A mother's love is never something that can truly ever be expressed or explained in a way that properly captures it. However, moving forward and being as successful in one's life is a way to show the world she did something. Something beyond providing the basic necessities to maintain life. For this, my mother has become the most influential in my journey called life. She found the love of her life at a young age, however, fate had different plans at the time. She ended up in a horrific marriage that resulted in abuse and she had to decide to leave. It was at that moment her knight and shining armor stepped up and helped to save her from her trials. All was well from marriage, to my birth... until it wasn't. In a blink of an eye, my mother was left a widow and forced to raise a one-year-old on her own. The strength she had built continued to fortify after that traumatic incident. She sacrificed her career dreams to place herself in a position to allow her to best raise me and provide for the home. Regularly working at least two jobs, running on no sleep, and doing her best to provide me all the opportunities she should afford. Throughout my upbringing, she struggled. It is not easy being in such a position. Benefits did very little. And when it came to the end of the assistance as I reached 18, the agencies that ran the benefits came forward to say they failed to calculate accordingly and she owed thousands. All while tax season(s) were also in play. While this too could have pushed her too far, she fought. She fought successfully and reduced their claimed amount as she pursued them in the court system. As I gained history and credit, I made the decision to help her get out of the rut she had been living in for so long. I put her through a lot as a teenager as well, and it was a way to help make a mends. I bore the brunt of some of her financial barriers with a loan so she could focus on other things. This is where our healing journey started. Even today, as I have pushed myself into the public sector to show her all of her downs produced a positive outcome, she still is working multiple jobs to stay above water. This is due to my stumbles along the way. She may have cried, screamed, and wondered what the point of all this was. However, she continues to drive on. A woman that does not know how to quit. A woman that does not let her own daughter quit.

@starburst_complex

The term leader is misunderstood as being in a supervisory, manager, or executive position. In fact, this could not be further from the truth. Everyone at one point in their lives has worked with, or just befriended, a person that has seen themselves as a leader just because of the title they held. However, most people understand on an innate level, that leadership often does not accompany such a role. This is how they interact with others and how they are perceived as it relates to a particular incident or role. I have always found myself in a position that requires leadership. My take no prisoners, be blunt but professional, and include everyone approach to life and work have served my peers well. That is the main distinction between a leader and someone with an authoritative title. I have focused on the well-being of those I work with over myself. This is simply because as they improve and develop, it shows I was able to provide them with a nurturing environment, allowing them to show off the best of who they are with the resources they need most. Outside of work, being a person others come to without having to put my name in the air speaks the same. As time has moved, such instances have lessened. We age and grow. However, those closest to me know I am willing to step up and do what is necessary to handle a situation or, at least, provide insight. This does not mean that perfection is a trait that goes hand in hand with leadership. Far from it. Showing others that you are always constantly learning means more to them than someone who believes they know it all. I welcome being shown where I was wrong and what I need to learn. Allow me to place you in a position of leadership during this time. Leadership is sometimes not knowing you have been placed into said role. This has happened more than I can remember until something comes up and it is laid out on the table. Pushing the status quo. Being a voice for reason, compromise, and negotiation. Having a democratic view on various things, even when certain people do not find that to be worth its weight. Spearheading a need for change. I never like seeing myself as a manager or supervisor since it draws a hard line between collaborative efforts on a team. I am as much of a player in our duties and lives as you are. How you choose to see me in our group needs to be more voluntary than expected for respect, productivity, and value to be bounding.

Imagine being left behind with a one-year-old daughter after your husband, the love of your life, is ripped away at the hands of a drunk driver. A father that can no longer be there to see his little girl's first steps. Her first day at school. Her 13th, 16th, 18th, and 21st birthdays. He is no longer there to scare her first boyfriend. Help her through her first heartbreak. He is not there to see her graduate high school or enter college. He is not there for her engagement or marriage. He is not there for his wife through those transitions either. This is what my mother has, and continues to, experience. It has been far from easy growing up without a father. It was made worse by his family making the conscious decision to not be active in my life after his passing. Placing blame upon the woman that had no way of causing the accident that took his life. She was left to fend for herself with what little support she had from her sister, who also had to raise children of her own. She worked a minimum of two full-time jobs at any given point. This 'Wonder Woman' still managed to do what she could to be a part of my main events in life. Being considered self-employed caused a lot of issues every tax season. Death benefits did nothing to support the needs of our small family even when living frugally. She struggled regularly with depression, but still managed every morning to get up and get our lives moving with food on the table and a roof over our heads. Again, with no true help while working two or more jobs. There was a time in our lives when she did meet someone with the intention of remarriage, but it did not take long until it fell apart for reasons beyond her control. High school was hard for both of us. Being a teenager, I caused a lot of additional headaches finding myself. Soon enough, I discovered a father figure in a teacher I had for the duration of school. He helped to reshape the destructive path I could have been on. My mother had a hard time accepting this relationship. She felt I had replaced the man I never got to know. However, in time, she understood just what it meant to not only me but to my teacher as well. He was prevented from watching his own daughter grow up. We needed each other – something she could not deny. Then came my 18th birthday. The death benefits she had received all those years prior were thrown back in her face. Social Security turned its back and filed to have an unrealistic amount of money paid back to them due to their miscalculations and the outdated ways in which they used self-employment income to determine them. She spent months going through the court system – effectively eliminating half the original amount, but nothing she was able to repay easily. Add this to the bout of bankruptcy she was forced to file a few years before because of our extended family’s failures, it added up. Yet here I am. I have worked hard to become the person I am. I have had wonderful career experiences from being a federal officer to federal human resources. I continue to help her as much as I can as she does for me. She deserves all the good things coming her way after 30-plus years of nonstop obstacles. Six hundred words is nowhere near enough to tell our story.

When came to making the decision to return to school after so many years, it came down to three things: cost, reputation, and what feelings I get when I reviewed prospective institutions. My current school marked all three of those must-haves with ease. From the beginning, they were very open with communication. I never felt as though I was on my own trying to figure out the best way forward. My adviser has been the perfect fit as she understood my need to continue working full-time, but also the drive to do the same with my academics. My first year was smooth as butter. Entering year two, things changed. Family and career life took priority. The school was beyond accommodating in the ever-changing environment my life had become. Relocations, medical emergencies, everything and anything hit my second year. The willingness of the professors and staff made the workarounds accessible given my family's situation. I had spoken with the financial aid office to relay the changes within our financial standing and they guided me the best they could under the confines of the law and their policies. Being the primary financial point of contact within my home placed a burden that could only be described as overwhelming. This was to help support my significant other while he endured his medical issues, but also, when healed, pursue his dream career. This meant sacrificing a lot of time and emotional well-being for us both. Here, my school provided a wonderful amount of resources from mental exercises, counseling, reduced-cost resources, and more. My friends and family, though on the other side of the country, also played a major role in my ability to remain focused. Toward the end of last year, I had to make the decision as to what I was going to do when completing the spring semester and starting the summer. In the end, after discussing with my advisor, my supervisor, my partner, friends, family, and finally the financial aid office, it was determined the best course of action was to take that semester off. It turned out to be the best decision. I was able to refocus on my work and my partner's needs. Things continued to happen, but alleviating the extra task of schoolwork provided us with the means to handle things better than what could have been. Overall, my school point of contacts have been a wonderful resource for maintaining the security of my academic career within the chaos that had occurred in my personal life. It is because of them that I am able to return back to school full-time. WE ARE - - PENN STATE!

