Going to college to pursue a successful career has always been a challenge for me because it is very expensive. I always saw people getting degrees and having student debt, so I assumed it naturally came with it and feared going to college and receiving a degree. I also feared student debt and was always told never to apply for student loans. I have applied for many online scholarships to pay for my education at Jackson State University, but I have never won any. I believe filing the FAFSA and receiving scholarships can help pay for education, but sometimes it still seems that it is never enough. The FAFSA unfortunately does not provide enough money for college, leaving many students wondering how to support themselves financially and avoid college debt. Applying for scholarships does not guarantee that you will win them, and they often require letters of recommendation and other requirements, which makes it very hard for me to apply for them. I will do everything I can to apply for scholarships to avoid student debt. I hate student loans because people struggle with finances and have to pay back everything that they worked hard for. Because college is very expensive, it seems that attending college and earning a degree always carries the risk of debt and financial struggles, and the only way to avoid student debt is to avoid college. Many people face student debt at a young age. They do not have opportunities to pay for college and are often told to apply for student loans, and are left thinking that student loans are their only option. They also want to apply for work-study at their college, but often do not get the opportunity to do so. Students should not have to fear debt when pursuing their education and receiving their college degrees. I believe people should provide students with easier access to scholarships and jobs that will help them pay for college. They should also eliminate application fees, enrollment fees, and other fees that are not included in the main college costs. Students should also be given equal opportunities to apply for work-study to pay for college and support themselves financially. Student debt is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Many students stop their college education in fear of student debt and financial struggles. How can society expect people to attend college and receive degrees if college can lead to future financial struggles and debt? I am pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I hope to address and solve societal issues by becoming a data journalist. Although I still fear student debt, I still look forward to pursuing a successful career and hope to receive enough money to pay for college. Education should not be a burden on anyone. It should provide the relief and freedom that comes with learning, which can lead to a successful career. I wish to see a world where more students can have equal opportunities to enjoy college and the freedom of experiencing education without fearing student debt and financial struggles.

As someone pursuing Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism, I want to understand business, finance, marketing, and journalism. I also want to learn how to code and learn more about data analytics. I believe being versatile in many skills can make anyone more likely to succeed and grow in multiple careers. I want to be a data journalist, digital marketer, graphic designer, and market research analyst. Using online resources has greatly improved my understanding of careers that derive from my degree. I am using FreeCodeCamp.org to learn coding, HubSpot to learn about digital marketing, and Google for Developers for technical writing courses. I am also using Alison and Baseline for graphic design courses. 365FinancialAnalyst to learn more about financial analysis and Nonprofitready.org to learn about project management. Having access to these online resources has given me the chance to learn about jobs that derive from my degree. I love the diversity and growth that comes with my degree because I am not limited to a small number of jobs and can always transition to multiple jobs and enhance my skills. For me, marketing gives me the chance to be creative while also learning more about business and finance. It also gives me the ability to learn more about the psychology side of marketing, known as consumer psychology. I wanted to pursue journalism while also gathering data, and I eventually found data journalism. Data journalism is very interesting to me because it goes beyond traditional journalism and allows the advantage of working independently and learning new skills. It combines journalism with data analysis/analytics and allows me to research data and extract it from databases to study trends and patterns, to gather evidence, and later use this evidence to write articles. I love my degree because it is not one-sided and gives me the freedom to be creative, independent, and learn data skills. It also gives me a chance to understand technology, improve my technology skills, and learn how they can allow me to grow in my career. It is a hybrid degree that involves supporting businesses through marketing and gaining journalism skills simultaneously. I had never heard of IMC until I applied to Jackson State University. I did not know it was strongly connected to journalism, and I wanted to learn more about it. Discovering this degree greatly impacted my life because of personal interests and the skills I wanted to gain. I am excited to finally get the chance to experience long-term career growth, enjoy my career, and also become financially stable. Throughout my life, people have always told me about the financial success in healthcare. I never saw many people enjoying their jobs, but instead saw them wishing to have better jobs due to financial struggles. I was always told that having a high-paying job was the only thing that mattered, causing me to believe that enjoying my career did not matter as much as a high-paying job. I was never strongly interested in healthcare and somewhat felt it was my only option to finally experience financial success, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness. I was more interested in business and being creative in my future career. No one has ever told me about the specific parts of business, so I felt less confident in pursuing anything business-related. Now that I have researched IMC journalism and the different jobs related to it, I feel more confident about pursuing an enjoyable and successful career in business and journalism for myself and not for anyone else.

While I am not planning to apply for student loans, I am trying my best to apply for scholarships any way that I can. I do not believe that students should rely on student loans to pay for their education because it will cause lasting consequences and will be hard to pay off. I was not given enough financial aid to pay for my tuition at Jackson State University. While I can apply for a certain amount in loans, I do not want to. I want to avoid student debt as much as possible while avoiding student loans. I also want to apply for work-study so I can pay for my education. I am always worried about future finances, and I believe rising college costs will only make it worse. I have never won an online scholarship, but I will continue to apply for them to avoid student debt. Scholarships are very important when attending college because they lessen the financial burden that students have when they attend college. Many people fear student debt and student loans, and are often left with few options when wanting to graduate without student debt. I hope I will be given the option to get work-study and find easy access to winning scholarships. I was given $3, 697.50 to pay for tuition, which is $4, 704.00 per semester. I do not have enough money to cover the entire cost of college, and I fear that I will not win any scholarships to cover the remaining costs. I am grateful for having the chance of applying for the FAFSA, but even with using it to pay for education, it is still not enough. I believe students should be given money after they apply for the FAFSA. Students are often told the FAFSA will help pay for their education, but are still left with unpaid college costs. I feel this needs to be addressed and should be taken more seriously. Society could improve the college experience of students by supporting them financially. With Black people having a history of struggling to live a better life and improve their education and finances, HBCUs should give scholarships to all Black students to make them feel they are receiving support as minorities. Some students are also not given work-study and have fewer chances to pay for their education. Often, students drop out of college due to financial costs and do not know how they can pay for college, and often miss out on pursuing their education and receiving their degree. I am looking forward to pursuing journalism and business while I worry about how I will pay for my education to keep pursuing a major that I feel I will actually love and enjoy. I hope to become a data journalist and receive my Bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism, so I can address concerns among college students and find ways to make college more affordable and increase their chances of winning scholarships. Pursuing education should not be a dreadful experience. It should be an experience that students are happy to pursue and experience. Receiving more money can lighten the burden that my family has to pay for education. Fearing financial strain when pursuing education should be addressed more often. I am willing to lighten the burden on anyone who fears financial struggles while pursuing education by using my degree to address educational and college concerns. Hopefully, I can give more students hope when pursuing their goals and prevent them from depending on student loans, having student debt, sacrificing their educational goals, and not graduating from college.

I think calculus is important in STEM because it is used for engineering, programming, automation, and healthcare. It provides faster calculations and makes predictions and different levels of studies and improvements possible. Calculus is used to calculate continuous change and the accumulation of different quantities, such as calculating speed and acceleration, population growth, the spread of diseases, the rate at which medicine flows in the bloodstream, and electrical engineering. Math is more than just numbers. It enables the prediction of real-world movement and different outcomes. It also enhances careers and real-world experiences. Many students, unfortunately, do not understand how important calculus is and think it is completely useless in the real-world and will never be used in their careers. They also try to avoid it as much as possible and are rarely shown how calculus and other subjects can be applied to their careers. Even though Calculus may involve complicated formulas, without it, many things would be nearly impossible to achieve. This includes video games, developing antiviral drugs and antibiotics to fight against diseases, viruses, and bacteria, and calculating curved structural elements. Calculus is very useful when calculating integrals across many STEM fields and careers more easily. Since calculus is very difficult to learn and is used in STEM, minorities must learn calculus to get ahead in STEM because STEM lacks diversity in terms of gender and race. Minorities are often unrecognized and are given less credit for accomplishing major things compared to the majority. Minorities not being recognized for their accomplishments and having their credit taken away by the majority is a common thing, such as when male NASA astronauts relied on female NASA astronauts to do calculations and were given more credit than they deserved. More minorities should pursue STEM and should aim to gain greater representation and equal opportunities for future generations. They should also find more ways to enhance their careers to change the educational world for minorities, to inspire them to believe they can also pursue education and receive acknowledgement just as the majority can. I personally find calculus to be very complicated, along with trigonometry, physics, and statistics. I believe they can be applied to the real-world even if they are used rarely. I have never taken calculus, but I have an interest in gaining more hands-on experience in how calculus can be applied to STEM. Math has always been my favorite subject in school, and being able to apply it to real-world situations makes me love it even more. Teachers should try to include more interactive situations with different math subjects so students can see how they can be applied to real life and will be less discouraged from learning about them. I want to pursue data journalism. Minorities are underrepresented in certain STEM fields, so pursuing this job will increase minority representation. I also want to be a data analyst and a data scientist. I believe some parts of calculus, such as derivatives (rate of change) and integrals (total amount collected over time), can be applied to these jobs and make them easier to understand. Using calculus in my career will also increase my chances of getting an internship for these jobs.

Recovery means surviving and having the strength to keep going even when things get hard. It also means gravitating towards positive things and pulling away from negative things such as addiction. Addiction is very dangerous because it can be very hard to let go of something even when it is harmful to you. Drug addiction affects millions of people. Often, people use drugs as a way to cope with trauma and may also use them because they see others engaging in drug use. They also use them to experience what it is like, which often leads to problems they may find hard to get rid of. Fighting against addiction may seem hard at first, but it gets easier as you try even harder to let go of it and see how much better it feels to not depend so heavily on addiction as a way to satisfy you and cope with life's personal problems.

God has shown me a promising career path that I can follow to become financially independent, and also to love. I have decided to pursue a degree that I have never heard of. That degree being Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I never thought I would enjoy education and not see it only as something that needed to be done. I noticed how people hated their jobs, and I always accepted it as being normal, and that loving or hating my job would not change anything, because I was taught throughout my life that the only thing that mattered was money. My 10th-grade ACT/SAT teacher told me not to get a job I hate, all because of money. I am always conflicted on whether I am supposed to love a job or suffer through it, whether or not my salary is enough. I was always told that love does not pay bills. I know that emotions will not change anything, but I am still willing to pursue a career I love, so I will not feel as though I am doing it for others and not for myself. I notice that people often become burned out on education and goals when they no longer feel they are doing it for themselves. I know what it is like to sacrifice your own happiness and personal interests because they do not align with your parents' wants and needs. I want to be a fashion designer, but hopefully, I will be able to pursue that after I become successful in my current career. I always tried my absolute hardest to achieve perfection in academics. When I feared I would not make good grades and pass my classes, he helped me succeed. He has always given me the ability to pursue a successful education, and I truly believe that he can do it now. I aim for independence in any way and a successful career that I enjoy. I believe my faith in God can finally lead me to success and happiness. I also believe I will have many opportunities, even though I am a minority. Minorities struggle daily to pursue education and often suffer from inequality. Compared to the majority, they have lower salaries and limited opportunities. They are also more likely to be in debt and take longer to pay it off. High-paying positions are usually reserved for the majority and lack minorities, which causes minorities to believe that these positions are not for them or will be harder to pursue. I believe God will provide whatever I need to be successful, and I believe he will do the same for others as long as they form a close relationship with him and Jesus.

Coming from a low-income household has always taught me to pursue education to find a high-paying career and avoid debt as a Black woman. I would love to pursue education, but I fear student debt and want to avoid it as much as possible. I always feared struggling with finances and debt, especially because Black people have limited opportunities and are more likely to suffer from financial struggles. I know what it is like to see people of non-people of color always be seen as highly successful, while people of color are shown as not being successful. I also know what it is like to see others being able to afford whatever they want and have their own money, while others and I do not have that opportunity. I plan to be a digital marketer, a graphic designer, and a data journalist by getting my degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism and finding internships and online resources that will provide the skills needed for these jobs. Receiving a degree is more than receiving a degree. It is a path to freedom that provides the opportunity for me to make my own life choices for myself and finally experience the happiness of being financially stable and independent without someone controlling my decisions and life. It also allows Black people and women, such as myself, to pursue opportunities that Black people and women were not allowed to have and were told were not for them.

As a Black low-income student who has never engaged directly in STEM, I want to support equality for women in STEM. I want to engage more directly in STEM and gain more journalism and analysis skills independently, so I decided to pursue data journalism. I believe getting my degree in Integrated Marketed Communications (IMC) Journalism can help me become a data journalist. Women are highly underrepresented in scientific fields, so they are most likely underrepresented in data journalism. Although data journalism is not entirely a STEM field, it involves data science, which is a part of STEM. Contributing to female representation in STEM and journalism simultaneously is what drives me to pursue this field. I found a love for writing overnight when I was 10 years old. I used to hate writing essays, and often wondered how someone could love writing. I used to think of writing as something school and work-related and mandatory, and therefore did not leave any time to enjoy it. As I questioned if I actually enjoyed writing, I realized I enjoyed researching and writing about what I researched. Over time, I enjoyed writing essays and researching even more, and eventually looked forward to my teachers giving me the option to write them. I was never extremely bothered by writing for school and only used the chance to improve my writing skills. When my teachers gave me topics I enjoyed writing about, I started to wonder if there was any chance I could write about my own things, and eventually started writing poems during my high school and college years. I was never given the chance to engage in STEM, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have practiced writing and gathering information. I feel my writing experience has given me an advantage in pursuing journalism as a career. Data journalism gives me experiences beyond writing and researching, and also gives me a chance to pursue STEM and develop skills that I can use to work independently. But it also gives me a chance to increase the representation of minorities, including women. Female representation is important because certain positions, such as leadership and managerial roles, are often taken over by men. My degree is business-related and gives me the chance to pursue these kinds of roles. If I ever have the chance, I will aim for these kinds of roles to close the gap between male and female success. Often, women lack the resources and guidance needed to pursue success in education and are led to believe that success is not for them, especially if they feel their race hinders their ability to be given opportunities. Young girls can be encouraged to believe that success in education and STEM is for them if more women of various races are represented equally. Education is more than just a learning experience to me. It is a path to freedom that provides unique experiences people were not allowed to have in the past and are not allowed to have now, therefore making education seem rare and significant. Women need to keep fighting for their educational goals to change the future of women and inspire them to believe they can be as successful as men, and their gender does not define success. Only diligence and perseverance do.

As a Black woman, I feel it will be very hard for me to pursue an education, especially with the degree that I have chosen. I have decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. Black women are highly underrepresented in business-related fields. I fear that being a minority puts me at risk for lower pay and lower success. I was always aware of the struggles of Black people, especially females. Women and Black people have always been denied an education and were often told that education is not for them. Minorities are often the most at risk for debt and not being able to pursue their educational goals. Seeing things that minorities struggle with motivates me to avoid a life of struggling as much as possible. I was always taught that having a degree and taking your education very seriously is the only way to freedom for Black people. One night, at the age of 10, I discovered I had a love for writing. As I was writing, I found it strange that I would fall in love with something that I was always made to do as schoolwork. As time went on, I started to enjoy writing more often and eventually started writing poems in high school. I was always told that my writing skills were really good, but I never thought they were something to be proud of. Now, I want to pursue data journalism, investigative journalism, and financial writing. I want to get into the journalism and media studies program at Jackson State University. I strongly believe that education and knowledge give you the power to succeed and discover a life that provides not only financial stability but also a brighter future, where you can use your skills to learn independently and inspire others to do the same. I know that college is very expensive, and receiving scholarships is very hard. Many students depend on scholarships and the FAFSA to pursue their educational goals. I have an associate's degree in Pre-radiologic Sciences. I feel it is unfair that students can not receive certain types of aid if they already have a specific degree or any degree at all. I sometimes feel there is no need to apply for the FAFSA if all students can not receive financial aid equally. I feel the FAFSA should do more to support everyone financially, no matter their degree. Unfortunately, the pursuit of education is a risk for student debt that is hard to live with and pay off, and only gets worse as the years go by. If the FAFSA is for financial aid, there should be no reason why everyone does not qualify for financial aid to pursue educational goals. People struggle daily with low-paying jobs, high stress, and inflation. Struggling to pursue an education with added financial stress only makes everything worse. I want to do everything I can to avoid student debt as a low-income student. I often worry about how I will continue my education if the FAFSA does not provide enough money. Receiving this scholarship will reduce my financial stress and help me pursue a career where Black women can be successful and recognized equally in business, marketing, and journalism. While attending Holmes Community College, I often noticed the disparity between the number of non-people of color and the number of people of color. I feel that people of color often feel underrepresented in education compared to non-people of color. Even so, this will not stop us from pursuing our education. If non-people of color can be successful, we can too.

I love math because it is very important and useful. We use numbers daily when counting, writing dates, and placing things in order. The numbers 0 and 1 are also used for a binary code in computers. We even use math to calculate taxes and do tax returns, and in careers such as finance, accounting, business, and marketing. Math has always been my favorite school subject. I have always had a fascination with seeing numbers increase and decrease, and even come in negative numbers. While I do love to solve math problems sometimes, I also would like to solve financial problems for myself and others. I have a very high interest in finance, and I believe financial stability is highly important. Managing, budgeting, and investing money is an important goal for me. I would like to be a financial analyst, financial writer, and financial advisor. My love for math has motivated me to pursue careers that involve finance and writing. I would love to pursue writing while also providing financial tips to battle inflation. I aspire to apply more math to a successful career and learn more about inflation and deflation. I notice people struggling every day with finances, and I wish to support them as I learn more about financing and look for a way to fight against inflation.

I want to pursue a STEM field because I am interested in applying technology to my career. Black people are highly underrepresented in STEM, and some might not be familiar with it. I was pursuing my associate's degree in Pre-radiologic sciences. I was not aware that I had a STEM-related degree. This was mostly because I was never given the chance to pursue STEM and therefore did not think much of it, other than it being an important part of education that includes science, math, and technology. When I first heard about STEM in elementary school, I was excited. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to do any after-school activities unless they were mandatory. I feel as though I missed out on a part of education that could have benefited me. I am pursuing Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism at Jackson State University and would like to become a data journalist. I aspire to research societal issues and address ways to fix them because society is heavily impacted by racism, discrimination, inflation, and healthcare issues. Black people often struggle the most in society when faced with finances, healthcare, discrimination, and insurance. They are not given the resources needed to prepare them to manage their finances for investing, and usually do not have insurance for their health, cars, houses, and businesses, because they often do not have enough money. Other times, they are not aware of what is involved in insurance and health and retirement benefits, or may even feel that society wants to take advantage of them because of their race, age, or gender. I want to write professional articles to provide people with information based on societal issues, careers and education, finances, crime and injustice, healthcare, and other vital information that people may need. Pursuing data journalism can allow me to pursue STEM and practice gathering data and research independently while gaining journalism skills at the same time. I want to pursue a successful career in marketing and also become a digital marketer and a graphic designer. I have a passion for art and want to create my own website for fashion, video games, and art. Radiology never completely satisfied me because I did not feel like I could be creative enough. With my degree, I can be creative and explore many career options. I can also use my knowledge to spread awareness of opportunities for jobs and internships. I want students, especially Black students, to understand that there are many career paths they are missing out on and are not even aware of. Before applying to Jackson State University, I was not aware of IMC Journalism, and now I feel like my entire life has completely changed, knowing that it exists and discovering amazing jobs with this degree. I have always wanted to be more involved in STEM and inspire Black representation. Pursuing STEM-related careers with this degree also motivates me to be creative even more as I learn how modern technology can be applied to my future career. More Black people pursuing successful and fulfilling careers in STEM will increase our representation. This will inspire us to continue pursuing our goals and feel even more motivated to pursue education whenever we feel that society wants to prevent us from being successful.

