Growing up, higher education did not always feel like something guaranteed for me. My brothers and I were raised by a legal guardian after our biological parents struggled to care for us. My father and mother were in and out of most of my life, and my legal guardian worked hard to provide stability despite financial and personal challenges. Although she did not finish college herself, she built a successful career in computers and constantly encouraged me to believe in my potential. Watching her persevere taught me resilience, responsibility, and the importance of education. From a young age, I understood that if I wanted a different future, I would have to work for it. I challenged myself academically, earning recognition as an NC Scholar and member of the National Honor Society while balancing athletics, leadership roles, and work responsibilities. I discovered a passion for technology through video games, computers, and problem-solving, which eventually led me toward Computer Science. What excites me most about cybersecurity is the ability to protect people and use technology to create positive change. I am especially interested in ethical technology and addressing issues like bias in artificial intelligence systems that negatively impact marginalized communities. As a first-generation college student, I know how overwhelming higher education can feel when you do not have someone guiding you through the process. There are financial pressures, uncertainty, and moments of self-doubt. However, these experiences have motivated me rather than discouraged me. I was proud to have made the Dean's list my first year. I want other first-generation students to understand that their background does not limit their potential. One way I have already started giving back is by returning to my old high school during school breaks to speak with senior students about what to expect in college. I talk honestly about the transition from high school to college life, including managing coursework, balancing responsibilities, seeking help when needed, and adjusting socially and financially. Many students, especially first-generation students, feel unprepared or intimidated by the idea of college because they do not know what to expect. I want them to hear from someone who recently experienced those same fears and challenges. I plan to continue inspiring students by being open about my own journey and showing them that success is possible even when the path is difficult. Representation matters, especially in STEM fields where many students of color and first-generation students often feel underrepresented. I want younger students to see someone who came from challenges similar to theirs and still pursued higher education, leadership, and ambitious career goals. Most importantly, I want to show first-generation students that resilience can become a strength. By sharing my experiences and mentoring others, I hope to encourage students not only to attend college but also to believe that they belong there and are capable of achieving meaningful success.

Healthcare to underserved communities throughout the United States faces many formidable challenges. Low-income individuals and minority populations experience denial of timely and adequate healthcare, greater prevalence of chronic health problems, and less trust in the health care system than their more affluent counterparts. Addressing these problems will require not only a medical solution, but a solution grounded in justice, outreach, and public service. The honorees receive this award because they represent these important values and the spirit of healthcare advocacy, innovation and community empowerment that is necessary to address our most pressing health disparities. In order to tackle the health disparities plaguing our country today, I would put together an unlikely task force of three historical figures that you might not normally associate with the health care system. The team would consist of Frederick Douglass, Florence Nightingale, and George Washington Carver. While none of these individuals worked in the health care system as we know it today, they had invaluable insight and knowledge about various issues that plague our health care system and the many health disparities we are trying to tackle today. Frederick Douglass would be our ambassador for justice and policy reform. As one of history’s greatest voices on equality and human rights, he would demand that healthcare be treated as a basic human right and work to pass policies that help elevate the dignity of the human spirit through healthcare reform. His powerful voice and legacy would inspire action and challenge unjust systems, policies and practices. He would advocate for policies that protect our most vulnerable citizens and work to ensure that all individuals have access to quality healthcare. A Florence Nightingale Task Force would bring Florence Nightingale’s combination of compassion and reform spirit to the critical task of using data to improve the healthcare of disadvantaged populations. She would have used statistics to improve patient care in the poorly equipped hospitals of 19th century England and Wales. Today, she would focus on underfunded health systems in disadvantaged communities and build strong hospitals that deliver high quality healthcare. George Washington Carver, famous for his agricultural innovations, would approach healthcare inequality from a prevention and community health education perspective. As a health equality catalyst, George Washington Carver would work with poor communities to help them become self-sufficient through education and innovations. He would focus on issues of nutrition, preventative health and educate communities on healthy lifestyles to help ease some of the pressure off the emergency healthcare system. This problem is related to my life after computer science. Healthcare is rapidly becoming more digital. Under-served communities who already face many barriers to accessing quality healthcare are especially vulnerable to data breaches, system failures, and biased algorithms that can result in misdiagnosis and mistreatment. I want to focus on cybersecurity in order to protect sensitive patient information and create healthy, equitable, reliable healthcare technologies. I am inspired by Nightingale’s groundbreaking use of data to improve healthcare delivery and the careful balance that she struck between protecting and responsibly using data. I am also inspired by Douglass in that he used technology in innovative ways to challenge inequality, rather than to maintain or entrench it. Finally, I am inspired by Carver, whose lifelong commitment to using his knowledge and skills to serve his community has set a powerful example. My goal for the future is to use my knowledge of healthcare and information systems to contribute to the good of my community and to educate others on how to navigate the fast changing healthcare landscape in a safe and digital world, so that no one gets left behind.

