Honestly, I’m not certain that I have a true favorite concert memory. All of the dozens of concerts I’ve attended throughout my life (both school function and public access) have all been special in their own way. However, there is one that was especially notable, because I was very young when it happened, and it is my first memory from a public access concert. My mother took me and 2 of my sisters to a Newsboys/Kutless concert one time when they came to Bakersfield at the (then) Rabobank Convention Center. I remember how absolutely hyped the crowd was, and how happy the bands were to be there. Peter Furler, the then-front man of the Newsboys had such a distinctive, passionate voice and fun energy. I recall jumping up and down with all the rest of the crowd, little though I was. The best part of the entire show was during the final song, when the drummer was lifted up on a platform, drum set and all, and spun around in fast circles, all whilst still playing. I remember my little-kid brain being absolutely blown away by that bit of showmanship. That memory has remained with me all throughout the years. My absolute first concert memory (as far as I can recall) was being in a kindergarten handbell choir, doing a Christmas concert. My little bell was red, and considered one of the deeper notes (though I cannot recall which one it was specifically). My mother still has a picture of me, standing on stage looking rather nervous and uncomfortable with my red bell, Santa hat, and uniform jumper. Ever since then, however, I have been involved with music in some way, whether it be by singing, playing an instrument, or attending concerts of all kinds. Even now, I am (finally) taking the first steps towards officially learning the piano. The photo I am submitting is from the latest concert I attended. I went to see Lindsey Stirling on her Duality Tour this year as a birthday present to myself. This was the one on September 6th in Concord, CA. It was blazing hot that day, but the main stage and seating area was relatively cool in comparison. I have adored her music since high school, and this was my 2nd time seeing her and her crew live (the first having been during the Snow Waltz Tour last year). Saint Motel played as the opener for this specific show, and they were a lot of fun. The entire function was absolutely sensational, and I loved Lindsey’s words of encouragement in between songs just as much as all the cool costumes, gorgeous special effects, energetic dances, and funny crowd interactions. My favorite one was her saying to us that through all of our agonizing about being inadequate for this thing or that, we must not forget the all-important, “magical” qualifier: “Not good enough… Yet.”

“Oof!” I hit the ground, mud showering me as rain pours steadily. An exasperated curse rests on my lips… but I just sigh, heavily. I lay there, tears in my eyes, thoroughly defeated. “At long last…”, I say sarcastically, but beaming as I type the final words of the edited manuscript. After so many issues, the least of which include erasure scares, a case of mistaken identity with a cat toy, and a slip of my editor’s mind, the USB-bound manuscript is finally completed. I squeal with excitement: once this is published, a lot of people are going to be helped. Better still, a lot of lives may even be saved. The positive repercussions of this work are innumerable. After hitting “Save” once more for good measure, I eject the thumb drive, shaped like a whimsical, light blue bow, putting it on my keychain. I huff with satisfaction, and prepare for bed. “Now to get it to the publishing house.” A clap of thunder startles me out of a sound sleep. Simultaneously, I hear the unmistakable, erratic sounds of hairball-labor, likely somewhere most inconvenient. In my groggy state, I grab my phone from the nightstand, determined to note the time and find out why it’s raining heavily on a forecasted “nice” day. The screen remains black and irresponsive. “Ugh, you cannot be serious… Marko!!” My gigantic tabby Ragdoll, having made his unwelcome deposit on the carpet, returns to the scene of last night’s crimes, where a slightly mangled phone cord dangles from the wall, and bathes himself, unashamed. I scoff in frustration, getting out of bed and going to my laptop to read the time. I gasp sharply. It is 9:30; The manuscript deadline is at noon. The publishing house is across town, taking a good hour to reach by bus/foot, and that’s on a light traffic day. I glare at Marko, whose mischiefs have been the primary cause of my day starting on the wrong foot. He simply lets out an imperious “Mrreow”, and struts off to his food dish. 20 minutes, a fight with a stubborn boot, and a negotiation with the overzealous toaster later, I dash out of my flat towards the nearest bus stop. That route will take me right close to the publishing house, and I can walk the remaining distance. Almost as soon as I am around the corner, a sharp gust of wind inverts my umbrella. I wrestle with it on the run, finally managing to right and stow it away. I reach the stop and shout with joy; the bus is pulling up. I get on, being the only customer, and immediately drop my coin purse. The metallic profiles of past Presidents go scattering in all directions. My face flushes with humiliation as I scramble to pick up my loose change. “I-I am so sorry!”, I stammer out. The driver gives me a