As a young child, I have always wanted to be successful, rich and be able to live freely without worrying about any debt or bills. I aim to be able to provide for my parents and family without stressing over anything. I am determined to be successful in life and be successful in every thing I do or plan out to do. My motivation in life are my parents because they have worked hard enough to always provide for me and my siblings wants and needs. I want to be financially free and successful so I could retire my parents at an early age and they could enjoy the fruits of their labor. Financial freedom is important to me and achieving it would be a dream come true. Being financially free means I could go to a university of my choice and not worry about the tuition and housing fees. My other motivation for achieving financial freedom is my grandmothers who passed away. They have always taught me to be kind to people and work hard to achieve my goals. I want to be able to achieve financial freedom to make them proud of me wherever they are. Being awarded this scholarship would help me a lot in getting close to my financial freedom by helping me with my tuition and getting my degree.

In high school, I was running for my school. I was in the cross country team and the picture shared was my first ever race for the school. It was a memorable moment for me because that was my first race with my friends and classmates. I came out to do my best and I did it. There were times I got tired but I did not let that stop me from running. I had to keep on pushing forward without stopping.

As a young African child, I have always worked hard in everything I do and I worked to improve myself in every aspect of my life. I have dreamed about being successful and having my own company. Engineering has always intrigued me since I was young and I have always thrived in high school and community college to always maintain a good GPA and grades. I am majoring in Mechanical engineering. I would love to be the first mechanical engineer in my family. I would like to study mechanical engineering because I love to get my hands dirty and I love making ideas with my hands. Mechanical Engineering provides you with a lot of opportunities to work with a lot of companies or manufacturers. Mechanical engineering has always been my dream since I was 11 which is why I took a construction class in another Nigeria and I loved the idea of constructing things and making things. I was able to construct things that I never thought of constructing and I fell in love with Mechanical Engineering. I plan to build my car and company and employ people passionate about mechanical engineering to my company. I want to be able to inspire other African Americans or Africans from other countries to get involved in the engineering or other STEM-related careers. I am passionate about Engineering because I intend to help people in need when I get successful in life. I plan on having my car brand and being one of the best in the car industries like Toyota, Honda, and other car industries. I know engineering and entrepreneurship can change the world for the better and I want to be part of the people that initiate the change. Being an engineer to me means helping to create solutions to the problems in the world and workplaces. Having an impact in the world and making a difference. I am passionate about engineering because it gives me the chance to have hands-on experiences and create ideas. It allows me to be able to with other people on projects and research. Engineering gives me the chance to meet new people and interact with people from different STEM fields. Engineering gives me the opportunity to be able to get involved in competitions, awards, and getting recognition. I am passionate about engineering because I want my parents to be proud of me. I am passionate about engineering because of the experiences, career opportunities, partnerships, and ideas it brings. I want to have my legacy taught to other African Americans and be an inspiration to everyone.

My favorite way to help others is by advising them and making sure they in the right path. I help people by being there for them and caring about them. I help people by being their friends and supporting them in whatever they need support. I love to see people happy and smiling so I try my best to make sure people are happy. I help others with school, work, and volunteer services. I always want to have a positive impact on people around me and help them achieve their goals. Helping others is one of the rewarding things on earth. I help others by always checking up on them and making sure they are good. We always have to check on people and make it our responsibility. I help others to let them feel loved and cared for.

One of the happy moments I remember is when my family and I were coming to the United States. We were nervous when the plane was about to take off but when it was in the air, everything was good. We got served food and drinks and we were watching a movie. When we landed and got outside, it felt so nice to be in a new environment. It was a happy moment for me because we were coming to see my mom after not seeing her for so long.