Being raised in a single-parent household shaped the way I see responsibility, resilience, and purpose. My brothers and I were raised by my legal guardian—the woman I call Mom—after our biological parents did not reclaim us. She did not have a perfect roadmap. She did not finish college. But she had discipline, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to us. Watching her hold everything together taught me lessons that no textbook ever could. In a single-parent home, there is no backup plan. If something breaks, you learn to fix it. If money is tight, you learn to budget. If your younger siblings need guidance, you step up. I grew up understanding that my actions affected more than just me. That awareness matured me early. It made me protective, focused, and intentional about my future. At the same time, my household was filled with faith, structure, and empathy. Forgiveness was emphasized. Responsibility was expected. I learned that strength is not loud—it is consistent. Seeing my mom work in computers despite not having a formal degree sparked my curiosity about technology. She showed me that knowledge is powerful, even without a title attached to it. That example planted the seed for my decision to pursue STEM and challenge myself academically. Being raised this way also shaped how I define success. Success is not just financial independence. It is stability. It is being the person others can rely on. It is creating options for the next generation that you did not have yourself. In the future, I see myself using my talents—whether in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, or a field I have not yet discovered—to protect and uplift people. I may not know exactly where my career will land, but I know the kind of impact I want to have. I want to build systems that are fair. I want to create opportunities for students who feel unseen. I want to mentor young people who come from complex family situations and show them that their beginnings do not limit their trajectory. Because I grew up navigating uncertainty, I am comfortable solving problems. Because I grew up helping raise my brothers, I value leadership through service. Because I experienced instability early on, I am motivated to create stability for others. I imagine a future where I can fund scholarships for students from single-parent households. A future where I return to my high school to teach workshops about technology and career exploration. A future where my home is a place of security, just like my mom tried to create for us. My upbringing did not make life easy, but it made me capable. It taught me that even one determined adult can change the direction of a child’s life. One day, I want to be that steady presence for someone else. No matter what career path I ultimately choose, my goal is the same: to use my skills, my voice, and my resilience to build something that protects, empowers, and gives others room to grow.