I graduated from Holmes Community College with an associate's degree in Pre-radiologic Sciences in May 2025. I thought radiology was something that I would feel extremely passionate about, even though I was not highly interested in the Healthcare field. While I do wish to research Cancer and patient neglect, pursuing and learning about healthcare was never a strong interest for me. I felt like I was forcing myself to enjoy education just for a successful career without actually loving the experience. This causes me to wonder how some people can love their careers. I thought hating my future career was normal and could not be avoided because I always saw people hating their jobs and salaries. This influenced my belief that hating my future job was only natural, because I was always taught that the only thing that mattered was a high-paying salary, because of the saying "love doesn't pay bills." I noticed that people often become demotivated from pursuing their career goals and are sometimes more likely to quit their jobs. This sometimes causes them to look for other options and ask themselves, "Who am I doing this for?" I soon understood that forcing myself to learn was not enough, and I needed to find a career that I could actually enjoy. When I applied to Jackson State University, I wanted to pursue a career in journalism, but I was afraid I would struggle with low pay. I also feared that AI would take over journalism, and I would struggle to pay for college. I still looked at the career options while applying, and I decided to choose Integrated Marketing Communication Journalism, or IMC Journalism. I had never heard of the career before and did not know that journalism had a heavy influence on marketing to be its own degree. As time went on, I felt the need to find jobs and soon found online resources that could help me better understand marketing, business, finance, and writing. As I think about how I often question who I am making my life choices for, I remember what my father told me. He told me to "find a career that you love." I also remember what my 10th-grade ACT/SAT teacher told me. He told me not to get a job I hate just because of the high pay and to find a career that I actually enjoy. I still often feel conflicted between loving my career and finding a job that can help me live comfortably because I am afraid of struggling financially and experiencing student debt. As a Black woman, I often see people struggling financially and not being able to afford insurance and health care. I never fully believed that I could actually love a career and pursue education that was actually beneficial to me at the same time. My school experience has always been pursuing education and making good grades, so I would not be a failure, and learn information, whether or not that information was actually useful in the real world. My life has completely changed, and I no longer feel like I am pretending to love a career. For the first time in my life, I look forward to education with love and not demand. I recently discovered data journalism while thinking about how I can apply research, data, and coding to journalism. I have always wanted a journalism internship, so I can work as a journalist in an office. I find that pursuing data journalism can give me an even more interesting experience in journalism, just beyond writing and using modern technology.

I recently switched my major from Pre-radiologic Sciences to Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I wanted to pursue STEM while also pursuing a career that strongly involves business, marketing, and finance. While searching for jobs related to (IMC) Journalism, I recently came across a position that immediately caught my attention and involved STEM and journalism. I discovered data journalism, and I felt as though it was calling to me. I wanted to be a data analyst, financial writer, investigative journalist, digital marketer, and digital designer. When I first saw data journalism, I realized I could pursue data analysis while also pursuing journalism. I am highly interested in writing professional articles based on researched and gathered data. I want to gather information so people can learn how to save money, find careers, and most importantly, find out the truth. Society wants to hide the truth and also wants minorities to lack financial and educational resources to stop them from becoming successful. Minorities are often the most likely to struggle when faced with education and financial issues. Usually, they have lower pay, lower chances to pay off debt, are not allowed to pursue an education, and are not allowed to go any further than the majority. For this reason, I often fear that my education and success might be hindered because I am a disabled Black woman. I also worry that I will not be given enough scholarship money to pay for my education because I am a low-income student. I do not want to experience student debt because I know the lasting effects of seeing people struggle with debt and lack of financial stability. I want to inspire other minorities to believe they can be successful even when faced with adversity, and inspire others to do the same. I see a future that allows more successful minorities and equal chances in education, finances, and support. Learning journalism and data analysis skills can provide knowledge of careers and societal issues. Many minorities often do not have the knowledge and skills that the majority often have. This lowers their chances of representing more minorities in careers that are highly represented by the majority. This also affects their chances of pursuing high-paying careers that will ensure financial stability. Aside from education and finances, minorities also struggle with insurance and health issues. They are often ignored and neglected, and do not receive the care they need. They also struggle to pay for health care, health insurance, and other kinds of insurance, and sometimes resort to living without what they need. The justice system often discriminates against minorities and often blames them for the problems in society, gives them unfair punishment when compared to the majority, and also does not help them when they are in need. Society often shows its advocacy for equal treatment for minorities, but it is not enough. As a person who has had experience with racism, sexism, health neglect, and financial issues, I am strongly motivated to investigate and write about these societal issues and other issues that people have. Journalism is more than just a career that involves writing. It provides research and information that society may try to hide to hold people back. Thus, providing knowledge and success in society. Society fears what minorities can do with knowledge, so I truly believe in the phrase "knowledge is power."

Technology inspires me to be creative and gain skills in my degree. I have decided to pursue Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I have a lot of jobs in mind that I would like to pursue, such as data journalism, digital marketing, graphic design, and digital design. I have always wanted to learn how to code, and I believe coding is very useful for my career choice. I am currently learning how to code using FreeCodeCamp.org. Understanding coding, programming, and how to analyze data is exciting to me and also gives me a chance to apply my future knowledge to my career. I want to gain a better understanding of how technology works because I want to learn how people are able to create working technology that lasts. Technology inspires me to gain skills that allow me to create my own ideas from scratch. I want to have a career that allows me to be creative and has transferable skills. I also want a career that inspires growth, so I can always learn new skills and daily tasks. Technology can help me analyze data even better and allow me to reach people more easily as I become more knowledgeable in my career. In a world that revolves heavily around technology, I often feel confused by the high amount of technology. Although I am not extremely confident in this technological world, I am still willing to pursue a career that involves lots of technology, so I can gain a better understanding of how it can be beneficial. I want to pursue journalism, but I also want to go beyond just writing and researching. I also want to analyze and compile data independently. I recently found data journalism while trying to find jobs in journalism, and it immediately caught my attention. Data journalism involves gathering data while also composing stories as a journalist would. Being a financial and technical writer and an investigative journalist also intrigued me, but I also want to pursue data journalism, so I can become more efficient in creating spreadsheets and data on my own and use it as a resource while writing. While pursuing data journalism, I would also like to find ways to apply digital marketing, digital design, and graphic design to my job or just for a hobby. I was always inspired by people who can start from nothing or just from a small idea and be able to create something successful and long-lasting. This inspires me to pursue multiple careers and gain various skills until I can find a successful job that I enjoy. I would also like to lead people to successful and life-changing careers that they can also enjoy pursuing and can hopefully motivate them to do the same for others.

My plans for the future are to attend Jackson State University and receive my Bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I have found many jobs that I wanted to pursue, such as being a financial writer, a market research analyst, and a data journalist. I wanted to find a career that allows me to write, research, and also analyze data. I am looking forward to getting an internship and gaining more skills that will benefit my career path. Marketing fascinates me because it provides an understanding of how businesses and ideas can be successful. It also involves graphic design, which is another career that I want to pursue. Although pursuing my education in this field seems exciting to me, I often worry about the affordability of college. I have always wanted a Bachelor's degree, but I also fear student debt coming with it and not being able to pay for my education. I fully believe that receiving scholarships can benefit someone, so they will not have to apply for student loans and will struggle less when paying for college. College is very expensive, and I worry that I will struggle because Jackson State University has many payments, such as application and enrollment fees. Other students may struggle to pay for these fees and the entire cost of college. I want to get the full college experience by staying on-campus, but I am trying to save as much money as possible by being an off-campus student. I believe colleges should give scholarships to all students just for being enrolled in college and should support them more financially to make sure they can afford college. I feel that lots of students wonder how they can afford college. They often work and apply for scholarships in hopes of having enough money to pay for college. Some students even stop going to college or choose work over attending college because they want to save as much money as possible and avoid student debt. College can be a more enjoyable experience for graduates if it were more affordable and students had more access to receiving scholarships. Receiving scholarships that can cover the entire cost of college will decrease the stress that students, including myself, have when going to college. Applying for the FAFSA helps pay for college, but the amount of money given each year is not enough to cover college costs. Students still have to pay out-of-pocket to pursue their education. I would like to receive this scholarship so my stress about affording college can be alleviated, and going to college without student debt can be possible for me.

Sustainability is a huge priority for me because it means I can be healthy, financially stable, pursue my education without debt, and also be successful as a disabled Black woman. I sometimes fear that the pain from my scoliosis (and possibly rheumatoid arthritis) and being in debt may greatly impact my education and future. I even fear that my race, gender, and disability may impact my chances of being successful in the business field. Society often neglects Black people, women, and disabled people and denies them equal opportunities. I wish to sustain my health, finances, and future career in any way, as I struggle as a minority. I changed my major from Pre-radiologic Sciences to Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I found a love for marketing and wish to pursue a higher education in business, journalism, and research. I want to learn how to manage a business and become a digital marketer, financial analyst, and writer. Minorities are highly underrepresented in many careers, especially in business. They often feel their status is a setback and hinders their chances of being successful in education. In most cases, they are not given guidance on how to better their lives and how to navigate throughout life. They miss out on crucial advice for education, financial stability, careers, and how to avoid and pay off debt. For minorities, education is more than just education. It is freedom and a way to live a life of fulfillment. It is also an escape from some financial and life struggles that minorities often go through and may not have been given the chance to escape from. I still aspire to pursue an education, even with my minority status, to prove that success and recognition as a minority are possible. Minorities are often discouraged from attending college because of their environment and their lack of resources. It hurts to see minorities struggle to pursue an education or not be interested in one. Others consider an education, but also consider the risk of failure, struggling, and debt. They might also notice that some people are successful in pursuing their dreams and are financially stable without going to college. This makes them question the need for college and instead choose work or any option they can for whatever reason. I see myself pursuing journalism and jobs in marketing, finance, and business. I want to give people, especially minorities, advice on finances, college, life skills, and career choices. I also want to research societal issues that need to be addressed and changed. I also want to give people a way to pursue their careers with access to a hands-on education more easily, while also being given clothing that is appropriate for their career and interviews. I want to give people opportunities to be successful, even if it is just by writing and providing information. Minorities suffer daily from the detrimental impact of society, which lowers their confidence to become successful. Society should work towards providing more care for students, especially children and minorities, to give them better opportunities that others were not able to have. People often say they want more opportunities for minorities, but are not doing enough to make sure that they are fully supported. I am willing to provide a journalism service that supports people, specifically minorities, to change their future and outlook on life and pursue their goals even when they are stopped or told not to. I am also willing to provide this service for the better future of minorities, even if society refuses to help them and does not agree with it.

I always wondered how technology supported the complexity of businesses. Seeing and hearing about people starting their own businesses inspires me to start my own fashion business as a long-term goal. My short-term goal is to get my degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism at Jackson State University. I want to learn more about digital marketing and use technology to promote business while also giving consumers what they want and need at affordable prices. I also want to be a financial writer and a financial analyst to research the profits of businesses and consumers to find ways to save money. My degree can give me the chance to provide a service to minorities by giving them information on saving money and finding more opportunities to better their life. Minorities are often the most vulnerable to debt, financial troubles, and a lack of opportunities. People who are not minorities have lower chances of being hindered when it comes to education and finances. They often have more opportunities and are represented more often when they become successful. When minorities are successful, society tries to hold them back and refuses to honor their success, and will even go as far as stealing their ideas and success. I personally feel that being a Black female may hold me back or prevent me from being successful. I fear that I may not be recognized in my career, if ever I become successful. No one should ever have to feel that their race and gender are setbacks for opportunities, education, and living a better life. I would like to receive this scholarship to pursue my major and avoid as much debt as possible. I fear that my education and lifestyle will be heavily affected by debt. Debt causes people to suffer financially and also impacts their life choices and their families. Some even have to sacrifice their health and other choices to pay off debt. I apply for as many scholarships as possible because I know that minorities struggle more to pay for college. They also take longer to pay off debt because their pay is lower compared to the majority. Seeing more opportunities for minorities inspires me to pursue my education and represent a percentage of successful minorities. Allowing more minorities into STEM and other careers will inspire more minorities to pursue them and increase their chances in fields where they are underrepresented. They will not have to fear being held back because they are seen as a minority in society. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me in ways that are beyond finances. I can feel support as a Black woman and also support other Black women to pursue their dreams and education whenever they feel their race and gender are detriments to themselves because of society.

I want to make a difference in people’s lives by graduating from a university without student debt and pursuing a career that not only allows me to learn from but can also help others as well. Many people struggle with the cost of college and the lack of scholarship opportunities. I graduated from Holmes Community College without student debt and with my education fully supported financially with scholarships. Being able to do this persuaded me to believe that college can be affordable. I saw one of my friends paying for college out-of-pocket. Knowing that she and others do not have enough financial aid to cover college costs motivates me to become a financial advisor, analyst, and writer. I am deciding to pursue a bachelor’s degree at Jackson State University in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I believe this career path can allow me to guide people as they struggle with financial issues. It is hard not to be able to support yourself financially, especially when you see others who are able to. People work long hours for years and still struggle to save enough money for retirement, their families, and even necessities. Citizens are often overlooked in society and are ignored every day without the guidance they need to uplift and support them. I believe the further I get into my career, the closer I can get to supporting myself and others and positively changing their lives. To me, getting an education is more than just graduating from college and receiving a degree and a diploma. It is a pathway for careers that can enhance your life and support others in various ways and encourage others to experience the same when it comes to education.

I want to support more people by pursuing my degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. With this degree, I can provide financial relief to people as I learn more about business and inflation. I can pursue a career in financial writing and support people struggling with the devastating consequences of inflation. I believe that journalism can positively impact people when they are given knowledge that can help them when others do not give them the knowledge that they need. Financial living is very important to me and I feel that pursuing an education and a successful career can lead to financial stability. Education is very important for career choices and giving others knowledge. The pursuit of education is also a very expensive financial barrier that dissuades students from going to or graduating from college or striving for a better education. Many people, especially minorities struggle with financial issues, whether it be their race, community, or disabilities. They are often promised equal opportunities, but are still denied equal chances that people who are not minorities have. I watch as minorities struggle to navigate the world around them and miss out on the guidance that they need to live a better life that provides necessities, comfort, and financial support. I also watch as people lose faith in society as they are denied support while being told about better opportunities that are given to other people who are not minorities and may already have the support they need. I wish to encourage people, especially children to pursue debt-free education and pursue their goals to support others and themselves financially to encourage others to believe that support is still available when needed. I want to let them know that it is possible to achieve a better future for themselves and others. Seeing more scholarship opportunities greatly impacts students’ lives especially when they are unable to apply for the FAFSA and their college lacks financial support and resources. Minorities are also impacted positively by scholarship opportunities to lighten the burden of their life. Receiving this scholarship can support my education and give me and others a sense of support as we go through college and career life. Applying for scholarships on Bold.org and Scholarships360 inspires me to continue applying for scholarships to pursue my education to help others financially. I am thankful for this scholarship opportunity to make an affordable education and lifestyle possible.

I was first diagnosed with Scoliosis when I was in the 5th grade. I always felt as though I was completely different from others, and no one understood how having a disability is hard to live with a disability and can never be changed, simply no matter how much someone wants it to change. Doctors refused to give me a back brace and let the curve of my spine and my pain get even worse. This impacted my trust in doctors so heavily that I never trusted a doctor ever again and believed that they only want money and do not care about their patients. I graduated from Holmes Community College in May of 2025 with an associate’s degree in pre-radiologic sciences. I wanted to learn about X-rays and perform X-rays on patients and possibly support others who did not get the support that I needed, even though I was never heavily interested in the healthcare field. I am now pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I am interested in writing and learning how to manage a business. I want to become a financial writer, a financial analyst, and a financial advisor, and support people as they struggle with inflation. I also want to become an investigative writer and research and address problems that people have in order to let them know that someone is aware of their issues when they feel that no one else sees or acknowledges them or cares. People in society claim to care about their community, but continue to ignore underrepresented communities, the struggles of being a minority, disabled, and financially unstable. Many people in these categories are overlooked and are often told that they are cared for and will receive support and equal opportunities without being forgotten. These chances are never guaranteed and lead to many people, including myself, to fear that jobs, careers, and support will be denied when compared to a person who is not a minority or is not disabled, because they will most likely be seen as a liability. Receiving scholarships can help me avoid student debt and support my goal to have a career in journalism and financial learning. It can also help support my journey as a disabled minority. I wish to graduate from college without student loans while also pursuing a successful career. Too many students struggle with the lasting effects of student debt that even impact them for the rest of their lives. The risk of debt discourages students from going to college. If more colleges put forth more effort into supporting students financially, they would be more inclined to go to college, enjoy pursuing their careers, and graduate from college. I believe that having a disability impacts a student’s life even more, and I am elated when scholarships include disabled people and other minorities. I want to make a successful impact on people’s lives and find enjoyment in pursuing my career choices without having to feel that my career is impacted by being a disabled minority. I believe that scholarships for disabled students can support their careers and make them feel that they are receiving support financially to brighten their lives and futures.

I want to pursue an education in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. Learning more about marketing and journalism can help me support people in underrepresented communities. I want to be able to provide students with different career paths and knowledge when they are young. As they get older, they will have better access to jobs in their career and will have the proper guidance needed when they graduate from college. This helps them get into a successful career early and will prevent them from being unprepared when it is time to pursue an education. I also want to provide students with free resources, if possible, and also receive funding to allow them to go to college at a cheaper cost. Many students struggle with the lasting effects of student loan debt. I want students to avoid student loans and avoid struggling to pay for college. Students need to be provided with easier access to scholarships and other types of financial aid. Even though the FAFSA helps pay for college, the amount of money is still not enough. I wish to give students a chance at a better education and more financial stability to provide them and their families with a better life. If I can not create a business or a campaign to provide a cheaper education for students, I would like to research ways to help students financially, as well as pursue a career in journalism. People in underrepresented communities often feel that they do not have a chance at a better education, but I believe that it is not impossible. I want to be a financial technical writer to give people ways to save money for themselves and their families, especially for college, insurance, cars, school supplies, and other things that they may need. I believe being a financial technical writer can also support people in their educational and career needs. If more people demonstrated care for people's living situations and their educational goals, more people would look forward to an education and a brighter outlook on life without feeling as though they can not accomplish anything. Students can provide a better future for other students and encourage them to accomplish their goals and make other communities better. People over school systems should make more efforts to provide students with real-world knowledge instead of subjects that will not help them in the real-world. Driver's education and home economics need to be implemented in all school systems again. This will provide students with life skills that they can use to take care of themselves. Financial literacy also needs to be implemented in more school systems. This can help students be more aware of how to pay bills, open a bank account, write a check, file taxes, and save money. They can also learn about a cash advance, a down payment, a CD, bankruptcy, and how interest affects loans and investing. Learning life skills pertaining to financial literacy will support more children to prevent them from struggling and being unaware of what to do when they become adults. I would like to change the school system to include courses that provide more students with an affordable education and life skills. The school system in Mississippi does not provide a beneficial education for students that is long-lasting and beneficial to them. Changing the school system, especially in underrepresented communities, can provide more students with a real education that they cannot only benefit from but also love.

