Civil Engineering has always been my passion, combining creativity with my love for math and science. I am most excited by how mathematics shapes every aspect of a building's design and construction. From blueprint to completion, calculations and measurements ensure structural integrity and visual appeal. I am motivated to apply math to create functional, enduring, inspiring designs. Growing up, math and science have always been my strong suits. My passion for STEM grew into curiosity about engineering. Teachers have always recognized me for my creativity and ability to understand problems and devise solutions. I apply this ability to many aspects of my life, including critical thinking, detail-oriented analysis, and problem-solving. This has definitely helped me get into above-grade-level classes and be scouted for engineering summer camps at various colleges. When I was younger, I was enrolled in a summer camp called ‘STEAM,’ standing for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. In this camp, I was able to explore the freedom and creativity that come with engineering, and my passion for it grew. Middle school was a particularly rough patch for me due to COVID, but spending that time at home allowed me to rediscover my passion and curiosity for building and creating things. Thus, the reason I value inclusiveness. When I was in high school, I was invited to a day trip to Howard Community College called ‘Women in Engineering.’ While I was there, I learned about the hardships faced by women. When I was in high school, I was invited to a day trip to Howard Community College called ‘Women in Engineering.’ While there, I learned about the hardships faced by women in engineering, especially in the early 1900s. I became more aware of how difficult it would be to have equal chances in the engineering field as a woman of color. This experience instilled in me a more competitive approach to pursuing civil engineering, aiming to exceed everyone’s expectations of me. I drive to excel in every way possible so I can inspire others along my journey to become an engineer. I wish to inspire other young girls, including my little sister, that they can be whatever they want to be, even if others say they won’t. Everything I value stems from all the experiences I’ve had in life, as a female, a teenager, an African-American, and a first daughter in the family. Throughout everything I’ve been through, being a female has always affected my education, whether positively or negatively. In elementary school, when I discovered my curiosity about science, I was turned away by male acquaintances who said, “Girls shouldn’t have a man’s job.” These kinds of experiences only led me to be more driven to prove them wrong.

Civil Engineering has always been my passion, combining creativity with my love for math and science. I am most excited by how mathematics shapes every aspect of a building's design and construction. From blueprint to completion, calculations and measurements ensure structural integrity and visual appeal. I am motivated to apply math to create functional, enduring, inspiring designs. Growing up, math and science have always been my strong suits. My passion for STEM grew into curiosity about engineering. Teachers have always recognized me for my creativity and ability to understand problems and devise solutions. I apply this ability to many aspects of my life, including critical thinking, detail-oriented analysis, and problem-solving. This has definitely helped me get into above-grade-level classes and be scouted for engineering summer camps at various colleges. When I was younger, I was enrolled in a summer camp called ‘STEAM,’ standing for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. In this camp, I was able to explore the freedom and creativity that come with engineering, and my passion for it grew. Middle school was a particularly rough patch for me due to COVID, but spending that time at home allowed me to rediscover my passion and curiosity for building and creating things. Thus, the reason I value inclusiveness. When I was in high school, I was invited to a day trip to Howard Community College called ‘Women in Engineering.’ While I was there, I learned about the hardships faced by women. When I was in high school, I was invited to a day trip to Howard Community College called ‘Women in Engineering.’ While there, I learned about the hardships faced by women in engineering, especially in the early 1900s. I became more aware of how difficult it would be to have equal chances in the engineering field as a woman of color. This experience instilled in me a more competitive approach to pursuing civil engineering, aiming to exceed everyone’s expectations of me. I drive to excel in every way possible so I can inspire others along my journey to become an engineer. I wish to inspire other young girls, including my little sister, that they can be whatever they want to be, even if others say they won’t. Everything I value stems from all the experiences I’ve had in life, as a female, a teenager, an African-American, and a first daughter in the family. Throughout everything I’ve been through, being a female has always affected my education, whether positively or negatively. In elementary school, when I discovered my curiosity about science, I was turned away by male acquaintances who said, “Girls shouldn’t have a man’s job.” These kinds of experiences only led me to be more driven to prove them wrong.