To coincide with the tone and backstory of this scholarship, I preface by saying my biggest support is my mother, due to the fact that she was a single mother following the untimely death of my father, and the love of her life, when I was a year old. She has been through some of the most traumatic events any one person could ever experience throughout her life: even to this day. Her love and support for my journey are something that few could ever replicate. My mother made many sacrifices to ensure I had the opportunities she could afford to give me. She would work two or three jobs in order to keep food on the table, a roof over our heads, and shoes on our feet. She made sure I grew up with at least one pet in the home at all times since I was an only child and the companionship they provided while she was working was a great distraction. She did everything in her power to make sure I attended the best schools through high school to provide me with a solid foundation for my professional career. Unfortunately, even with all of these efforts, it was not possible for me to attend school after graduating high school. At that time, we were just over an income level that prevented appropriate financial aid. With that in mind, she worked hard on getting her finances in line. I started working extra as well. She fell on hard times, however, and even through caring for her needs, she still always pushed me towards achieving my dreams whatever they may have been at that time. She never wanted to be a burden on my life, and when life threw its obstacles her way, she was crushed. Ten years after graduation, I made the decision to return to school after getting both of us in a position where it was available. She had no hesitation in hopping on as a cosigner for a small private loan in order to attend my venture into veterinary technology - night classes no less. She took on the added responsibility of caring for my pet while I was in classes or volunteering late at night. She was always asking questions about my studies and how they would apply to our situation with pets at home. She used me as a teacher to expand upon my skill sets. However, my job at the time offered me a promotion, and after discussing all options, she supported my decision to withdraw knowing full well I would eventually go back to school. Three years and a former federal law enforcement job later, I enrolled back into school for human resources. The joy she had in her voice when I told her about my acceptance is something to this day that brings me joy. She is always there to listen to me vent about my frustrations managing full-time work with full-time school and everything that life has decided to also make me deal with through it all. She makes it known that even though she could not support and prepare for my college career the way she wanted, she always wanted to make sure that she was at least there to support me with whatever I wanted to do. At my age and with obtained wisdom, I would take emotional support over monetary any day. Funds would have made the process easier, as returning as an adult learner is hard, but I have an appreciation for her that I would not have had otherwise.

Mental illness has had a negative stigma attached to it for far too long. It has also been a topic of major discussion in recent years as there has been an increase in diagnoses from various ends of the spectrum. I have encountered times of depression and anxiety, but the greatest impact has been when I am supporting those within my family. I have taken my mental health and placed it on the back burner on every occasion when it came to my family needing more assistance. My mother has had it especially hard since childhood coming from a very broken home, being in an abusive relationship and leaving, losing the love of her life from a drunk driver, and managing her life and her daughter's alone. Upon being able to truly understand and help take some of the burdens she carries, I have made sure to do as much as I possibly could. Depression was a constant battle as she never felt she provided me what she thought I deserved. There have been many times when I have come home from school or work to find her crying, not eating, and completely exhausted since she could not sleep. It has become more difficult for her since I have moved virtually to the opposite side of the country, but this does not prevent me from still being there. I drop my work immediately if she asks to talk, because that is the least I can do to help her alleviate the negative thoughts in her head. Unfortunately, being in such an environment with no additional familial support, I in turn acquired some of these issues. Other individuals in my family had more severe reactions to their mental health. Cousins have used self-harm. I have placed myself in a position at that time to be an ear for them to do what I can allowing them to vent in hopes to prevent them from going to the extremes they had been known to do. My best friend, who we call each other sisters, has struggled for the last handful of years with a personality disorder that resulted in me having her placed under observation on a few occasions. These experiences allow me to see people beyond the stigma. They need additional support, even when it means placing their needs above my own. My fiance struggles daily with PTSD from his time as a firefighter. He also acquired heavy depression and anxiety after the shocking passing of his mother. He regularly has night terrors and panic attacks. It is terrifying on occasion since there is never any indication of them happening. Mental illness is nothing something to laugh at or degrade. Often time it affects more than just the person who has the illness itself. Going through all of these, and putting my mental health last, I realize that we all are fighters. None of us have given in. None of us accept our fate and make every effort to continue living life the best that we can given our circumstances. We struggle but do not fail. We falter, but we get right back up. We are all human, beautiful, and have thoughts and ideas that the world may not have yet gotten to hear. These parts of us do not define us, but add to the beings that we are collectively. We are beyond loving, understanding, and compassionate.

Resilient. That is one attribute that I would never take for granted, nor would I ever choose to leave out when describing myself. This is the attribute that is always shadowing others as well. Particularly when it comes to going back to school as an adult; it is not an easy process. Some individuals, like myself, are not so low on the line that we receive federal aid to completely cover school and obtain scholarships. Also, some are not so above the line academically that we qualify for other scholarships. Then there are those who fall into a third level: middle class, but cannot get a private loan, earn decent grades, but they are just not enough for consideration, and also lack the ability and time to volunteer as they continue to work full-time, attend school full-time, and maintain a household. But yet, I still do whatever I can to keep myself on the track to graduation. Adult and non-traditional learners are some of the most determined students out there. They are also the most outspoken. Being able to have the courage to speak out for or against something is a skill that many often tamper down. However, it is with this skill that I have made my presence known to employers. I have provided extremely profitable results, rebuilt broken client relationships, and have gotten others to open up about crimes they have committed. When it comes to school, there are areas of my academic career where I have had to stick to my moral and employment obligations when they posed a conflict. It was not a line I enjoyed crossing when discussing with instructors, however, it was one that I had to respect and abide by. There are ways to speak firmly, but tactfully in order to produce an outcome agreeable to all. Then there is compassion. I seemly out of place attribute when compared to the previous two. Some would argue that I mean passion. While I do have passion for all things I set my mind to, it is my compassion that helps to lay the foundation of trust between people. When I speak of rebuilding relationships, I am often coming in with no prior knowledge of what transpired. It is when speaking with a person that I make it clear that I want to hear their side first instead of defending immediately the view of an employer, friend, colleague, etc. Understanding entirely their concerns is of the utmost importance to me so that I can find a way to mediate and remedy the situation at hand. How this applied to giving back to my community is simple. When I put my mind to something, I do it. It may not be to the extent of what I wish to accomplish, but when the results are positive for those involved, it is worth it. I take pride in supporting women with their dreams. I have done so privately within an academic setting for years. Never once demanding formal recognition. Only results from them: their increased confidence and drive to never give up. In a world that continues to be a little slow to see women at the same level as men, it is necessary to be that person in their corner. That is where I give back to my communities - by pushing and mentoring women to go for it.

The dream version of myself involves maintaining my current transparent self with all people while utilizing my skills of collaboration and understanding between opposing parties to solve human-resource-related issues as they pertain to ensuring a positive relationship between employees, management, and the public they ultimately serve.