I want to learn more about Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I have a love for writing and learning about business and finance. I developed a recent love for marketing and digital marketing after I found out they include graphic design and that I could be a financial technical writer, a financial analyst, or a marketing research analyst. I want to analyze financial data and also support people financially by helping them save money and avoid financial risk while inflation continues to rise. I want to become more familiar with the business market to understand and lower or stop inflation. Lots of people struggle daily with finances, debt, and payments. They do not have enough money saved for college, retirement, insurance, and emergencies. People can barely afford to keep their cars and houses. Most people's salaries do not provide them with enough money to buy food, water, clothes, and other resources that they may need. Some people even have multiple jobs and still can not afford to live a decent life for themselves and their families. I also want to become a financial advisor so I can be licensed to provide people with financial advice. More people will be able to have more financial relief from living expenses and will not have to stress daily over financial issues. This also causes even more issues because having lots of stress can also greatly affect a person's health. More people should dedicate themselves to assisting people even more with their finances, health, and living situations. My degree can potentially allow me to provide public services to offer financial support and advice while also lowering their stress and improving their living situation. I am excited to receive my Bachelor's degree in IMC Journalism to explore the many career options in this field and provide knowledge to people who want to explore this career and may want financial advice to improve their financial situations. I personally believe that history repeats itself, and the world will enter the Great Depression again due to inflation. The Great Depression started after the Stock Market Crash, which affected millions of people during the 1930s and caused many people to struggle without money, food, and shelter. If society does not find a way to help people fight against inflation and invest more money, we will have no choice but to go through the Great Depression again. People are struggling to get jobs, especially high-paying ones that have a salary of up to $80,000 or more. Many people are searching for jobs, but often worry about not having job security, job benefits, a good salary, workplace harassment, being fired or laid off, and being replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recruiting people to gain knowledge in my career can provide them with opportunities that they might not be able to find anywhere else. I would like to offer people a chance to become successful in their careers and improve their living situation, whether it is financially or non-financially.

I am currently taking free online courses to become more familiar with my major. I have decided to pursue a career in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I am currently learning about marketing, business, financial analysis, technical writing, and graphic design. I am also learning to code. I enjoy learning about these topics, and I have decided to pursue being a market research analyst, financial analyst, and digital marketer, while also being a financial technical writer, and an investigative journalist and researcher. I want to create a business that allows people to receive the education that they need in different career paths while also lowering their chances of student debt. I want students to gain the hands-on training that they need to be involved in their chosen career while also having easy access to scholarships. I want to have my own fashion business. I also want students to have the clothing that they need when they are in interviews and pursue their careers. If I can not create any businesses, I would like to research finances, health, crime, and education. Society is not working towards supporting students and their financial and educational needs. Inflation is causing people to struggle with bills, debt, insurance, and education. I want to learn more about inflation and finance, so I can help people be more financially stable. I know how hard it is to navigate the world when no one teaches you about jobs, college, and fees that you never knew about. I want to advocate for providing more guidance to students, so they will not be without guidance when they graduate from high school. Colleges need to focus more on students' needs instead of requiring unnecessary fees such as application and transcript fees. People need to do better in supporting the needs of people if they claim to care about them. I also want to enroll in internships that allow me to be a professional journalist and a digital marketer. Students should not have to fear student debt and a lack of guidance when going through adulthood. Many adults struggle to pay off their debts, especially student loan debts. People often choose not to go to college and risk losing the skills and education that can benefit them. They also miss the chance to receive a college degree. If they do choose to go to college, they risk struggling to pay and are faced with a lack of financial aid and the potential to be offered student loans, which increases the chances of student loan debt. More students should enjoy receiving an education without having to worry about the cost of college. Journalism is more than just writing. It is a sacrifice made by people who want to tell the truth and guide and warn people when no one else will. How can people be expected to navigate throughout life without guidance? I can make a positive impact on people's lives by writing and providing them with the information that they need. I wish to excel in technical writing and research so I can commit to the needs of people when they need information. My degree allows me to engage in journalism while also engaging in marketing alongside business and finance.

I decided to change my major from radiology to Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I want to express my love of writing and being creative while also analyzing numbers, revenue, and financial losses. I wish to create my own fashion company and also help students who can not afford college and want to pursue a college education, and avoid debt. I also want to pursue being an investigative journalist, a financial technical writer, and research inflation and why many people, especially children, have Cancer. I also want to be a financial analyst, a marketing research analyst, and a graphic designer. I am so blessed to have discovered and looked into this career. I love writing, analyzing graphs and financial revenue, and designing different things. I am highly interested in graphic design, and I hope that I can use my future knowledge to gain more experience in marketing to become more involved in the business world. I notice many people dislike their career choice. I thought I could not avoid not liking my career, so I decided to push loving my career choice aside. I felt really bad about pretending that I was greatly interested in radiology. I finally found a career that I could love that also provides me with lots of career paths and different fields of work. Getting this degree will greatly impact my education and allow me to pursue a career in business, journalism, and digital marketing. I am transferring to Jackson State University, and I can not wait to receive my degree in this career. I am looking forward to pursuing a career that not only provides great financial stability, but also gives me a love for my career as well. I wish other people could find a career that they enjoy and also provides financial stability. I also want to graduate with a bachelor's degree because Black people and women often struggle to pursue an education, pay off debt, and become highly recognized in their careers, especially in the business and healthcare fields. I want to make an impact by graduating from college and receiving scholarships, and prove that receiving a college degree as a Black woman without college debt is not impossible. More people might be encouraged to go to college if the costs were more affordable, and they received scholarships more easily, as well as hands-on training in different careers that they have never heard of. If students are passionate about college and could easily avoid college debt, they will be more inclined to attend college and specialize in different careers. Although I wish to pursue fashion design, I will still pursue other interests until I can finally achieve my dream. Giving support to people and managing a business is very hard, but I still wish to advocate for addressing concerns in society when no one else will, especially when they involve finances, health, and crimes.

An "IT" girl is a female who stands out among others. I would like to start my own fashion company by pursuing a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I have always been interested in fashion design, and I still want to pursue it as my dream career. I intend to include fashion elements from different eras into my clothing and also push to support people, especially children, who do not have clothes related to professional attire. I also want to teach them what is appropriate for job interviews, other places of business, and what is and is not appropriate for other careers, and why. I would also like to start a writing career and conduct research in investigative journalism, people with healthcare and financial needs. Digital marketing can help me learn how to start my own businesses and campaigns to support people in need. There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed all over the world, and I believe I can address these concerns by learning more about marketing. I tried to become accepted into the radiology program at Hinds Community College and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). I did not get in, but I might try again. Recently, I discovered Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism while applying to Jackson State University. I have never heard of it, and I wanted to know more about it. In just a few weeks, I came to love marketing, business, and finance even more once I understood how writing, creativity, economics, graphic design, and consumer psychology are included. I did not have the drive and passion for radiology that I currently have for marketing. Although I did not receive a hands-on education in radiology like I wanted to, I feel that marketing is more of a passion of mine. I am very interested in radiology, but I do not have a high interest in healthcare as other people do. I feel that healthcare and other careers are more of a "calling" for people, and being directly involved in healthcare is not for me. I would like to be anything related to a marketing analyst, a graphic designer, or a financial technical writer. I want to learn how to write more professionally for businesses while also being creative in the field of marketing to help support businesses. If I can support anyone with my future writing career and engage more directly with sharing my love of fashion, I would be happy too.

Being a part of the disabled community has taught me that sometimes people will discriminate against people with disabilities. I have scoliosis and possibly rheumatoid arthritis. I often feel that I might be denied a job due to addressing my disability. I hesitate before addressing my disability when it comes to education and my career because it might affect my chances of being chosen to participate in anything that can further my education. I feel that more people should advocate for pushing towards giving people with disabilities more opportunities and resources to help them live a better life. Disabilities can not be controlled. Discriminating against disabled people and refusing to support them is highly unfair. It takes a lot to understand the world of having a disability. When I was younger, I needed a back brace to prevent the curve of my spine from getting bigger, and I never got one. This influenced me to think that doctors do not care about their patients and only want to use them for money. As I got older, I started developing more pain in other areas of my body, which sometimes affected my ability to grab things and walk. I am afraid to disclose this information to anyone if I feel that I might be ignored and have limited chances of pursuing my career. People should not have to fear having limited educational opportunities due to being disabled. I know that financial aid is sometimes given to students with disabilities, but sometimes the amount received is not enough. I would like to express my concern about people who pursue a career in the healthcare field but refuse to support patients. I have a lack of trust and faith in doctors due to my personal experience, but I still try to pursue an education. I am now transferring to Jackson State University in the Fall of 2026 to pursue a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism. I love writing, and I want to learn more about how marketing relates to business and finance. I wish to write about how often people with disabilities are not supported and are seen as liabilities when they want to pursue an education. If possible, I want to push for more people to receive disability support. Sometimes people without disabilities are not interested in contributing to a job position, but are often chosen over a person with a disability, even if the disability may not completely affect their work performance. I hope to never have to stop pursuing an education due to my disability, and I hope others do not have to either. Although I may struggle with living with my disability, I can use my experience to influence others to pursue jobs and careers.

Going to college means I can receive an education and find a career that requires critical thinking and creativity. Many people do not get the chance to go to college and can possibly miss out on future knowledge and careers that they might be interested in. Even though college may be a huge accomplishment, many struggle to become successful in their careers. They also struggle with student debt and paying off student loans. Black people have higher chances of struggling in their careers and being in debt. I want to be able to go to college without student loan debt and to prove that Black people can be just as successful as anyone else. I am going to pursue a successful career in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Journalism at Jackson State University. Choosing this career can provide me with knowledge about marketing and how to start my own business that provides Black people with knowledge about starting their own business to support themselves and other Black people. With this, they can avoid student loan debt, gain more financial aid, and work towards careers that are mostly occupied by people of other races. They can also have jobs that can support them financially and help them get ahead in their careers early, right after they graduate high school. Although technical schools are great for starting a hands-on education early, they are not hugely recognized and could be more implemented into more career paths, job training, and financial stability. Many people avoid going to college due to the high costs and find ways to become successful without the need for college. Using my future knowledge in Integrated Marketing Communications Journalism, I can start by looking at financial statistics of Black students in Mississippi based on household income, the cost of their chosen college, and whether they have received any kind of financial aid, and by how much. Black people are not given opportunities to pursue different career paths and often are held back by rules to hold them back. I want to create a technical school that provides Black people with lower college costs, easy access to receiving scholarships, and also allows them to enjoy different career paths without worrying about student loan debt. It is not impossible to receive a higher education, but it is when you have no interest in achieving one and do not attempt to achieve it. I want Black people to know that even though life for them is hard, it is possible to achieve a higher education when they struggle, and no one wants to see them succeed.

I drew a picture of Batman for my father. He said he wanted me to draw a picture of Batman, and I did last September. It took me about 6 to 8 hours to draw to finish it. My father, my little sister, and I are huge DC and Marvel fans. I have always wanted to draw Batman and other comic book characters, and I finally did. I draw all the time, and I wish I could paint more often. I also want to use watercolors and other types of paint one day and have an art studio. I have used acrylic paint before in my gifted class when I was in Elementary school. Even though I have been getting better at drawing, I still struggle to draw real people. I have realized that I have gotten so good at drawing that I can draw a picture almost perfectly, depending on what it is. I want to one day be able to draw real people, just like other people can, including my dad. My dad showed me a drawing that he drew years ago of Janet Jackson the day I started drawing Batman for him. He said he also drew Prince. I also wanted to draw Prince, Michael Jackson, and other people, too. I love drawing and painting, and I wish to become better at them and paint more often one day. I want to have enough money to have all of the art supplies that I want. I also want to create a comic book if I ever have the chance. Batman is my favorite or one of my favorite superheroes. I love his character design, and I also love the fact that he is a normal person and does not have superpowers, while most superheroes and villains have superpowers. Even though Batman does not have any powers, he still does not let that stop him from trying to defeat villains and even attempts to save them by connecting with them mentally and emotionally because most people have not done that for them and just see them as villains and ignore their pain and suffering and unfortunately can not connect with them as he can. I have always loved Batman, his origin story, and most of the animated movies that I have watched. I always wanted to read a Batman comic book and other comic books, too, but I have never gotten the chance to. I enjoyed drawing Batman, and I also started a drawing of Nightwing (another character from Batman). I have also drawn anime characters. I love drawing and art, and I also like painting. I also find inspiration in many things and apply them to art even while other people may not do the same thing.

"The Sadness of clothes" by Emily Fragos: When someone dies, the clothes are so sad. They have outlived their usefulness and cannot get warm and full. You talk to the clothes and explain that he is not coming back as when he showed up immaculately dressed in slacks and plaid jacket and had that beautiful smile on and you’d talk. You’d go to get something and come back and he’d be gone. You explain death to the clothes like that dream. You tell them how much you miss the spouse and how much you miss the pet with its little winter sweater. You tell the worn raincoat that if you talk about it, you will finally let grief out. The ancients etched the words for battle and victory onto their shields and then they went out and fought to the last breath. Words have that kind of power you remind the clothes that remain in the drawer, arms stubbornly folded across the chest, or slung across the backs of chairs, or hanging inside the dark closet. Do with us what you will, they faintly sigh, as you close the door on them. He is gone and no one can tell us where. When people die, their things are left behind and leave us to remember what they had. Being so used to their presence always being around us makes us forget that they're gone and are never coming back. Having to face the sudden death of others and carry on with our daily lives with their things being left behind as if they are still with us can be supported by the line, "you remind the clothes that remain in the drawer, arms stubbornly folded across the chest, or slung across the backs of chairs, or hanging inside the dark closet." Seeing clothes or whatever is left behind will cause us to get sentimental because we have lost someone, and we do not know what to do with our grief. As time moves on, we may or may not feel less pain. We will never truly get rid of our pain, and some days may be better or worse than others. It is extremely hard to let go and forget someone that we love and care about, especially when we were always around them. Since we have always been around them, not being around them will take time to adjust to, and we may often forget that they are no longer with us and often forget to break our habit of carrying out our daily routine of always being around them. This can be supported by the lines, "[y]ou talk to the clothes and explain that he is not coming back...and had that beautiful smile on and you'd talk. You'd go to get something and come back, and he'd be gone." We may often look at things repeatedly (such as clothes in the poem) and wonder what to do with them because we can not let them go due to not letting the owner of the items go, therefore causing us to become emotionally attached to the items. I often wondered what people do with the clothes and leftover things of dead people. I even wonder how people learn to let go of people that they love and have always been with. I find that even though people may seem very weak and vulnerable, they are still very strong for trying to move forward as they learn how to cope with the pain and distress that is caused by death. People use various ways to express their grief and use things that were left behind as a way to "connect" to the person who has died. "Talking" to the leftover clothes was how she expressed her grief. In the first line, "[w]hen someone dies, the clothes are so sad. They have outlived their usefulness and cannot get warm and full", she uses this to explain that the clothes that were left behind no longer have any use, but throughout the poem she uses clothes to express grief and emotional pain of never seeing who we loved ever again. The lines, [y]ou talk back to the clothes and explain that he is not coming back", "[h]e is gone and no one can tell us where", "[y]ou explain death to the clothes like that dream", and [y]ou tell the worn raincoat that if you talk about it, you will finally let grief out" all show that as we struggle to accept death and we "talk" to the clothes or whatever belonged to someone that passed away. I find the ways that people cope with death strange, but I also find it fascinating because people are here, and then they're gone before we know it, and it becomes very hard to accept their death and their disappearance. Due to it being very hard to let someone that we know and love go, people may develop strong emotional connections that they can not or think they can not get rid of. This poem has a great way of showing that people struggle and cope with death in various ways. It also has a great way of focusing on the fact that people develop an emotional connection to the things that people had before they died. Even though our ways of coping with our struggles may not relate to everyone, every one of us must get through our struggles on our own and with God. "The ancients etched the words for battle and victory onto their shields, and then they went out and fought to the last breath. Words have that kind of power", is a very important line in this poem because words can be just as powerful as actions, especially when we feel so strongly about something, in this case, coping with the death of someone we loved and missed. Her struggle with accepting death can further be supported by the line, "...you remind the clothes that remain in the drawer...[d]o with us what you will, they faintly sigh, as you close the door on them" because she explains that people struggle to even look at the clothes that were left behind after someone has died. We can learn how to let go of grief and also find ways to cope with grief and may even use her words as inspiration and motivating us to become stronger, especially during emotional and traumatic times.

I chose to pursue a degree in healthcare so I can become financially stable and also benefit from education and learning, especially when it comes to real-world situations. Lots of people face health issues whether they can control them or not. People are not often shown how to properly benefit themselves when it comes to health and learning how to prevent or reduce health issues. In addition, many people are not aware of how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) properly. More people need to become aware of how to perform CPR and also need to become more knowledgeable of the healthcare field as well as medical terminology. Emergencies can happen at any time, and it is always best to be prepared and knowledgeable not only to benefit yourself but to benefit other people as well. Being in the healthcare field allows possibilities in gaining lots of experience when it comes to facing real-life issues and always having a career because of the substantial job growth. I hope to make an impact as a woman, but also as a Black person. Many benefits and resources are only limited to White people, men, or White men in general. Women and Black people also face high chances of poverty because of being paid less and not being given fair opportunities and proper guidance. I will not let my fear of facing racism and sexism impact my goals. I will do everything I can to become successful just like other people. Other people have faced hardships worse than mine and were able to succeed in pursuing their goals, so why should I fail to pursue my goals when they have not? I hope to inspire people to pursue their goals no matter how much they struggle and even find ways to prevent and reduce negative impacts while also creating positive impacts to motivate themselves daily. I look forward to my future career in Radiology and hope to learn more about reading and performing X-rays and learning independently as much as I can. I also hope to do research in Cancer while also striving to become a Radiation Therapist. Cancer and tumors are becoming very common. Many people unfortunately die from them, can not receive proper treatment, and therefore, do not receive it. Sometimes, people ignore their symptoms, warnings, and advice. Other times, they may or may not be aware that they have Cancer and/or tumors and are often told that their symptoms are related to other issues. Their symptoms are ignored and minimized until it is too late to diagnose and treat them. This can result in the condition becoming untreatable by the time it is diagnosed. I hope to discover patients' symptoms and diagnoses immediately, never ignore their symptoms, and discuss their diagnoses, symptoms, and available procedures openly to prevent these issues. Unfortunately, people do not have access to many doctors who truly care about their issues more than money. They also do not have doctors that will provide affordable services for them, therefore causing them to suffer not only from health issues but from the lack of finances as well. Many clinics are not receiving Medicaid and other health insurance programs. This may be because people care more about money and do not want people to receive free services. Insurance companies also refuse to help pay for services yet still want people to pay for them. I find this highly unfair, and I wish the rules involving receiving healthcare services and making them more affordable were enforced. I wish to fight for people who are struggling, no matter what issues involve healthcare.

