Without learning, there is no fostering for growth and without growth you'll always remain the same. As a child, my parents used to say I was their “curious kid”. On car rides to school, I would constantly bombard them with questions on everything and anything in my line of sight, always wanting to know the “why” behind even the smallest things. Since then, I have always had the ache and drive to learn new concepts that mentally and physically challenge me. Learning and knowledge to me has been a pillar in my academic upbringing as well as my personal development. Growing up, I was a competitive dancer and learned various styles of dance. As such, I was constantly being challenged by new things that I did not get perfect at first. Due to that, I learned to lay down a sense of ego and to accept the “I don’t knows” in life to truly become more knowledgeable. To this day, I carry this mindset to my professional and academic life to ensure that I lead with an open mind to absorb new information even when it’s not immediately perfect. My dance upbringing also introduced me to the role of teaching and being a mentor for young students. Teaching offered me the greatest gift of all, which was to pass knowledge to a younger generation of dancers. More importantly, it taught me that my actions have a direct impact on the generations of the future. To ensure they flourish, we must share the knowledge of the now. A goal of mine since elementary school was to graduate from university. Now, as a sophomore in college, the path has never been more clear for the younger version of me. From a young age, I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to improve the lives of others and help enforce positive change on a macroscale. Taking into consideration my strengths, I knew my brain to work best in creatively stimulating situations. Therefore, when applying to college I decided to choose the career path of Design management, in particular, fashion marketing management. I currently attend Parsons School of Design in New York. The fashion world is a forever-changing industry that possesses the best opportunities to impose change. Fashion is universally appreciated as a method of creative expression beyond cultural bounds and continues to grow with each new generation. By being awarded this scholarship, it would allow me to intersect the problems affecting the creative world today for a brighter future. In the current business environment, it is common for brands and distributors to focus more on profit than their consumers. In my ideal future, I have established personal and interconnected methods of marketing through purpose-driven advertisement designs to change this ideology. Prioritizing personalization over profit is the practice I have implemented into my individual designs to pave the way for ethical business practices. In this future, I have expanded my own cultural view across international borders and I am leading a group of peers to sustainable design practices. By using fashion as a shared medium to express change, I am visualizing the adoption of humanistic practices for generations that proceed me.

The essence of mentorship is to create an everlasting impact in another's life and can be beneficial in individual development. During my time as a dance teacher and choreographer, I learned the importance of mentorship. In this role, I was responsible for guiding dancers towards their goals. As a teacher, I was able to witness the growth of individuals directly. It was important to me to not only teach movement but also develop self-confidence in my students. Within the dance community, it is common to have the perfectionist mindset which establishes self-doubt in one’s skills. Under my mentorship, I ensured that my dancers knew that their mistakes did not define their worth. Although I did provide constructive criticisms, I compliment those comments with a positive reminder that all efforts of improvement were something to be proud of. As a mentor, I valued my students by offering my constant support of their aspirations and providing them with the training necessary for success. In the future, I aspire to supply students with the tools to build their confidence and give them the foundation to chase their long-term dreams which transcend beyond dance steps.

When visualizing a tangible product that transcends time changes, I am mentally directed to my pink leather jacket I received when I was 5. Although I was merely 5 years old, the jacket was a representation of my interests, personality, and values. This is the beauty of the timeless essence of the fashion industry and clothing. A story can be told through individual fashion choices and can be unreplicable pertaining to the person. As much as I like to praise my pink leather jacket, my true love of fashion stemmed from a young age and the encouragement of my parents to express myself through clothing. I was able to wear anything from an unconventional tutu dress to go grocery shopping to plaid pants and a graphic tee. I was unaware at the time that the small clothing choices I was making in the mornings would lead me towards my future. In the future, my goal is to be able to conceptualize high-functioning ideas into physical designs. I envision myself inspiring change by pushing the boundaries of societal expectations through the fashion advertising and marketing industry. To achieve this, I have chosen to go to Parsons New School of Design in New York from here I hope to continue my passion for the fashion industry. Fashion is the very definition of oneself. Although clothing belongs to the people, there are designers behind the multitude of products we see today. As Issac Mizrah puts it, “I don't like people to feel completely described by the clothes they wear of mine. I want them to feel that they're describing themselves.” Issac Mizrah is an inspiration for my creativity and artistry. My first introduction to Issac Mizrah was through a Ted Talk he hosted which explained the array of inspirations for his designs. When viewing it, I was instantly drawn to his sporadic and impulsive train of thought. A true designer can take inspiration from the most minute aspect of life which Mizrah does in his work. He has become a staple in my creative journey to not always preplan a specific design but to let my surroundings inspire new artistic ventures. Likewise, Stacy Bendet, owner of Alice and Olivia, has become a key fashion inspiration in my life because of her genuine passion for design. Alice and Olivia is one of my favorite brands because of their unique and bold patterns. Stacy Bendet explained in an interview that she started from humble beginnings and built her business from the ground up. Bendet never planned on creating the industry that she has but instead started designing due to her passion to create. She has stated, “I love creating and being able to see an idea come to fruition. I love making beautiful things.” Bendet encourages me to never lose sight of my love and appreciation for the beauty of my designs. Although the fashion industry can be rigid, Stacy Bendet has taught me to remember my roots and passions. The aforementioned designers collectively exposed me to new opportunities that will aid my growth when I enter the fashion industry.