Generational wealth, to me, means allowing those within and entering a family are able to live a stable life. This can mean parents passed down to children (by birth or adopted), or outward to nephews, nieces, grandchildren, et cetera. Some would argue that this means a lot of money or property (inheritance), however, I find it to be as stated: stable. My family, just myself and my mother, have not been blessed in this aspect of life. For various reasons, we learned how to manage with the equivalent of scraps. It has not been an easy go of life. The family outside of the two of us has not been in our lives. It is a sad circumstance considering those that could be of assistance, and help raise me since my father passed, made the effort to not contribute due to perceived fault upon my mother. And because of this experience, I have made it a point to ensure that whenever and wherever possible. This journey through these difficult times taught me the value of hard work and the dollar earned. I learned how saving money is what allows us to continue moving forward in life. Wealth for most is a foreign concept, which explains why I use stability as a definition. Unfortunately, falling on harder times and COVID-19, I stumbled. My savings had to be touched in order to maintain a livelihood. So now I am digging deep again to dig myself, and my family, out of the hole we knew years ago. I am attending school to obtain a degree that will allow me to climb the ladder within a human resources department. In doing so, the extra money outside the absolute necessities will be placed in appropriate savings and retirement accounts with the hopes of sharing this with others. My mother for sure, but also my fiance and his family, and those of my longest and closest friends' families; their children and their children's children included. And should there still be some remaining, as no one can truly know the extent they will obtain during their lives, the plan will be to make it known to place some within the necessary nonprofit systems that can be done to assist those left behind and less than privileged. The lives of those less fortunate deserve as much help as those within our families as they also can provide some of the world's best new cures, inventions, and peace talks.

If you have not already, learning to budget is of the utmost importance as a student. Budgets allow us to maintain hyper-focus on where we stand with our bills and expected bills in the future. Over the past few decades, there has been a clear indication that the newer generations are struggling with this simple task. I can speak from experience that I believe my graduating class was the last class to be properly instructed on the process of budgeting. We were taught how to balance checking and savings accounts. We practiced taking to account bills and how it impacts the available funds in the future. Today, this needed skill is no longer taught in schools. It is not regularly taught at home either because parents may not have been taught either. I was sort of in that position at home due to circumstances outside of my control with a working single mother. With diligence and pitfalls, I learned quickly how to manage finances. This allowed me the ability to grow credit in a responsible way. This also allowed me the opportunity to use this healthy management to assist my mother when things became difficult for her. I helped her handle one of the most trying years of her life. I helped her build a plan to pay down debt and negotiate plans with financial institutions to help her come out on top. This skill set provided even more useful when I went back to school for the first time. I was able, with her newfound financial health, to obtain a small student loan. During my time at school, I made the conscious decision to pay the interest on top of other required bills while attending school. It was during this time that I expanded my monitoring to entering bills into a calendar application on my cell phone. This included the use of reminders days before due dates. Even today, years later and enrolled in a different program, I continue using these methods. I evaluate my finances biweekly when my paycheck is deposited into my account. One could say this is an obsessive practice, however, as we age, the bills become bigger as we continue to grow. I have had to take into account new living situations, moves, new employment, and chances within the family. The obsessiveness allows me to continuously manage where money must go and prepares me for when the federal student loans that are currently being deferred while in school become active. As of right now, things are a little tough. However, with careful planning, much like I did with my mother, correcting necessary indebtedness will allow me to reallocate after graduation.

I find one of the worse things that happen when you make the decision to return to school as an adult working full-time, is doing so when various people have passed. The last two years especially have been almost too consistent with deaths in my family, professional family, and friends - directly or otherwise. A total of about 7 as of the weekend before this submission came number 8 when I was informed that a fellow officer I was in training with for six months, and her wife, passed in a horrific car accident. Eerily similar to the passing of my father when I was a newborn From this last incident, I have latched on to her positive outlook on life, her love of her wife, the joy she brought to everyone around her, and her drive to keep going. When I made the decision to separate from our agency, she was one of the few that thoroughly backed my decision. I have had a very difficult time focusing on school while a lot of other factors in life have become distracting, and this was not something I was prepared for. However, I refuse to let her down by allowing it to impact my dream. She would not have it. Life is so short. She and her wife had achieved so much in the last year. Their love and their success are the factors that are allowing me to grieve as I am, but I also remain focused on school, my family, and to live life so much fuller than I had before. This essay is for them.

Dwelling within the cusp of the unknown The weighted shadow of doubt The delicate embrace of hope seemingly far from reach Paralyzed by indecision This hesitation is not misguided A normal experience that is the human state of mind Cathartic in its uncertainty But growth belays the surface We are not at the mercy of others and the actions they take We are at the mercy of ourselves We are at the mercy of our responses Absorb the darkness that we fear so deeply inside Reign in the instinct to falter Laugh at the prospect of failure You are the dancing flame of success's dominating candle Your fire burns brighter than the stars Igniting inspiration in those around The illumination chases that shadow into the deepest corners Become bigger than your disbelief Grab the hand of conviction Take the demon's prisoners from mistrust's binding chains Guide yourself to confidence Guide others to do the same We control where we go, how we go, and who we go with Make moves

It is an ironic topic of discussion that has become more important over the last decade. Financially literate and secure. I find that these skills are no longer addressed in school. A time when learning about ourselves, our passions, and life lessons start the foundations of who we become later in life. This is a time when bringing such skills as money management and brief retirement and credit lessons would benefit growing minds and prepare us long after our working years are finished. I have been lucky enough to learn this early out of necessity. Growing up, my very small family had to budget daily. Where were we able to move funds from food or household essentials into another category? If something major happened, where would the money come from? I started saving my money when I was able to work at 16. My mother made a point to start the process of my personal financial health with minor rent so that I understood just want hard work meant. Doing this built up my credit and allowed me to step up for her when things got rough. I try my best to help teach those who need it or ask. I make small plans, nothing too drastic, to change spending habits and explain how doing ABC helps attack debt, improve credit, and, after these steps, helps create a nest egg later. I refuse to use big words or go too far into the rabbit hole that can be finances, because it does not lend to the problem or the solution. I use my recent couple of years to help further relate as the COVID pandemic, even for all my good choices, also impacted me greatly. I have created credit card debt I never imagined, and lost the savings cushion I worked so hard to maintain. However, despite these obstacles, I remain steadfast. I remind myself and others constantly that there is always a way out if you chose to make sacrifices. By placing myself in this position, I have helped improve two lives of those I am very close to - my fiance and my mother. Their financial history has been the best its been in many years. It is about tackling the smaller things first if you are tight on funds. Once that is marked off, move to the next using the payments from that paid-off debt towards this new goal, essentially increasing that payment from meeting minimums to paying more which goes towards the overall balance (principle), lowering the debt quicker. Free books are always available. Some seminaries as well. There are videos from prominent financial advisors and perhaps even some courses provided by employers and community outreach at no cost. A person does not need to have all the schooling that accountants and advisors have. It just takes simple changes in mindset to understand the cause and effect, and how to turn the negative around.