Friendship means everything to me. I cherish my friendship with my friends, coworkers, and classmates. I always aim to be the best friend and always try to do my best to make sure I am a good friend. I strive with friendship and strive to have close friends that I can trust. Friendship to me is having people you can trust with anything and everything. Friendship is built on honesty, love, caring, kindness, trust, and loyalty. You can not have a friendship with someone without trusting them or caring about them. You have to be honest with your friends no matter how hard the truth might hurt. Friendship to me is knowing you always going to have someone in your corner no matter what. I value and cherish my friends and I am always going to be there for them no matter what. Friendship is being loyal to your friends and never switching upon them when things get too hard. Friendship to me is having someone you can count on and someone who cares about you. Friendship to me is having a close bond with someone and having a non-romantic connection with them. Friendship to me is having someone you can laugh with and make jokes with. Having someone you can call your family.

I practice self care by listening to music and relaxing my body. I try to reduce my stress and not stress too much about things in my life. I try to sleep early because it reduces stress and I try to make sure I sleep good. I practice self care by always rewarding myself for doing assignments or doing something positive in my life. Rewarding myself is one of the best way to practice self care because I get motivated to do my work faster and easier then reward myself later on. I spend time with my friends and family and try to take some time off of school work or school activities. Practicing self care is very important in one’s life and we should always try to take good care of ourselves and metal state. I practice self care by watching movies and shows that make me laugh and also helps me in reducing stress. I practice self care by getting myself any food I have been craving for a while. I practice self care by avoiding negativity on social media and staying away from bad news. I try to stay away from things that can upset me or make me sad.

Moving from a different country into another country can be very difficult because you have to start all over again. Moving to the United States was really hard for me and my family because we had to adjust with our new environment and life. I had to change schools and adapt to the school system in the United States and it was not easy to do that because it all just seemed so new to me and I had no idea what I was doing. My family had to find new jobs, new apartment and make new friends. I had to adapt to the culture of United States and learn new things I had no idea about. It was difficult to make new friends because of my accent and I had to try to change my accent. During my first year in high school, I was alone and I had no friends and it was the most horrible thing ever but I didn’t let that stop me. I strived hard to do well in high school and ima keep on striving to do well in College. I overcame it and made friends in high school who became my best friends. I was not the lonely kid in high school anymore and became one of the cool kids.

Investing is a big financial freedom and it can make a person successful if invested properly and in the right stocks. One personal investing tip I have taken to heart is to never be scared to take risks. Everything in this life involves risks and we should never be scared to do so. investing is risky but I still manage to get involved because risks are worth taking and some risks can improve your life for the best. All of the successful people in life took risks at one point in their life and it got them to where they are right now. Being scared to invest will prevent a person to ever invest or take any risk while investing. Always remember to take a sensible risk.

If I was a highly influential figure, the main thing I would stand for is no usage of drugs. I do not do drugs and I want to stand against it because of the influence I see that it has on some of my friends. I want to influence people to not use any sort of drugs like Xanax and other hard drugs. Hard drugs are very harmful to the body and we need to stop doing them. I want to encourage people to stop using them and not get involved in drugs. Drugs affect people's minds and thinking and make them act slow. We need young people to have a clear mind and be able to think critically. Influential people on social media have made youth believe using drugs is cool or that it makes you cool but it does not make them look cool. All drugs do is make you not feel pain for a few hours and when it clears up, you start feeling that pain again. We all need to stand against the usage of drugs.

I have always stayed optimistic in life by learning that suffering never lasts long and that you might be going through a rough patch in your life but that does not mean it is the end of the world. We just have to rise up and keep our heads up high. No matter what I am going through, I always remember someone else already went through the exact same thing and they fought through it and I just have to fight through it and endure it. I stay optimistic by remembering and always saying to myself that they are better days ahead of me. It has taught me to never dwell at the moment and always strive harder and always keep on moving forward no matter what happens in my life. it has taught me to always believe in God and pray to him because he can deliver me from anything I am going through and he will always be there for me. I stay optimistic through tough times by looking at the good thing I have in my life and also looking at the good times I had in my life. Being optimistic through tough times has taught me to never give up in life, never be lazy, and to always keep moving forward even in hard times. I taught myself that I have a bright future ahead of me and I would not stop until I get there and achieve all my goals in life. My goals and dreams in life always make me stay optimistic during tough times because I know I am one step closer to achieving them every time.