Leadership skills may only be thought of as being social, volunteering, interacting with others, and supporting them. It also involves self-leadership. Self-leadership is very important because it is important to care about ourselves as individuals. Many people struggle to face their issues and struggles because of society and their inner feelings and desires. People have to start with succeeding on their own. They often have to uplift themselves to encourage themselves and other people. This is because they have learned to be strong for themselves and have become an inspiration to not only themselves but to others. My struggles with Scoliosis have led me to believe that I have developed strong leadership skills. I now believe that the desire to help and improve yourself can give you a voice, even when it feels like no one listens to you or acknowledges you. I am pursuing a degree in Radiology, and I want to participate in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. People with struggles, health issues, and disabilities often find ways to overcome their issues, even if it is not physically. They often help and support other people and encourage others to fight through their pain. I always wondered how this was possible for them, and I also wondered if this would ever be possible for me. As I continued to feel that this might never be possible for me, I thought about my past of going through physical pain, receiving X-rays and physical therapy, and being ignored by doctors and other people. Many people have been ignored by doctors and have been promised help just like I have been. Once I become a Radiation Therapist, I can help remove tumors and treat patients with Cancer. I want to show people that not everyone needs money to help people and that there are people who care even when people face disabilities and permanent health issues. Money does not solve everything, and it is not going to fix my issues or the issues that people face daily. I often motivate myself and thank God daily for helping me feel better about my disability, even if just a little. I find that my future research in Scoliosis, Arthrits, CSF leaks, Cancer, and dangerous products and ingredients can heavily impact my future positively. I want to do this because my symptoms may be signs of Arthritis and a CSF leak. Many people have Cancer, and some products and ingredients are being legalized even though they are known to cause Cancer and reproductive harm. I want to put an end to the legalizations and convince people to no longer sacrifice peoples' health issues for money, greed, and success. I believe that embracing individuality is very unique because everyone is their own person with their own struggles and paths. I plan to use my future knowledge of Radiology to uplift people and give them a chance at becoming successful by pursuing their dreams. I also want to teach them how to uplift themselves and accept who they are while also following God. I feel that everyone struggles with insecurity and the burdens of society and its expectations. Focusing on my own goals while also being inspired by other people has shown me that I can finally be stronger mentally and emotionally and use my disability as a positive influence. Every day, I struggle physically, but I am becoming more resilient mentally and emotionally. I want to prove to people that there are still possibilities to fight for themselves when no one else will fight for them or with them.

I want to become a fashion designer. I have always loved art and drawings of clothing and shoes. I want to learn how to make clothes and sell them to make money. I also want to make clothes because I do not like the current styles of most clothing brands, and most clothes (as well as anything now) are becoming very expensive and unaffordable. Whenever someone buys something, they can not help but spend over one hundred dollars even though they did not buy a lot of items. Inflation is becoming absurd and is causing people to suffer greatly, especially when their salary is very low. People are not getting enough pay to help them survive. As inflation goes up, peoples' salaries do not, which makes it nearly impossible to survive. Inflation is expected to get even worse in the future, and I want to find extra ways to make money so I will have extra money to save in the future. I believe becoming a Radiation Therapist will provide me with the salary that I need to buy a house as well as the materials that I need to make my own fashion and art studio. I also want to become better at drawing and painting so I can sell art. I notice that many people are becoming entrepreneurs and creating online businesses. I want to become financially stable, save lots of money, and be able to buy anything that I want and need without having to worry about struggling daily. Many people struggle with loans and debt, and avoiding this can also help me achieve my financial goals. People do not strive for a proper education as they should, especially Black people. I want to become accepted in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College and become very successful in education and finances as a Black person. I believe pursuing my goals will prove people wrong and also uplift people, especially Black people and women. Society often tries to give certain positions to White people and men. Nothing will make me happier than being in their positions as well. Black people have stigmas placed on them and are often put down and ignored, especially when it comes to money, education, careers, healthcare, and other benefits. Society wants to depict Black people as not wanting an education or not becoming successful in education, experiencing high risks of poverty, and experiencing high chances of having loans, not being able to pay off their debt, and also having very low credit scores. I want to avoid this life as much as I can and live the life that society does not want me to live as a Black person to not only better myself but encourage other Black people to better their lives as well because it is possible. Seeing others succeed convinces them that it is also possible, no matter what anyone says or thinks or believes. I see myself pursuing a successful career in Radiology as well as fashion. Going further into my career by teaching myself what I want to learn independently will also help me learn how I can make even more money and even research everything that I can learn about my career and help other people become successful. I want to prove that you do not always have to do what others do to become successful. I have always wanted to become financially stable, read and perform X-rays, and make clothes. Nothing will make me happier than doing this while also praising and thanking God for setting me on the right path to do so.

I was diagnosed with Scoliosis when I was around 9 or 10 years old. I went to physical therapy, doctors' appointments, and even received X-rays for most of my life. I often have trouble breathing, picking up and grabbing things, and moving around and stretching. I sometimes feel burning sensations that are becoming more severe daily. I used to have burning sensations, but they often stopped after a while. Although my pain is random, causes me distress, and lasts longer than usual, I am still willing to push forward and pursue my education in Radiology. I remember having trouble walking when I was 16 due to the pain in my pelvic area. I tried to keep walking and tell myself that I have to keep moving and God will eventually make my pain go away and make me feel better and I just have to wait. This experience and my current experience with pain inspire me to pursue my major and future career. Thinking about my issues and the health issues that other people have (especially Cancer) has influenced me even more to pursue Radiology. I was always affected by my disability and how different I was compared to other people. I was also affected by people not understanding and thinking my problems could be fixed by simply stretching and exercising. Doctors even refused to provide me with a back brace and made my situation even worse while knowing what would happen if the curve of my spine was not reduced. I finally received one at 18 years old, but it was too late to reduce the curve because I was almost an adult, which means that my body had begun to stop growing at this age due to my bones becoming ossified (too fixed or rigid to move). I have always felt that I was taken advantage of by doctors' greed for money. I also sometimes felt that my race, gender, and disability made things even worse. Although I feel much better accepting this part of me than I did years ago, I still have trouble accepting it. I think about people being ignored by doctors, not being taken seriously, and having their symptoms minimized (including me). I want to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College to become a Radiation Therapist, help remove tumors, treat patients with Cancer, and make them feel that they can come to someone who recognizes and cares about their pain, issues, and struggles when other people do not. Not only are people being ignored and taken advantage of daily, many products and ingredients are being sold and used legally even though they can cause Cancer and/or reproductive harm. I wish to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer to find a cure or at least some way to prevent or reduce them. I want to research businesses that allow dangerous products to be sold. Other people inspire me to pursue my goals because they have fought for change and sometimes even achieved their goals and kept fighting for more, whether or not they achieved them. I believe that if other people can succeed in pursuing their goals, I can as well. No matter how much my pain worsens, I am still willing to push through and live the life that I want. I probably would not participate in a mentorship program with Inspire11 because I am not familiar with it, and I usually work through my problems on my own, but I am grateful and happy that people are willing to help others with finances, education, and their careers.

I do not have a direct experience with Cancer, but I have seen other people with Cancer. What really hurts me is not knowing why most people have Cancer and how they can ever survive it. I have seen and heard of products and ingredients that cause Cancer and/or reproductive harm. Not many people are concerned that businesses and corporations allow these dangerous products to be sold legally. An ingredient such as Red-40 even causes Cancer in animals and can even cause Cancer or other health issues in humans. I am willing to research Cancer by pursuing Radiology and becoming a Radiation Therapist once I complete the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College and pass the ARRT exam. I personally know what it is like to have a condition that you can not get rid of, which makes you insecure and causes you to question your life and the others around you as you struggle to find a voice and the confidence to embrace your disability while others can embrace their disabilities and other issues. I also know what it is like to not have anyone understand or want to understand your condition while thinking that your life is easy just because theirs may be easy. Thinking about my experience with Scoliosis, X-rays, and physical therapy has caused me to develop a personal connection to Radiology. As I thought about my pain and struggles, I started to think more about how I wanted to research Cancer and expose companies that allow dangerous products to be sold. I also thought about how many products, such as cheese, are often fake and contain plastic. Products such as Velveeta and Kraft contain plastic and other ingredients or additives that may be harmful. According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), only 51% of real cheese is required. The requirements placed on products need to be revised and changed immediately. I believe that what we consume daily also impacts our chances of having Cancer and most likely raises our chances more significantly than normal. Many people are being diagnosed with Cancer, and I believe it is not a coincidence. We will continue to struggle to find a cure for Cancer as long as we are making the same mistakes and are not searching for other possible causes of Cancer. Noticing how people often ignore real problems and continue to make the same mistakes while still expecting changes really hurts me. I want to use my future knowledge of Radiology and Radiation Therapy to help remove tumors and treat people with Cancer. Going into the Oncology field and researching Cancer and harmful products can help me find a cure for Cancer or at least lower the chances of developing Cancer. I may not have Cancer, but that does not mean it does not impact me. Many people pursue goals whether or not they have personal issues related to what they are pursuing. They often see other people struggling and strive to help them. I wish to help people face Cancer and tumors while also finding a voice and the strength to do so. Doctors have ignored my health issues and made them worse because of money, but that does not mean I will do the same when it comes to other people. I will strive to pursue Radiology so I can help people cope with their issues while I continue to learn how to cope with mine. I have learned that being inspired by others and wanting to help yourself and other people is enough to give yourself and others a voice.

My experience with mental health causes me to experience lots of stress. I know that stress and worrying can affect you physically and not just mentally and emotionally. My experience with Scoliosis, receiving X-rays and physical therapy, and having to accept that no one, even doctors, will help me and understand my issues and wanting to permanently get rid of them. I have no choice but to only depend on God and continue with my research on Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. Doctors have always neglected my health issues and concerns and have refused to help me. This negatively impacted my trust in them even more and has now caused me to believe that they will not help me and that I must help myself by pursuing Radiology. As I struggle with my physical issues of pain and not knowing whether to convince myself that they will or will not get worse, I struggle to keep myself sane as I try to focus on my education and future career. I am going to graduate from Holmes Community College and receive my degree in May 2025 and become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. Since this is my last semester, I am trying to have a high GPA. Being on the President's List for Fall 2024 has motivated me even more to do so. I love Radiology and have always wanted to read and perform X-rays, but my experience with Scoliosis and physical pain might impact me in multiple ways, including PTSD and mental and emotional distress. I feel that as time goes by, I will struggle physically, mentally, and emotionally while dealing with my issues. I want to avoid student loans and debt as much as I can. I also want to be financially stable for as long as I can and practice saving lots of money, especially for emergencies. I find financial stability and saving for emergencies very important because inflation is going up and will be even worse in the future. We will never know what will happen to us in the future, so it is always best to prepare and be ready at all times and focus on balancing between what we want and need, especially for emergencies. I will try my best to get and keep a job even if I face racism, sexism, and discrimination while having a disability. I believe that these issues can not be avoided, but I will still strive to be strong, pursue my career, and not give up. Other people have faced even worse issues in the past, and that means that my problems are not as serious, and I have no excuse as to why I should not pursue my goals. I believe I will not always succeed, but I will not always fail. Thinking about my issues and how to cope with them has encouraged me even more to pursue my career, whether I can and cannot control them. I still will trust in God and believe that he will help me succeed until my time is up. We all have a limited time and have specific goals in life, and I believe that as long as others can succeed while going through daily uncontrollable struggles, I can too. I will strive to manage my health issues as best as I can. Since I have been struggling with being silent because of Scoliosis, I personally believe that wanting and doing things for yourself is enough to give yourself a voice. I know that it is always important to trust God no matter how hard life gets for us, but it is really hard to accept a reality in which you can not control your issues and people think that they are easy to control and can go away. It is also hard to accept that your life may change forever, knowing that you may have to depend on someone for the rest of your life while struggling to pursue an education, career, and balance finances and savings while other people get to do everything independently while you wish you could do the same and not have to experience uncontrollable and unbearable pain daily as well as facing the fact that no one will ever understand and will never be willing to understand. I was never a social person, and having to pursue Radiology while struggling with my issues pressures me a lot and also affects my mental health. I feel like giving up often, but I am still willing to pursue my career and encourage people, especially Black people, women, and people with disabilities and health issues, to always pursue their goals and education no matter what struggles they go through. How can I motivate and encourage other people to pursue their goals if I give up? How would other people have succeeded if they had not encouraged themselves and been encouraged by people in the past? How can people continue to stay motivated now if current and future people give up and refuse to attempt to pursue their goals, careers, and aspirations? I will strive to live the life that I want and believe and trust and praise God no matter what pain I experience. I would rather believe in God, trust and praise him, and experience pain and suffering than not believe in him and trust and praise him and not have any pain and suffering because he will never leave me, and there is no one like him and Jesus Christ. God has created me and everyone to praise him and obey him and do certain things in life in whatever amount of time that he wants to give us. We all have a purpose in life as well as a certain time to live. Knowing this and having been told multiple times that I was created for great things makes me very anxious but also very excited to experience great things in life and pursue my future goals.

My experience with mental health has impacted me greatly, especially when it comes to society, finances, school, my future career, and my disability. I am not a very social person, and I often struggle to connect and talk with people. I fear that I will not do great in the Radiology field because I have to talk to people and interact with them. I am also not great with emotionally connecting with people, and I often do not understand why people base reality on their emotions and delusions instead of logic and reality. Having to face the world in a reality where people refuse to understand, hear, acknowledge, and accept the truth and make their lives easier and would rather be lied to and make things harder for themselves affects me greatly. Having to face the reality of experiencing heavy finances because of growing inflation while also dealing with possible PTSD from my experience with Scoliosis also affects me. Having to go through school while randomly having pain while walking, moving my hands and other parts of my body, and even having trouble breathing is affecting me unlike anything else that I have ever experienced in my entire life. I try not to let my health issues bother me (even mentally and emotionally), but with the possibility of having Arthritis and a CSF leak, and seeing that Scoliosis takes 14 years off of your life, it scares me. I fear that my pain will become so unbearable that I can no longer do normal things for myself daily. I already struggle to do normal things, which even includes picking up and grabbing things and laying my hand flat. My chest even hurts just about every week now, but I still try to get through the pain no matter how much I am suffering. For me, pain has always been a daily occurrence, and I usually think nothing of it, but now that the effects from my Scoliosis and other issues are becoming more severe, I do not know what to do. I have school and have to get through the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College as best as I can without having student debt and loans while also struggling with pain daily. I feel I do not have time for doctors' appointments and their refusal to help me as usual. As I think about my experience with X-rays, physical therapy, and no one to understand that my issues can not be fixed, I become even more distressed. I try to be realistic as much as I can, but thinking about whether or not my issues will get even worse drives me crazy, and honestly, I do not know what to do. I know God will make my life easier as long as I obey him and follow his righteous path and praise him, but it is hard when knowing we live in a world where people refuse to follow him and do right and instead commit sin, do wrong, do what they want, and still believe that he will protect and bless them and not punish them. I fear that we will eventually live in a world where we will be forced to no longer believe in God, disobey him, no longer read bibles and go to church, and even create our own world and reality based off what we want to do and treat others and things as though they are God (which is a sin and one of the Ten Commandments). As my fear and habit of overthinking and worrying and seeing that my predictions may become true, I am just waiting for the future to come. I try to think about myself pursuing my education and hopefully being financially stable before anything. I also try to have faith that the world may stop trying to turn to evil so I can no longer worry and allow God to shape our future for good because other people and I feel better when we are reassured that God is with us. Thinking about the future, worrying, and overthinking are beginning to break me down, and I just want a break. I have come to realize that thinking can put fear in us because it is now putting fear in me. I still try to fight through my issues and believe and trust that God will protect me from loans, debt, health issues, and the works of society. My understanding of how people just want chaos pushes me even more to disconnect from them and focus on myself and what I want from life. As I see other people going through their daily lives and struggling, I become encouraged to keep fighting even if I fear that I may be unable to pursue my education and career and goals. Mental health issues can tear you down emotionally and physically, and I am beginning to learn that the hard way. I am still going to fight to praise God even when other people will not and trust that he will never leave us. I am also going to fight and support people and encourage them to fight and support themselves and others even when they feel as though they do not have a voice. Wanting to do more for yourself and others is enough to give yourself a voice, which is something I have also learned the hard way as I struggle with having Scoliosis as a disability. As I struggle to accept my future and reality and also the future and reality of others, I try not to worry and take small steps at a time to get closer to my goal. I feel I might eventually have to depend on other people to help me as I struggle with social anxiety and health issues. I may struggle with life and personal goals, but I know that God will guide me through whatever path he has for me, and he will do the same for other people.

I hope to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I also want to become a fashion designer. I plan to become successful financially and save money by becoming a Radiation Therapist once I complete the Radiology Program and pass the ARRT exam at Hinds Community College. I hope to avoid student debt and loans, become financially stable with my future career, and manage my Scoliosis and my other physical and health issues. Winning renewable scholarships that provide enough money will help me reach my goals much more easily. I hope to make a huge impact by becoming successful as a Black woman and as a person with a disability. Black people, women, and people with disabilities are often held back in society and are not given equal chances. Many of them want to become successful in various ways but are often ignored and are not given opportunities to do so. Black people and women are often paid less and also have higher chances of being in poverty and taking longer to pay off loans and debt because they receive less pay. They, as well as people with disabilities, are often refused jobs or even get fired from them even if they are more qualified or more willing to work compared to other people. Some people even fear that because they are black, female, and have disabilities, they will not become successful in society and sometimes give up on their dreams. People with disabilities even refuse to address their disabilities and concerns because they fear they will be held back, looked down upon, and will not be treated fairly when it comes to jobs and education. I want to strive to be a successful Black woman with a disability and prove that it is possible to become successful even if you are Black, female, and have a disability. I hope to build my future by pursuing a successful education in Radiology and learning how to make clothes and pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer. I want to encourage people to believe that it is possible to achieve your dreams and goals even when you are held back by society, disabilities, and health issues. I will not let my disability and future problems prevent me from achieving my goals, no matter how much pain I go through, and I want others to do the same. Black people, women, and disabled people have achieved many things, and acknowledging this motivates me and other people to keep fighting no matter what, and it needs to stay that way because it is possible to achieve your goals in multiple ways even when you are held back by whatever society and life throws at you.