Imagine having just recently been married and having a child. Then, tragedy strikes right before that child enters their first full year in this world. Your husband was taken from your life by a drunk driver on a rural road. You are left behind with hardly any proper death benefits. The family fails to step up and, over time, distances themselves from your child's life. What would you do? I am the product of this very situation. I am the daughter of a widowed mother who made her goal in life to raise her daughter the best she could with the little support she had. She was lucky to have had a sister who was willing to watch me as she went back to school. During my younger years, I watched as my mother started to get life rolling back on track by working one full-time job, one part-time job, and attending school. She became successful in her chosen career path at the time. However, due to self-employment mixed with social security and taxes, life was not always rainbows. Regardless, she made sure I attended the best school in our area and pushed me to continue on to a vocational high school to pursue my dream of police work. She continued working multiple jobs to make sure I was able to maintain standards. We had our difficulties with each other as teenagers typically do, but with the added stressor of lacking additional support. But she still pushed. Come my 18th birthday, life threw another swing in her direction when the system designed to help parents of lost spouses failed her. Without going into specifics, her struggle did not cease, but she refused to let that stop me. She pushed. Harder than most given the situation. And when I was finally able to help her I did. When I got into school, I used her experience to fuel my own. I worked and went to school. I helped her as much as I could. When I left school without completing, I took a different route and finally made it into law enforcement. Her dream of my dream coming true was proof her hard work and obstacles were worth it. Even though I am not actively in the role now, I still have the urge to return, but in a different capacity. One she never imagined, but one she now sees was the direct outcome of me watching her. I use her as inspiration to never quit. Even with our ups and downs. Our disagreements and fights. She never let me give up without fighting back. It is that motivation that I plan to use to inspire other women around me. I want to use our stories to show that a woman can achieve the unachievable so long as they have the drive for it. My giving back to the community will come in the form of, when all things fall into place, a mentor for girls wanting more for their lives. To help them financially recover from anything. Help them attain their dream career.

Instead of just one book, I would have to give one author. This author has an amazing talent for helping the reader imagine every detail of a person, a place, and a thing. Dan Brown. He is best known for the Robert Langdon series of books that have since been adapted into movies. While some of his words are topic specific and may not be readily known to a reader, he assists the imagery he creates by adding in other adjectives and analogies to guide the reader along the story. He has a few other books that he has written that go outside of the Robert Langdon series. There are those who would prefer to steer clear of his works as they do provoke and question some very foundational aspects of the human psyche. However, it is for this very reason I feel that everyone should give him a chance knowing full well that his works are works of fiction. While, yes, some of the topics lean greatly into conspiratorial thoughts, Dan Brown also fuses two sides of belief into a storyline that does not outright attack another and shows cooperation from opposing sides. From a personal experience from this author, Dan Brown was a main factor in finding the love of reading. For many years I found it to be a chore. The Da Vinci Code was the catalyst. Word choice, character development, and even the subtleties of tone cannot be accurately described. I find that critics even lack the ability to properly put into words what this author is capable of. I believe that if everyone would read his books, society may also rediscover the arts of compassion, understanding, tolerance, and acceptance that it has forgotten about in the last decade.

In the last year, the last six months especially, I have had to assist a coworker of mine, with quite possibly another, in navigating the process of an Equal Employment Opportunity Committee complaint. This process has been very difficult, but a necessary evil in order to ignite change and fairness within their workplace. Witnessing the treatment received by these individuals further instilled a sense of workplace justice, while also finding an enhanced passion for human resources. I have realized that the mistreatment of a company’s employees is something that truly upsets me. I have found that I have been able to use my education thus far, as well as prior experience in human resources to add substance. I have made every effort to learn and apply correctly the laws of Title VII and various acts to assist with the complaint process. I have provided a sense of camaraderie that these individuals desperately need while pursuing their complaints to give them the courage of following through. The EEO process is very long today due to the COVID-19 rules and how they have been applied and perceived. Patience has had to be of the utmost importance, while also keeping continued documentation as more evidence is provided or obtained. I have made myself available at all times to these persons during every step. Our friendships have been solidified by the unity they are feeling. I, personally, have been able to fully understand my sense of right and wrong as they have traversed the complaints. I have always been outspoken about my views, and before the incident(s) were filed, I had brought the very concerns up with solutions to prevent such actions. This may have been something I could have pursued with more vigor, or gone through a different chain of command, but that has yet to be determined. While not entirely certain if I will chase a specialization in employee or labor relations as my education progresses, I do find that I have a newfound love of proper practices as it pertains to employment. I find that a lot of the claims are preventable. While ignorance and bias are far from valid excuses, I find that it appears to be the basis of the claims I am currently privy to. Proper training, adherence and buy-in, and a drive for ethical practice are the way forward. I will use this to carry out such behaviors to lessen the chances of this happening to as many employees as I can wherever I may be employed. This a drive I have always had, but it came in the form of these unfortunate complaints that have pushed me to a goal I had not yet realized.

I had the greatest opportunity to be brought under the wing of a veteran from the military, local police, and a government consultant when I was a teenager in high school. This relationship was the catalyst for my decision to move forward into a law enforcement career when the opportunity revealed itself to me at the perfect time in my life. While I am currently not actively engaged in law enforcement, the traits that I have, enhanced during my tenure and from my mentor, have continued to play a major role in how I live life. The veteran I had the pleasure of meeting instilled a greater sense of leadership, unselfishness, and work ethic. I was a strong-willed individual, however, he gave me the biggest push into honing these traits by placing me in the position of Class Leader in high school (a police science/paramilitary program). With his guidance, he nurtured the unselfishness I now have. To establish rapport easily and provide a sense of comfort to those in difficult times. This has proven itself while working in a human resource management position and trainer, as well as in my daily interactions with the public as a law enforcement officer. While training for my officer position, I was also given the role of a squad leader with additional duties to help keep the female population of my team within specified regulations of uniformity. This time in my life I had to adapt more to finding mutual ground to keep my classmates focused and neat. I made it a point to keep time when we were finished with physical fitness to get to our next class, but also maintain open communication with them outside of working hours as it pertained to imperative updates. My time as an officer placed me in a particularly special position where I interacted with foreigners regularly. Because of different backgrounds, I had to always be focused on properly doing my job inspecting and interviewing travelers. To accommodate the stressful position it placed them in, I operated with respect and understanding of their feelings to make it less of an unpleasant experience that I could. This allowed me to also catch deceptiveness easily due to the fact that once comfort was established, it created a baseline to focus on. While training as an officer, we were also given techniques to use to push for information without it feeling like an interrogation. I used my experience in human resources to watch for more behavioral and vocal changes to better assist with processing. I wish to complete my degree in human resources. Currently, I have gone back into this field in hopes to enact change in the federal law enforcement sector. This change comes in support of the officers. I find that they are not given the backing they deserve and having an individual who can relate from both sides of the business would help improve the relationship, output, and job satisfaction. While working with these brave men and women, I was able to see the change in their outlook on what this industry can achieve for them. This is what I want. This goal demands the use of leadership and communication, resiliency and determination, unselfishness, and a work ethic made of steel to make these changes happen. Our protectors also need protecting, and with my views on human resources after experiencing from both sides of the spectrum, I feel everyone (officer, business/agency/officers) will benefit immensely, and, perhaps, seep into others.

Who does not like a misplaced hyperactive, spring-tailed tiger that is best friends with a honey-loving bear in a short red t-shirt? Tigger was, and still remains, the Disney character that I absolutely love. Growing up he was everything that I was not and wished I could be. I was far from overly active, very introverted and did not make much of an effort to make friends, and was not super vocal either. As I continued to mature, I still envied what he represented. I also have an affinity for cats. So it made perfect sense to have this continued admiration for a character that combined the very things that I liked and also wished I could be. It has been a struggle for many years to push my introversion aside. I tried to take some of the traits with Tigger into myself. I also, at least now in my older age, appreciate the contradiction he was as a tiger. Tigers are known to be aloof animals, whereas Tigger was all about being around those he loved and having fun. This thing I find I relate to now as I have successfully been able to excel at work by establishing solid working relationships from nothing or detrimental prior experiences. I am able to put on the face of an extroverted team member to accomplish our goals, then finish for the day and draw back into myself to recharge. It is the lessons such as these few that I hold dear. They are lessons not likely intended by the creates, but they are ones that should be proud of nonetheless. This drive to become more like Tigger allowed me to develop into the individual I am today in order to continue my pursuit towards my goals as they require his sense of community.

