I want to pursue a career I'm STEM because it'll allow me to break stereotypes that were never built for me. When it comes to a certain race in STEM people will think of a white or Asian persons, but when a black man comes to these spaces, he changes those views. Pursuing a career in STEM will allow the younger generations in my family to believe that anyone can be anything. No matter the color nor disability. A few ways I would use the degree to help uplift the community is by creating more exposure where it's missing. STEM mainly consists of keeping things within each other and not sharing. With this degree I'll be able to help those out who may not have the resources to do so. Another way I'd do this is by becoming the role model that most students don't see. Coming from a black boy who grew up in a single mother household I understand what it's like to not have nobody to look up to. It's hard to tell the difference between whether your morals fit in for you or fit in for society. When black boys see a black man succeed, it changes what they believe is possible. For example, Odell Beckham Jr, he's an amazing athlete and after his one-handed catch everyone was trying to be like him. He had an impact on the way children especially black children play, and it made them want to be at his level. From that point on I've seen kids who worked hard every day to get at that level and are now playing at the D1 level. It's all about who influences who. There are bad influences too but if you surround those children by people who are successful not only in athletics but in the music industry, arts, STEM, people will see a drastic change in behaviors. By mentoring these minds, they will see a vision of what's possible. These benefits them in multiple of way. It shows them a future that they may not see at home or school, it helps them believe they belong in academic and profession spaces and not feel like outcast, and it makes achievements feel real and not distant. Mentoring will help black boys to get through things may not feel like they can talk about such as stereotyping, low expectations from teachers, the pressure of growing up fast, and the lack of emotional support. As my mom always told me, "It all starts at home". I want to be sure that if it does start at home, I want to lead them to a path of success not that path to be given a label by society.

I am a 19-year-old freshman who currently attends The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, hoping to pursue a career in aviation as a professional pilot. I'm a baseball player who loves to play 1st and 3rd base. I've been playing for more than 13 years and each time I step in that batter's box, I love the adrenaline rush every time. My family comes from Lane, South Carolina. It's a very small town with only a population of around 500 people. When I was around 2 my mom left South Carolina in search of another place that holds more opportunities for a child. She later then moved to Maryland, mainly due to the influence of my uncle who was stationed in Virginia. I didn't move to Maryland till I was 5, where then I attended school at Waters Landing Elementary School. When it came to school and grades my mom and grandma don't play. There would be times I'd be at the dinner table until 10 because I didn't finish my homework. But at the end of the day, I knew they loved me and expected nothing but the best from me. So yes, little me was heavily upset most times, but now that I'm older and in college, I'm so grateful they raised me in that manner. Apart from school my family worked only through manners. It's always "Yes ma'am" or "No ma'am", "Yes sir" or "No sir" and most definitely if you have something to say, you must say "Excuse me". My family is majority all military or healthcare. My grandad was army; my uncles were navy and air force, and my dad was navy. My mom and grandma on the other hand were in health care. My mom worked as an anesthesia tech and my grandma worked in CVS pharmaceutical department. My plan for the future is to travel the world as a pilot. I want to fly for delta and be able to have my own family and give them everything that my father never gave me. I'm currently in school as a student pilot trying to work towards my private pilot license, but I don't have the funds to continue as of right now. So far, I've gotten my 1st class medical, passed my ground lab and passed my written exam which means I have these 3 things, but I don't have the fundings to fly.

Ever since I was a child, I've wanted to be a pilot. My mom was a single black mother, who made sure to stay in touch with all of my interest. From baseball to football to music production and finally to an aviator. I came from a very small town in South Carolina called Lane, where I stayed with my grandmother. My nana is a very Christ driven woman. Sundays were meant for nothing but church and church only. The church is pretty much where I grew up. My nana and my mom made sure I was God driven, and till this day I still am. Through hard times and struggles my first response is prayer. I talk with my nana, and she tells me to always pray and lean on the lord. My mom moved to Maryland from South Carolina to search for a better start for me. She did this all by herself. I was around 4 or 5 when I moved to Maryland, and my grandma came with. For those past 12 years I've been living in Maryland. The hardest part from moving was finding a church where they didn't care about the money but cared about getting the word out and you be saved. That's when we came across a church by the name of Poplar Grove. It was an amazing church, so we thought. They used the pastor and was stealing from him, so we left. But the incredible thing about that is that pastor ended up creating his own church organization by the name of ECOH (Emmanuel City of Hope) which till this day I still attend. I admit as a Christian there was a time where I doubted myself and my faith. I sat in my room and looked out the window and just talked to God asking to give me a sign and help me restore my faith. Then out of nowhere I got chills like I wasn't alone. I started crying, but not tears of sadness or anger, but tears of relief. I knew from that point God was working through me and had great plans for me. I had to think, what do I want for myself? Where do I see myself in the future? I knew I wanted to be a pilot. I told my mom about it and she started helping me look for schools. We eventually came across The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. In my luck they had an aviation program and was in-state. I filled out my application and I got accepted. My end goal for me is to be an airline pilot. Academically this scholarship will support me because throughout my aviation journey it's going to get very expensive and this scholarship will help ease some of that financial tension that I'm going through. I am currently a freshman in college. I was supposed to be flying this semester but due to my financial struggles I wasn't able to cover it this semester. So, for my sophomore year I will have to fly and be behind everyone else for a while. Towards my professional endeavors it will show them how committed and hard driven I am to my goals.