sympathetic (or pitying?) look and said, “Forget it”. I thank her profusely, still mortified at my fumble, but glad that she didn’t kick me out. After I finish, I find a seat, settling in for the ride. Half an hour later, I am groaning with exasperation. Not only is traffic relatively heavy, but the rain has made it so a general slow-down is necessary; in addition, more and more people have joined. The bus is fit to burst with pedestrians looking to escape the downpour; I am crushed against the window by those standing. I rest my head against said window, not knowing the time (chargeports are inoperative), and trying not to panic. We get a little past the halfway point to my destination, when traffic thins out. I sigh with relieved gratitude. However, a loud “Bang!” sends the bus rumbling to one side, much to our general consternation. Upon pulling off to the road shoulder, the driver makes an announcement as unwelcome as a porcupine in a balloon boutique: “Ladies and gentleman, it appears we have a flat. I apologize for the inconvenience. You are welcome to stay and wait for the replacement, or you may board another bus at no extra charge…” I don’t hear the rest, as my mind roars with frustration. I practically push my way off the crowded vehicle, and dash off into the deluge. All the time, thoughts of failing the deadline race through my mind. My steps get more and more ragged as I get more panicked and tired. Suddenly, I trip on the now-loose lace of that stubborn boot, and go flying into a nearby puddle. As I lay here, I consider the alternatives. If the manuscript is submitted late, there is a fine, but more importantly the possibility of a delay in publishing time, or even of cancellation altogether. As I wallow in pessimism, I notice a sudden lack of rain. A tall man with a huge white umbrella extends a hand to me. He is nondescriptly handsome. Upon thanking him, he nods, saying only one thing before departing: “Keep going.” I am shocked by his cryptic yet (strangely) relevant message, but take his advice. I continue on, steadily, to the publishing house. When I arrive, the pillar clock reads 11:50. I puff with immense relief as I enter the building. The receptionist doesn’t even question my muddy appearance. Actually, her face lights up. “There you are! I’m so glad you got here in time!” Exhausted, I hold out the blue bow USB, which she graciously takes. She then smiles. “Your work will help a lot of folks out there, I just know it.” Outside, I let out a yell of triumph. In spite of all the troubles, the piece is finally to be published. As I head to the nearest café for a celebratory cappuccino, I see a large, white umbrella across the street. The stranger stops, smiles mysteriously and, with the passing of the next bus, vanishes, umbrella and all… I stand there, awestruck, amazed at the likely identity of White-Umbrella Guy. I tear up… …And smile.

Both my primary and secondary fields of interest were chosen for 2 simple reasons: the primary (Commercial Aviation), because it was something I am curious about; the secondary (French Translation), because it is something I am good at. Having taken my first flight in 2016, I became enamored with the concept, and decided I wanted to do it commercially. After a bit of experience in the subject, I decided which sectors were the most appealing to me, firefighting and small/short-hop cargo. My desire to pursue the former became even stronger when I was forced to flee one of the many NorCal fires in 2020, and had to sleep in a church. I began to study the French language during my second year of high school, and found that I took to it swimmingly. All throughout my three remaining years there and through my years in college, I have always had excellent grades in French (if not perfect ones, I dare say). In learning the language, I have also found myself learning more about English in the process, as well as becoming able to comprehend some of the structures and vocabularies of other languages, like Spanish and Italian. I would like to create an impact in both my chosen fields, by being the best worker I can be. In doing so, I would be able to help others on a much larger scale, from little conveniences to saving lives. I want to be the cargo pilot that always makes their parcels arrive a bit ahead of schedule. I want to be the air tanker pilot that has the most efficient drops. I want to be the translator with a versatility and depth of knowledge that go beyond my first chosen language of study. I would consider my career aspirations fulfilled upon reaching any of these targets. Currently, I have two personal goals to help me achieve my professional passion: No. 1: Obtain my Commercial Pilot Certificate. This will permit me to start flying for a living. The more hours one has (particularly of the cross-country variety), the more appealing they become to those in charge of more advanced flight operations; The next goal from there would be to obtain my Multi-Engine Rating, which is even better in their eyes. No. 2: Obtain my C1 Rating in French. This will allow me to work in a French-speaking country, should I ever have need to look for jobs outside of the U.S. The process of getting it will also greatly improve my knowledge and skills in French, and I may even be able to extend the fruits of those improvements into other languages I choose to study. Thank you for your time.

