begin investing in the stock market. This has allowed me to make small amounts of money and gain valuable financial experience. I also did some research on fitness. In the past year, I have increased my deadlift from 225 pounds to 405 pounds. I was an athlete in high school, but that didn’t necessarily mean I was an experienced lifter. I hope to continue these endeavors. I utilize many resources to make these decisions. I do use Artificial Intelligence for things like this at times because it can be very efficient. I use this item as a tool, rather than a way of life. I value learning because I don’t want to make the same mistake as others. I want to succeed and eventually provide for the ones who cared for me. With all of this in mind, society questions whether higher education is necessary. It’s a fair question. Variables are constantly changing, and college is expensive. People heavily rely upon artificial intelligence and use it as a way of life rather than a tool. This could be a major concern for the collegiate landscape in the future. When my mom was a kid, she always told me how difficult it was to attend college; she didn’t attend due to financial reasons. Now, no one is going because they are focused on a blue-collar job. This isn’t how I want to live life. Most of my friends work at construction companies or weld. They make money doing this, but they don’t enjoy it. This is the broken system that society has built. In all honesty, the United States dollar is made of paper, and inflation will continue to happen. I’d rather find a way to enjoy life than be caught in a tragic system that takes the joy away from you. I want to make a difference in the lives of others, and that can’t be done from some positions. Education isn’t for everyone, but it’s for me, and I hope to use what I learn to the best of my ability.

My Grandma recently passed away; this was a tough pill to swallow. Like everything, I eventually overcame the grief. When we were sorting through her belongings, I uncovered some of my grandpa's old belongings. Some of these items included his dog tags, and fishing equipment. I returned from basic training a few months ago. My grandpa also served in the military during post-World War 2 operations. Needless to say, the dog tags meant quite a lot to me. I didn’t have the opportunity to meet my grandpa but the fact that we have so much in common made my day. I’ve always had a fascination with the idea of fishing. When I was about five or six, my mom would take me out to a family member's house to fish. However, this soon became rare. My parents divorced about 2 years prior, and my mom struggled financially, therefore was not able to prioritize a hobby such as fishing. When I grew into a teenager, I was a multi-sport athlete. I also volunteered in the community often. I did fish but only with my friends. I recognized that it was very important to save money for the future, so I didn’t buy my own equipment during high school. When I graduated high school in 2023, I decided to enlist in the National guard. This allows me to attend college with minimal cost, stay relatively near my home and even play sports. Having worked 4 jobs by the age of 18, I have now achieved enough financial stability to purchase my own fishing equipment. I now go fishing at least once a week. My new goal is to get a boat so that I can catch a variety of fish. I currently fish in the Ohio river often, but, when I’m fishing from land, I can only catch a few species such as Bluegill, carp, catfish and walleye. I’m also starting the journey of living away from home to attend college. I will be majoring in Criminal justice and minoring in journalism this fall at Bowling Green State university. My career desire is to serve in a federal law enforcement agency. Throughout college, I intend to complete internships with local police departments near my university. I think that college will increase my social network more than anything. I’m hopeful these years will allow me to find extenuating routes for career advancement. With this said, college offers a variety of classes which can extend my education and properly prepare me for the real world. I’m more interested in non-criminal justice related classes. Rather than simply focusing on my major, I’m excited to increase the current perspective I hold on to the world.

Social media has become a common part of today's society, many civilian interactions involving law enforcement tend to induce the use of cameras. Education of public service members has become paramount to maintaining or improving public standing. Minorities really are the target of many instances of derogatory behavior by law enforcement. This does not mean all or most law enforcement officers are a “bad apple”. In fact, the contrary is true, most law enforcement officers are extremely well trained and disciplined, but that's not what makes the news. For example, during basic training, I was involved in the most renowned company on Fort Leonardwood, however, one of my peers made a choice involving sexual misconduct. Among neighboring companies, we lost an immense amount of respect and our reputation was severely tainted. The issue is not the many but the few and it will take a significant amount of time to build any type of solid reputation back up. The issue with this is that many people don’t understand the values required to be a public service officer. Corruption has always been an issue, people care more about money than the well-being of others. At the same time, finding a balance so that every officer doesn’t become a “pencil pusher” is a necessity. Developing social connections is one of the best assets to being a law enforcement officer. The social aspect of law enforcement can escalate many situations. I often witness videos online, albeit, I search them up which show officers escalate situations, sometimes intentionally. Sometimes character cannot be fixed, but, lack of education can be. An idea to improve officer education may be to mandate education regarding the rights of citizens such as amendments in the United States constitution. I want to work in law enforcement because I recognize the failures of our society. I want our government to be guided without bias of others, and it starts one person at a time. I’d like to serve in a federal law enforcement agency such as the FBI or the DEA and a bachelor's degree is required to do so. I am also only 18 years old so the amount of opportunities in law enforcement is limited to corrections. As a kid, I was always fascinated by law enforcement officers, my youngest brother seems very similar. I watch Criminal Minds, NCIS and Blue Bloods on a regular basis and the criminology aspect of these shows sparked an interest in me. I will be majoring in criminal justice in the fall of 2024 at Bowling Green State university in Toledo, Ohio. I also enlisted in the Ohio National Guard in the summer of 2023 in hopes of advancing my career possibilities in law enforcement. I really appreciate your consideration for this scholarship and have a good day:)