I grew up with the teachings of working hard and not to let others outshine you. This was successful throughout my professional career up until it was not. I made it a point to learn, excel, and teach every task I could, and did so very well. This, however, turned out to be my downfall as well. Back in 2018, I was given a wonderful position managing a human resources department at a local office. The problem was that my successful performance with duties prior to the promotion did not get passed on as they should have. Workers indirectly refused to take on those tasks or learn new ones. It became a point to push teamwork and development. This in turn put me in a position that forced me to ensure that importable billing and payroll duties were done timely on top of the tasks a manager must also do. This led to multiple days per week working fifteen or more hours. Lack of proper nutrition due to being distracted. An emergency department visit came and went with various follow-ups and it was determined that my job was the cause of the problem. From that point on, my view on ensuring that ALL things were done every day ceased. I accepted that not everything could be done when I wanted it. I had to be more flexible. I had to set stronger boundaries moving forward. Since then, I have done just that and it has made every position since then better for my health and the performance of the company(ies) I worked for.

As of today, to have $1,000 would be a great relief. I currently have a debt to the school due to how financial aid fell. I am working full-time, attending school full-time, and maintaining a household of two. My partner is currently handling other obligations which has forced me to take on the primary role of paying just about all bills. When he entered into a health emergency, any options of paying the debt flew out the window as I was being asked to pay about $1,000 a month to reduce the balance. There will always be a need for additional assistance for all of those attending school. It has become normal to enter into debt in order to get to where we want to be. I am sure many others have their own obstacles, and life can be a bit of a wrench in many things. $1,000 would alleviate my immediate school worry. In regards to personal, that would go straight to the debt I placed on credit cards to acquire the mandated course materials I had to purchase out of pocket. This involved a biology/chemistry set, textbooks, and other required items as they popped up during the lessons. Being a distant learner in my position makes it difficult to fully budget the additional costs since they are not actively relayed until it is time for them to be bought. $1,000 seems little in the overall scheme of things, but it would do so much.

I practice bravery by speaking my mind and establishing my views on topics that need to be addressed. To elaborate, in school assignments I am honest about why assignments may be late, or why they are incomplete. I have made it known when there is a fault with an assignment and supply the appropriate evidence to support this. I also do not mind discussing controversial topics if I am able to (job position can hinder this). I like to make others feel comfortable discussing hard topics with the intent to learn from one another. I also operate this way with my employment. I speak to coworkers I assist in plain language. I let them know when I make a mistake or when I am wrong, I do the same with them. I also make it a point to bring to light when management is wrong about their views, information, and projects they wish to initiate. While many in management do not take well to such adversity, I have done it in such a way that those particular individuals now come to me if they feel I can provide additional insight. I have successfully bridged a gap that others struggle to build. When it comes to living boldly, it is up to interpretation. I speak to others how I would like to spoken to, both positive and negative. I also am open about the tattoos that I have. It has opened up conversations from older generations that do not normally like the practice. The one that has helped to open their eyes involves my backpiece of a phoenix, but not in the classical sense. It is a wonderful thing to stand in the grocery store and have a talk with these individuals about the backstory behind my decision.

I admire Abraham Lincoln. And to clarify, the Abraham Lincoln that was before his presidency. This man came from a humble upbringing. He fought tooth and nail for the life he made for himself. He did not at all seek to become president. He won the election to the Illinois State Legislature and successfully taught himself about the law. Was so successful that he was able to pass the bar examination and practiced for a few years after. LIncoln continued within the circle of politics when he established himself in the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, he was not liked and did not run again. Overall, I admire the man's upbringing. He grew up with a hard work ethic and moral standing. When he failed at anything, he used it as an opportunity to grow from it and change tactics. He learned how to use his words to have people gravitate toward him. Even after winning the election for president, he continued to meet adversity head-on. He understood he was not liked by everyone in the nation. Civil War was one of many difficult tasks he had to overcome. He maintained his moral views as proven by the Emancipation Proclamation. It shows that a person with drive, moral standing, and an understanding of hard work, is able to cross lines as time progresses. He was a very relatable individual who made every effort to find a diplomatic resolution. This is the way I live my life, and to have such a monumental person with the same view solidifies my ideals.

The most helpful piece of financial advice I have received is to budget and not to be afraid of off-brands. It has become more of a must as years have passed. I have always operated on a budget and made the moves to adjust my spending the best I can. It has become harder since my relationship has moved to the next level as I now have to take their needs further into account with limited income. And because of this, buying off-brand has been one of many steps. Off-brand items do not mean it is of less quality. Sure, when it comes to food, the taste does not always meet that of its competitor, but if it is palatable and provides sustenance, it makes it easier to move in that direction. Even l as simple as buying something that is slightly damaged and discounted, but performs just as well as the pristine item can make the difference. I have attempted to further share my knowledge from the steps that I have taken with others. I have sat down with friends and family to discuss budgeting strategies for their lives as well. Doing so has helped them out of some seriously detrimental situations. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has played a large role in inhibiting the most effective changes. Inflation has even impacted these avenues and the constant ping-pong that is budgeting is now a constant battle. Budgeting may take time, but it is the small steps that produce the most results over time.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is the inability to discuss. Everyone has become so polar in their views, which is fine, however, society has become so close-minded that it has deemed everyone with opposing views as wrong. We cancel people now for having thoughts different than our own. It has put us back so many years by creating this sense that 'everyone that does not agree with me is beyond wrong'. There have been people and businesses whose livelihoods have been ruined by this new mentality. Open discussions that used to be held in confidence about very intense topics are virtually avoided now out of fear of offending another. A society that cannot engage in a fair debate, cannot evolve. We cannot learn to grow from others. We cannot become better versions of ourselves without being able to have our views opposed in a healthy way. Businesses have had to shut down, even post-COVID restrictions. Friends and family have had their ties severed. This kind of behavior does not let others see similarities after the discussions. It is a truly beautiful thing to witness when two individuals, with vastly different ideas, can come together and agree on a foundation that helped to formulate said ideas. We have forgotten that with adversity comes positivity. We are a society based on certain foundations, and as we fail to speak to one another and try to understand, we lose what makes us different from other animals. Talk and listen. Do not be scared of something you do not understand. Learn.

One practical way to help people that struggle with their mental health is to, quite simply, let them talk. And with that, actively listen to what they have to say and be engaged. Everyone has a right to express themselves and those that struggle most often feel as though they are not heard. They tend to bottle it up inside which makes it so much worse than what it could be. People who do not identify as having such a debilitating mindset do not understand that they express themselves to relieve the stressors that manifest. We view it as normal, but so often do not allow others to discuss their feelings about situations with an open mind. Society has become more focused on an 'all me all the time' mentality. We forget that we all have struggles, but that not everyone has been given the tools in order to cope. Listening to others has proven most effective in my experience. I cannot properly express how just allowing someone I know to talk, just vent a little, has helped them improve their mood. Sometimes it has even allowed them to see that talking does assist them, and that perhaps a third, unbiased party would be a better source. Therapists offer these services clinically to avoid catering too much to one side or the other. Step one is to always allow them to talk. A person does not always have to empathize, but sympathizing and allowing them to have an active ear to listen to their woes does go quite a long way.