My passion for a career in aviation stems from two sources: for one, I very much enjoy the sensation of flight, where I know many people do not. And secondly, I know that piloting jobs are essential to the continued functioning and well-being of my home state. When I took my first flight with United Airlines in 2016, it was almost midnight at LAX, and we had been delayed on the ground for quite some time due to heavy traffic. But at last, it was our turn to take off: I remember hearing what I thought was the engine (the APU) turn off, and the real engines start up. Within a few seconds, we had rotated, and Los Angeles quickly turned into a sea of lights below us. The thrill of that moment, as well as the awe I felt when looking out the window and seeing the Moon and sky look brighter and sharper then I had ever seen them before (both on that flight and on the connecting one the next morning) has never left me. During my days as a Student Pilot, my 2nd instructor once took the flight controls, and put the little old C152 trainer through a few rather aggressive maneuvers to demonstrate to me that it would take a lot of effort to damage the airplane in the air (I handled aircraft with an overly timid touch as a Student Pilot). I remember cheering and laughing a bit as he did, for I found it all very enjoyable; in the back of my mind, I knew the average person would have been utterly terrified in that moment. Flight is also far more appealing to me than the idea of driving; I am not particularly fond of the close proximity one must have to others when driving automobiles on the road; especially when compared to the mandated 500-1000 ft. minimum space between aircraft in flight. I’ve spent much more time flying than I have driving, as a result. To this day, my favorite thing about flight is taking off in the morning or afternoon, and being able to look down at the ground, see my shadow gradually rising and think “That’s me!”; That will never get old for me. I am acutely aware of the fact that without certain flight jobs, not only would we not have conveniences like fast travel and shipping, but that many lives would potentially be lost without them; Emergency and Angel Flights help carry people who need quick and/or specific medical attention, and would otherwise be unable to get it. Express flights can convey perishables like organ donations and sensitive medicines where they need to go. Organizations like the Red Cross can deliver life-saving relief goods to places hit by natural disasters. Aircraft across a large spectrum of sizes can carry and drop water and/or flame retardant over areas ravaged by wildfires. My home state of California is one such case where many (if not all) of these life-saving services are needed on a regular basis. My resolve to join those who fly for that purpose increased in 2020, when I fled from one of the multiple NorCal fires that year, and had to sleep on a couch in a local church. If I can help save others from losing homes, property, and even their very lives by flying, then I want to do it. Overall, a career in Aviation will allow me to continue enjoying my love of flight, as well as give me the opportunity to help people in need on a larger scale. Thank you.

Both my primary and secondary fields of interest were chosen for 2 simple reasons: the primary (Commercial Aviation), because it was something I am curious about; the secondary (French Translation), because it is something I am good at. Having taken my first flight in 2016, I became enamored with the concept, and decided I wanted to do it commercially. After a bit of experience in the subject, I decided which sectors were the most appealing to me, firefighting and small/short-hop cargo. My desire to pursue the former became even stronger when I was forced to flee one of the many NorCal fires in 2020, and had to sleep in a church. I began to study the French language during my second year of high school, and found that I took to it swimmingly. All throughout my three remaining years there and through my years in college, I have always had excellent grades in French (if not perfect ones, I dare say). In learning the language, I have also found myself learning more about English in the process, as well as becoming able to comprehend some of the structures and vocabularies of other languages, like Spanish and Italian. I would like to create an impact in both my chosen fields, by being the best worker I can be. In doing so, I would be able to help others on a much larger scale, from little conveniences to saving lives. I want to be the cargo pilot that always makes their parcels arrive a bit ahead of schedule. I want to be the air tanker pilot that has the most efficient drops. I want to be the translator with a versatility and depth of knowledge that go beyond my first chosen language of study. I would consider my career aspirations fulfilled upon reaching any of these targets. Currently, I have two personal goals to help me achieve my professional passion: No. 1: Obtain my Commercial Pilot Certificate. This will permit me to start flying for a living. The more hours one has (particularly of the cross-country variety), the more appealing they become to those in charge of more advanced flight operations; The next goal from there would be to obtain my Multi-Engine Rating, which is even better in their eyes. No. 2: Obtain my C1 Rating in French. This will allow me to work in a French-speaking country, should I ever have need to look for jobs outside of the U.S. The process of getting it will also greatly improve my knowledge and skills in French, and I may even be able to extend the fruits of those improvements into other languages I choose to study. Thank you for your time.