I am currently attending Holmes Community College and will receive my college degree in May of 2025. I want to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Leaks, and Cancer. I am struggling with Scoliosis and pursuing Radiology will help support my research. Receiving enough money from scholarships will help fund my education when I transfer to Hinds Community College when I become accepted into the Radiology Program. I want to avoid debt and student loans as much as possible because they will hold me back. Many people are neglected when it comes to their health and are made to think that doctors will help them and, therefore, put their trust in them. I never trusted doctors and have always hated them, and having personal experiences with them has greatly influenced that even more. Doctors have always neglected my health and have caused it to get even worse. They never cared about my health and only wanted money. I also know that they will have higher chances of refusing to help you if you do not know anything about the medical field. Earning my associate's degree from Holmes Community College and getting my Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree will help further my career in my studies. If I can gain more knowledge about Radiology, I can avoid being taken advantage of by doctors, especially because of my experience with Scoliosis, X-rays, and physical therapy. I know that simply exercising and going to physical therapy is not effective against Scoliosis and will never be. Doctors know this and can, therefore, continue making money off of me because my problems will never be fixed and will be permanent. If I continue to do my research, I will never be taken advantage of ever again by doctors and possibly help other people avoid being taken advantage of as well by telling them the truth and what they need to know, unlike what doctors often do. Doctors would rather see you suffer in pain for the rest of your life because of money than help you and not receive any money. Aside from their selfish and greedy nature, doctors will be fired if they can not make money off of their patients, which is very selfish and hurtful. People are often told that doctors will help and fix their patients' issues and always know what to do, but in reality, that is not true, and many people believe that it is. The healthcare field needs to be changed. I am willing to change things and encourage people to do the same. Many people often feel neglected and unheard and choose not to go to doctors because of their lack of trust and experience with being neglected and ignored. I also plan to become a Radiation Therapist. Pursuing this will not only further my research in Radiology, but it can also support my research of Cancer. Many people are being diagnosed with Cancer. Too many products cause Cancer and reproductive harm. No one seems to be concerned about this, and everything seems to be going in circles when it comes to finding the cure for Cancer. I hope to find a cure for Cancer and my issues and prevent dangerous products from being sold. I have always struggled with my insecurities when it came to my disability. I always wondered how people could openly express their health issues and disabilities and wondered if I would be able to do the same. People do not have to suffer in silence like I did. Helping themselves and others is enough to give themselves and others a voice.

I have always wanted to be a fashion designer. I want to have a fashion studio and teach myself how to sew clothes properly. I was always interested in making my own money and buying things that I wanted and needed without struggling and depending on other people for money. Although my major is Radiology, I still aspire to manage my finances efficiently from my future career so I can buy my own house and create my art, fashion, and music studio. I hope to become advanced in sewing by hand and using a sewing machine. I also hope to make money and encourage people to go against what society wants. Most of society wants and expects women to expose their bodies and wear thin clothing. Not liking this inspires me to sell non-revealing clothing and encourage more women to not succumb to the demands and pressures of society and what others want from them and instead focus on what they want and love without the fear of receiving backlash. Seeing other people become successful entrepreneurs inspires me to commit to being a fashion designer, especially when I see Black people and women. Black people and women often struggle to receive equal opportunities. They also have a high chance of living in poverty and being in debt. When I see more Black people and women make their own money and not depend on anyone, it inspires me to do the same. Being successful financially and educationally has always been one of my desires in life. I become even more encouraged to believe that I can be successful in many ways when I see other people become successful, too. I have problems with Scoliosis. I may also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. I often have problems walking, picking up and grabbing things, breathing, and laying my hand flat on a desk. I also have pain when I stretch and move my fingers. As my condition worsens, I still refuse to let it affect my education and my goals. I may have to adjust to my condition in the future according to the severity and longevity of my pain because it seems to worsen about every month. Pain has always been part of my daily life, therefore making it insignificant to me. I still aspire to become a fashion designer and live the life that I want no matter how much my problems affect me. I have always loved fashion, and pursuing an education, making my own money, being independent, and running a business were always interesting to me. No matter what issues I go through, I will always want to achieve my goals, which include finances, saving money, and education. I also want to inspire other people to achieve their goals and pursue an education and careers no matter how hard life gets for them. I want people to push forward despite having struggles. I will strive to be financially stable and gain knowledge in my major and other things that I am willing to learn and push through my struggles not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

My major is Radiology, and I plan to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I am attending Holmes Community College and will graduate in May 2025. As I struggle with a few of my classes, I still strive to get my degree and transfer to Hinds Community College. Once I complete the Radiology Program and pass the ARRT exam, I will become a Radiation Therapist so I can help remove tumors and treat patients with Cancer. I also want to research ways that Cancer can be cured while also trying to prevent dangerous products and ingredients from being processed and sold because many of them cause Cancer, reproductive harm, and other health issues. I have always heard that people hate their jobs and work because of the need for money. I also told myself that if I ever get in this situation, I might as well be prepared for it because I can not avoid it. I wanted to go against how society often felt and was still looking for something more behind my choice of pursuing Radiology but still struggled to find a true desire and motivation other than money, education, job growth, experience, and wanting to perform and read X-rays. Whatever I thought about still was not enough for me until I thought about my Scoliosis. I have always struggled with Scoliosis, not only because of my worsening condition but because no one understands and thinks I can easily get rid of it and thinks that my life is very easy to live. I have always thought about how my life was different compared to most people, especially the students at my school who most likely were normal compared to me. Knowing that I will forever have a disability that makes me abnormal and knowing that there is nothing that I can do to reverse it causes me lots of distress but also makes me want to pursue my education even more. I plan to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, and CSF leaks because I might also have Arthritis and possibly a CSF leak. Knowing that doctors have never cared about my condition, never will, and no one understands, gives me no choice but to research my issues on my own. As I struggle to do simple tasks such as walking, moving around, picking up and grabbing things, and breathing, I refuse to let this stop me from reaching my goals. I strive to push myself as hard as I can because I am the only one who can live my life. Other people have faced many challenges and have refused to let their hardships stop them. My disability and seeing other people with health issues and disabilities inspire me to continue fighting to live the life that I want while also adjusting to my permanent life of worsening pain and suffering. I plan to pursue an education in Radiology and perform and read X-rays for as long as I can. I have always felt silenced and ignored and thought that I would never find the strength to embrace my disability positively like other people do and always wondered how they were able to do it and if I could ever do the same. I want to inspire others and encourage them that they do not have to suffer in silence. Doing things for yourself is enough to give you a voice. My career may seem to end for whatever reason (which may include facing racism, sexism, disabilities, being fired, being unhired for a job, or even retiring), but my research and ambitions will not.

"IT" girl to me means someone who stands out and inspires others. Although an "IT" girl may have positive as well as negative definitions based on different perspectives, it does not change my interpretation of what an "IT" girl should truly be. I believe people should not expose their bodies because it is what society wants and what others find attractive. I want to one day have a fashion studio and learn how to make clothes. I want to inspire people to go against what society wants in positive ways. I also want to encourage people to not always succumb to the rules and expectations of society just because everyone supports them and thinks it is the right thing to do. I have overcome adversity by pursuing my education at Holmes Community College. I am majoring in Radiology, and hopefully, my career can help provide enough money so I can create a fashion, art, and music studio, as well as a video game setup. Many Black people do not go to college and do not have opportunities that help them avoid loans and debt. They also do not have enough knowledge to grant them a proper education. They only go as far as their knowledge takes them and have jobs that barely help them pay bills, rent, buy necessities, and provide for their family. Even if they were to pursue an education, the cost of living, college, and programs are very high and discourage many Black people from pursuing an education and getting further ahead in life. Many Black people also fear that they will not be given equal chances and will be ignored when against other races and therefore consider pursuing anything a waste of time. I hope to inspire others not only with my love of fashion and going against what people look for in society (especially in women) but also to reach their goals and education no matter what hardships they may face. I want to encourage Black people to always pursue their goals and not let their mindset hold them back and do whatever they can to not let their path be set back all because they are Black. Many people may think that the Radiology field will be dominated by White people and other races, and I hope to change that. I want to be accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College and go against society's expectations of Black people and increase the percentage of Blacks in successful careers. Being a fashion designer has always been my dream, and I believe my career path and ambition to pursue fashion and Radiology will allow me to finally make clothes one day and possibly become financially successful in fashion and Radiology while also encouraging people, especially Black people,e to pursue their hopes and dreams and education.

X-rays inspire me to pursue Radiology and Radiation Therapy. The first X-ray was taken on November 8, 1895, by German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. He accidentally discovered X-while experimenting with vacuum tubes and studied this new type of radiation. I have always wanted to perform and read X-rays, and seeing people with Cancer and products and ingredients that cause Cancer and reproductive harm has inspired me even more to do this. Many lives are saved just by someone going get a screening. Using X-rays such as MRIs, CT scans, sonograms, ultrasounds, and mammograms can help many people become aware of their health issues and help them possibly improve their daily lives and live longer. I was also inspired to pursue Radiology due to my experience with Scoliosis. I have received many X-rays and have also gone to physical therapy. Doctors have always ignored my health issues and refused to solve my problems. Seeing other radiologists has encouraged me to believe that I can perform and read X-rays as well as they can or better. I want to learn about Arthritis and CSF leaks because I might also have them. As my condition with Scoliosis worsens, I still want to pursue my education and learn about my health issues and other peoples' health issues. I also want to help people when they have tumors and Cancer by becoming a Radiation Therapist once I become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I also want to strive financially and physically as much as possible once I finally get into my career.

I am attending Holmes Community College. I graduate in May of 2025. My major is Pre-Radiologic Sciences, and I hope to be accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. My experience with Scoliosis, receiving X-rays, and attending physical therapy motivates me to pursue Radiology. Due to my experience of having no one to understand my health issues and struggles and seeing doctors ignore my health issues while not being able to do anything about it and seeing other people perform X-rays also makes me want to pursue Radiology so I can identify the cause of my symptoms. I tell myself that if other people can pursue Radiology, perform X-rays, and use radiation, I can too and possibly be even better. If I could do anything, it would be to no longer have any pain from my Scoliosis and other health issues. I imagine being able to live where I can walk normally without any pain and limping, picking up and grabbing things, and laying my hand flat without any pain. Being able to move around normally, stretch without any pain, and even breathe normally without any chest pain. I also imagine my life without going to doctor's appointments daily, receiving X-rays, and attending physical therapy. Not having anyone thinking my problems are easy to deal with and can change as easily as they think they can. I imagine not struggling with pain daily and being born normal like most people and not having a disability. Having this life would be the perfect life for me because my life would be much easier and would be normal like the lives of other people without the pain and suffering from my daily struggles. I love STEM because it includes science, technology, healthcare, and engineering. Many people can be increasingly encouraged to embrace their creativity and knowledge by learning and experiencing careers and professions in STEM. I feel that I could positively impact the world by encouraging others to pursue their dreams even if they are held back by something. I also want to change the world by researching Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer and preventing businesses and corporations from selling and using dangerous products and ingredients that cause Cancer and reproductive harm. Becoming a Radiation Therapist will allow me to treat patients with Cancer and tumors. By learning to use and read X-rays, I can diagnose patients and treat them independently. Embracing a STEM career has always been one of my motivations in pursuing a career. Being in the Radiology field can make a positive impact in information technology by using computers to store and analyze X-rays. I am delighted to be in a STEM field and embrace my love for science, math, and technology in the healthcare field. I have always wanted to perform and read X-rays, and finally being given the chance to do so makes me more happy than I could ever express. I feel as though my experiences and beliefs have made my passion for Radiology even stronger. I also believe that I might not be as passionate if I did not have experiences that involved being around X-rays and if many people were not suffering from Cancer and dangerous products. I wish to address my concerns and finally have people who understand my pain as well as the pain and suffering of others. I want people to finally acknowledge the struggles that others and I go through without ignoring and undermining our issues and concerns. One of my greatest challenges was passing all of my college classes. The classes are very advanced and contain a lot of information that is very hard to remember. I was always behind in learning because most of my elementary, middle, and high school teachers were not the best and refused to teach things that could have been very beneficial and new to us. We always repeated the same lessons and sometimes were taught nothing at all. Sometimes, we did not have teachers. I often had to teach myself and learn independently, even if I did not understand what needed to be learned. Our teachers were even angry if we did not learn and failed our tests even if the lesson was based on something they never taught us. I still struggle to learn new things on my own because the knowledge that I need now could have been taught to me years ago if my teachers had made an effort to teach what needed to be learned. I am trying my best to study and remember everything as much as possible, especially since I have a lot of tests and need financial aid. I still enjoy learning, but it is difficult when you have no one to teach anything but yourself while also struggling. Working hard, studying, praying, and trusting God have helped me reach my goal of passing my classes. I was even on the President's list for the Fall of 2024.

My computer science goals include Radiology and Radiation Therapy. Radiology includes using computers for X-rays and digital imaging data. Computers are vitally needed in the Radiology field for data storage and advanced features for modern medical technology. They need to be carefully analyzed to see details to accurately diagnose patients. Computer-aided detection (CAD) is installed on computers to detect anomalies in X-rays. Being in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College will help me perform X-rays and manage radiation properly. As I get further in my career, I can teach myself how to properly read X-rays and diagnose patients when I become a Radiation Therapist. I plan to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leak, and Cancer. I have Scoliosis, and I might also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. I want to research Cancer because many people are being diagnosed with Cancer, and many products and ingredients cause cancer or reproductive harm. I want to help other patients cope with tumors and Cancer by becoming a Radiation Therapist while also helping myself with my personal issues. My non-computer science goals include coping with my Scoliosis and my struggles with pain. I am using my pain and struggles as a positive way to motivate myself in the Radiology field. Doctors have always ignored my health issues. Seeing other people perform X-rays has encouraged me to do the same and possibly better. I have always been insecure about my Scoliosis because I am not normal compared to other people, my life is completely different than other people's lives, and Scoliosis can not be cured. Due to my experience with receiving X-rays and physical therapy, I am willing to research and try to focus on my career positively and encourage myself as much as I can. I used to find it hard to cope with my having my Scoliosis and a disability. I used to wonder how people could talk about their health issues so easily, even if they are struggling. Now, I am not as sad and angry about my disability anymore, and I feel more comfortable talking about it. Whenever I struggle to cope with my issues, I tell myself that other people have struggles too and have suffered in pain and silence, and being just like them makes me feel better because I am not the only one suffering from health issues. I also try to tell myself that my pain and struggles are the reason why I am pursuing Radiology, and I can not stop now because of everything that I worked hard for. If I stop now, everything that I have done was all for nothing. I am going to combine my experience with Scoliosis and seeing people with Cancer with Radiology. I am going to turn my distress into something positive by encouraging myself and possibly other people to pursue their goals no matter what issues they may have, especially if they have health issues and no one understands what they are going through. I notice how other people have disabilities, health issues, or other problems and can turn them into something positive and find support from other people. I did not believe that I would be able to find and use a career that would encourage me to cope positively with my struggles and emotional issues. I never thought I would be able to get over my issues, but I always hoped I would. I want to use Radiology to cope positively physically, mentally, and emotionally. I may never get over my issues completely, but I am still willing to pursue my career no matter what.

I am attending Holmes Community College to get my degree in Pre-Radiologic Sciences. I am trying to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I wanted to pursue Radiology because of the financial stability, advancements in technology, and high job growth. I also wanted to pursue a career that would motivate me by always having me engage in physical activities and will always help me educationally. Now, I want to pursue my career even more because I struggle with Scoliosis. I have received X-rays and physical therapy for most of my life, which somewhat puts me at ease when it comes to being around X-rays. On the other hand, my issues cause a lot of distress for me and make me feel very insecure because there is no cure for Scoliosis, and my body and life are not normal compared to other people. Knowing that I have a disability and possibly other issues makes me want to use Radiology as a way to cope with my issues. I want to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer because I might have Arthritis and a CSF leak, and many people are being diagnosed with Cancer. I can help people who have Cancer and tumors by becoming a Radiation Therapist. I can make a huge impact on the world if I can prevent products that cause Cancer and reproductive harm from being sold and manufactured. Many people struggle with Cancer daily, and knowing that they are going to die makes life even harder for them. I want to help them cope by removing their issues as much as I can easily since my issues with Scoliosis can never be removed or cured. Unfortunately, I do not know what percentage of BIPOC students will make up the Radiology Program yet, but I hope it will be at least 60%. Black people are often underrepresented in any field and are often discouraged from becoming successful, and are also neglected and ignored. They are not given chances that other races have, especially White people. It is about time that more Black people are in programs and are not greatly outnumbered and refused chances. I want to see more Black people become successful in their careers and avoid struggling with finances and lack of education and knowledge. I can inspire other Black people to work toward their chosen careers by being in the Radiology Program. This can encourage them to no longer feel as though they can not achieve great things because they are Black. Many Black students lack the motivation and resources needed to become successful. Working towards being a Radiation Therapist could allow me to give other people jobs, especially Black people, and create a society that includes many successful Black people. This will prevent a lack of guidance, knowledge, education, and finances. Creating a bright future for Black people will make me very happy and will make me and other people feel as though we have accomplished something special and have finally made another huge impact on the world.

I am trying to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. Once I complete the program, pass the ARRT exam, and receive my AAS degree, I will strive to become a Radiation Therapist. I notice that many people are developing Cancer and tumors, and the risk of Cancer is very high. Many products contain ingredients that are not real, contain plastic, and can even cause Cancer. Other products even have labels stating they can cause Cancer and even reproductive harm. People are creating these products with the knowledge of the damage that they can cause, and yet are still being allowed to sell them. Businesses and corporations do not seem to be concerned about this issue and seem to think that it is completely acceptable. This should not be legal and should be stopped. I am willing to become a Radiation Therapist to address this issue by not only removing tumors and helping people who have Cancer but also researching how Cancer can be cured and how to prevent these dangerous products from being legalized and sold. People are not looking into the causes of Cancer as they should. They are only working to solve the issues once someone is diagnosed with it. To prevent Cancer, we have to start from where Cancer comes from and why. Cancer starts when the DNA in cells is destroyed and lose their signal to stop dividing. Once they lose their signal, they divide uncontrollably, thus causing Cancer. If lots of products and ingredients cause Cancer, then this would mean that they may be similar in their genetic makeup. This would also mean that our bodies can not fight against the genetic makeup of these products and ingredients. Once our bodies align with the genetic makeup of whatever causes Cancer, then we will have then found a cure to Cancer. This is similar to when someone is taking medicine that eventually no longer becomes effective because they have taken it for so long that their body has aligned with the genetic makeup of the medicine, therefore making them resistant to the medicine. Once our bodies have become aligned with the genetic makeup of Cancer-causing cells, then we will have finally found a cure to Cancer. It will be hard to find a cure for Cancer because there might not be a direct origin of whatever causes it. It will also be even harder to find a cure if people continue to use and sell products that cause Cancer. This might, in turn, cause Cancer to mutate and become stronger, which will then make it harder to find a cure or even multiple ones. Another problem would be using radiation, nuclear energy, and nuclear medicine, because they can also lead to Cancer, but are really important in many different fields and are very effective. As hard as it may be to find a cure for Cancer, I am still willing to research the causes of it and the businesses that allow dangerous products to be sold. If no one is willing to find a cure and prevent dangerous products from being sold, I am willing to do it. I will do all I can to properly use radiation to prevent Cancer and destroy tumors, because Cancer cells can only be destroyed more effectively using high-energy radiation such as ionization energy. The only way I can reach my goal, is by committing my entire life to Radiology and research and that will happen once I become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College.