To make it as simple as possible, my life has been a constant up-and-down rollercoaster of events. My father died when I was an infant. This led to my mother raising me alone. She did so the best that she could while also going back to school to get a certification in hopes of providing a better life for us. School was always difficult. I was the loner for the longest time. High school became more difficult as I started to find myself, and not always in the best ways. After high school, I had to make the effort to start assisting my mother while I worked due to various decisions and medical conditions. This placed my secondary education on the back burner for the longest time. This cycle continued for years until I had a medical concern pop up myself. All at once, fortunately, life made a change for the better. All of those hardships hardened me in the way that I refused to become a victim of my circumstances. I pushed myself to be better. And now, that determination has led me to move forward on a path to being a better human resource employee to use my experience to help others better themselves. My hardships allow me to relate to others.

Rarely do I ever have a problem speaking my mind. Tactfully in most cases, I do have to clarify. Being completely honest about how I feel about any given situation makes for open and fair communication with everyone. I prefer to exercise this most when it comes to my employment. For example, professionally, I always remain an advocate for those who have been done a disservice or have been wrongfully treated. I have been tactfully involved in the termination proceedings of an individual due to the unfair treatment of other employees. I have been involved in speaking my opinions, professionally, in an unemployment case. And most recently, working with others on improving their working conditions. Personally, speaking my mind is a way of being honest with family and friends. While tact is required in some cases, others require direct, and in some instances harsh, communication. It is the quickest way to get a point across and prevent a friend or family member from making a very poor choice. This way of communicating, in general, I always expect to have in return.

Confidence. I find this to be accurate in a definition of believing in one's self. On a regular, everyday occurrence I find that I am confident in the job duties that I must carry out, or have carried out in prior positions. However, in my personal life, this confidence does have a tendency to wane. It is an interesting paradox. I enjoy having fun and doing various things outside of work. The problem lies within my self-confidence. I have been granted the luxury of finding the best people to call friends. They do everything, subtly, to boost this. They are reminders that I have been their supporter in life when things get a little rough for them. That even when we have our disagreements, or when I make a big mistake, they continue to understand and grow our friendship. That is how my confidence continues to improve. My friends are my confidence.

My father passed when I was just over a year old. It was a struggle for my mother growing up. This continued all the way through graduation from high school. It had always been an issue with curveballs thrown among life's normal events. I, for a time, had to help care for my mother under various circumstances late in my high school career, up through my mid 20's. Since this time, the biggest supporter of my goals came mostly from my high school teacher. He was a wonderful educator and took his job very seriously. His experience prior to becoming a teacher provided him with a wealth of knowledge that became invaluable to his students. His support did not come in the form of monetary assistance. While it would help immensely to pay my way through college, I cherish his words of encouragement more than anything. This man attempted to guide me prior to graduation. He saw the potential I did not truly see within myself. He made the effort to show me this. He gave me the honor of being a class leader for two years. This helped to enhance my leadership skills in various aspects. Allowed me to mentor and tutor those I shared classes with and those that were newly arriving in the program. This teacher was the backbone of my decisions when it came to additional schooling. Regardless of where I wanted to go at any given time, because, to be honest, being a teenager we do not ever really know where we want to end up. I went from wanting to pursue law enforcement, to fashion design, to veterinary medicine, and, ultimately, Human Resources. He has been more encouraging in my latter venture due to my prior success in Human Resources. He is constantly reminding me of my ability to learn, lead, and advise. Reminds me of the positive outlook that my chosen career path can provide. I would not be where I am today without his support. He stepped into my life at the perfect time and fulfilled an important role in nurturing educational growth. As I stated before, this man took his job very seriously. I used all of his prior experience to bring the best out of all of his students. For those that continued to keep in contact with him, he does the same without bias. A mentor does not seem appropriate. A guiding light seems more accurate.

Given the obstacles that I have been presented with since my younger years, I cannot thank any one person, thing, or being enough. I have been lucky enough to get where I have regardless of these speedbumps. Life has been generous enough to teach me more than I care to admit, all while using those lessons to push myself further than I thought possible. It goes to show that even on the worst of days, the best of days do follow soon after. I cherish every one of those incidents. It is a funny way of thinking, but it also gives me a sense of humility that I refuse to take for granted. I would not be where I am if it were not for the lessons I have been taught or the people have been beyond lucky to have in my life - those near and far, young and old, lost and current.

The meaning of life is to find and do whatever makes you or me happy. For me, it is to find myself in a place of financial security paired with being the best friend, daughter, and soon-to-be wife I can be. And when all this happens, whether intermittently or not, I feel like I have found my true happiness. Especially when those that surround me are happy and comfortable as well. I don't see myself as fulfilled when those important to me are not also on the path to doing just that in parallel. The meaning of life is to use others' happiness as a catalyst to enhance our own. I cannot think of a better way to make my life as full as it can be. To meet my full potential in life. It is a beautiful thing to watch others evolve and transform into the best versions of themselves.

Empathy is the trait that allows a person to directly relate to an individual as to why they feel or see something the way that they do. This differs from sympathy in that sympathy is understanding a person from your own views. Both of these while important, play very important roles in life. I make it a point to be empathetic to everyone I meet. This allows me to make an immediate connection and foundation. This has been helpful when it comes to discussing difficult situations within the human resources arena of things. Especially when it comes to discipline concerns. In my personal life, it allows me to provide advice to others as they go through obstacles in their lives, but adapt it to their situations. Unfortunately, a downfall of this trait for some is the fact that it can over and become a burden. It has come to a point on several occasions where it has caused me some depression due to taking on some of their feelings of sadness. This involves grounding myself by stepping away for a little, however it has yet to deter me from continuing this support.

I relax by listening to music. My taste does vary quite a bit depending on the necessity of the stressful situation. It is a quick way to instantly release the endorphins needed to ground myself. If it is entirely too stressful, I go to metal. While it does not mean that I am screaming along with the music, the aggressive tones allow the vibrations of the song to seep into my body to alleviate the tension. Country music is another genre I play when I want to forget about today. It takes me back to my childhood and gets me to sink back into a time with little responsibilities and nothing but ignorance on my side. The stories that the songs tell are a way to get someone involved and be in the moment with the singer. Music is a powerful thing that everyone uses to some degree to decompress. Others take it to other avenues, but overall the result ends up being the same.

At one time my favorite hobby was actually working my part-time job at an animal hospital. I then also had to do some kennel work when I was looking to move into the veterinary technician field. There is nothing quite like walking into the designated area and seeing an animal light up seeing someone. This was a rewarding time for me as it broke my focus on everyday life to take care of something else that needed help. It didn't matter that it could as simple as walking a dog, cleaning out a cage, or having to provide them with medication. I remember distinctively one time when I was in charge of walking a large dog for the evening and he ended up entering into heatstroke. I immediately went into emergency mode, picked him up, and got him into the triage area with the veterinarian still on duty to help assist. I was able to learn so much in that moment that made sense when I went into schooling for the industry. I still look into going back into kennel work, but it has since been put aside while I continue with my current job and schooling. When a job is truly a hobby, you can't have anything better in life.