As much as we people hate to admit it, we all begin Life in our own bubble: A bubble made up of everything that we come to know as comfortable; family, friends, places, foods, and any number of other things a typical person might eventually take for granted in their everyday routine. That bubble is altered completely, expanded and improved, when one sets out to travel for the first time. The distance traveled need not be far to make even a slight difference (we’ve all heard the stories about stagnated people who have never traveled outside of their hometowns). However, the further you travel, the more different the local culture, perspectives, and environment is from yours, even the more unique your means of traveling, the more there is for you to potentially learn. The more your “bubble” can grow. I recall my first few times traveling an extended distance away from my home in Bakersfield, California: to Vermont, through Canada, to France, and to Switzerland. Though they were all relatively brief journeys for study purposes (1- 1 1/2 months), I found that I learned just as much about myself as I did about others outside of my “bubble”. As a teenager, I discovered what it meant to be a “Californian” amongst a mixed domestic group. As a young adult, I have learned what it means to be “American”, in both views and habits, amongst a mixed international group. For example, one of the adult learners who joined the program in France was Portuguese, and only spoke that and French; he was there with his wife and young son. Once in a casual discussion, he jokingly asked me in French why I (and ladies in general) felt the need to have so many pairs of shoes, also asking how many I owned at that time; my answer was 10, and I and his wife had fun bonding over the joys of having variety in one’s wardrobe. Another, more generalized example was the places in which I would get ID’d for various reasons (I am told I have a rather youthful appearance): in the United States and Canada, I am nearly always ID’d; I cannot recall it happening even once while I was in France and Switzerland. Currently, I need to return to France for a longer stay to complete my studies: I am quite curious to see what other little cultural nuances I can learn while I am there. In summary, travel will enhance one’s own knowledge of people, the World, and they themselves, transforming them into someone more empathetic and mature than the person they would have become, had they opted to remain home. A more concrete analogy might be that of a standard sugar cookie: the dough is rolled out, cut into a shape, and baked. It’s absolutely fine on its own. However, everything about it is elevated when you choose to “dress” it, adding toppings like nuts, chocolates, or fruit. Travel does the same to us. Thank you.

Telling someone about my “greatest achievement to date” is a rather difficult request: it is hard to find something truly worthwhile that one has accomplished, and then talk about it without sounding like you are tooting your own horn, so to speak. However, I think I can manage to answer without sounding like too much of a braggart. My greatest achievement to date is getting a perfect “A+” in my Meteorology class last year. The teacher was Miles Muzio, a local weatherman in Bakersfield, and thus a small-time celebrity that I grew up watching. When taking his class, one can see that not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he also truly enjoys the teaching of Meteorology. And I enjoyed learning; The experiences I had in that class taught me that there really is more than one way to successfully approach a science-based subject, and to stop doubting myself on that matter. My perspectives that I shared with the class about weather tended to come from a more artistic, emotional standpoint (some might call it “right-brained”), and I believe it was helpful to at least some of the other students. The highlights of my experience in that class were the field trip we took to the Hanford weather station, playing (contributing to, and eventually winning) a special course-long game he had created that split the class into 3 teams, and immediately finding out that I had scored a perfect 100% on my Final Exam after finishing it on Canvas. This last one was both a surprise and a relief; I was prepared for a high score, but not a perfect one. The Lord really was with me that day. I do hope to achieve much in the future, the most important thing being to help others with the skills I acquire. One day, I will finally have my own airplane, and be able to fly people needing transport to specialist medical facilities who cannot otherwise afford it (these are called “Angel Flights”); one day, I will be able to help in putting out the fires that ravage my home state of California every year, from the skies; one day, I may use both my airplane pilot and foreign language skills to help bring disaster relief supplies to different places with the Red Cross. All of these goals require a good knowledge of Meteorology to be the best they can be, and my experiences in that class have given me such. With my greatest achievement to date, I have taken Step One towards my dreams. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Success, for me, probably does not look like how the average student today might imagine it to be: I have no interest in becoming world-renown for works I might make, discoveries I may encounter, or trends I could start. I do not necessarily seek to become wealthy, although I would like to be well off enough to bless others. Having observed the people around me, I have been given the impression that it is those things that they define and seek as “success”. No. Success for me is to be able to acknowledge that I have the skills necessary to give my best efforts to the tasks I am given: to be able to help myself and to help others. Life is about gathering as many skills in various areas of interest as you can, and using those skills to leave a positive effect on the world (and by extension, yourself). Therefore, a successful me is able to pursue and acquire a variety of skills at her leisure; I have already begun this process, having shown active interest in particular areas of the arts, sports, music, languages, and horticulture: I first began dabbling in sewing/embroidery, beading & jewelry-making, and general crafts when I was very young. I showed active interest in dancing, track & field, and the dramatic arts throughout elementary and high school. I have played the violin since the 4th grade, and have been expanding my musical pursuits into other instruments (including my voice) since then. I first began learning French as a Sophomore in high school, and still actively maintain my knowledge whilst dabbling in other languages (such as Spanish and Italian). I have always enjoyed taking care of plants, and have often dreamed of having my own garden. Expanding on all of these aforementioned items, and being able to pursue more throughout my life will make me “successful”. To further my path to success, I must finish what I set out to do so long ago: earning my Bachelor’s Degree, and my Commercial Pilot Certificate; I am a French Major with an Aviation Minor. There have been so many obstacles in the way since I began, a good portion of them stemming from financial issues. Being awarded the scholarship from this opportunity will allow me to achieve success by both giving me more (much needed) flight practice hours, as well as helping to pay for my necessary study abroad credits. With my Commercial Certificate, I can eventually go into aerial firefighting, and potentially help a lot of people by preventing the destruction of land and property from wildfires. With my degree in French, I can help in the development of virtual language assistants/translators, improving them for accurate real-time use by travelers and (im)migrants. Eventually, I will be able to help even more people: volunteering time and resources towards Angel Flights for those who have no other option: learning and mastering even more languages, allowing me to contribute even more towards developing language assistants. In summary, true success is being able to bless others with that which you have gained, starting with one’s knowledge. I intend to achieve it one day soon.