Why Computer Science? So why Computer Science? Well, I think that technology can be used for good in society. Particularly in communities like my own. Growing up, I have always been interested in technology and the way things work. I have come to understand that technology is more than just a tool for people. It is a reflection of the society that built it. And with many of the technologists not being like me, a young Black man, the technology has to be created in a more equal fashion in order to make sure that it does not reinforce the inequalities of our current society. I’m not the only one that feels like there were rarely people of color working in the tech industry. My friends and classmates were usually more likely to consider sports or music as a career, because technology was seen as more elusive to non-white individuals. Although I loved sports and was captain of my high school track and field team as well as a varsity cheerleader, I wanted to go into a field where I was an extreme minority. As reported by the Kapor Center, people of color only make up about 5% of the workforce in the tech industry. That statistic alone does not prevent me from striving for my goals – in fact, it fuels my motivation. I love the field of cybersecurity because of the protective nature of the work. Locking doors on our homes protects our neighborhoods, and locking down our online information protects our identity, our money and our future. Ransomware, phishing scams and biased algorithms can all have severe consequences on society and our most at-risk populations are often disproportionately affected. As a person of color in STEM, I hope to make a mark in the following three ways: Innovation, Advocacy and Mentorship. My first goal is to contribute to ethics and security. Improving encryption protocols, auditing algorithms to avoid biases, auditing the codebases of non-profits are all areas where I believe my skills will allow me to make a difference in the world for people who are already being left behind. Securing the Internet is not about preventing attacks — it’s about protecting human dignity. 2) I want to work with other engineers, with tech leaders, with lawmakers, with organizers, with community leaders — to get more people’s real-life human experiences into the products we build. Because the fact is, AI bias isn’t a bug in a line of code — it’s a social justice issue. I want to empower and enable. If the right imagery is used, there will be a huge difference in whether or not children feel capable and confident in completing the work, and that they actually look like who is explaining it to them. I hope to continue to mentor underrepresented groups in tech, and also to continue to organize events such as the coding workshop for young girls, while also finding ways to obtain scholarships for diverse groups to attend tech camps and coding boot camps. To me, STEM is not just about preparing students for careers. It is about creating a more just world. I have learned so much about myself as I navigate this journey and have gained so many valuable lessons to bring back to my community. Lessons such as the importance of perseverance, self-regulation and empathy which are all skills that an engineer must have when they are designing a product for use by the public.

not sure, but I found foster care payment stub My life story may be a little different from most, but I don’t see it as something that holds me back. My brothers and I ended up in the care of a legal guardian when we were young, after our biological parents struggled to take care of us. Although we never stayed in touch with them, I’ve learned a lot about their struggles—my mom grew up in foster care, and my dad was involved in crime. Despite this, I’ve never used my background as an excuse or something to get sympathy. What really sets me apart is my drive to keep moving forward. My legal guardian, who I think of as my mom, didn’t finish college but built a successful career in computers, which made me believe in the power of hard work and curiosity. When I was six, she had me tested for gifted children, and although private school was expensive, I always knew I had the ability to succeed in whatever I chose to do. She showed me that intelligence and determination are key, not necessarily following a traditional path. My mom also raised me with strong religious beliefs, which taught me the importance of making responsible choices and learning from my mistakes. I’m not perfect, but I know it’s okay to seek forgiveness and keep going. These lessons have shaped how I handle challenges and how I look at the future. Being tall (6’4”) meant everyone assumed I’d play basketball, and I did make the varsity team. But what I really love is track and field. There’s something about the individual challenge of pushing myself to new limits that keeps me coming back. Whether in sports or life, I’m always looking for ways to improve myself. Growing up, I was fascinated by technology, video games, crime shows, and anime. These interests led me to explore the world of cyber-security and criminology, where I could use my intelligence to help others and protect them. I want to make the world a safer place, and I’m excited by how technology can be used for good. I’m also interested in art, especially drawing. It’s a way for me to relax and express myself, though I’m not sure I’m ready to show it to the world yet. My mom always encourages me to keep going with it, even suggesting that one day my work could be in a local museum. Recently, I’ve also discovered a love for theatre. Watching movies, I often noticed the lack of Black characters on screen, and it made me think, “Why not me?” That thought inspired me to explore acting and see where it could take me. Whether on the track, in the studio, or on stage, I love finding new ways to express myself. The most important thing I’ve learned from growing up with a single mom is mental strength. She showed me how to handle tough situations and keep pushing forward. I’ve learned to stay focused on the future, no matter what challenges I face. I’m excited about the opportunities ahead—whether that’s in technology, acting, or another field—and I’m determined to keep moving toward my goals and making the most of every opportunity. In the end, my experiences have taught me to take responsibility, push myself, and always look ahead. What makes me different isn’t just where I come from—it’s my drive to make a difference, learn new things, and never give up.