My name is Ashley, born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Even though my residential neighborhood is racially diverse, my entire educational journey has taken place at predominantly white independent schools, lacking the racial and economic diversity prevalent across metropolitan St. Louis. The dearth of racial diversity in my early school years often left me yearning for a deeper connection to my heritage. I often found myself eager to be surrounded by other black kids, bonding over similar identities, experiences, and perspectives. My decision to attend an HBCU became final at a Jack & Jill activity my chapter held about a year ago, where former Jack & Jill alumni shared their stories and experiences of going to a predominantly white institution for college. The recurring theme was the regret of these students for not pursuing their undergraduate education at an HBCU. Their experiences consisted of hate crimes, racial slurs, and feeling alienated. The shared stories left me heartbroken and made me realize the importance of having a community that truly cares for me and embraces my entire self. I will be attending Spelman College with my long-term goal being to own a successful black-owned orthodontic business. I want to give back to the black community and provide a safe and comfortable environment, creating happy customers who are confident in their smile. I think we need greater black representation in healthcare, and especially dentistry.

My name is Ashley Mays. In middle school, I was mercilessly teased and given the nickname “Spongebob” due to the large gap between my two front teeth, a trait I inherited from my dad. I begged my parents for braces daily to close my gap. My mom tried to cheer me up by always reminding me that having a gap between your two front teeth in certain African cultures signifies beauty. This didn't resonate with me because we lived in St. Louis, Missouri, attending predominantly white institutions my whole life, where I rarely saw beauty reflected in people who looked like me. These childhood experiences shaped me. They're the reason I plan to major in Health Sciences with the corresponding concentration being Pre-Dental. I am passionate about Dentistry, knowing I will have the opportunity to help others by creating results to make them feel more comfortable and confident with their teeth. Something I struggled with myself. My goal is to own a successful black-owned orthodontics practice that offers a welcoming space to underserved communities. I believe we need more representation in healthcare, and especially dentistry, and I want to start a movement Spelman College is my next step in life and a perfect place to begin my journey. Spelma, being an HBCU, and its strong support system will play a crucial part in helping me achieve my life and career goals. I know Spelman's environment and rigorous classes are capable of helping me achieve my dream of becoming an orthodontist. Spelman's education will undoubtedly prepare me for the rigors of dental school with a curriculum that provides hands-on clinical experiences and a comprehensive dental education. Spelman will provide me with the resources I need to further my education, providing many opportunities to excel in the field of dentistry and orthodontics. I want to give back to the black community and provide a safe and comfortable environment, creating happy customers who are confident in their smile. Serving in this role may motivate other kids with motivations similar to mine to pursue a career in healthcare, despite all odds against us, but more importantly, do what they are passionate about. Ultimately, my journey is to help fix smiles and rebuild confidence while giving back and continuing black excellence. Spelman's education will be just the start of my successful career, helping me to achieve my goals through the support of the black community.

When my dad told me I had to miss golf districts for a family reunion, I was devastated. In that moment, I realised how important golf had become to me. It was my dad is the one who encouraged me to try golf in my freshman year of high school. He told me, "The golf course is where business deals are made," as a future entrepreneur, that sounded ideal to me. But I did not fall in love with the game right away- it took a lot of practice and patience. It wasn't until senior year that I finally made varsity. I was the co-captain, and I was one of the top players on the team. At the end of my season, I was so proud to qualify for districts, and I could potentially make it to state. That's when the news came out that my family had unknowingly set the family reunion the same day as the golf districts, which is the most important tournament of my season. As hard as it was, I had to give up my spot and my dream of going to state for golf because family always comes first. Golf has taught me important lifelong lessons: patience, precision, and growth. It has also helped me build strong relationships with teammates, coaches, and even opponents. As I head to college, I plan to keep golf in my life. Since my school does not offer sports, I'm excited to create a girls' intramural golf team not only to stay connected to the game I love, but maybe, just maybe to close a few business deals of my own