This opportunity is very meaningful to me, namely because I can openly discuss my Faith without anticipating odd or uncomfortable responses. My story is a convoluted one: even though I was never diagnosed with anxiety, I was still regularly ruled by anxious feelings, fears, self-doubts, and low self-esteem. Perhaps this was due to the fact that I grew up believing that God was out to get me whenever I messed up (i.e. the covenant of the Old Testament). That He would never truly forgive or forget my sins and misdeeds. Therefore, I was ruled by my fears: I did nice things for strangers to get people to like me in spite of my eccentric nature; I was a pretty awful sibling to my 3 sisters, a poor friend to my schoolmates, and never really felt like I got along with my mother. This all translated to a somewhat haphazard entry into college. I had decided that I wanted to learn how to fly, without having done any research into what it took to do so. The costs were so prohibitively high that I only got to fly 3 times Freshman year. However, by then, I had begun to learn more about what the Lord Jesus’ great sacrifice truly means for those of us living after the fact: that so long as we have Him to vouch for us (i.e. we genuinely accept Him as Lord and Savior), we get to enjoy the benefits of God’s grace and favor all throughout our lives via the avenue of Faith. My family and I learned these things from Pastor Joseph Prince of New Creation Church in Malaysia; their “sister” church (which I attend virtually every week) here in the USA is Grace Revolution Church. By trusting in the Lord’s favor, a way was found for me to consistently continue my flight lessons at PUC and California Aeronautical University. We started listening to these teachings of Grace when I was still fairly young (around 8 or so). The Adversary did everything in his fell power to keep them from sinking in. My “anxiety”, (having already made it difficult for me to engage with my local church during my adolescence), now made my learning to fly a slow and painful process. I was probably the least adept flight student at Pacific Union College, and among the least adept at California Aeronautical. But, of course, the Lord was with me. He brought me a couple of counselors/mentors that helped me identify my issue with anxiety. After the initial meeting, I felt a small sense of relief that I hadn’t felt before; The next portion of anxiety dissolved when I (finally) passes the Private Certification exam (of which the Adversary turned into a whole drama of its own, but that’s another story); The FAA requires at least 40 total hours for one to qualify for their Private Pilot Certification; I was not deemed ready until I had around 100. The final portion passed away when I turned 22 about a month later (September 9th, 2021). I felt an incredible sense of peace that only the Lord Jesus could have instilled in me when I woke up that morning. I knew I’d been cured of my anxiety! I’m now on the road to becoming a Commercial Pilot and a C1 French speaker. With Jesus’ Divine favor, I plan to obtain the means to get my certifications one lesson at a time, and use my skills to help others in the future, whether that be via pilot services, or in-the-moment ministry to someone like how I used to be.

