A fog encroaches upon my mind, traversing layer by layer until it feels as if someone else is controlling my body. Then bile starts to build near the back of my throat, the pervasive feeling of cottonmouth takes over. I find myself following unspoken commands, compelled to engulf hand sanitizer to cease the discomfort. I first felt this discomfort during my second year of middle school. It began simply, when I heard a sneeze, I would only try to figure out where it was coming from. But a few months later, if someone sneezed nearby, I'd rush to the restroom, washing my mouth out with water in order to rid the discomforting feeling. Soon, water turned into hand sanitizer. I thought it would end there. It didn't, instead of just washing, I now felt this urge to engulf the hand sanitizer. Paranoia kicked in, and I started living in constant fear of sneezes, doing everything I could to cover my mouth. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, fully aware I had some kind of issue. But more than anything, I just wanted to be seen as "normal." So, I hid it. With my family and friends, I acted like everything was normal. Meanwhile, this issue was growing, consuming my thoughts, quickly becoming a huge part of my daily life. As I started high school, I still carried this weight solely on my shoulders. As a result I limited myself, avoided clubs, ate lunch by myself, and avoided making friends. Soon enough I began drifting apart from my family as well. I felt trapped, conflicted, and lost. Then one day, my dad caught me engulfing hand sanitizer. Instead of lying or making an excuse I suddenly chose to tell my parents about what I'd been going through. I found that confessing lightened the load. Instead of freaking out, my parents looked for ways to get me help and with their support, I began to see a psychiatrist. So, a few months before finishing 10th grade, I got an official OCD diagnosis. My parents' cooperation gave me the confidence to start accepting myself and the OCD. So, I stopped limiting myself. Starting 11th grade, I began interacting more, formed lasting friendships, joined clubs, and became much happier. After a lot of Introspection I realized, throughout my life I’ve never struggled with something as hard as I have with OCD. For every problem or issue I faced there was always a clear cut solution. However, OCD is not something that had clearly defined rules or steps I needed to follow in order to resolve it and I couldn't simply quit or stop working on it as it affected every part of my life. What I needed to do was learn how to regulate and adapt to OCD. Coming to this realization has made me more motivated, passionate, and above all tenacious. Adopting this mentality has helped better manage the OCD and will continue to help me in future. As a civil engineer I will eventually meet issues or problems, whether it’s on projects or assigned tasks that seem insurmountable at first glance and do not have clear cut solutions. However, by remaining tenacious I will eventually be able to develop a solution to any problem I face both in college and later on as a civil engineer.

Civil engineering means making a difference wherever you are. The importance of civil engineering is evident everywhere you look, from stores and houses to roads and running water. Many things people take for granted without civil engineering would not exist. My goal as a civil engineer is to impact the lives of people in different societies by finding solutions to real-life problems, and Civil Engineering would provide me with the tools to do so. Living in a country like the United States, taking things for granted is straightforward. I expect computers, phones, and even a warm shower. However, problems exist in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction, and underdevelopment run rampant, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, and eating in unfinished buildings were things I couldn't even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people worldwide face, I felt the need to help. Looking back, I realize that it was then that the spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older, this "need" became a personal goal: To improve people's lives in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. My interest in engineering further evolved during the 7th grade when I was given the unique opportunity to participate in the course of my choice by qualifying for a Duke Tip-sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. I built an automatic light sensor by applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process. I ended up ecstatic with the result, so at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how to apply the engineering design process, a process critical for any task or project involved with engineering. Using this process to create solutions reminded me of the issues I had seen in Africa. This led me to believe that by utilizing the engineering design process, I could find solutions to the problems in Africa. A few months before finishing 10th grade, I got an official OCD diagnosis. However, I had been struggling with OCD long before that. My parents' cooperation in the end is what gave me the confidence to start accepting myself and my OCD. This led to me changing holistically. Starting in 11th grade, I began interacting with more people, forming lasting friendships, and joining clubs, and as a result, I became much happier. After a lot of Introspection, I've realized, throughout my life, I've never struggled with something as hard as I have with OCD. There was always a clear-cut solution for every problem or issue I faced. However, OCD is not something that has clearly defined rules or steps I need to follow to resolve it, and I couldn't simply quit or stop working on it as it affected every part of my life. What I needed to do was learn how to regulate and adapt to OCD. Coming to this realization has made me more motivated, passionate, and, above all, tenacious. Adopting this mentality has helped me better manage my OCD and will continue to help me in the future. As a civil engineer, I will eventually be met with issues or problems, whether on projects or assigned tasks without clear solutions, problems that seem insurmountable. However, by remaining tenacious, I will eventually develop a solution to any problem I face in college and later as a civil engineer.