I have learned to always look at things from different perspectives because one perspective might be wrong. I have always learned to always listen to people's ideas and never disregard them because they might have a better idea than yours. I have learned to never belittle anyone because you do not know what the future holds. I have learned to always view things from people's perspectives and be nice to people. I have learned that people should be open-minded about various things in life. I have learned that a closed-minded person never gets far in life. We should be willing to learn new things and be open to new suggestions. A perspective that has changed my life is to never be stereotypical about any race and that all white people are not racist. We all have to come together and learn things about each other. We need to stop this racism that has been going on for ages.

I try to make a positive impact on the world by being nice and generous to people and always being there for them no matter what. I do not know what people are going through but I try to listen to them and advise them in whatever way I can. I always try to smile with people no matter what I am going through and I am always friendly with strangers. I want to become a mechanical engineer to try to change some things in the world and bring new ideas to the table. I want to be able to inspire Africans/ African Americans that they can be whoever they choose to be and they should not let anyone tell them otherwise. I want to make this world a better place to live in. I believe this world can be better if we all work together to make it better.

As a young child, I have always wanted to be successful, rich, and be able to live freely without worrying about any debt or bills. I aim to be able to provide for my parents and family without stressing over anything. I am determined to be successful in life and be successful in everything I do or plan out to do. My dream life is being able to afford whatever I want and not worrying about anything. I want to be able to wake up one morning and be like "I finally made it" and I am very positive it would happen. I want to be financially free and successful so I could retire my parents at an early age and they could enjoy the fruits of their labor. Financial freedom is important to me and achieving it would be a dream come true. my dream goal is to become a mechanical engineer and be student debt-free. I also want to become a professional soccer player and have everyone chant my name as I walk into the stadium. I have always dreamed about having my own car brand and designing my car to perfection. My dream life is having to inspire other African/African Americans that they can become whoever they want to be and they should not let anyone make that decision for them. I want to be able to own a mansion that has a soccer field, swimming pool, a huge balcony, a huge car garage filled with sports cars, and my own car brands, and a nice garden. My dream life is just to be very successful and rich.

One finance lesson I find very important is that a person is never too young to start investing and start saving up their money. I never knew about investing in stocks, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, and real estate. I wish I was enlightened about this when I was much younger because that would have helped me in my finances and made me save up more money to invest. I always spent money on shoes, food, and other unnecessary expenses but I could have saved up that money and invested it and I would have made more money. Investing is a big financial freedom and it can make a person successful if invested properly and in the right stocks. Another personal finance lesson I find important is to never be scared to take risks. Everything in this life involves risks and we should never be scared to do so. investing is risky but I still manage to get involved because risks are worth taking and some risks can improve your life for the best. All of the successful people in life took risks at one point in their life and it got them to where they are right now. Always remember to take a sensible risk.

Generosity means helping people even in the smallest way possible. Generosity means always being there for people whenever they need you and always motivating them at all times. Generosity means telling people the truth even when the truth is hard to swallow. Generosity means never being jealous of what someone else has but being content with what you have. Generosity means sharing with people even if it is your last penny. We all need to be generous and kind to people because we never know what they are going through. Being generous can go a long way in helping people's lives. Being generous can hand you a better job, better pay, a good friend, or a helping hand in the future. We never know what God has prepared for us so we need to be generous and always help one another. We all need to be generous, kind, loving, and bold if we want a better future for us, our generation, and the next generations to come. The smallest gestures or acts of kindness matter and they could save a person's life. As an African, I was always thought to care for people around me and never bring another fellow human being down. I was taught to always uplift people's spirits and morals around me and never be mean to one another. I was taught by my parents to always be friendly to people and put a smile on my face and other's face. This value has been bestowed in me and I will always cherish it and ensure to always be generous to people and brighten up their mood. I believe if we become generous, kind, friendly, and loving to people around us, this world would become a better place to live.