Frustration, and Resignation. This bowl was inspired by those two emotions. It was 2019. The Winter Quarter at Pacific Union College was well underway. I was taking a glass crafting course, both to fill my credit gap and because I have a great curiosity concerning fine art (I will further elaborate on that later). I was struggling for various reasons, namely because I could not seem to use the cutting tool properly: even if my lines were perfect, the glass would often break unevenly, for reasons unknown to me. So when the Fused Glass Project finally came up, my struggles increased tenfold. I had chosen to do a very large bowl/platter shape (almost 2 feet in diameter), thinking that I could improve my cutting skills enough to make something even remotely uniform. I came to the glass lab several times outside of class to practice by myself… all of my efforts resulting in failure. When I went to cut the (special blend) of glass that would make up the primary color of my platter, the cuts either were not even, or did not break evenly, no matter how many times I tried. This frustrated me to no end. My hands were full of small injuries from my attempts. I do recall having cried a bit, ashamed that I was continually unsuccessful at something that everyone else seemed to have no problem with. Finally, on my last out-of-class session, I made a decision: not wanting to discard the jagged pieces of the expensive multicolored glass, I simply decided to use them regardless. The professor at the time, Robert Pappas, had entered the workshop when I was arranging my sorry shards into their frame, several slabs of single-color glass nearby me for adding into the gaps left by the jagged cuts. He kindly offered to cut those for me, after I explained to him what my plans were. These little uniform pieces fit in perfectly. After all was said and done, I put my project in the “to be fused” area, and resigned myself to an unnatural-looking piece. I, and everyone else, was very surprised to see what came out of the kiln: It was a lovely fusion of blues, browns, amber, and cream that had a personality and character unlike anything else made by the other students in the class. I did not really expect it to be nice, so I had not come up with a name for it (which is why it is “Untitled”). Mr. Pappas was very pleased, and encouraged me to enter the finished product into the Student Art Show that Spring: it won 1st Prize in the Glass Category. (I also entered it in the California State Fair, where it earned a Blue Ribbon). The Head of the Photography Department at PUC at the time even offered to purchase it from me. I ultimately turned him down, however, having grown fond of the thing I’d cut my hands so much to make. Even though Art isn’t my current “emphasis”, it is still something I actively participate in. I take courses in both Art and Art History, to improve my knowledge and crafting skills in any way I can. Jewelry and the crafting thereof holds my greatest interest: One day, I am looking into getting a certification from the Academy of Art University’s School of Jewelry & Metal Arts, furthering my jewelry-making skills and expanding my project scopes. This scholarship will help me in taking a big step towards that direction. Thank you for listening to my story, and for your consideration!

I want my studies to lead me to the forefront of Aviation innovation because I know my chosen career path(s) may eventually become obsolete. I am rather fond of the idea of small, short-hop cargo flights, and I know that the more pilots that are qualified and available to fight wildfires during Fire Season here in California, the better. However, cargo flight, regardless of size or content, is the most likely sector to be targeted for remote piloting implementation; probably because people on the whole would not trust their lives solely to remote/machine operation. Though, when one considers certain kinds of flown cargo, such as military supply flights or even flame retardant for wildfire zones, remote piloting could be a considerably safer alternative to what is currently done; It may even become the norm one day, with sufficient development. Therefore, it would be wise for one to get their metaphorical feet wet in areas like Unmanned Aircraft Systems to be prepared; I will certainly be considering it. As a low-income college newbie (who was also completely new to the world of Aviation itself at the start), I've had many challenges in my pursuit of a college education in Aviation; for illustration, I was only able to fly 3 times during my Freshman year. It was not until the next academic year that my parents and I found out about Parent PLUS loans; these became my key resource for funding flight lessons. On the first flight of that year, I was unaware that one needed to add full power to take off. I did not know what I should have been studying or paying specific attention to in my studies outside of the required "theory" courses. Obtaining my Private Certificate was an uphill battle, but I had a lot of people to help me; it took a great deal of spiritual Faith/prayer, many hours of repeated lessons, many hours of practicing with the computer simulator on my own time, and a couple of discontinued/rescheduled Practical Exams, but I finally obtained it at 2 1/2 times the predicted hour amount of 40 declared by the FAA (around 100 hours). I also obtained my Instrument Rating in a similar fashion the following year (2022). However, all of that extra time and practice added up: I was forced to discontinue attending flight school when I was midway into my Commercial Certificate training (I had just taken the Knowledge Test, and had passed with a 93%). This is an obstacle that I am still actively trying to overcome; fortunately, there is word on the wind of legislation being proposed to help Aviation college students specifically in funding their especially costly degrees. With that wonderful news to encourage me, I will do what I have to do to obtain my Commercial Certification, even if it means someday returning to California Aeronautical for an Associate of Science instead of a Bachelor. I plan to impact Aviation innovation in the future by looking further into the concept of circular/ovaline runways. The subject came up in class one day from one of the more senior academic instructors, and I, having never heard of the notion previously, have been fascinated with it ever since. Upon doing a little research on my own, I discovered that the idea had been scrapped due to the expense and impracticality of implementation in larger airports. However, my ideas involve the General Aviation setting, not the Commercial one: Having a circular "dirt strip", as it were, could greatly reduce the amount of necessary acreage. The idea has some truly exciting potential.

