I grew up in a dysfunctional, low-income family, where abuse and addiction were very present. My grandmother worked as a secretary at DSS so the abuse in our home was very easily overlooked. I watched my mother try to obtain her degree through a community college but she never saw it through. I watched the adults in my life throw their lives away. The ones who did have functional careers or jobs were in active addiction or had their demons, and my father was never there. I was also in and out of the foster care system. Watching them I never thought going to a university, with a football team, and an alumni would be possible. My mother taught me God, Education, and Family were the three most important things in life yet my family didn't practice what they preached. I watched my mother get certifications and always promised to get a degree but never finished. I watched her relapse into her own addictions and struggle with motherhood, that image made thinking of college grim. My first experience in college my college closed down because they weren't properly accredited. Now today as a 32-year-old mother of two I am finally achieving a goal and a dream I never thought I would accomplish. I am breaking a generational curse. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor's in Graphic Design with a minor in Business. I've always been inspired by Sims 4, I love the video game. I've daydreamed about working for EA and designing for them. I love modeling houses in games and building functional life-like worlds. I also recently started a business making decals, my degree and business go well together. My business includes creating custom designs or redsigning pre-created work and turning it into a permanent vinyl decal. Coloring greatly calms my anxiety, and graphics work and design are calming to me. My long-term goals are to gain my degree, make my business successful, and share my journey on my podcast in the hopes that it helps someone. I want my children to see they can be successful in the face of adversity, and give others hope. This degree with provide stability for me, and my children. I am working hard to give them a life I never had. Walking across the stage, and making my babies proud as I gain my degree is my biggest dream. I would love for my kids to go to Liberty University and graduate. Being the first to graduate from college and obtain my degree would be life-changing. This is a dream I never thought was possible. As much as I wish I would have gotten out of my own way sooner I am blessed that my children get to watch this journey.

When you look at me the first thing you think is suicide survivor, depression, or anxiety. You would see a loving mother of two, someone smiling laughing, who found God. Mental health doesn't have a specific look, and a lot of people can wear a mask of happiness as they fight their demons. Mental health has many different faces, moods, and outlooks. No two people are the same so symptoms aren't standard. Before I became a mother I had an attempt, I was very tired, I called my mom she didn't care. She and my stepfather were knee-deep in their addiction and problems. My college closed, my fiancee cheated on me, and I ended up in the hospital. Life made me spiral completely and I felt completely alone. Running from my problems God blessed me with a beautiful baby boy, and life opened all over again. As someone with anxiety, and PTSD becoming a mother made me realize I can't take care of my son if I don't take care of myself. I started changing myself, loving myself, getting closer to god, and was blessed with a daughter two years after my son. I learned to heal from my traumas, I've done self-therapy, and I have improved greatly because of them. Though we have gone through some dark times in life, like being homeless taking care of my mental health got us through. My mental health is a huge priority for me because for them to be successful I have to be successful. Obtaining my degree is essential to them having a better future. As silly as it sounds God gave me no choice but to take my mental health seriously. I have learned to pray and give my problems to god. I have found more self-soothing techniques. The biggest lesson I learned is to show myself some grace. No one is perfect, and everyone has room to grow. Weaknesses are a weakness they are an opportunity to grow and do better. College is more than getting my degree it is a positive outlet, and keeps my mind focused on greater things. If awarded this scholarship it would ease some of the financial anxiety of college. As a single mom working full time, with college isn't an option with all the responsibilities I hold with special needs children. Funding would help with tuition and essential costs to maintain while I am in college, as well as create a stable feeling knowing my college debt won't be as high.

My name is Erica Samples, I am a single mother of two small children with their own individual special needs. I am enrolled at Liberty University pursuing my degree in Digital and Graphic design with a minor in business. Recently I created a podcast to share my testimony, and hopefully help or inspire others. I will be the first person that I know of in my family to be able to walk across a University stage and graduate. When me and my children were homeless I made a promise to myself and God that if he saw me through I would go back to college. God moved mountains in my life, and my children got into a stable home. Being homeless with two children made me want to prevent that from ever happening again. This year my six-year-old son reminded me of my promise to God and asked me to promise him I would go back to school. With everything god has done in my life and for my family, it was the right time. As a child, I did not grow up with money, a two-parent household, or stability. As an adult, I crave that for me and my children. I never thought I would be in a university with a real football team. I never thought I would be able to say I am part of an alumni. My dreams are coming true before my eyes, I suffered for the greater good. I am resilient, courageous, humble, and strong. With the upbringing and environment I grew up in I am blessed I am not an addict, in jail, or dead. I am determined to break generational curses and show my children they can succeed in the face of adversity. I grew up with nothing so I appreciate everything I gain. All of this has given me the drive to obtain my degree. Currently, I have myself set up for success by obtaining stable housing, maintaining my bills, and making a budgeted plan as well as a financial plan. I have applied for Fasfa and Pell Grants. I was approved for government loans. I am in the process of applying for every legitimate scholarship I qualify for. All of this is the foundation for my success. If awarded this scholarship I would invest it in my college tuition, as well as essentials at home like bills to help me sustain while I finish my degree. Giving my children a better life is essential, and I am determined to give them a better life and opportunities than I had. I want to make my children proud and inspire others to finish their degrees or go to college. This scholarship would also reduce the risk of homelessness for me and my children, and provide some stability while I finish my degree.