My name is Ayomide Emmanuel Fasogbon; I am an 18-year-old sophomore at Harry S Truman College and probably the youngest in my class. I am a full-time student and a part-time worker.  I am Nigerian; my family and I moved to the United States five years ago. Moving to the United States was difficult because we had to start all over again. We had to find new jobs, new apartments, new schools. Settling down was not easy for me because I was new to so many things in this Country. I had to take care of my little sister while my mom was working. Being Nigerian, I wanted to learn about and understand my culture. I learned from my elders; I learned to speak my language. I value everything I had to work for, especially my cultural background. Thinking about pleasing my parents and honoring the names and memories of my grandparents drives me daily. I want to be a person of fine character because I have been taught to do so. I am confident that leading such a life will allow me to find success in college. I work while attending my community college. I work 25-30 hours a week and have assignments to do and classes to attend to. I have been honored to be on the dean’s list during my first year of college and second year of college. I am a proud member of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and One million degrees organization (OMD). I love playing soccer and look forward to joining the NIU men’s soccer team and being a proud Huskie. I am ready to continue my education by transferring to a four-year university and starting my career. I am majoring in Mechanical engineering. I would love to be the first mechanical engineer in my family. I would like to study mechanical engineering because I love to get my hands dirty and I love making ideas with my hands. Mechanical Engineering provides you with a lot of opportunities to work with a lot of companies or manufacturers.  I chose Mechanical engineering because I want to build and manufacture stuff I wished was created when I was young.   I would love to bring my ideas to life and work on them. I like thinking and I want problems that will make me think hard before solving them. I got interested in studying mechanical engineering because of things I saw when I was young. When I was 11-13 I took a construction class in another country and I loved the idea of constructing things and making things. I was able to construct things that I never thought of constructing and I fell in love with Mechanical Engineering. I plan to build my car and company and employ people passionate about mechanical engineering to my company. I want to be able to inspire other African Americans or Africans from other countries to get involved in engineering or other STEM-related careers. I am passionate about Engineering because I intend to help people in need when I get successful in life. I plan on having my car brand and being one of the best in the car industries like Toyota, Honda, and other car industries. I know engineering and entrepreneurship can change the world for the better and I want to be part of the people that initiate the change. Mechanical Engineering has been my dream for a long time and I want to pursue my dream and I will be greatly honored to be awarded scholarships that would allow me to pursue my dream and career.

My name is Ayomide Emmanuel Fasogbon; I am an 18-year-old sophomore at Harry S Truman College and probably the youngest in my class. I am a full-time student and a part-time worker. I am Nigerian; my family and I moved to the United States five years ago. Moving to the United States was difficult because we had to start all over again. We had to find new jobs, new apartments, new schools. Settling down was not easy for me because I was new to so many things in this Country. I had to take care of my little sister while my mom was working. Being Nigerian, I wanted to learn about and understand my culture. I learned from my elders; I learned to speak my language. I value everything I had to work for, especially my cultural background. Thinking about pleasing my parents and honoring the names and memories of my grandparents drives me daily. I want to be a person of fine character because I have been taught to do so. I am confident that leading such a life will allow me to find success in college. I work while attending my community college. I work 25-30 hours a week and have assignments to do and classes to attend to. I have been honored to be on the dean’s list during my first year of college and second year of college. I am proud of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) and One million degrees organization (OMD). I am majoring in Mechanical engineering. I would love to be the first mechanical engineer in my family. I would like to study mechanical engineering because I love to get my hands dirty and I love making ideas with my hands. Mechanical Engineering provides you with a lot of opportunities to work with a lot of companies or manufacturers. I chose Mechanical engineering because I want to build and manufacture stuff I wished was created when I was young. I would love to bring my ideas to life and work on them. I like thinking and I want problems that will make me think hard before solving them. I got interested in studying mechanical engineering because of things I saw when I was young. When I was 11-13 I took a construction class in another country and I loved the idea of constructing things and making things. I was able to construct things that I never thought of constructing and I fell in love with Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering has been my dream for a long time and I want to pursue my dream and I will be greatly honored to be awarded this scholarship that would help me to pursue my dream and career.