Selflessness keeps me grounded. That is something that I have always strived for. The way that I have been actively doing this, outside of financial and advice realms, has been to offer my services doing resume work for those that are asking for assistance. I have done this for a couple of years now at no charge, mostly used by family and friends. I do this when they are feeling beyond stuck in a position that they feel they no longer wish to be in and cannot get a new employer to bite. I have taken time out of my schedule to review the resumes that they have already drafted to build upon, or, in some cases, completely make one since they never had been taught how. I use the opportunity to shed light on their strengths so they can better prepare themselves for interviews as well. It is amazing how little certain achievements get the recognition they deserve until it has been properly utilized.

I have found that I am much more resilient than I thought prior. My life has been pretty eventful with it comes to obstacles and I have continued to push forward with absolute determination. I have refused to let something pull me down. I have been raised by a single mother that made some poor decisions which, as a teenager, put me in a position to be a parent. I have handled some medical situations both with myself and others. I have handled some mountainous financial woes and family feuds. Resiliency is more complex than most realize. Just because you keep going, it does not mean that is all it takes. Willpower and mental stamina also play a very strong role in this. It is an exercise that must be done daily to ensure consistency. It depends on how a person finds the tools to ground themselves and uses them. It is a wonderful trait that I pride myself on.

The one sentence I would share with the world is one that everyone has heard before. "Be true to yourself". This is, in my opinion, the gold standard that everyone should be operating by. When a person stands by their morals, work ethics, and personal beliefs, it allows them to be confident in their future endeavors. I have always stood by this statement and it has yet to disappoint. I actively discuss this very thing with others to help boost their self-esteem and to be someone in their corner. I feel as though society has lost its views on living better lives when it comes to the three items mentioned above. People are more focused on doing whatever they can to one-up someone else and make money. I feel like the moral foundations, especially with recent current events, have fallen to the waste side. I continue to use this mentality in hopes to inspire others to do the same. We initiate the change. We are the change.

The most inspiring book I have ever read is actually a work of fiction. And technically, a series. The Robert Langdon collection by Dan Brown has been some of the most well-written works around. The reason behind this is due to the fact it easily gets the reader fully engulfed in the story it paints. It allows a person to look at something from a different perspective regardless if they believe in the fringes theories the books address. Dan Brown has a way of using the English language colorfully enough that certain words will stick with a person once they complete it. I also find it amazing how an author can continue with the same topic, just in different directions. Dan Brown has successfully inspired directors in Hollywood to produce adaptations of his works as well. Personally, I think the movies were more successful than the Twilight Saga. It is not an easy task to inspire so many people from various walks of life. That is talent.

Budget. Budgeting has been the major lesson that I have learned that is most important to success. Especially when it comes to college. I have been lucky that I learned to budget because I wanted to. When properly done, a person can create a great cushion in the event that an unforeseen incident occurs. You can transfer these funds accordingly to supplement without drastically impeding your ability to pay necessary bills in hopes of continuing to save money. The best part about budgeting is that you can even inflate what your bills are in order to prevent unnecessary overspending. I did this for a year in order to create an extra cushion myself. I have also done this when my student loans were on an interest-only or deferred payment plan by including it in my monthly budget at a higher payment. This also sets up good habits for a bill that will come once graduation has come and passed.

I have stayed optimistic because I had to. I am usually a realist, some argue pessimist, in my everyday life. When things get increasingly difficult, I force myself to remain optimistic regardless of what my intuition may tell me. This keeps me focused and prevents me from spiraling into depression. Mind over matter is a powerful thing. This alone has shown me that even when we experience some of the worse aspects of life, there is always something positive that happens after. That alone has created change within my mindset over time. When I voluntarily entered into a time of unemployment, I kept myself moving and focused on school with hopes of finding a job that would help supplement during that time. It was not long before my previous employer contacted me asking to return with an increase in pay due to the performance I provided the company. When I was going through some medical scares, I made sure that I kept a positive outlook because I refused to let myself think the worst. I do the same for friends and family. I allow them to feel negative because it is a cathartic method of expressing emotions, but I make sure I am that light to those darker thoughts. I press their strengths forward. Optimism is fantastic, even for a realist like me.

I recently lost a cat I had raised from birth. Goliath was just shy of 13 when he passed. He was with me through the most trying times in a young girl's life in high school. There through break-ups. Family losses. Medical issues. Moving across the country. Job changes. He was one of the most stable things in my life. Goliath kept me grounded and allowed me a distraction from my everyday struggles. He was perfect for my mental health. Because it is still so recent of a loss, it is hard to talk about him. Pets have always been a way to allow me to care for another being. They teach responsibility. They teach compassion. They assist in preventing complete selfishness. Pets are also a way that couples can have the equivalent of children if they are not capable of conception and cannot afford adoption.

My turnaround is one that is simple. I am the product of an only child widowed mother's home in a small town. I made the decision to become something better, pursue a career, and move across the country in order to make this happen. My hometown is one that not many people leave and drone in a society of accepting the fact that struggling to make it is the way of life. I was fortunate that my mother was supportive of the decision and it took a lot of work. I had made plans years ago to go to a large university, but our financial situation would not allow it. I had entered a trade school later on, but then life had to pull me in a different direction and I had to drop out. Now, I have not only made sure I moved out of my hometown that had a grip on me, entered into a field I never expected, but I am actively pursuing a career pathway in school that I intend to steamroll into development. We are never limited by external factors, we only limit ourselves.

The main impact I want to have on the world is a sense of having served those who needed it. In Human Resources (HR) it can seem like a very impersonal interaction and most recently, I've had the luxury of experiencing more one-on-one relationships with federal officers. It opened my eyes to how the industry of HR needs to change. I can't begin to explain the relief and gratitude that is exchanged when they are seeking advice or help and I have provided just that. I want to grow in rank and change the culture of what HR in the federal sector has become. Completing a degree, and adding to it beyond a bachelor's, would allow me the extra push I need to get into a position to initiate this change. The impact seems small in comparison to the world, but it's the pulse that ebbs from that that makes the difference. The true impact is the START of such a culture change.

Quite honestly I don't deserve this scholarship. I love paying full price for college. I love debt. I love to struggle. Goals? What are those? I barely manage to get up in the morning. Sleeping sounds like it covers all goals. I over came an obstacle when I managed to only bruise my arm when my cat tripped me. He's a ninja.

Hello! I am a high school police science graduate, turned human resources manager, turned law enforcement officer, returned human resources representative. I have skills to assist you in all ways professionally. I also have skills that can protect you when the time calls for it. I do not fear challenges. I embrace them. I fight in everyone's corner. One cannot simply deny there is a pattern here and that it is time to merge the two seemingly different industries into one. Tenacity, determination, drive. Allow me to formally introduce myself: I am becoming the best version of myself.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has many stories. Some of the most impactful stories are the ones that show just how far a person will push themselves to make it. This is one of those stories. I was in the process of completing a training academy for a law enforcement agency. The training that was required of me involved academic, interpersonal, and physical aspects. I, unfortunately, sustained multiple injuries to my foot over a short period of time that hindered my ability to perform many of the physical skills to my full potential. This wore on me for months mentally as well because if I was not able to pass these, I would not be able to continue. I was lucky enough to have my peers keep me in the highest spirits possible. I tried my hardest to rehabilitate. However, when it came time to complete our final assessments, I made the conscious decision to push myself further than I thought possible. I pushed my pain aside and ran headfirst with one goal in mind: success. We are only limited when we allow ourselves to be limited. There is always a way to persevere.

