I am passionate about pursuing a career in a geology related field due to my interests in the studies of science, computer science, and geography which all contributed to my decision to major in Geospatial Science. I am also passionate since I have always had an interest in classes related to science and geography in high school such as Earth Science and Human Geography. My interests in map-based programs such as Google Earth have also made me passionate about how they can be used in the workforce and how I have gotten myself familiar with the uses of these programs. Geospatial Science focuses on using information technology to understand people, places, and processes of Earth. It applies many core concepts of STEM such as science and technology to analyze patterns and solve problems in conjunction with the use of geological survey equipment such as drones, planes, helicopters, and more that can scan land on Earth. I had always been interested in these concepts through high school and some of the classes I took in high school contributed to my interest in these fields. Through the likes of my high school Human Geography class, learning various forms of urban change such as gentrification fascinated me. Through Human Geography, I studied many forms of urban geography. Urban geography includes different fields in geography such as the physical, social, and economic aspects of an urban environment. I was also interested and how urban areas change with time. Urban change involves change within the urban environment associated with growth or decline of an urban area. This was by far one of my favorite concepts that we studied in that class and was a reason why I enjoy urban change a lot. Additionally, Earth Science gave me an introduction to the science of how geographical features are created, altered, and changed over time due to natural or artificial causes. This class made me more interested in the study of geography and how that connects in a scientific way, which was why these fields of study sparked my passions a lot. Lastly, my liking for exploring map-based programs such as Google Earth makes me passionate about what I am pursuing my career in. I am someone who enjoys exploring and I feel like Google Earth is a great program to analyze changes with satellite imagery and examine the geographic features of our planet. It is so powerful due to some of the 3d imagery they use which enhances user interaction and exploration. Since programs like Google Earth are publicly and privately used to examine satellite imagery, my knowledge can allow me to apply my skills that I have learned already and will learn in college to a work-related environment. Without resources such as Google Earth, it would make it harder for me to explore and broaden my knowledge of geographical change so I am very happy that these powerful programs can be accessed for free through a device. In general, these learning traits, interests, and studies have all made my passionate about what I am majoring in since it defines what I enjoy doing and how I can apply that in various ways that can be a contributing factor to my future career goals in a geological related field.

I have chosen to pursue a degree in STEM because of my interests in science, computers, and geography which have all impacted my decision to major in Geospatial Science. My exposure to STEM started when I was younger. In elementary school, there was an extracurricular program called “hour of code” which exposed students to the world of creating functions and patterns through coding in video games. The program exposed me to creativity and computer science which further has impacted my interest in STEM. During my time in high school, I was further exposed to STEM related classes and programs such as computer, earth, and forensic science. I always had an interest in using map exploration programs such as Google Earth to examine changes of satellite imagery. My high school Human Geography class and my interest in Google Earth allowed me to learn various forms of urban change such as gentrification and homelessness. Through my Human Geography class, I also studied many forms of urban geography including other fields of geography such as the physical, social, and economic aspects. I was also interested in how urban areas change over time. Urban change I found interesting also focuses on growth and the decline of an urban area. This was by far one of my favorite concepts that we studied in class and was a reason why I enjoy urban change so much. As it relates to science I did very well in classes such as biology, chemistry, and earth science because the concepts sparked my interest in learning. Additionally, I was always handy with navigating, using, and learning computer-based programs such as Excel, Access, Word, and more. After researching potential majors, Geospatial Science was what interested me the most. Geospatial Science focuses on using information technology to understand people, places, and processes of Earth. It applies many core concepts of STEM to analyze patterns and solve problems with the use of map-based technology. I hope to have an impact in the STEM field as a person of color by focusing my career field in exploring trends and impacts from urban changes such as gentrification, which is has attributed to the cause in the rise of homelessness, and other ways urban communities are being affected by geographical changes. Using my interests from high school and the knowledge that I gain in college, the use of map-based technologies can be impactful in the way we design urban areas in the future and improve economic, social, and environmental aspects of a city. The study of urban geography and connecting it with map-based technology can help us have a better outlook of the economic impacts to cities and recognize the connections among local, national, and international economic contexts in a constantly growing urbanized world. As a person of color, I feel confident that those early goals I set for myself can eventually be impactful in the field of STEM. These goals can set me on a path to success which can influence other people to develop interest in STEM related fields.

My name is Brendan Stevens and I currently attend Radford University studying Geospatial Science. I was always into exploring map-based programs that involved geography such as Google Earth, really enjoyed learning about science, and was great at using a computer. I found a major that matched my interests called Geospatial Science. Geospatial Science focuses on using information technology to understand people, places, and processes of Earth. There were not very many colleges offering the program as the major is relatively new. Through research, I found that Radford University offers a bachelor's degree in Geospatial Science. I examined the major and what Radford University offered, toured the campus, and was happy about the university. As of this essay, I have successfully finished my first semester at Radford University. Since my first day, I have seen a significant change as Radford University has greatly improved me as an individual. I developed socially allowing me to meet new people and make new friends from events such various school related fairs and meet ups. I also participate in an organization called CRU, a Radford campus Christian ministry, that has me involved in fun things in and outside of the university, opened me up to the word of God, and gave me more things to do at Radford. I am involved with Intramural basketball which has given me a chance to play organized basketball with other people. I have also used the Radford recreational center to maintain my physical health by developing a workout around my schedule. My major has been great for me in the first semester. I really enjoyed my professor for my introduction to Geospatial class and have put effort into that class resulting in receiving an A for the first semester. My hard-working skills have allowed me to end the semester off with great grades in not just my Geospatial class, but my other classes. Academically, I strive for success by staying focused on my degree interest and my grades. High academic achievements assist in obtaining scholarships while also building a resume for my career aspirations. This scholarship will help reduce some of the financial burdens that come with pursuing higher education. As a student that has a single mother, assistance from home puts a strain on her finances. I am hoping scholarships will lessen the pressure on my mom and minimize the burden of student loan pay backs in the future. Activities in my community involved me in a variety of things. As a highschooler, I was involved in two clubs, the African American Student Association, and the Ruri-Teen Club. Both exposed me to a variety of opportunities to work with other people, do arts and crafts, and give food or gifts to other people in my local community. These clubs also gave me the opportunity to create connections with other people. One example is the pop-up food pantry which allowed the community to drive up and get food. This was so memorable because people in need were so thankful and surprised, they were able to get food so conveniently and unexpectedly. Providing service and aid has developed me into a compassionate person and has made me look at these opportunities as a chance to learn new things that can help positively change my community.