My interest in aviation stems primarily from taking my first commercial flight, and enjoying the sensation more than the average person would. (Although, as a child, there were also some less defined factors such as having an unusual fascination with both of the local airports.) I first flew in 2016 with United Airlines, going from Los Angeles, California to Burlington, Vermont, with a connecting flight boarding in Chicago. Tired as I was that evening and next day, I knew that Flight was a special experience for me, and made up my mind to look into flying professionally from that moment on; not even the hard landing in Chicago was enough to put me off of the idea; Where many find such things unpleasant, I find them exhilarating. When I stop and consider what I would like to do after graduation, I see myself sticking more towards smaller, piston-powered, non-passenger aircraft operations (for the time being, at least). Upon obtaining my degree, I would like to go into FedEx Feeder flying. I enjoy both the idea of short-hop parcel delivery, as well as the structural similarity of the C-208 to the more common kinds of training aircraft. Although, I have also been advised by my aviation professors to look into getting my Heavy Type-Rating in order to fly the C-408 (the SkyCourier) in addition to the Caravan when it is fully integrated into the FedEx Feeder fleet. I currently have my eyes on joining West Air's operations. As my career goes on, I eventually would like to do some single-pilot air tanker work. The yearly wildfires in California and the overall West Coast of the United States are disturbing disasters that need as many additional helping hands as possible to address them with minimal casualties. Having personally needed to evacuate the first college I attended during my final session there in 2020 due to the proximity of a wildfire, I can somewhat relate with wildfire victims; many of which do not have anything to return to when the final spark is finally extinguished. The fire that year did not destroy the college or the town it resides in; I would like to help in making that ideal outcome a reality for more people. As far as community involvement goes, I do like to volunteer wherever I fit in and whenever I am able to: I donate blood at the local blood bank, and I am currently rehearsing to be a caroler with a local organization for the upcoming holiday season. I am active with my local Ninety Nines group; We bring cookies to the ATC workers during the holidays, and are currently in the midst of scrapbooking our storied past. If I can help even one parcel get to its destination a little bit earlier, or keep a wildfire from consuming even one person's property, I want to do it. Receiving this scholarship money will help me obtain my degree and fulfill that goal.

It all started on a summer night at LAX. We had been on the ground for a good 45 minutes, being moved about by what I now know is the auxiliary power unit. The flight was to go from Los Angeles to Chicago; Traffic was heavy, and we were running late. At long last it was our turn for takeoff. The captain came on the intercom, apologizing for us being late, and promising to have us there early. With that, the engines fired up, and we lifted off the ground, climbing to FL 340 and cruising at roughly 600 miles per hour. The next morning, we arrived at Chicago O'Hare with a somewhat sideloaded landing that startled the entire cabin, although we were as early as promised. This was my very first experience with any form of flight. In 2016, I recieved the opportunity to go to summer camp in Vermont, and thus took my first flights with United Airlines. During those flights, l found that I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of going so high in the air, and being among the clouds. I recall looking out the window and seeing the Moon and sky, looking more defined and surreal than I had ever seen them; in the second flight (Chicago to Burlington), I noticed just how much deeper the sky was in color compared to the view from the surface. It was then that I decided that I wanted to fly professionally; not necessarily in the capacity of an airline pilot, but just something that would have me in the air. I was and still am quite aware of how many people despise the experience of flight, and therefore thought I would be a good fit for the occupation, being of the opposite mind. Currently, I am looking into flying small cargo and/or aerial firefighting. As far as leadership qualities are concerned, I feel that I do particularly well with taking a step back and analyzing a situation before making a choice; I believe the proper term for it is "critical thinking skills". This is also helpful for developing compromises and maintaining the peace in a group, I find; a group does not operate well if there is not a certain degree of satisfaction among its members. As the eldest sibling of 4, I discovered this the hard way. These skills have been fairly helpful in my Aviation journey thus far, for times when I have had to fly with other students/instructors in the backseat, needed to divert for weather reasons, and for the one time when I lost my comms upon takeoff.