Have you even been in a trainee position and felt like you were not getting the most of your time? Did the trainer seem rushed or even annoyed about being tasked with showing you processes? The ability to train an individual is not always a natural skill, but it is one that I feel I have excelled with. Over the years, my positions have involved in-depth training for new hires or those recently promoted. I used my experience when I was trained and adapted it for what was missing. Under most circumstances, I drafted various "How-To" guides or compiled a centralized area where various pieces of information were stored to explain the why's and how's. I also make the time to have an customized teaching method that worked best for the person learning. I absolutely love to train. I enjoy getting feedback as well to adjust my methodologies, or even store additional options for the future. The best trainers are those that care, and those that care to train.

My motivation is to provide. This is for myself, my family, and others. I wish to provide for others in ways not many may expect. It is not financially. When I started my professional career, I never expected to enjoy serving others on a human level. To provide them someone who listens and takes the time to understand a concern. To provide them with an individual who takes pride in their work, that ensure accurate paychecks, benefits processing, and time off assistance inquiries. To provide them a level of respect that builds a valuable and stable working relationship. This has also proven itself with my tenure in law enforcement when handling difficult or hostile situations. I have come to see that I am truly a provider at heart. It has impacted all of my decisions as I continue through life. I will be using this as a constant as I move forward.

I would like my legacy to be something so simple, yet inspiring. I want to be remembered for being an inspiration for women. To give them a role model. To show them only we are our biggest competitors. We are our own obstacles. Women are just as strong and capable. I have made it a point to ensure my growth within my chosen career paths over the years. I have started out small and climbed my way up. I have entered male dominated industries and have shown I am on the same level. Because of this, I have had many of my female friends reach out say that they were inspired to finally go after a goal they have held back from. I can honestly say, I would be happy if I even inspired only one person who I never met directly. My legacy would be set. If it were a little girl, it would be even more fulfilling. Women must continue to build each other up. I plan on doing so. I will make this happen. Not just for me, but for them.

I do not give up easily. It is an interesting trait that I have increasingly grown to be proud of. A trait that allowed me to pursue my aspirations. In high school, I wanted to stop the program I was in, but with the push of not only myself but my mother and my instructor, I continued and excelled. I became a class leader. I used this to motivate new students in the program as well. Once out in the professional world, I never quit because I just did not like one aspect of a position. I would try to improve and if things showed no signs of this, I made myself find a better position. Always a step up the ladder, even if it deviated left or right. I always pushed harder. This led me to law enforcement. Rigorous training - physically and mentally. I had to absorb, retain, and utilize mounds of information to effectively perform my job. There were many times where it became extremely taxing. I had quite a few injuries when it came time to pass our final physical fitness test. I used that pain and adrenaline to push beyond the block the mind can create. These are just a few examples of how valuable this trait has become. I also cannot wait to see what else comes from this as I continue.

Everyone has asked me where I intended to go with my life. After exploring various industries, I have determined that not only has Human Resources come fairly easily, especially in the realm of payroll and budgeting, but so has Law Enforcement. Both of which I have experience with. Years ago, I happened to fall into a position that managed payroll data entry and maintenance and assisted in billing, which led to ultimately managing the Human Resources team for the office. It was something that I immediately took to and excelled in quickly. I built and repaired relationships effortlessly and successfully kept an office profitable. In high school, I always wanted to go into law enforcement, which in turn became my primary focus during my tenure. I was lucky enough to find a position federally when it was time for me to transition from my prior employer. It was well worth the experience as a female in a male-dominated industry and would never hesitate to return. I was able to seamlessly mesh the two knowledge bases together, and in doing so, have decided to pursue a double major degree. There is so much that can be pulled from one to the other. It's also a secure plan should I go into management in either of the two. I'm excited to see where these two seemingly different paths merge and grow. I wish to be a role model for women to be better than what they think they are capable of. I am living proof, and to be able to help guide prospective females would be icing on the ever-growing cake I intend to build.

Life. My passion is all encompassing in this one idea. It the very basis of anything that a person is passionate about. I am passionate about making my life the best that can be under any and all circumstance. Life in general is, in my opinion, predictable in its unpredictability. And I love every minute of it no matter how hard it can get. Everyone has their own version of struggles throughout life. I have made the decision to not dwell on them, but use them as a mean of pushing myself. Every obstacle or setback is a way to learn from the experience. Knowledge. It's a basic building block for life as well. Learning is a major subset about life that I am passionate about. I make every effort to learn everything I can about my job duties, my hobbies, and I even try to excel at my studies. Life provides passion and we need to have passion about life we are given.

What does active listening mean to you? A valid question with various answers depending on a person, their education, and their professional experience. There is no one correct answer or definition. Active listening, for me, is being completely present when conversing with someone. Taking in not only their words, but their tone, non-verbal cues, the environment, and those around them. Listen to how the tone of their voice changes as they speak. How their facial expressions move or how their body reacts in regards to what they say. How their surroundings may also play an impact on how they choose their words. This is a skill I learned on a superficial level throughout my working career, but I was able to expand upon it when I entered law enforcement. I honed my ability to not only fully focus on what a person said, but how to relay it back to them in a simpler fashion if they were nervous. It helps to build a report and gain confidence. How to use all of this to determine if a person was being truthful, forced, or deceptive. Don't ever listen to just listen. Listen to understand. Listen to relate. Listen to invoke an even level of respect. Listen to gain knowledge. Just... listen.

Being a strong role model for women is something I strive for. I try to use my experience to help guide and provide relevant advice to all women I come into contact with. I have lucked out in life despite various obstacles and possible setbacks that I could have let stagnant my journey. Having a single, widowed mother with little in regards to father figure could have put me down a path of failed opportunities to try. However, she made sure to push me beyond my comforts to achieve the best of who I am. I actively use this now, but instead, I now am the advisor. Frugality. It's not a skill taught much anymore. One of many ways to gain financial stability and the responsibility it holds. I show how budgeting allows a woman to go further. How to change the course of our spending habits and put it towards your educational and professional goals. Perseverance. I have never refused to quit because something got hard. I show just how much you can take while learning your limits. How your ideas need to be heard and how to do it in a manner in which other respect those thoughts and want to hear them more often. I show that even without true formal education, the drive can make the impact to move up a ladder. And continuing to do so, you attract all the opportunities you long to obtain. Friendship. No matter how small a role I play in a woman's life, I do my best to show that we are each other's best supporters. We should always root for one another to be better, and for them to to the next role model. I will continue to follow this mindset.

Grounding. Breathing. Being aware of yourself and what you enjoy. Our simplest of pleasures allows ourselves the luxury of experiencing all of these and then some. What does it take for everything to love and utilize these? My main go-to's vary greatly. I absolutely love to read. It's unfortunate that I don't read nearly as much as I used to, however anytime that I start up, it's nearly impossible to stop. It's the stress reliever that many forget about. Depending on the genre, we can temporarily remove ourselves from our stressors in every day life. I also enjoy the opportunity to immerse myself with nature. Hiking, spending time in park, or even seeing some wonders the Earth can provide. I like that it puts my perspective on life in check. It helps me to remember how small and complex humans are compared to many things in nature. And finally, one of the most underrated, underestimated, simplest of pleasures is enjoying silence. We have become so accustomed to noise that we fail to bask in the joy of quietness. To be able to allow our hearts to slow down from the rat race of the day to day. To just be. There is always noise. From televisions, cellphones, computers, people in meetings, and so much more. Grounding. Breathing. Being aware of ourselves. That is what's simple. That is what's pleasurable.