I have chosen Radiology as my major because of the high salary and advancements in technology. Radiology is a very demanding field and is highly recommended for people to pursue because of technology, rising health issues, and job growth. Knowing all of this made me want to pursue it and learn how to use X-rays and also read them. I have always wanted to use X-rays, and I have always wondered how to use radiation while limiting the amount needed properly. I have always told myself that if other people can use X-rays and read them, I can do so as well. My disability has also inspired me to continue pursuing Radiology. I have Scoliosis, and I may also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. Doctors have always ignored my health issues and allowed them to get worse, knowing that my Scoliosis would get worse if nothing was done to reduce the curve of my spine. As I thought about the research that I have done so far based on my disability, my symptoms, and my history of receiving X-rays and physical therapy, I realized that I could help myself by finding out my issues and researching them. I want to be in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College and become a Radiation Therapist. This will help remove tumors and help patients when they have Cancer. The chances of developing Cancer are very high. Many products are the cause of this, and some even cause reproductive health issues. No one seems to be concerned about this, but I am willing to address my concerns and solve this issue. I want to commit myself to researching Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, Cancer, and possibly other health issues. People claim doctors and nurses are supposed to care for others and treat them, but I know that is not true. I have never trusted doctors, and my experience with them has only increased my distrust in them even more. Doctors have ignored my pain and concerns for money just as they have done with others. Since doctors ignore pain, suffering, and health issues because of money, I have no choice but to research different health issues myself. My condition seems to get worse every month, but I am still willing to push forward and receive my education and degrees. Personally, Radiology is more than just using radiation and performing X-rays. My past has defined who I am and has influenced my career goals and purpose in life. I have been trying to feel comfortable with myself and get over my pain, suffering, and permanent health issues. I feel more content and at peace with who I am now that I can apply my pain positively in my life and my career. I may not be entirely at peace with myself, but I feel much better now with my issues, mentally and emotionally, than I did years ago.

Receiving this scholarship would mean so much to me because I plan to be in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I chose Radiology as my major because technology is advancing, and it is a very demanding and well-paying field that is growing exponentially. Radiology has a lot to offer when it comes to the medical field, such as knowing about the human body and how to properly use and read X-rays, which can save someone's life. I will be very happy if I go far in my career to support myself financially as well as physically and mentally and emotionally. Radiology has become more than just a field that involves radiation and X-rays and knowledge about Anatomy and Physiology to me. I have Scoliosis, and it has made me a part of the disabled community. It has been very hard to deal with lately because of the immense pain, lack of movement, and my health issues being ignored. My condition seems to be worsening about every month or every week, but some days are better than others, while some are even worse. I try to believe that my condition will not progressively get worse to the point where I have to depend on someone completely, but unfortunately, I am currently losing hope. I can not control my pain and suffering and condition, but I wish I could. I strongly wish that I could change things, but I can not. I have no choice but to keep moving and just hope that my pain will not completely impact my life, education, and career. I do not want my disability to completely change my life, and I refuse to let it do that to me. I do not want to be denied a job or possibly fired because of it, especially if I can not do anything about it and be forced to live with it. I try to believe that God will not let anything happen to me and will protect me and not let me suffer, but I know that there are things that can not be changed, and you have to live with them even if you do not want to. I have trouble moving my limbs, walking, and holding and gripping things. I also have trouble breathing, and I also experience chest pain. Sometimes, I can not lay my hand flat, and the pain is just unbearable, and I have to wait until the pain stops. At first, constantly moving around caused my pain to stop, but now that does not reduce my pain anymore as much as it used to. I still try to believe that my pain will revert to how it was before, which was not having immense pain and different issues daily. I know that wishing and believing for no pain is completely irrational and will never happen, so therefore, just having my life with less pain that I can manage daily is enough for me. I know that if I work hard and still have faith, God will support me in my career and dreams. I want to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leaks, and Cancer. I believe I may also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. I want to research Cancer because the chances of developing Cancer are becoming very high, and many products cause Cancer and reproductive health issues. As I look at other people, I tell myself that my life is not as bad as theirs or that I am completely different from them and will never be normal, and I can survive my issues too.

Success for me is having a college degree that will help me get hired for a job that will keep me financially stable and will help me save a lot of money for the rest of my life. I also want to avoid student debt and loans as much as I can. Receiving scholarships will help fund my education and avoid debt and loans while being in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I want to win as many scholarships as I can because college and programs are very expensive. I want to complete the Radiology Program, pass the ARRT exam, and become a Radiation Therapist. Living a life not having to worry about debt or loans and being able to afford things has always been important to me. Pursuing an education and gaining important knowledge is highly important to me. I feel that learning and becoming educated is very important. I also feel that working towards having a high-paying salary and saving money is very important. I will feel as though I have accomplished something big in my life if I can live the life that I want to afford everything I want and need while also saving money, gaining knowledge about everything around me, and working for as long as I can to support my intended lifestyle. I will try my best to accomplish my goals no matter what happens once I have everything that I need to succeed in life. I have Scoliosis, and I might also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. Learning Radiology has greatly impacted me because of my past. I have received X-rays and have also attended physical therapy. Since I can not get rid of my Scoliosis and it is getting worse daily, living my life and working around it successfully will make me even happier. As I continue to think about my future, I fear that I might need help at some point for the rest of my life. I do not want to live this way, but my condition is worsening at a very fast pace, and I can not control it. I want to get a job and save money as quickly as I can before my life changes completely forever. I feel that as long as I complete my financial goals, I might still be able to live with my physical condition. Now, being successful is more than just including finances and education. Living with my condition as best as I can and trying to push myself positively physically, mentally, and emotionally means I can also become successful. My condition has influenced me positively when it comes to my career. Recognizing the conditions that other people are struggling with has also influenced me. Many people are disabled (including me), have Cancer, and other health issues that they can not fix. Pursuing Radiology and becoming a Radiation Therapist will impact me positively because it will hopefully support me financially, educationally, medically, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I want to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I might not be hired for a job or may become fired due to my race, gender, and disability, and I might not be able to do anything about it. I fear that my goals may be impacted greatly because of the cost of school and education, the structure of society, and my physical issues. I want to try my best to encourage myself and push forward no matter how horrible my problems are. My goal is to finally be at peace with myself, my disability, and my struggles. Once I have done that, I will truly become successful.

I am attending Holmes Community College to earn my degree in Pre-Radiologic sciences. I want to participate in the Radiology program at Hinds Community College. Receiving this scholarship will make me extremely happy and will encourage me to keep applying for scholarships from Bold. I have never won a scholarship from Bold or any other platform, and I am excited to finally win scholarships, especially when I see or hear that other people have as well. It will also help fund my education at Hinds Community College because colleges and programs are becoming more expensive each year. I want to use technology in the healthcare field because I have always wanted to perform X-rays and learn how to read them. Radiology is becoming very demanding and is growing at a high rate. It can provide financial, educational, and medical support. At first, I wanted to pursue Radiology because of the advancement and demands of technology as well as the financial, educational, and medical support, but as time went on, it became more than that to me personally. I have Scoliosis, and I have been struggling with it for my entire life. I often have pain every day, but one night when I was trying to get out of bed, I was having extreme pain when I was trying to walk. This happened when I was 16 years old, and ever since then, I became afraid of not being able to walk ever again. I often have similar pain, but it has never been as bad as the first time so far. I always tried hoping that my pain would just subside and that moving around would alleviate it, but now that is not the case anymore. Sometimes, when I brush my teeth or try to pick up and hold things or lay my hand flat, the pain becomes too much for me, and I have to stop what I am doing. I even have trouble writing and typing and even breathing. I do not want my pain to prevent me from living my daily life and affect my education. I find that my condition is worsening at a quicker pace now, and I fear that I will no longer be able to live the normal life that I want without having to depend on anyone for the rest of my life. I have been to physical therapy and have also received X-rays. Doctors have neglected my health and have always ignored my symptoms and allowed them to get worse even while knowing the risks of waiting because of money. I know that my life and body are completely different compared to others, and I will never be able to change that, no matter how much I want to. Being disabled and knowing that my life will completely change forever and there is nothing that I can do about it hurts me, especially when no one is willing to understand that my life is not easy and can not just easily change. To me, Radiology is more than just using radiation, performing and reading X-rays, and assisting patients and helping them cope with their issues. It has become my life and my commitment. I aspire to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I want to research these issues because I believe that I may have Arthritis and a CSF leak, and lots of people are developing Cancer. Many products cause Cancer and reproductive harm, and no one is making an effort to prevent this. People are so obsessed with money that they ignore possible dangers and health issues.

I am attending Holmes Community College. My major is Pre-Radiologic Sciences. I plan to participate in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. I am interested in using technology even in the healthcare field. Radiology is becoming a very demanding field and is growing exponentially. It is becoming very popular because of the advancements in technology and the growing rates of health issues including Cancer, tumors, and heart and lung issues. Lots of people have health issues and are often ignored and neglected. Some people are not even aware of their health issues and sometimes choose to ignore them or make them even worse. Others try to fix their issues or alleviate them as best as they possibly can, even while knowing that they can never get rid of them. I am struggling with Scoliosis, and it is currently affecting my daily life. I am having trouble walking, breathing, picking up and gripping things, and moving my body. My health issues have been neglected and ignored by doctors and have gotten worse because of it. I have also attended physical therapy and have received X-rays for most of my life. Thinking about my pain and struggles, my past, and the lives of other people has influenced me more to pursue Radiology and has even made me want to research Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I want to learn how to use and read X-rays and use the minimum amount of radiation needed so I can help myself and other people due to my history of being ignored by doctors. I think that many people are neglected by doctors, especially if they are Black, female, poor, disabled, and uneducated in the medical field. I feel as though I have been a victim due to these reasons and have been taken advantage of with no one to help me. I want to help and encourage people and give them hope that they will no longer be ignored and neglected when it comes to their pain and suffering because of their issues. I want to strive financially, educationally, physically, and mentally as much as I can. Black people have always been neglected and ignored, and I want to strive financially, educationally, physically, and mentally as much as I can to prevent living the negative life that society places on Black people. Even though my condition is getting worse daily, I am still pushing myself to work hard when it comes to education and living my daily life. Doing normal things is becoming much harder for me to do, but I still will not let my issues prevent me from pursuing my education and finding and keeping a job. I think my race, gender, and disability will heavily impact my chances of being hired for a job or might even cause me to get fired. I want to avoid this as much as possible, but my issues are becoming harder to hide each day. Pursuing Radiology is very important to me because my entire life has been nothing but struggling with my personal issues of Scoliosis and realizing that I can never get rid of it and that my life and body are completely different from other people. I wish I could completely change all of this, but unfortunately, I can not. I have no choice but to learn as much as I can about Radiology and try to find a way to solve my issues and the issues of other people to give them a chance of living their best lives, especially when doctors do not seem to care about them.

I wanted to pursue STEM because I am interested in science and technology. STEM fields are beneficial when it comes to education, inclusion, and diversity. Lots of people are pursuing STEM-related fields because they include many opportunities related to healthcare, technology, engineering, and science. I feel as though STEM can give people many chances of becoming successful no matter what their race, gender, or background is. I want to continue pursuing my education in Radiology if STEM is willing to give Black people and women chances of becoming successful in education and financial stability. My experience and struggles with Scoliosis, X-rays, physical therapy, and neglect from doctors have strongly encouraged me to pursue Radiology. Many people struggle with disabilities and can not get rid of them. Having doctors choose money over their health and having no one to understand their issues makes their lives even harder. I often experience lots of pain and suffering with my issues, and I want to be able to do great things even with my disability. I want to encourage people and convince them to pursue their education and career even if they are Black, female, and have disabilities. I can possibly provide people with experience in Radiology and knowledge of health issues. I can also help more people to understand that not everyone looks as though they have a disability and may have one or even multiple without anyone's knowledge and even their knowledge. Due to my personal experiences and knowledge of peoples' suffering, I aspire to research my disability, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I believe that I may have Arthritis and a CSF leak due to my pain and the symptoms that I have found. Learning how to use and read X-rays can help with my issues because no one else will help me. I often tell myself that if other people can use X-rays and read them, I can do so as well. As my condition continues to get worse daily, I still try not to let it stop me from living my daily life and pursuing my education. I want to avoid being denied a job or fired because of my race, gender, and disability. Even though many people are trying to prevent inequality based on these issues and are creating laws that prevent this, I still feel as though I am liable to becoming a victim, and I might not be able to do anything about it. Pursuing Radiology gives me more confidence in facing my struggles physically, mentally, and emotionally, even though I am still struggling to face them every single day, knowing that I can never get rid of them and nothing can be done about them. I want to become a Radiation Therapist once I become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. Doing this will help me learn more about Cancer and help remove Cancer and tumors. More people are developing Cancer, and many products are causing it, as well as reproductive health issues. I want to commit myself to researching issues based on myself and other people. More people need to be aware of the high risks of developing Cancer. I am willing to address the corruption in businesses and corporations that threatens the lives of people and help more people avoid Cancer while also becoming aware of the dangerous products and consumables that are being sold.

My passion for learning about technology and my fascination with X-rays has influenced me to pursue Radiology. Radiology is a field that is becoming very popular and is growing at a very fast pace. Radiology and other related fields are becoming more necessary as technology advances and as more diseases and health conditions become more common and incurable. I believe that my chosen career will benefit me because I can get a job with an Associate's degree while other jobs require a Bachelor's degree. It will also benefit me financially and educationally because it includes knowledge of anatomy and physiology, oncology (cancer field), tumors, different types of X-rays and procedures, proper patient positioning, limiting radiation, and following guidelines. I plan to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. Medical programs and colleges are gradually becoming more expensive and winning scholarships can help me cover the costs of college and the program. I want to learn more about Radiology due to my struggle with Scoliosis. Due to my condition deteriorating (mainly because of doctors neglecting and ignoring my health issues and concerns), I might also have Arthritis, a CSF leak, and nerve damage. I have taken X-rays and I have also attended physical therapy for most of my life. Going through my experiences and pain and suffering, I always felt as though my life and body were completely different from others, especially the students that I went to school with. I personally feel as though my experiences have caused me immense distress because I know that I can never get rid of Scoliosis and I feel as though I am completely different from others and they will never understand my issues and are not willing to understand them and my condition. As I struggle with lots of pain (that gradually gets worse over time) walking, moving my limbs, breathing, and picking up and grabbing things, I still refuse to let my issues stop me from possibly getting a job, furthering my education, and doing other daily things. I know my life will be completely different from others and will change how I live and see myself for the rest of my life due to my daily struggles that sometimes prevent me from doing normal things that seem easy to do for other people. I want to learn more about my health conditions, Cancer, and other health conditions. I believe that being in the Radiology Program and furthering my research and education can help me do this. I believe that diversity and inclusion are very important especially when it involves education and benefits. Many people are often ignored and neglected due to their race, gender, and other things even if they can not control them. This holds them back from accomplishing great things and gives other people advantages over them even when they do not deserve it. Including different people can encourage each person and others and give them hope that they will have a chance to achieve their dreams without being held back by society. It can also help others find ways to support people and gain knowledge about different people and their experiences and might even give them chances to learn things from them. I have always felt that being a Black female will greatly put me at a disadvantage especially when it comes to education, financial stability, equality, fairness, and respect. I sometimes feel as though doctors have refused to help me because of my race and gender. I do not want to ever want to be ignored and neglected because of my race, gender, and things that I can not control. I also do not want to be discriminated against because of my disability. I feel as though I might not be hired for a job or I might become fired because of my race, gender, and disability. I want to avoid this as much as possible, but I feel as though it will be very hard to convince people not to do that to me and other people. I want people to one day be treated fairly and equally even when it comes to finances, education, racial justice, gender, and disabilities.

I chose Radiology as my career path because it is very popular and it can help you financially as well as educationally. Radiology can help you locate diseases, tumors, and other conditions such as Scoliosis, arthritis, and CSF leaks. I would be very happy to receive my degree in Radiology because it will help me learn more about Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer. I have Scoliosis and I might also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. I want to be able to learn more about using X-rays and what certain ones can and can not detect to prevent being taken advantage of by doctors once again. Getting an Associate's degree in Radiology and being in the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College will help me with my research for my health issues as well as Cancer. Too many people are being diagnosed with Cancer and I find it very strange. No one is discussing the high chances of having Cancer as they should. People need to research why products have traces of Cancer-causing agents as well as causing reproductive health issues. If no one is willing to do this, I will. I am willing to do research and commit my time to doing so once I have received my degrees. People say they care for people's health but do not act as though they do and it hurts me and other people. I have been ignored by doctors my entire life and it hurt me. They neglected my health knowing that it would get worse as I got older. My health is being highly affected now due to my Scoliosis and I am willing to help myself since no one wants to help me. Doctors have always told me that they would help me but never did and they greatly affected my trust in them. Gaining knowledge in the Radiology field will help me learn more about my (future) conditions. I know that my issues will never go away and will only continue to get worse but I am still willing to help myself even if I struggle to face them emotionally and mentally. I am also willing to research other related conditions to further my research and possibly unrelated conditions as well. Many diseases and conditions are rare and often idiopathic, which means they do not have a known cause such as Scoliosis. People often spend their time looking for cures and creating them for themselves and other people. I believe that it was possible for other people even if it was very hard at the time so therefore, it is possible for me as well no matter how hard it may be. Even though my condition is deteriorating slowly and is getting worse (almost) every day, I have no choice but to further my career and research as much as I can and keep living with my condition because I can not get rid of it no matter how much I want to. I want to be able to help myself in the future not only financially but also educationally and physically for the rest of my life. I have taken X-rays and have received physical therapy for most of my life. Even though I am heavily impacted negatively by my experiences, I want to face my struggles and improve my emotional and mental state positively even if I can not improve my condition the way I have always wanted to. Pursuing Radiology is very important to me and I have no choice but to research my issues and other health issues because no one else will.

