Hi, my name is Alyxes. My experiences of PTSD sprout from homelessness. At the age of eighteen and was on my own from then. During high school, I worked at a restaurant and after school I sold candy. This made it possible for me to buy my own car and pay for my own gas and insurance. But when I was kicked from my mother's house when I turned eighteen, she refused to let me take my car and threw me out. At the time, I was in survival mode and did not think much of it but looking back, staying in school and maintaining a job was very difficult. I was couch surfing from friends locally so I could walk to school and I needed to ask people I had barely known for rides. My grandfather felt his hands were tied due to my mother's rage but eventually he lent me his car so I could continue my education and work. My grandfather was a war vet. He was in the navy during the Vietnam war and said when he was kicked out from his parents at fifteen years old he had to lie about his age to join the military because that was his only option to survive. He helped because he said he knew how to feel to be alone in this world and have no other options. This made my mother very angry and they still do not have a relationship because of his helpfulness to me. My grandfather's words and gestures to help me while I was alone have stuck with me and keep me going to this day. After, his help I was able to make it to school and work but I still did not have a place to live. It was a difficult time for me as a young woman trying to find my way. I had to use my income and saving to go to school did my best to earn grants and scholarships but on the way, I had no home. I remember walking along the highway carrying everything I owned and sleeping in a motel as well. Those memories still haunt me. To this day I cannot eat in the car or even take a nap in the car without feeling uncountable. I have deep-rooted issues of depending on people and it has affected my relationships personally. I know this is something many people struggle with but this is something personally I am still working on.

Hi, my name is Alyxes and from a very young age, math has always been my favorite subject. Even in elementary, when the family would ask me what my favorite subject was, math always beat physical therapy and even lunch. In middle school and high school, math taught me how competitive I was because even though I was not the fastest to finish a problem or complete my tests I always strived to be first and have the best grade. Now, as an adult in college math has made me realize how many people are just like me and how many people are the opposite. Numbers make sense to me, it is an insightful and entertaining subject to grasp. Numbers and math are in every aspect of my life, for instance, school, the number of units I need to complete my education or the number of units I can take this semester as well as the number of hours I can work during the day to make sure I have enough money to pay for my housing and bills. Pursing my education in finance, numbers are important, and understanding the math behind each calculation in-depth carries even more weight. In the finance world, it touches so many avenues of people and minds. Numbers touch on so many topics, not just the stock market and that is what I am continuing to learn as I progress in my higher education. From the basic knowledge of money comes the math. The number of hours worked to the amount of money paid equal the amount of money earned. Then comes what to spend the money on, and how to spend it. How much does one person have afterward and can they afford more? Math touches everyone and everything not just people to are interested in the subject. This beautiful subject has helped me with a clear understanding of the world that most things that happen within our community and lives are due to something else and all of that can be calculated to help predict future events. That is why I have chosen economics and finance as my field of study. It is a mixture of math and real-world events in these two topics. These topics are just the surface of my studies but already I have learned many formulas and calculated numbers that directly affect my quality of life and it has helped me manage it. Thank you for your consideration for this scholarship. I love math.

Substance Use Disorder is something I have come close with by having family and friends who abuse alcohol and drugs. Every disorder has its struggles but substance abuse not only hurts the user but the people who love the person who is using it. In the past, I have done my best to help my loved ones by being part of their support system and always being dependable for their needs but I have learned that that is not always enough. My best friend whom I still have contact with but very sparingly struggles with being a drug addict. It has been a very difficult road to stay in her life. I know she is around even though she has distanced herself but I still worry very much. I have randomly contacted her on holidays or just on days I miss her and even though I do not always get a response from her and she goes missing months at a time I know the friend I once had is still inside her somewhere. And I know that my random communications with her make her smile even it is for just a little while. I wish to use my experiences to grow as a person and educate others around me. I know that I do not have all the answers and my methods do not work for everyone but I hope that it reaches at least one person like it has for my best friend. At the moment she is still struggling severly but in the past she has told me my support has done wonders for her on days she might have needed it most. When my best friend was clean it was still very difficult for family and friends to be around her. Some even called her "weird" or a "tweeker". It was hurtful and did not benefit anyone. When the person voicing their unwarreented opinions did not feel at ease disrepecting her. I feel at times like these, support and knowledge and empathy is hold the most importance. Poeple who sturggle with a substance use disorder are struggling constantly even if they may not seem that way. It is very important to remember who they were and see them as a person rather than their worst mistakes. I still love my best friend dearly and even though I might not have her back right now I have hope that she will recover becasue she is worth recovering.

Hello, I am Alyxes a 26-year-old LGBTQ woman. I am not a single mom but I know what it is like to be raised by one. I have 4 younger siblings and due to my mother having me so young it was difficult for her to get back on her feet and form a successful lifestyle. Due to my mother always at work supporting my siblings and me, I grew up needing to put everyone first just like her. It has been a journey but I am finally finding my path and back in school to pursue an education in business finance and economics. I have always felt like my life has been moving at the speed of light and I have little time for myself. Due to this, I am a bit late to the game at knowing how to express myself. Being a woman part of the LGBTQ community I find myself fighting the inner emotions that I suppress. It took me a very long time to be comfortable enough to tell my family about who I was and because I have told them who I am, I have very little contact with them. I spent a lot of my life looking for approval from people rather than from myself. I went to schools I did not want to go to and studied fields I did not enjoy. This, with no surprise, set me back and I did not succeed in these aspects. I feel because of my own story I have wasted a lot of time because I did not focus on myself. I come from a strong independent family and doing everything myself was something I was raised to live by. I never asked for help and still have a difficult time acknowledging when I should ask for help. I am the first generation born in this country and I hope to end the cycle of underrepresentation and underserved. I know a textbook American student is to finish high school then go straight to a four-year and finish a BA program by 22 years old, then an MBA at 24 years old, but that is not me. My hope is that in the future when I become a successful LGBTQ woman of color, my family and friends' opinions will not affect me so deeply because I will feel the whole within myself, but this is still a work in progress. I plan to use my story and my education to help younger people feel the way I wish to feel.

Being first does not mean being the best but that does not mean I cannot be the best I can be. My name is Alyxes and I am first generation in my family in America. I am in my 3rd year of my field of study in Finance. I am the oldest of four siblings and younger cousins. My family is my greatest motivator, and I tend to help the younger generations build a life for themselves once I am able to support my own dreams. Especially during these strange times, being motivated to continue and work at my best has been crucial. I am a full time student at night and part time employee as a banker during business hours. It is my goal higher my education and hone my skills in finance to help others know how to and where to spend their money where it can grow.

Especially, during these strange times my most influential motivator is my family. My younger siblings and younger cousins drive me to perform the very best I can in my education despite the difficulties the pandemic has brought. Much sadness and struggle has unveiled itself these past two years but if it has taught me anything it has taught me that I cannot give up. I am first generation in America and I cannot afford to let my family down.