I sat down with my parents helping them brainstorm names of my upcoming baby sister. Internally, however, I was extremely anxious. I had no idea how to be an older sibling. My parents realized this and gave me one piece of advice that made me a little more confident and has stuck with me ever since: lead by example. After my sister was born, a year passed and I noticed she began to copy my actions. If I found a toy interesting, she would examine it too, if I went outside to play soccer she would follow. Suddenly I remembered my parent’s advice, “lead by example” and from that moment forward, I strived to be the best role model possible for her. Now that my sister is in middle school, I can see the impact I've had on her. By setting a good example, not only does she strive to do well academically, but she also participates in a variety of extracurriculars, even excelling in quite a few. Recently she excitedly told me and my parents that she's been promoted to first chair in band, surpassing my personal best of second chair. I was ecstatic to hear this and celebrated it by taking her out to dinner. When I look at my sister I feel a sense of pride knowing just how much I contributed to her growth and how great of an impact I’ve had on her life. After graduating UT Austin, I hope to achieve the same effect I had for my sister in the real world. I hope to be a source of inspiration for others, leaving a lasting legacy and being able to look back and feel content with the impact I leave on the communities through civil engineering just as I’ve done for my sister.

A fog encroaches upon my mind, traversing layer by layer until it feels as if someone else is controlling my body. Then bile starts to build near the back of my throat, the pervasive feeling of cottonmouth takes over. I find myself following unspoken commands, compelled to engulf hand sanitizer to cease the discomfort. I first felt this discomfort during my second year of middle school. It began simply, when I heard a sneeze, I would only try to figure out where it was coming from. But a few months later, if someone sneezed nearby, I'd rush to the restroom, washing my mouth out with water in order to rid the discomforting feeling. Soon, water turned into hand sanitizer. I thought it would end there. It didn't, instead of just washing, I now felt this urge to engulf the hand sanitizer. Paranoia kicked in, and I started living in constant fear of sneezes, doing everything I could to cover my mouth. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, fully aware I had some kind of issue. But more than anything, I just wanted to be seen as "normal." So, I hid it. With my family and friends, I acted like everything was normal. Meanwhile, this issue was growing, consuming my thoughts, quickly becoming a huge part of my daily life. As I started high school, I still carried this weight solely on my shoulders. Due to COVID-19, Martin High school went virtual, and masks came into play. Using the pandemic as an excuse, I covered my mouth and kept up the act. So, I stepped into my sophomore year of high school with a mask on. Wearing a mask helped a bit, but it didn't solve the problems. As a black kid in the STEM program and consistently being one of few black kids in my classes, I already felt alienated, and deep down, I still had that fear—fear of my issue being exposed, fear of being labeled a "freak." As a result I limited myself, avoided clubs, ate lunch by myself, and avoided making friends. Soon enough I began drifting apart from my family as well. I felt trapped, conflicted, and lost. Then one day, my dad caught me engulfing hand sanitizer. Instead of lying or making an excuse I suddenly chose to tell my parents about what I'd been going through. I found that confessing lightened the load. Instead of freaking out, my parents looked for ways to get me help and with their support, I began to see a psychiatrist. So, a few months before finishing 10th grade, I got an official OCD diagnosis. My parents' cooperation gave me the confidence to start accepting myself and the OCD. So, I stopped limiting myself. Starting 11th grade, I began interacting more, formed lasting friendships, joined clubs, and became much happier. After a lot of Introspection I realized, throughout my life I’ve never struggled with something as hard as I have with OCD. For every problem or issue I faced there was always a clear cut solution. However, OCD is not something that had clearly defined rules or steps I needed to follow in order to resolve it and I couldn't simply quit or stop working on it as it affected every part of my life. What I needed to do was learn how to regulate and adapt to OCD. Coming to this realization has made me more motivated, passionate, and above all tenacious. Adopting this mentality has helped better manage the OCD and will continue to help me in future. As a civil engineer I will eventually met with problems without clear solutions, problems that seem insurmountable. However, by remaining tenacious I will eventually be able to develop a solution to any problem I face both in college and later on as a civil engineer. Having the opportunity to be graced with this scholarship would help off-set some of the costs that come with attending a prestigious University such as University of Texas at Austin. Receiving this scholarship would mean the world to me and my parents and would allow me to better pursue my goal of helping the lives of others as a civil engineer.

