If I weren't a member of Gamma Phi Beta, I would not have been able to persevere through my education. For the past two years, I have heard Margot's story and how her life impacted those around her - specifically her husband, who advocates for her. However, this past year, I related to him in a way that other girls in the room did not. I related to his grief. During my sophomore year at Kansas State, I was living in Gamma Phi Beta with my best friends. Feeling like I had the most support in the world surrounded by 70 women, I had never felt more alone when I received the call that my older brother had committed suicide in his dorm room at KU. It has been over a year now since my brother passed, and grief has been the most challenging experience of my life. It is such a unique and twisted feeling. I had never experienced loss to this extent. One thing about grief is that it is an overwhelmingly lonely feeling. Yet, you don't realize how many people around you share this feeling and experience. Luckily for me, I had a roommate who had a shared experience. Through her empathy and support, I was able to finish that semester with all A's. She empowered me to believe that I would be okay. The way that Margot believed that empowered women empower women has never rung more true for me. Gamma Phi Beta has given me the support and strength of over 70 strong, incredible women. I know that I would not have the resilience and academic motivation if it were not for Gamma Phi. What inspires me most about Margot's story is the impact she had on those around her, and her family's effort to continue those impacts through scholarships like this. When a loved one passes away, they leave behind a legacy that impacts those they touched in life. I learned this through hearing Margot's story from her husband. He continues to share her story and continue making meaningful impacts on women's lives. This is the kind of impact that I want to be able to carry for my brother. I want to take a second to share the kind of person he was and how I plan to continue his story. My brother is my hero. We grew up two years apart, and I was his shadow when we were young. Everything he liked, I liked, which mainly included reading. He cared deeply about learning and educating himself as much as he could. We would read together for hours when it was cold outside, then watch the movies of our books and always agree, "The book is better." As we grew up, I found interests of my own but not without consulting my brother for his opinion. Something he never lacked - a strong opinion. In his higher education, he studied history to become a high school teacher while he pursued his master's in education and history. He was the smartest person I knew and wanted to devote his life to teaching, always putting others before himself. He had a painful life, full of depression that ultimately was caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain. He fought through life and couldn't win the battle. I want to ensure that his devotion to learning is continued. My education is extremely important to me. I care deeply about learning and helping those around me - just like my brother did. This scholarship would change my life, and I appreciate your consideration.