Throughout my life, being an African-American female has always affected me educationally whether it be positive or negative. Someone in every stage of my life always told me that I couldn’t do something. Inequality is something that I will always struggle with because I’m an African-American female and I can’t change how people view that aspect of me. This always makes me feel like I have to crawl and grasp at every chance I can get to become the engineer I want to be. Being able to test those ‘what if’ ideas, is what I really love about engineering. I want to get the opportunity to explore and experiment with any idea that comes to mind, in hopes that I could make something great. Engineering plays a crucial role in making a difference. It provides the resources, knowledge, and skills to tackle environmental problems and create solutions. I am drawn to engineering's opportunity to address environmental sustainability. I am passionate about being part of a community that helps society and has a positive effect. Engineering plays a crucial role in making a difference. It provides the resources, knowledge, and skills to tackle environmental problems and create solutions. I desire to be part of a community that works towards helping society's eco-friendly progression. Through engineering, I want to address the environmental problems that consume our world. Engineers have the power to create a better world through innovative solutions. As an aspiring engineer, I am committed to making a positive change in the environment. For me, I think Civil Engineering provides a way for me to express my creativity and also give back to the community. I want to be able to make society a better place by incorporating whatever I build and that’s something I want to work towards. There was no certain moment that made me realize this was what I wanted to do, I just always knew that it was meant for me. I find it so fascinating all the different ways to solve the same problem, and one day I hope to solve a problem that doesn’t have its own solution yet. I want to develop sustainable solutions, reduce our carbon footprint, and build a cleaner, and better future. By using math, science, and building designs, we can pave the way for a sustainable and ecologically conscious society. Engineering is not just a career path but a calling to use our knowledge and skills for our planet's betterment. By becoming an engineer, I want to contribute to positive change and create a better world for future generations.

When I was younger, I developed my passion for math and science and got the chance to improve in it by taking advanced classes. I participated in an after-school hands-on program called Bridges, which allowed me to explore math and science in ways that I had never thought about. I learned how to make a model rocket from regular supplies that you could buy at a dollar store, and built my own kite from wooden sticks and a trash bag. This program helped me form an idea of what I wanted to do, engineering. It involves science, math, building designs, and being able to test those ‘what if’ ideas, and that’s what I really love about it. I want to get the opportunity to explore and experiment with any idea that comes to mind, in hopes that I could make something great. Some of my experiences at Bridges made me realize I wouldn’t always be treated equally. Once, while trying to participate in a car race I was placed in a group with boys. We were tasked with creating a racecar made of wood and they excluded me from the entire building process and the teacher did nothing. I didn’t even get to touch the car’s design or watch “our” car race. Around this time, I discovered my curiosity for science, I always wondered what would make things tick, and how I could re-wire them. Science was exactly that, it had the explanations I was looking for, and incorporated creativity when it came to finding a solution. Science was something I truly enjoyed learning about, but I was turned away by boys in my class because ¨girls can’t do what boys do.¨ These kinds of experiences only made me crave more information, as I do now. I work hard in hopes that my little sister believes that she can be whatever she wants, despite the number of people who will judge her solely based on her race and gender. Having to deal with the barriers that come with being a young African-American female is a lot to handle. Even so, the happiness definitely outweighs the troubles. I want to show my younger siblings that they can be happy following their dreams, and that it can be done without changing who they are. I enjoy pursuing engineering, and I love learning new things. That part about me will never change. I am passionate about being part of a community that helps society and has a positive effect. Engineering plays a crucial role in making a difference. It provides the resources, knowledge, and skills to tackle environmental problems and create solutions. I desire to be part of a community that works towards helping society's eco-friendly progression. Through engineering, I want to address the environmental problems that consume our world. Engineers have the power to create a better world through innovative solutions. As an aspiring engineer, I am committed to making a positive change in the environment. For me, I think Civil Engineering provides a way for me to express my creativity and also give back to the community. I want to be able to make society a better place by incorporating whatever I build and that’s something I want to work towards. There was no certain moment that made me realize this was what I wanted to do, I just always knew that it was meant for me. I find it so fascinating all the different ways to solve the same problem, and one day I hope to solve a problem that doesn’t have its own solution yet.