Growing up, libraries have had an important place in my life; for perspective, my Lifetime Checkout record in the Kern County Library system is 1,802. The first book I ever checked out, at my elementary school library, could actually be considered an ironic precursor to my chosen career path of airplane pilot ("Amelia & Eleanor Go For a Ride"). My reading craze began in earnest when I was in the 4th grade: I checked out the 4th Nancy Drew book, "The Mystery at Lilac Inn" from that very same library, and absolutely adored it. Ever since then, I have been an avid consumer of tales of mystery and adventure, particularly those in the Young Adult category. From those books, I have indeed learned many things; The primary 3 points being to remain curious, appreciate your uniqueness, and to never quit. Growing up, I was an odd child in personality and mannerism; however, I had what I now know was an enormous amount of social anxiety, and was very shy and/or awkward around others (among other negative effects), as a result. Much of my solace from these issues seemed to come from these books: diving into another world and journeying alongside the protagonist and supporting cast as they went through their adventures and/or solved the problems they were confronted with was absolutely heavenly for me; It is no wonder that I would consume novels of my choosing at a somewhat alarming rate. I began to pick up on how each of them celebrated their differences as the story progressed, rather than let them be a hindrance. When the Lord fully healed me of my anxiety on my 22nd birthday, I was finally able to do the same for myself: to revel in and celebrate my uniqueness; "I am different from many/most others, and that is perfectly fine". My sense of curiosity developed with my consumption of mystery novels. I always admired the analytical and observational skills and persistence of fictional detectives like Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Father Brown, and the popular detective of manga/anime fame, Shinichi (Jimmy) Kudo. They always pursue a problem to its bitter end, looking for every potential clue and evaluating every possiblity. I have sought to integrate such skills into my own life, especially considering my involvement in Aviation: Great observational/critical thinking skills are integral to being a sucessful airplane pilot. Nearly all of the protagonists of the books I enjoy(ed) go through some sort of difficulty, external and/or internal in nature. However, they always manage to push through, even in times where the situation seems especially desperate. I have sought to keep that same attitude, considering my own internal and external troubles. I might employ the use of a "tactical retreat" from time to time when things are not going well with whatever concept/task I am dealing with (something I could not properly convey growing up, due to my anxiety); Even if it means returning to the thing far in the future, I will never totally quit. All three of these concepts (curiosity, persistence, and uniqueness) have played parts in shaping my current goals: My curiosity drives me to attempt flight in various kinds of aircraft, as well as try improving on the ideas of previous aviators; Considering how my academic, aviation, and performing art journeys have gone so far, I'm going to need all the persistence I can get. As for uniqueness, I'm going to celebrate mine in everything I do, whether that be in art, aviation, etc. I am who I am, an eccentric lover of books.

The "dream" Capriana can tackle any craft, master any song/voice/sound of her choosing, fly her aircraft with ease and enjoyment, be well off enough to take care of herself and future pets (and bless others in the process), thoroughly analyze any problem, offer the best advice/counseling when consulted, have people see her for herself and not her appearances, and (despite being completely introverted), leave a genuine, positive, and kindly impression on both those who encounter her and the world as a whole, all through the Lord's guidance (of course).

Lifting off into the midnight air, and soaring along at a seemingly ridiculous speed is my first memory of flight. It is a feeling that has brought me thrill and enjoyment, rather than trepidation and/or panic, as with the average person. This is my main reason for becoming a commercial pilot. While I realize that joining major airline companies like Delta and United is commonly seen as the pinnacle of a piloting career, I am looking towards a great many options and opportunities for careers outside of the airlines. I am more inclined towards smaller, piston-engine aircraft as my "office space"; therefore, I am looking at potentially flying for West Air in one of their Cessna Caravan FedEx Feeder aircraft. They fly short-hop parcel deliveries from a given base city to multiple, smaller destinations. I have also been encouraged by my professors to try the larger Cessna SkyCourier when it becomes fully integrated into the fleet; although, for such an airplane, one also needs to have a Type Rating to fly it, as its Maximum Takeoff Weight is 19,000 pounds (one needs a Type Rating for any aircraft over 12,500, among other classifications). I am also considering a career as a fire-spotting aircraft for air tankers, or even flying a smaller tanker myself for Cal Fire. The spotter aircraft are smaller airplanes that fly out ahead of the tankers, and let them know where exactly to deposit their load of flame retardant via a visual signal. This particular occupation would go a long way in helping people all along the West Coast since wildfires are a frequent problem for California and its neighboring states. As far as my involvement in aviation goes, I don’t want to stop at those occupations: I plan to try flying seaplanes (amphibians, specifically; they have wheels within their pontoons) and possibly hot air balloons; I may also try to get my tailwheel endorsement, opening up more possibilities. I may participate in an air race or air show someday. I also have a few projects I want to pursue, like constructing a kit airplane (also known as a home-built), and seeing if I can successfully create a circular/ovaline airstrip on whatever property I choose to settle on. The potential is endless. Obtaining this scholarship will go a fair way in bridging the funding gap that I am currently experiencing in university. Renting the airplanes and paying for instructor time comes at a premium: for perspective, the multi-engine rating here (which is next for me after my Commercial certificate) done in the Beechcraft Baron comes at a steep $330/hour. Flight schools like CAU are subject to strict, high training-hour requirements; this means that all students need an unusually high amount of funding for each "academic year" they attend, with the amounts depending on which Certification they are obtaining, and how adept the student is to the "material". Such institutes are known as Part 141 schools, according to the 14th portion of the Code of Federal Regulations. Once I complete my degree and graduate, I will be able to obtain an aviation job of my choice and help reduce the much-discussed pilot shortage.