My degree is in Radiology. I plan to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. If I get far enough in my career, I could possibly start my own business and have my own clinic that involves learning about disabilities, Cancer, and tumors and how to use an X-ray to detect them as well as using the minimum amount of radiation that is needed to remove tumors. If I become successful, hire people, and provide them with a reasonable amount of pay, I could reduce the likelihood of becoming homeless. I could also provide education for people, especially children. Many schools do not provide children and teenagers with the proper resources that they need once they reach adulthood. Their schools do not have classes such as Driver's Education, Home Economics, and Financial Literacy that could help benefit them for the rest of their lives. If they do have educational and beneficial classes or attend schools that will provide them with beneficial life skills, the children will most likely be White or attend private schools that receive lots of funding, unlike public and poor schools. If I did help children reach their potential and provide them with some of the skills needed in the Healthcare field, it would make me very happy just thinking about it. Mostly because I attended poor Black schools that barely even had good books or books at all and barely received proper education and sometimes had teachers that did not care about our education. Pursuing education is very important to me. Having lots of money for finances and savings is also very important to me. Throughout my life I have received X-rays and have also went to physical therapy due to my Scoliosis. Having enough money for my education and my future finances is very important to me. I want future children especially Black children to succeed and avoid poverty, student debt, and loans as much as possible. Black people have been through many harsh experiences and if I am ever given the chance to help Black children and other children of other races I will try my absolute best to do it. I do not want children to continue suffering because of the mistakes of other people and things that are beyond their control. I am struggling with my disabilities and I would also like other children to understand that people go through harsh things when we are not around them. I want them realize that not everyone who has a disability may look as though they have one. By helping them pursue education in the healthcare field they can not only become successful and educated and avoid homelessness, they can be more empathetic towards people with disabilties. They will also have a brighter outlook on life and future when it comes to finances. They can receive guidance and education that no one else will give them and will have less chances of struggling. I want to give children a better chance at life and be given things that other people including me did not have. I want them to be successful, have a brighter outlook on life, and strive to achieve to do better than just settle for less and live a life where they can barely afford to eat and therefore, live in a nice house, neighborhood, and have nice things. If I can encourage future children to be successful in life, I can prevent them from struggling to receive an education, which will then lessen their chances of becoming homeless and living just to survive.

Insurance and insurance agencies affect lots of people. Many people do not have insurance and can not afford it. This is especially common for Black people. Many people are often warned to get insurance before they get into accidents and if they have doctor's appointments and get sick. If they do not have insurance they have to pay huge amounts of money. Even though having insurance can prevent people from paying for damage and accidents, it is still very expensive and people are forced to live without it. Having protection against issues such as car accidents, theft, floods, fires, and damage from weather and other issues can be very helpful. Inflation is making everything much harder to afford. Prices are going up, but wages are not. People should not be expected to pay for anything when they are forced to receive low payments when working. Sometimes people are not paid extra for overtime, which is illegal. It is impossible to live a stable life financially when you have a low-paying job and have to pay for things constantly. The amount of money will add up and having insurance only adds to this and makes it even worse. People with high-paying jobs are struggling as well and have to adapt to the ridiculous cost of things. Everything is moving extremely fast and getting used to financial struggles is very hard. The stress that comes from this influences people to risk not getting insurance and therefore, suffer the consequences. Insurance costs are too high and need to be lowered so that people will not have to be forced to choose between getting and not getting insurance. Insurance agencies need to work harder toward making sure that more people are getting insurance for whatever they need as well as having the money to continue paying for it. If more people can afford insurance they will not have to pay huge amounts of money for health and accidents. They will be able to save more money and use whatever they have for other things. Not having insurance can heavily impact people and their families. At this rate, no one will be able to afford insurance as long as they put everything above insurance because they can not pay for it. Raising the cost of insurance knowing that people can not afford it, is just wrong. Too many people are struggling with their personal lives and other things. Suffering tragedies from tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, and health issues is already hard to deal with. Raising the cost of insurance is not fair and only makes life harder for other people, and yet people are still expected to pay for insurance as though they are not suffering and can quickly and easily pay for insurance as soon as they are expected to pay for it. More people need to work toward raising wages and help more people find jobs and education so that others can have more opportunities to pay for insurance and will not feel they should avoid paying for it because they can not afford it and have other things to pay for.

As I continue to achieve my career aspirations, I try to have faith and push forward. I try to imagine what I want and the steps I can take to get what I want. I try to work hard toward my goals and find inspiration as well as time for them. My issues with Scoliosis and working toward being accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College have convinced me to fully commit to research on my personal issues. As I struggle with walking, picking and gripping, breathing, and moving around, I am still able to pursue my education and live normally compared to other people. I want to pursue my education and my research, earn my degrees, get a job, and live the life I have always wanted before it is too late. If my issues fully take over permanently and prevent me from living independently, I will not be able to do things on my own, and I am afraid that as I get older I can no longer escape these issues as easily as I used to. It is getting harder not to succumb to my problems, and I fear that by the time I am 30 years old (or before), I may need help for the rest of my life because my problems are progressing too fast, and they are far beyond my control. Exercise used to reduce the pain, but now it is only making it worse. I often try to hide my pain and not let it affect me, but I do not think I can do that anymore, and I often wish I did not have to deal with my problems. I want to live a normal life, but I can not. I have accepted that I can not get rid of my Scoliosis. I want to focus on school and research, receive enough money for scholarships, and participate in the Radiology Program without having my problems affect me. Now, I have recurring issues almost daily, and I feel that I might be removed from the program because of them. I do not want this to happen, especially because I have worked too hard to get into a program that I only have one chance to become accepted into, and my issues are far beyond my control. I feel as though I can still keep going and work around my problems, and I often try to motivate myself even when going through pain and suffering. My pain and struggles are endless and make me unfazed by pain because I am so used to it. Other people have issues that stop them from permanently walking and doing other things. I feel that I have to quickly do what is needed for my future before I develop the same issues. Due to my issues and my discovery that Scoliosis takes 14 years off of a person's life and also causes heart and lung problems, I personally feel and fear that I do not have a lot of time left, even with my knowledge of these things I still want to encourage myself to live the life that I want. As doing basic things becomes a huge struggle for me, I still work toward studying and finding scholarships to help fund my education in the Radiology Program. Exercise makes my problems worse more often now. It used to reduce my pain almost completely after a few seconds. As my life changes completely, I know that my life will only get worse. No matter how I feel, I can not do anything about it.

I have been struggling with Scoliosis all of my life. I have taken lots of X-rays, been to physical therapy, and have visited lots of doctors. My lack of trust in doctors was already heavily affected because of society, and because of my personal experience with them, I have no trust in them at all if it means helping you and permanently getting rid of your problems. My life has always been different compared to other people and I always feel as though I am not normal compared to other people. I have always felt that I was never taken seriously by doctors because of my disability, and I have always felt as though being Black as well as being Female affected it too. I know that my problems can never go away, so I have no choice but to suffer as they continue to get worse. Doctors often take advantage of their patients by making their issues last longer to keep making money off them. As long as they can keep making money, they can keep their jobs. People claim that doctors are caring and are supposed to help people. They never helped me. They never cared about me. They had no shame in this and never will. They continue to hurt their patients and make them suffer as long as they know that they can get paid. Due to my experience in receiving X-rays and seeing pictures of them (because of many pictures of my body), I feel as though I might have an advantage in the Radiology Program. I strive to research Scoliosis as well as Arthritis and CSF leaks because Scoliosis can cause them, and I may have them. I am already experiencing symptoms of them, which can help further my research and studies. Being in the Radiology Program can help me learn how to perform X-rays. If I can teach myself how to read them, I can help myself independently without needing someone to read them for me, and I can also avoid people taking advantage of my lack of knowledge. Using Radiology can further my career in the STEM and Healthcare field. It is becoming very popular among people because technology is advancing, many people need X-rays for various reasons, have health issues, and also have Cancer. The growth rate for Radiology is very high and it is a very competitive field. With this, I have chosen to pursue Radiology and use these things, as well as my disability, to my advantage. I used to think that my disability and my issues would forever be a huge disadvantage for me. It caused me to be insecure and highly self-conscious, especially around people. I am not normal and I still wish I was normal just like other people. I also wish my problems would completely go away forever, but unfortunately, they can not. I used to feel as though I would never completely get over my issues. I still have not, but I am not heavily affected by them as much as I used to. I have finally decided to turn my disability into something positive, even if it negatively affects me mentally and physically. As I continue with my struggles, I still want to persevere through them and not allow them to hinder my education and research. I will not allow my Scoliosis and other issues to hold me back for as long as I can. My issues are completely out of my control but that does not mean that I can not pursue my education and work towards my own lifestyle.

Being a part of the disabled community has heavily affected my life. It makes me feel as though I am not normal compared to others and I feel as though I could have been normal just like other people. Being disabled reminds me that you do not always have to look abnormal on the outside. You can have a disability even while looking as though you are normal and have no disabilities just like me. Many people think that being disabled is only limited to being in a wheelchair, missing or having non-working limbs, or having mental and physical impairments, but being disabled goes further beyond that, especially in my case. It takes a lot to acknowledge and accept that you are disabled for the rest of your life. I have scoliosis and it has been very hard for me to accept it knowing that I can not change it and there is nothing that I can ever do about it. People do not understand what it means to not be able to fix issues relating to your spine. It is not easy dealing with it especially when knowing that I may also have Arthritis, a CSF leak, and other issues because of my condition. I have trouble walking, moving around, picking up and gripping things, and breathing. I am highly aware that Scoliosis can also cause nerve damage, and neurological problems and may even take 14 years off my life. I am currently researching Scoliosis, Arthritis, and CSF leaks. I have chosen to do this because doctors have refused to help me, have neglected my health, and have caused my issues to get even worse. They have refused to give me a back brace for many years knowing the risks of allowing the curve of my spine to get bigger. I finally received a back brace when I was 18 years old and by then it was too late because around this time your body stops growing and Medicaid no longer pays for anything. This means that the curve of my spine can no longer be reduced and it will only get bigger therefore causing more symptoms and pain. The doctors took advantage of my body and the system in which Medicaid works and cared more about making money than my body and my needs and struggles. The curve of my spine and my pain could have been reduced if they had made an actual effort to help me. I have already believed that doctors do not care about their patients and only want to use them for money and my personal experience with them has only influenced that even more negatively. I was always told by doctors that I would receive a back brace and throughout my years I have never received one until I turned 18, which was not supposed to happen. I will forever remember what they have done to me and I will not forget it. I have taken lots of X-rays and have been to physical therapy lots of times throughout my life. My experiences around people have caused me to believe that people do not care if you are disabled. More people are willing to deny and care for you if you have a disability, especially doctors. Due to my experiences, I am fully committing myself to researching my disability and the possible effects that it can cause. I am trying to become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College and learning how to perform X-rays and teaching myself how to read them can give me an advantage in my research.

I am highly affected by social anxiety. I am very introverted and have a very hard time meeting new people. I prefer to be alone and do things on my own. Pursuing my education will be very hard for me since I will have to talk to many people. Having social anxiety and being around people are two of the biggest problems for me when it comes to my education. I often struggle to talk to people, and I often try to find ways to avoid people. I usually do not feel comfortable around people. Pursuing a college degree is very important to me because it is one of the main ways of being hired for a job. Having a degree shows that you have graduated college and you have learned what is needed for your chosen major. I feel like education, learning, and gaining experience are very important. Many jobs require certain college degrees either based on years and/or major and may even require some level of experience for certain jobs. I want to gain experience in Radiology while avoiding people as much as I can, but I know that is not possible, especially in my chosen career. I feel like I do much better at learning things on my own. Once I become familiar with Radiology, I believe I will do much better learning and doing things on my own. I do not believe that being an extrovert and being around people is as important as people claim they are. I also think they are overrated. We are all individuals, and at some point, we all have to learn how to do things on our own without other people. I have to get my college degree on my own. I feel as though I will eventually have to perform X-rays and do other things by myself while pursuing Radiology. Pursuing my career and doing research will be more effective for me if I learn and do things independently. Even if I am around lots of people, I still will find ways to avoid people and try my best to learn independently and do things alone without help from someone else. I feel as though I will struggle in my career because of my high social anxiety and tendency to always want to avoid people. I may even hate my future career and job all because I have to always be around people. I can still work through it if I practice how to handle it. I am currently pursuing my college degree at Holmes Community College in Pre-Radiologic Sciences. After I graduate in May of 2025, I will transfer to Hinds Community College after I become accepted into the Radiology Program. In the medical field, socialization and teamwork are very important and highly needed. I would still prefer to work alone if I can find any way to not be around a lot of people while pursuing Radiology which would be great for me. I want to be able to pursue my education and career independently and that would mean a lot to me. It is very hard to deal with social anxiety especially when knowing that people are always around, may judge you, and do not want to take the time out to understand how hard it is to be around people. I love being anti-social, I feel much better when I am alone, and I will feel more comfortable if I do not have to hide that part of myself. Having social anxiety has always affected me greatly and makes me want to always avoid people.

I love math because it is very fascinating and very useful. Numbers can only get bigger or smaller because of other numbers. I also like how you can use numbers, such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. Adding and subtracting are inverses, and multiplying and dividing are inverses. Adding and multiplying are similar because they allow numbers to get bigger, and multiplication is adding but in a faster way. Dividing is subtracting but also faster. Squaring and cubing numbers are also similar because they resemble multiplication. 3+3+3, 3 x 3, and 3^2 equals 9. The inverse can also be true. 9-3-3, 9/3, and the square root of 9 all equal 3. The cube root of 27 is 3 because 3 x3x 3 is 27, which is the inverse. Numbers can also be used in art and drawn in different styles. I may have synesthesia, which is a neurological phenomenon where stimulation of one sense involuntarily triggers experiences in another sense. I often imagine the numbers as different colors. I often see 0 as being white or silver, 1 as red or blue, 2 pink, 3 or yellow or orange or green, 4 purple, 5 red, 6 green, 7 yellow, 8 blue, 9 red, and 10 also red, and 11 blue. I find numbers to have different uses, which is why I imagine them as different colors and relate them to art. Math and numbers will always exist and will always be important. Numbers are involved in money, finances, bills, ages, lengths, widths, heights, addresses, phone numbers, dates, and even jobs such as accounting, which involves calculating how much money people use and do not use every day. Dosimetrists calculate the amount of radiation needed in the field of Radiology. Bone density is also calculated in Radiology. I also love numbers and math because they are very important and will always be applied to real-life situations. Numbers can also be used for different codes. Computers use the numbers 0 and 1 to form codes. Even though the most basic use for math is counting, I believe there are also other uses that people look over and are not even aware of.

I have chosen to pursue a degree in STEM because STEM gives lots of opportunities for students. STEM provides lots of opportunities in science, healthcare, engineering, technology, robotics, and mathematics. Many programs are involved in STEM, which can easily grant students the involvement and guidance that they need in education and financial support. If they can become involved in the STEM program they will have a chance of succeeding and finally getting ahead in education and knowledge as well as lots of experience in their field of work. Many people often want an education but do not have the financial resources and knowledge of what is needed for their chosen path. They also do not have equal opportunities, which holds them back and prevents them from getting an education as well as allowing them to show the potential and skills that they may have. My degree is in Radiology. I plan to further my career by becoming accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College. As a Black person, I want to make a difference by trying to pursue my education even while other people including Black people are not. Many people assume that Black people do not pursue education and are not intelligent enough to do so but that is not true. I want to prove that Black the negative stereotypes relating to education about Black people are not true. Many people want an education and struggle with finances student loans and debt and other issues. Their personal life may eventually hinder them from pursuing their education and may lead them to feel as though they should give up on everything that they have wanted to do and have worked hard for. Black people have a high chance of having student debt, loans, poverty, and even being relieved of their debts. They also have a high chance of having low credit scores. This is based on stereotypes that I do not believe in because it is possible to avoid student loans, debt, poverty, and a low credit score. Not all Black people are poor, unintelligent, and unaware that education, money, and credit are important. I have always believed that money, education, and having a high credit score are very important. I have always wanted to save a substantial amount of money and have a successful career that supports me financially and educationally. Black people often have an extremely hard time finding and holding jobs. They often do not pass interviews even while having all of the requirements and skills because they are Black. It is often very hard for Black people to receive a proper education over something such as their race, which they can not control. The STEM program can help Black people become successful in their careers and can help me become successful in Radiology. I want to practice performing X-rays and using doses of radiation. I also want to learn how to accurately read them. I want to contradict the negative stereotypes involving Black people and find ways to overcome the challenges of racism. Black people were able to overcome racism and that makes me believe that I can as well. Racism has been a daily and normal thing in society for centuries. I have even been in situations where I was faced with racism personally when I was young. Whether I am faced with racism or not, I still have a choice: either I succeed and improve my life or don't and that is no one else's choice but mine because no one is going to live my life for me but me.

I am attending Holmes Community College in Ridgeland, Mississippi. My major is Pre-Radiologic Sciences and I am trying to get into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi. I have scoliosis and may also be showing signs of Arthritis and a CSF leak and want to learn how to perform X-rays and scan for them. My health has always been neglected by doctors and has never been taken seriously by anyone. This has influenced me to research my issues and other related issues on my own and I feel that I may not have enough support financially for college and the future. I also fear that my problems are getting worse at a fast pace and I may not have a lot of time left before they become completely unbearable to deal with. I struggle every day with pain, but I am still trying to receive my degree from Holmes Community College and study as hard as I can. Being accepted into the Radiology Program and receiving enough money to completely pay for school and the program would mean a lot to me. College, programs, and other schools are very expensive and even when receiving financial aid such as the Pell Grant from the FAFSA, it is still not enough to help struggling students who are trying desperately to pay for their education. I do not believe that the Pell Grant will be enough for me and other people and it should be raised. Students try very hard to win scholarships and when they do the amount received is not enough which increases their risk of debt and student loans. I want to avoid debt and student loans as much as possible. I also want to apply for scholarships as quickly, easily, and as safely as possible. Receiving enough money to protect me from debt and student loans will greatly support my future and education and will also hopefully help me with my research in the future. I also want to research why Cancer is so common even in our products. If I become accepted into the Radiology Program and become a Radiation Therapist, I might also be able to find out where exactly Cancer originates and why it is so common. I know that my goals related to solving cancer and health issues in me and other people may seem improbable, but I often think that other people have done great things and have made changes and I possibly can too. People often experience hardships in their lives, but we’re still able to achieve greatness even when other people (including themselves) have thought that it was completely ridiculous and impossible. People have believed there would be no cure for certain diseases and illnesses but someone or some people eventually developed a cure. If this is the case, I possibly can too. Having my education paid for completely can hopefully help me with my issues and other issues that people are going through. Hopefully, I cure them permanently to keep them from going through treatments that are only made to reduce pain and symptoms physically but not emotionally because they will always be in pain and never taken seriously knowing that their issues will never completely go away just like me.

