As the daughter of a United States Marine, I was blessed with a constantly selfless leader as a mentor in my life. My dad is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant for the Marine Corps. He served for 30 years and did two tours in Iraq, once when I was a few months old and again when I was three. His service not only impacted my life but my whole family. While serving his second tour in Iraq my younger brother was born. Today, my mom tells me I cried every night my dad was away, and to this day I will never forget running into his arms when he arrived home. While his service did have a huge impact on me as a child, it is my dad's characteristic and values as a Marine that has most shaped me into the person I am today. My father taught me how to be hardworking, a selfless leader, driven, and a giver for the greater good of our world. Growing up, he always coached my softball team even while juggling his reservist status in the military and running a small family business. It was on the field where he began to transfer valuable skills he gained in the Marine Corp to me, his daughter. He taught me to never be late, respect my coaches, to give 110 percent, and always take time to teach and lead others. As a kid, I was inspired by the way he empowered and lead young girls on the field to be strong and independent. From the age of ten, he taught me how to be a strong leader and serve others. Throughout my whole life, my dad has been an example of what it means to be selfless and a giver. He gave up being there for parts of my childhood and the birth of my brother (his only son) to fight for the freedom of our country. Whether in big ways such as his deployments or in small ways, my dad is selfless everyday. Just today while grocery shopping at the Commissary on base my dad helped a senior veteran pick out his groceries and on weekends visits with another elderly veteran to watch baseball and help out around the house. These acts of selflessness, big and small, are what shaped me into who I am today. The skills my dad instilled in me as a leader and giver have inspired me to pursue a career where I feel I can make the most positive impact. My dad joined the Marine Corps at 18, heading to boot camp the summer after he graduated high school. He served in the Marine Corps for 30 years all with the goal of sending his kids to college, something he couldn’t do. My dad also battled and beat stage four colon cancer during the pandemic. His strength and selflessness motivate me to be a strong student every day. His leadership, drive, and selflessness has motivated me to pursue environmental studies where I can give back. This scholarship would immensely support me in not only achieving my dreams but my dad's dreams, too.

As the daughter of a retired United States Marine, I was given a foundation to be a driven leader and change maker. My dad is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant for the Marine Corps. He served for 30 years and did two tours in Iraq, once when I was a few months old and again when I was three. His service not only impacted my life but my whole family. While serving his second tour in Iraq my younger brother was born. Today, my mom tells me I cried every night my dad was away, and to this day I will never forget running into his arms when he arrived home. While his service did have a huge impact on me as a child, it is my dad's characteristic and values as a Marine that has most shaped my career aspirations and who I am today. My father taught me how to be hardworking, a selfless leader, driven, and a giver for the greater good of our world. Growing up, he always coached my softball team even while juggling his reservist status in the military and running a small family business. It was on the field where he began to transfer valuable skills he gained in the Marine Corp to me, his daughter. He taught me to never be late, respect my coaches, to give 110 percent, and always take time to teach and lead others. As a kid, I was inspired by the way he empowered and lead young girls on the field to be strong and independent. From the age of ten, he taught me how to be a strong leader and serve others. Throughout my whole life, my dad has been an example of what it means to be selfless and a giver. He gave up being there for parts of my childhood and the birth of my brother (his only son) to fight for the freedom of our country. Whether in big ways such as his deployments or in small ways, my dad is selfless everyday. Just today while grocery shopping at the Commissary on base my dad helped a senior veteran pick out his groceries and on weekends visits with another elderly veteran to watch baseball and help out around the house. These acts of selflessness, big and small, are what inspired me to pursue a career in Environmental Conservation where I can give back to our world. I am going into my junior year studying Environmental Studies at Sonoma State University. As a conservationist, I can be a leader for change and make the world a better place for future generations. The skills my dad instilled in me as a leader and giver have inspired me to pursue a career where I feel I can make the most positive impact. My dad joined the Marine Corps at 18, heading to boot camp the summer after he graduated high school. He served in the Marine Corps for 30 years all with the goal of sending his kids to college, something he couldn’t do. My dad also battled and beat stage four colon cancer during the pandemic. His strength and selflessness motivate me to be a strong student every day. His leadership, drive, and selflessness has motivated me to pursue environmental studies where I can give back. This scholarship would immensely support me in not only achieving my dreams but my dad's dreams, too.