I am a Single mother of two special needs children. I am pursuing my bachelor's in digital and graphics design with a minor in business. My son is six years old and struggles with sensory issues. He is also brilliant and wants to be a paleontologist. My daughter is four and struggles with sensory issues as well. She is also brilliant and loves to do hair. My son wasn't very excited to do school this year so he made me promise I'd go back to school with him. My children inspire me every day to do better, they made me want to go back to school. My son reminded me of my promise to god and had me promise him I would complete my degree. That small gesture also reminded me that my children were watching. They see how I face adversity, and how I react. I need to show them that obtaining a degree is possible in the face of adversity. I want my children to know that they are stronger than difficult circumstances. Most of all I want to make them proud. As a single mother, I have gone through a lot of obstacles in life. I see the obstacles as a testimony of God's love, and what he can do in someone's life. I have been homeless with my children, and through the grace of god was always able to keep them in a hotel room or find shelter. I have always been able to make sure my children's stomachs were full even if mine wasn't. I was always able to clothe my children even if my clothes were worn down. I know I am carrying a cross to give others hope. When you are anointed by god, and he gives you a mission it's not meant to be easy. I hope my story and testimony can inspire someone else to get their degree. My children know the three most important things in life are God, Education, and Family. Me and my children sit down and make time to do school work together. This also motivates my kids to want to do their schoolwork. Me and my children also have a schedule, which truly helps me manage my time and our busy schedules. As a single-parent household, I cook, clean, home-school my youngest, and financially and emotionally support our household. Adding college to our schedule was difficult at first as learning any new routine is, but it was essential to the growth of our little family. If given this scholarship it would help cover some of the costs of getting my degree helping relieve some of the financial burden. Scholarisphs help me pay off college loans, buy supplies, and provide supplemental income for me and my children while I attend college.

There was a time when I had no idea I could have kids. I went through some pretty traumatic stuff, and at one point was not going down the right path. Becoming a mother at twenty-five saved my life and made me want to push harder. Having a better life was no longer a want, I needed to give my kids a better life. I needed to give them opportunities in life I never got. Breaking the chains of generational curses became personal. While I was pregnant with my first child I decided to go back to college. I was a little discouraged because the last time I went to college right before clinical my school closed. Soon after I found out that due to them not being properly accredited, many of my credits wouldn't be able to transfer over. As a new mom having to start over discouraged me, as well as learning the "mom" thing. I worked hard, but lost my support system and had to stop my college dreams and focus on my baby and mental health. When I was pregnant with my second child, the pandemic was in full swing. The world as we knew it shut down. My daughter was born premature, with multiple health issues. With everything being remote, I didn't think the college experience would change during the pandemic. Unfortunately, it did. With the stress of trying to find essentials for my premature baby and toddler, and the only source of income being a stimulus check everything stopped. I had to withdraw from college, move home escape domestic violence, and start over. Looking forward a few years, during a hard time I found God again. It was heavily put on my heart to share my testimony with others via my podcast Misfit Ministriez, start my own business, and go back to college. I promised God if he saw me through I wouldn't let anything stop me. God moved so many mountains for me. I thought the plan was for me to go back to college and be a social worker, life had other plans. My son reminded me of my promise and asked me to go back to school with him it sealed the deal. At that moment, I decided to stop being scared, stop making excuses, and chase my dreams. My journey led me to digital design and graphics. I had already started creating permanent decals and designing as my business because it brought me peace. I contacted Liberty University and found out that most of my credits could be transferred, allowing me to pursue a bachelor's degree in Graphics and Design with a minor in business. Being a parent has given me the strength to chase my dreams. My children show me that I am a walking testimony of God's love. They are a daily reminder that they are watching me and look up to me. It has shown me how to be resilient and has even made me a better person. It has been a difficult road and testimony to reach higher education. I am determined to show my kids you can be successful, obtain a degree, and change the world even in the face of adversity.