As a kid, my mom taught me how to read. She told me that books were my way to explore the world and learn. We read together often, and I discovered the joy of learning new things. Both my parents sacrificed much to support my education by helping me learn skills and become a well-rounded individual. Because of them, I got to take piano lessons and play sports. I learned baking with my mom and woodworking with my dad. Eventually, I found my passion for cybersecurity and have read many books about the subject since then. I grew up as a military kid, moving every few years. I was bullied quite a lot, and it was difficult to make friends. Books gave me an escape; I read so often that, instead of grounding me from TV or games, my parents would take away the book I was currently reading as a punishment. The books I read profoundly affected the way I viewed people and the world. Books impacted everything in my life, from relationships and education to career aspirations, wanting to give back to the community, and my dreams of what to do in life. There have been a plethora of books that I have learned from and loved, like “The Hiding Place,” which gave me a glimpse into the life of a woman who, in the face of unfathomable challenges, was resilient and stayed true to herself by continuing to worship Christ. I remember crying when I finished the book. Corrie Ten Boom’s story gave me the strength to remain steadfast in my faith and to fight through the challenges that life has thrown at me. As a young woman going into the male-dominated field of cybersecurity, one of the books that has helped and encouraged me to chase my goals is “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus. The book follows the story of Elizabeth Zott, who was one of the only female chemists in the 1950s. It chronicles her journey as she faces inequality, misogyny, and tragic hardships. Reading about her resilience and how she fought through her challenges empowered me by giving me the strength to keep working toward my dreams despite the challenges I have personally experienced while working in IT. The books I’ve read help me through my own life and give me insight into how the world works and the lives of others. Lessons I’ve taken from books have instilled in me the values of ambition, curiosity, adaptability, and a commitment to helping others. As I get ready for the next chapter of my life, I will strive to keep these lessons and morals close as I enter college and the workforce. These books and so many others have changed the course of my life, pushed me to be a better person, and allowed me to realize that my true dreams lie not in affluence or power but in the ability to help others and fill my life with adventures.

I’m a young woman in Texas entering the traditionally male-dominated field of cybersecurity. I have already encountered surprising amounts of gender disparity and inequality. These issues and firsthand experiences are what drive me to fight against gender barriers. I grew up being told I could achieve anything I set my mind to. However, the obstacles I have faced due to gender disparity were unexpected. My passion for cybersecurity and AI has driven me to succeed in school, earn certifications, and secure internships. This summer I interned with H-E-B as an electronic maintenance technician. To my surprise, I was the only woman hired for the position in a team of five immature young men who had secured their internship through personal connections instead of merit. Although I have truly enjoyed learning so much during the internship there have been days where I came home and just cried because of the additional difficulties I faced imposed by the other interns such as rude behavior, pranks, and derogatory comments made towards me as well as other women. Despite my coworker’s actions I continued to work hard and outperformed my peers. When performance reports were given halfway through the internship, my male colleagues were shocked to see that I had saved the company more money and received better feedback from supervisors. Unfortunately after finding out this information the way they acted towards me only got worse. Even with their behavior I maintained my professionalism and continued to excel, earning glowing work reports and letters of recommendation from my supervisors. In any male-dominated field, women must fight to overcome unequal treatment, misogyny, and gender disparity to succeed. I desire to help other women navigate these challenges and excel in jobs they love without fearing extra challenges caused by gender disparity.  I plan to attend UTSA to major in Cybersecurity and minor in AI. I'm so excited to take what I will learn to develop AI programs. My dream is to create a company specializing in AI programs designed to assist in reverse engineering malware and help diagnose cybersecurity vulnerabilities. I hope to use my business to support other women in their own dreams and to hire women in cybersecurity. I actively volunteer in mentorship programs where I get to share my experience and advice with other students aspiring to work in cybersecurity. I hope to continue to mentor as I gain experience because of the joy I find in helping others and seeing them excel. My devotion to mentoring is tied to my future aspirations. I know what I can achieve with a strong work ethic, the help of other like-minded women, and blessings from scholarships like this one. The future holds so much potential, and I look forward to contributing to the field of cybersecurity while empowering women and helping to fight against gender disparity.