I sat down with my parents helping them brainstorm names of my upcoming baby sister. Internally, however, I was extremely anxious. I had no idea how to be an older sibling. My parents realized this and gave me one piece of advice that made me a little more confident and has stuck with me ever since: lead by example. After my sister was born, a year passed and I noticed she began to copy my actions. If I found a toy interesting, she would examine it too, if I went outside to play soccer she would follow. Suddenly I remembered my parent’s advice, “lead by example” and from that moment forward, I strived to be the best role model possible for her. Now that my sister is in middle school, I can see the impact I've had on her. By setting a good example, not only does she strive to do well academically, but she also participates in a variety of extracurriculars, even excelling in quite a few. Recently she excitedly told me and my parents that she's been promoted to first chair in band, surpassing my personal best of second chair. I was ecstatic to hear this and celebrated it by taking her out to dinner. When I look at my sister I feel a sense of pride knowing just how much I contributed to her growth and how great of an impact I’ve had on her life. At UT Austin, I hope to achieve the same effect both in and out of the classroom. I hope to be a source of inspiration for others, leaving a lasting legacy after graduating and being able to look back and feel content with the impact I left on the community, just as I’ve done for my sister. Living in a country like the United States it’s extremely easy to take things for granted. Computers, phones, even a warm shower are things I’ve come to expect. However in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction and underdevelopment run rampant problems exist, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, eating in unfinished buildings, were things I couldn’t even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people around the world face, I felt the need to help. Looking back I realize that it was then that spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older this “need” morphed into a personal goal: To improve the lives of people in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. Attending UT Austin will provide me with the chance to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. Upon graduating, I want to look back at the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all that I could to ensure that I am successful. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa, then changing the world.

Living in a country like the United States it’s extremely easy to take things for granted. Computers, phones, even a warm shower are things I’ve come to expect. However in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction and underdevelopment run rampant problems exist, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, eating in unfinished buildings, were things I couldn’t even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people around the world face, I felt the need to help. Looking back I realize that it was then that spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older this “need” morphed into a personal goal: To improve the lives of people in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. However, my interest in engineering further evolved during the 7th grade. I was given the special opportunity to participate in a course of my choice when I qualified for a Duke Tip sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. Through applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process, I built an automatic light sensor. I was ecstatic with the result and so, at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how I could use the basic concepts of engineering to create solutions, possibly solutions for the problems I saw in Africa. Attending UT Austin will provide me with the chance to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. In addition, I plan to join the American Society of Civil Engineers at UT Austin allowing me to participate in various activities, while also giving me the chance to form relationships with other future and current engineers. Upon graduating, I want to look back at the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all that I could to ensure that I am successful. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa, then changing the world.

Living in a country like the United States it’s extremely easy to take things for granted. Computers, phones, even a warm shower are things I’ve come to expect. However in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction and underdevelopment run rampant problems exist, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, eating in unfinished buildings, were things I couldn’t even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people around the world face, I felt the need to help. Looking back I realize that it was then that spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older this “need” morphed into a personal goal: To improve the lives of people in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. However, my interest in engineering further evolved during the 7th grade. I was given the special opportunity to participate in a course of my choice when I qualified for a Duke Tip sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. Through applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process, I built an automatic light sensor. I was ecstatic with the result and so, at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how I could use the basic concepts of engineering to create solutions, possibly solutions for the problems I saw in Africa. Attending UT Austin will provide me with the chance to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. In addition, I plan to join the American Society of Civil Engineers at UT Austin allowing me to participate in various activities, while also giving me the chance to form relationships with other future and current engineers. Upon graduating, I want to look back at the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all that I could to ensure that I am successful. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa, then changing the world.

Living in a country like the United States it’s extremely easy to take things for granted. Computers, phones, even a warm shower are things I’ve come to expect. However in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction and underdevelopment run rampant problems exist, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, eating in unfinished buildings, were things I couldn’t even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people around the world face, I felt the need to help. Looking back I realize that it was then that spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older this “need” morphed into a personal goal: To improve the lives of people in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. However, my interest in engineering further evolved during the 7th grade. I was given the special opportunity to participate in a course of my choice when I qualified for a Duke Tip sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. Through applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process, I built an automatic light sensor. I was ecstatic with the result and so, at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how I could use the basic concepts of engineering to create solutions, possibly solutions for the problems I saw in Africa. Attending UT Austin will provide me with the chance to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. In addition, I plan to join the American Society of Civil Engineers at UT Austin allowing me to participate in various activities, while also giving me the chance to form relationships with other future and current engineers. Upon graduating, I want to look back at the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all that I could to ensure that I am successful. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa, then changing the world.