My three favorite songs by Billie Eilish are: "Bury A Friend," "Broken Hearts," and "Ilimilo". Billie Eilish is my favorite singer because her music is very relatable to me, and it is different from other singers' music. Over the years, I have realized that I am a very dark person and into somber music and I often struggled with accepting that and embracing it, especially in front of other people. Listening to Billie Eilish has helped me accept that and has made me feel much better. My three favorite songs by Billie Eilish are: "Bury A Friend," "Broken Hearts," and "Ilimilo". Billie Eilish is my favorite singer because her music is very relatable to me, and it is different from other singers' music. Most of Billie Eilish's songs are very sad, and they relate to me very much. I have been listening to her music since 8th grade, and I am now a College Sophomore. I used to listen to Billie Eilish every single day, and I am thinking about listening to her every day again. I am a big fan of Billie Eilish, and I love every single one of her songs. I also like her hairstyles and the way she dresses. My favorite song is "Bury A Friend." It is a very dark song, and I enjoy listening to it. "Broken Hearts" and Ilomilo" have a sad tone to them, which is why I also like them. The music for "Ilomilo" is peculiar, but I still enjoy it. I also like the lyrics in all of her songs, which is very rare for me to like in songs that people create now. I like the lyrics and the music of Billie Eilish's songs. I also like her voice. Some people may not like it and may think of it as whispering, but I think it goes well with the lyrics and the music for her songs. Most of Billie Eilish's songs are very sad, and they relate to me very much. I have been listening to her music since 8th grade, and I am now a College Sophomore. I used to listen to Billie Eilish every single day, and I am thinking about listening to her every day again. I am a big fan of Billie Eilish, and I love every single one of her songs. I also like her hairstyles and the way she dresses. It reminds me of the way that Emos and Goths dress and makes me feel more comfortable with embracing what I love and who I am because of her. I do not have a legitimate reason for liking these songs, her music, or her voice, but they just resonate with my soul, and it is very hard to explain.

I have scoliosis and may also have arthritis and a CSF leak. It has been increasingly difficult for me to manage lately. These conditions affect my breathing, walking, and my ability to hold and pick up things. I have been going to physical therapy for my scoliosis since I was 9 or 10 years old. The knowledge that my problems and pain will never fully go away hurts me—something no one seems to understand or take seriously, and I wish they would. I experience pain every day, and I wish it would disappear. I experience sharp pain in my joints and a burning sensation, which makes it difficult for me to move. I was finally given a back brace when I was 18. Doctors have always neglected my health and have told me that they would provide me with one, but they have always refused to provide it and made excuses to avoid helping me. This has caused my issues to deteriorate and lower my trust in doctors and the healthcare system. I try to hide my pain since it has become a normal part of my daily life, but I am beginning to wonder if I can continue to conceal it without being noticed. Pain is almost nothing to me because I have grown so accustomed to it. It doesn’t bother me unless it becomes extremely unbearable. Sometimes I feel that others are normal compared to me. I have often perceived my issues as severe even if it may not seem that way now. Now, after experiencing even more pain and suffering, I worry that my problems might escalate to a point where I would lose my independence. I cannot imagine a life in which I have to rely completely on someone else because of my struggles, and the thought of that truly frightens me. I believe everyone should be able to take care of themselves, but sadly, because of my problems, I fear that I might not be able to do so anymore. I try not to think about this every single day, but at this point, I have no choice. I do not want to live a life where I have to depend on someone. To me, that is very embarrassing and degrading, especially as you get older. I may seem normal and may not seem to have a disability or be struggling, but honestly, I am struggling every single day of my life. My thoughts of being dependent on someone will never stop at this point. What hurts me even more is when I realize that my pain and my suffering will never go away and will only just get worse, and there is nothing that can ever be done to prevent it. At this point, I find that completing normal tasks, which once seemed so easy—particularly to others—has become a challenge. I can no longer do them without worrying if I will experience pain, suffering, or discomfort. Many people suffer in silence, appearing normal while lacking understanding from others. Many think problems are easy to deal with and can easily go away. The fear of becoming dependent on someone else intensifies my pain because I believe that (almost everyone is independent and should be because we have our own minds, thoughts, and bodies). The idea of enduring suffering and relying on someone for support is terrifying, even if it never becomes my reality. This has made me realize that our thoughts can be scarier than our actions as I continue to think about this and my future problems every day.

I have chosen to pursue the STEM field because it is very popular among many people and includes lots of fields that many people are trying to pursue. I chose to pursue Radiology because technology is advancing, and is being represented as a successful career. As a (Black) woman, I wish to get far into Radiology because many people are treated unfairly when it comes to education. In all of my years in school, many of my teachers did not teach me what was important and left me behind when it came to my education. Many women have been neglected education and even receive less pay (or less than anything) than men which causes them to have a lack of knowledge in many things and also puts them at greater risk of debt and poverty. With the harsh reality of gender inequality, many people are now giving women an actual chance to be treated fairly with no setbacks as much as possible when it comes to education and finances. Many things are represented by men, even if women have made more of an effort to succeed than they have, which is highly unfair. Men often get lots of credit for what they do, even if they have no knowledge of what to do in certain criteria. They often use women to get where they are, and credit is still given to them as though they made all of the efforts. They often say things such as women do not know anything, are not able to do certain things, and have no interest in things such as sports, mathematics, engineering, mechanics, science, technology, and robotics (things that are represented by men). Now that programs such as STEM are trying to give women an equal chance, women can finally be represented fairly for their efforts without having them represented by men. I want to pursue my education in Radiology and not be afraid to have my efforts overlooked because I am a Black female. Women have been treated unfairly for too long and have not been taken seriously. Now that people are finally trying to change things, women now have a chance to finally succeed in their careers without having to fear being overlooked by men. I want to research CSF leaks, and if I ever become far in my research, I do not ever want men or anyone holding me back and telling me that I can not get far in my research or my education because of what they believe and think women should and should not do as well as can and can not do. Women have been held back from their potential that they could have used but could not because of a society ruled by men. Now that people are trying to create social justice and gender equality, they have an equal chance of succeeding without being stopped and controlled by men. Pursuing education and programs in STEM can help me and other women hopefully take action and do great things that women were not allowed to do and wished they could do, especially when it involves health and respect. I do not want my chance at an opportunity like this to be wasted, and I think women should not let this be wasted, either. I hope to make a difference and encourage and convince women and future women based on what we can do and not have it be based on the opinions of men. Women have even been convinced not to pursue certain things because of the rules and opinions in society because of men.

I am pursuing my Pre-Radiologic Sciences degree at Holmes Community College, which is in the STEM department. I plan to use science and math to calculate the required amount of radiation that needs to be used once I become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College as well as performing X-rays. I want to become a Radiation Therapist and lower people’s risk of Cancer. Many people are becoming at risk for Cancer. There are also too many products that often have warning labels stating that they could cause Cancer as well as reproductive harm. Some products cause Cancer but do not have warning labels. Many products are not “real”, such as cheese, and may contain plastic, chemicals, and other dangerous substances that we do not know about and may also be responsible for the high risk of Cancer. The high chances of getting Cancer are beyond ridiculous and no one is saying anything about it or even trying to find out the cause of it. I want to find out where Cancer comes from and once I do, I can lower the risk of Cancer. I also want to further my knowledge and skills in performing X-rays for Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and other related issues. I have scoliosis and it is greatly affecting my health. I am currently struggling with it and may also have Arthritis and a CSF leak. I want to use X-rays and be able to interpret them to be sure to prevent people from taking advantage of my lack of knowledge. My health has always been neglected and not taken seriously by people, especially doctors. They told me they would give me a back brace for years and I finally received one when I was 18 years old, which would then cause me to be too old for Medicaid to pay for anything. They took advantage of this and refused to help me for years. Refusing to give me a back brace made my situation worse by causing the curve of my spine to get much bigger which greatly puts me at risk for health issues such as lung (breathing), heart problems, nerve damage, arthritis, CSF leaks, and neurological problems. My issues have gotten worse and I am having trouble breathing, walking, and picking up and gripping things. My body is no longer growing anymore due to my age, so therefore the damage, pain, and curve of my spine can no longer be prevented and reduced and it is too late to do anything about it. The doctors knew my problems would get worse as I got older and did not do anything to prevent future problems. I do not believe that doctors are willing to help people. They only want to make money off people’s suffering and health issues and make them worse as long as they know that their patient's health issues will be permanent such as mine. Due to my personal experiences, I want to help myself independently as much as I can and continue my research and studies. I will continue to do my absolute best to persevere in my research as my health issues continue to deteriorate, knowing that I can not get rid of them and not do anything about them. I want to use science and math to further my career and education, continue my research and studies, and receive as many scholarships as I can to lower my risk of debt and student loans.

I am interested in STEM because it provides people with rare and amazing opportunities and it also includes my major which is Radiology. I wish to get further into this career on my own. My issues with scoliosis have greatly impacted me negatively and have convinced me that doctors do not care about their patients and only want to make a profit by using them for money. I may also have signs of arthritis and a Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leak and pursuing an education in Radiology can help me further my career and gain more knowledge and research without having to depend on other people. I finally have found a purpose in my field of study and I believe that I can make great efforts in studying and researching scoliosis, arthritis, and CSF leaks. These three are correlated and can have a huge impact on your nervous system, cause nerve damage, and cause other problems such as meningitis, heart and lung problems, and musculoskeletal problems. In some cases, the brain may also be affected. These symptoms cause me to worry about my health, especially since my health is now deteriorating at a very fast pace and seems to get worse every day. I do not think that I can do normal things such as writing, picking up and holding things, walking, and even breathing anymore without any pain. It may seem like an exaggeration, but I experience pain every single day and sometimes my pain prevents me from laying my hand flat on something or even walking, sometimes standing for a few seconds. I worry about my progressive issues and because my issues are not curable there is not much that I can do, so hopefully I can pursue my education further without having to struggle much and without having even more pain. I wish my issues were easy to deal with and could go away permanently, but unfortunately, they can not which is why I have no choice but to do my own research on myself (and maybe other people) because of the doctors who have neglected my health and have refused to take me seriously. If I can further my career and study more in the Radiology field, I can hopefully make an effort to find a cure for my issues and similar issues in other people that are said to be incurable. Many people have created cures (that were said to be incurable), have done great things (that people have said and thought you could not do), and have dealt with their disabilities (even with their struggles), which motivates me to do so too. I tried my best to get good grades in college and receive scholarships, but as my health continues to get worse and may even become more noticeable in the future, I fear it might permanently affect my studies, and career, and lower my chances of finding and keeping a job. There are laws that prevent discrimination, but many people are still at risk for it. I do not want to be a victim and suffer from something that I can not prevent and control. I do not want to be laid off from work or be removed from the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College because of my issues. I also fear that I may not be able to help people and myself because Radiology consists of working with others and using equipment and radiation. I do not want people to think that I can not do my job and may even cause (irreversible) problems because of the dangers that come with Radiology.

I am currently pursuing a career in Radiology. I have scoliosis and possibly arthritis. Recently, I have discovered symptoms of a CSF leak (most of which I have). My health has also been neglected and not taken seriously, especially by doctors who claimed to care about my issues and wanted to help me. Radiology will help me learn more about my symptoms so I will not have to wait on someone who claims to be professional in an X-ray field and depend on them for answers. Sometimes, I feel as though because I am a Black female, my health is often overlooked. Black people and females have always been denied equal opportunities and still are, which is completely unfair and needs to stop. I feel as though my goals will not be appreciated and accepted because of my race and gender. I fear that I will not be taken seriously because of my pain when it comes to my health issues and my lack of trust in people, especially doctors. My long-term goal is to hopefully support myself financially and maybe even fully commit myself to research in scoliosis, arthritis, and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leaks (and maybe even more things related to these things). I want to do this in the future without being held back because of people's opinions and due to being a minority. My short-term goals are to receive my associate's degree at Holmes Community College, become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College, complete it, and receive my Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. I am very interested in the nervous system, and my issues with scoliosis and possibly arthritis greatly impact my nerves, which may even give me unavoidable nerve damage. If I can ever research myself and find information based on other people's experiences, I can possibly find substantial revelations that no one else has. I do not want to be held back in my current mission, especially because of certain things that I can not prevent and have no control over, such as my race and gender. In my case, anyone who is White, especially a White male, would be given recognition for something like this even if they have not made enough effort or any at all because of society. I want to avoid this as much as possible, and now, with STEM programs and more equal opportunities for Black people and females, this might be possible for me. I do not want to be held back or taken advantage of, and I do not want someone else to take credit for my research. When it comes to research and inventions, people are often taken advantage of and ridiculed by people for their ideas and efforts just for them to have their ideas stolen or even appreciated by others that they, sadly, do not get credit for because of society. Receiving this scholarship can hopefully fully support my efforts in the Radiology Program and fund my education because many people find it hard to receive scholarships and have high chances of debt and may even be in situations where they can only win one scholarship, which will hurt them financially and may even hurt them permanently especially if they are Black and female due to their high chances of being in debt and poverty and being denied equal opportunities. Pursuing my degree in the Radiology Program can help me receive my Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree, pass the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (AART) exam, and help me with my future research that involves CSF leaks, scoliosis, and arthritis.

My mental health heavily impacts me. Sometimes, I feel as though I am not good enough especially when compared to other people which sometimes causes me to lose focus on my grades and schoolwork. If I make bad grades I often tell myself that I could have done much better and should not have failed and will most likely fail again. My mental health also becomes affected when I feel as though I will not get another chance to succeed and I have to do everything right the first time and understand everything as best as I can. This is important to me because having a high GPA allows me to keep my scholarships and I feel as though if I lose them I can not get them back. I often feel like a failure if I can not understand what is being taught in class and cannot remember enough to study for my exams. This causes me to think that if I fail my tests I will fail the class and I have to retake the class and I will lose everything that I have worked and studied for which greatly affects my personal life. I try to study and remember what I have learned and focus on doing better in school. I also tell myself if other people can understand what they are studying that means that I possibly can too. Sometimes when I tell myself I will receive a bad grade on an assignment or my tests, sometimes I receive a bad grade and sometimes I do not. Due to this, I try to be confident because I might possibly fail my tests or do bad on my assignments. To me, stress greatly affects mental health and can be a distraction even if the stress seems small, can be handled, or the reason for the stress is not related to other things. Mental health is extremely important especially since it is common for people now to have mental health issues and in some cases, they can not be controlled, will deteriorate, and lots of people are not even aware of their mental health issues. With all of the stress and what people are often required to do and have to go through this only makes it worse and could be one of the reasons why many people in the future are going to have Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and other mental health issues.

My struggles with Scoliosis have influenced me to pursue Radiology. My health issues have always been neglected and not taken seriously by people, especially doctors. I was supposed to be given a back brace years ago and was finally given one when I was 18 years old. The doctors I visited always promised to give me one but never did. This negatively influenced my trust in doctors and has influenced me even more to believe that doctors do not want to help people. They only want to take advantage of their patients by making their situation worse by not helping them so they can use them for money. Since Medicaid no longer pays for services at the age of 18 years old, the doctors took advantage of this by not giving me a back brace for free before I turned 18. As a person gets older, their bones will settle and will stop growing. Therefore, it is too late to fix my issues because the curve of my spine can no longer get smaller and will, therefore, cause my symptoms to get even worse. I may also be showing signs of Arthritis and a CSF leak, which can be caused by Scoliosis. Doctors have caused my health issues to deteriorate even while knowing what could happen to me as I got older. I have no choice but to study my conditions on my own and practice performing X-rays once I become accepted into the Radiology Program at Hinds Community College if I want to help myself because no one else will but God and Jesus. The Radiology Program will help me with my goal of performing X-rays and administering the proper amount of radiation needed. I can teach myself how to interpret X-rays so I will not have to depend on others to read them for me and have them take advantage of my lack of knowledge. I aim to become a Radiation Therapist, which will help me remove tumors and could also help me with my Cancer research. I aim to find the origin of Cancer and lower the risk of developing it. Lots of people are developing Cancer and many products have labels that claim to cause Cancer and reproductive harm. I find this very strange. The Radiology Program and receiving enough scholarship money can help me with my research in Scoliosis, Arthritis, CSF leaks, and Cancer.

I always wanted to be a fashion designer and an artist. I love art and fashion. I always felt learning how to make clothes was a very important skill and can also help you make lots of money. People will always need clothes to wear and have different styles and different reasons for wearing clothes. I do not like the style of most clothes these days, so I want to learn how to sew by hand and with a sewing machine. I also want to make enough money so I can buy a sewing machine, and fabric, and also have my own sewing and art room. I want to continue practicing different art styles and sewing. I still hope to be able to do that in the future. Lots of people now are creating businesses and are finding ways to make lots of money and I want to do the same while also enjoying the way that I make money while lots of other people unfortunately do not have that chance. I believe that I will just naturally hate my future job because to me everyone hates their jobs and their lives so to me, hating my job and my life would not be anything new to me. I do not completely believe in anyone completely liking their job and being in love with it. I would like to but it is hard for me to. I still hope that it is a possibility but it is very hard for me and it will be very hard to convince myself that there is such a thing as "loving your job" and never choosing another one and "loving to work". Lots of people struggle every day with their pay and the current lives that they are living so I want to make my life easier for myself by making as much money as I can while also getting closer to my dreams. Some people are unable to do what they always aspired to do and I do not want to be like that especially when it comes to struggling financially. I want to try my absolute best to make my own art and fashion studio and hopefully have enough money to do so. When I see other people being given opportunities and making money off art and clothes it just pushes me even more to believe that I can too. I will try to do whatever I can to achieve this dream. My career path is currently in Radiology. Even though my career path may have nothing to do with art and fashion (in the eyes of other people) I hope to get a job that will provide me with the financial stability to have a big house with plenty of room and storage, that allows me to create a nice art and fashion studio.

I just finished my third semester at Holmes Community College. I struggled throughout college because there was a lot to learn and remember. I also struggled because sometimes I lost my internet connection and teachers did not seem to care, even with it being completely out of my control. Although my grades may look good, there is a lot of schoolwork and new things to remember. Another problem I was having was that most of my previous teachers did not teach me what I needed to know for my classes, which always put me behind in my classes, so I had to work even harder. I try my best to have faith and do well because I often tell myself if I fail I most likely will not have another chance to do better again. I also tell myself if I fail a class I'll have to start all over again, I am just wasting my time, and I am a failure. I try my absolute best to do well in school because most people do not and sometimes I do not see how. Even when I struggle I still try even when I want to give up. This semester I managed to get three A's and two B's. Other people may see that as good but I always feel like I am a failure. I also feel that I could do much better, I am not good enough. I also tend to think that other people are much better than me and always know much more than me and are lucky to know how much they know and can work hard and apply what they know to whatever they can while I can not. I try to strive to have faith and do much better to be like other people. Most people might not realize and understand that I am struggling and might not even care, but I am. I might make everything look easy, which I have been told before but I promise you-doing what I do is not easy. Teachers often make life even harder for students, especially with the grade percentages for tests and other things being 75% which I find completely irrational and very unfair. They even have tests based on things that were not included in your notes and study guide(s). Lots of students often struggle and I can see it. Although I do not have much time to study and time seems to be moving very fast, I still try to have faith in God and do my work and do whatever I can to study, remember, focus, and do whatever I can to make high grades so I do not have to worry about failing a class and taking it again and wasting my time and money. I was struggling to focus this semester but I still tried to have faith and believe that I can hopefully pass with all A's and at least pass with a B because I do not like C's and D's and I feel like I am failing if I get a C. I hope to do much better during my last semester at Holmes Community College, do the absolute best that I can, and continue to have faith.