The effect of civil engineering is evident everywhere you look, from stores and houses to roads and running water. Earlier in life, I realized that people in underdeveloped countries lack things that they need for basic living. My goal is to impact the lives of people in these societies by finding solutions to real life problems and Civil Engineering would provide me with the tools to do so. My interest in engineering evolved during the 7th grade. I was given the special opportunity to participate in a course of my choice when I qualified for a Duke Tip sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. Through applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process, I built an automatic light sensor. I was ecstatic with the result and so, at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how I could use the basic concepts of engineering to create solutions, maybe even solutions to the problems I saw in Africa. To explore how engineering could solve the problems I was interested in, I decided to take a dual credit course in Civil Engineering at UTA. I really enjoyed the class and by taking this dual credit course I gained an overview of civil engineering as a discipline. I loved the pure practicality of civil engineering, how it focuses on sustainment in order to help future generations and I found myself eager to eventually become a civil engineer. UT Austin offers world-class professors, peers, and courses where I can learn, work, and thrive. I hope to become a student at UT Austin where my eagerness coupled with the academic rigor will truly transform me into a commendable civil engineer allowing me to truly accomplish my passion of changing the world. Ever since I can recall, my Uncle has been present in my life, however, it wasn't until I was six that I truly took notice of him. Back then, I was a very impulsive kid, utterly intolerant of boredom. If something or someone failed to capture my interest quickly, I'd make my restlessness known. Then there was Uncle – a figure who exuded an unmistakable air of intellect. A scientist, researching cancer and a PhD holder; his vocabulary hinted at a wealth of knowledge. I yearned to obtain that same sense of respect and admiration, to become the go-to person when someone sought answers. My Uncle was that person for both me and my parents. From that moment forward, I embraced him as my role model, my inspiration. I became determined to imitate his mannerisms and habits. What stood out most was his seemingly unlimited patience. When faced with challenges or questions, he didn't become frustrated; instead, he sought solutions, researching if necessary. So, I set out to embrace patience within myself. As I’ve pursued engineering courses in high school, patience has become a skill I’ve used in numerous projects. One particular time was in a Digital Electronics project. The task was to construct a circuit that displayed birthdays. I had many setbacks and restarts, but remembering the patience I had learned, I remained calm and eventually succeeded. I am grateful for the invaluable lesson in patience that Uncle imparted, and confident that it will be a guiding force in my journey through college. Attending UT Austin will allow me to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. However, I don't intend to stop there. I plan to eventually own my own engineering firm that solely focuses on the issues surrounding sustainment, progression, and growth in places like Africa. To do this, I must be proficient in business management, which I plan to minor in at UT Austin.

Living in a country like the United States, taking things for granted is extremely easy. I expect computers, phones, and even a warm shower. However, problems exist in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction, and underdevelopment run rampant, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, and eating in unfinished buildings were things I couldn't even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people worldwide face, I felt the need to help. Looking back, I realize that it was then that the spark to become a civil engineer was ignited. As I grew older, this "need" became a personal goal: To improve people's lives in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. However, my interest in engineering further evolved during the 7th grade. I was given the unique opportunity to participate in the course of my choice when I qualified for a Duke Tip-sponsored program. I chose a Raspberry Pi course where my goal was to create a functioning light sensor. I built an automatic light sensor by applying the basic concepts of the engineering design process. I was ecstatic with the result, so at the start of 8th grade, I decided to apply for the STEM program at Martin and pursue the Engineering Pathway. This experience showed me how to use primary engineering concepts to create solutions, possibly solutions for the problems I saw in Africa. Attending UT Austin will allow me to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. In addition, I plan to join the American Society of Civil Engineers at UT Austin, allowing me to participate in various activities and form relationships with other future and current engineers. Upon graduating, I want to reflect on the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all I could to ensure my success. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa and then the world.

Living in a country like the United States it’s extremely easy to take things for granted. Computers, phones, even a warm shower are things I’ve come to expect. However in places where economic devastation, political corruption, public dissatisfaction and underdevelopment run rampant problems exist, for example, in some parts of Africa. Visiting my family in Africa as a child (with my parents) was an eye-opening experience. It truly felt like I had stepped into an entirely different world. Driving on unfinished roads, showering with a bucket and rag, eating in unfinished buildings, were things I couldn’t even imagine before, let alone expect to experience personally. After struggling temporarily with the reality that so many of my family members and people around the world face, I felt the need to help. Looking back I realize that it was then that I decided to become involved with civil engineering. As I grew older this “need” morphed into a personal goal: To improve the lives of people in underdeveloped areas by addressing tangible needs such as better access to running water. Attending UT Austin will provide me with the chance to grow from a prospective engineering student into a fully-fledged civil engineer. The rigorous environment of UT Austin will help develop my skills and grant me the knowledge I need to achieve my goal. In addition, I plan to join the American Society of Civil Engineers at UT Austin allowing me to participate in various activities, while also giving me the chance to form relationships with other future and current engineers. Upon graduating, I want to look back at the time I spent, feeling proud of what I've achieved and knowing I have done all that I could to ensure that I am successful. Doing this will bring me much closer to accomplishing my goal of first changing Africa, then changing the world.