My name is Evan Yackuboskey, and I am submitting this essay for the Dr. Andy Nieto Memorial First Generation Opportunity and Excellence Scholarship. Like Mr. Nieto, I have a passion for innovation and creation. Although my field may not be in materials science, like Mr. Nieto’s was, it still has its connections. My current major is EMET (Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology), and I am a first-generation student. As a first-generation student, I love having the opportunity to socialize with others with similar interests while on campus. It also allows me to broaden my perspectives and understand others' outlooks and interests. So far college has felt like a great experience that is way better than when I was in high school. You have more freedom, which holds you liable and responsible for yourself. The social aspect of college combined with working towards a degree I am interested in makes it feel great to have the opportunity to go to college. Some of my family and background is a cautionary tale to what lack of responsibility and education can lead to. My stepbrother struggled with his identity and focus for many years and has not begun to pursue his education till now. He dropped out of high school and struggled to stand on his own two feet for a while, and still does to an extent. He could not stay at my parents’ house due to his previous showings of disrespect. I am glad he is better now, but he still has improvements to make and things to learn. My father has a decently paying job but struggles with issues like gambling addiction and alcohol. He avoids these actions more often when I am around him, but it is glaringly obvious he has issues that need to be addressed. Even I struggled with focus at a younger age in school due to ADHD. I have learned that I want to be better and do my best to be an educated and respectful person who can be productive and independent. That is a big part of the reason I want a college education. Family feuds may emerge, and my distant family may be more split, but I still have those who care even through divorces, quarrels, and disagreements. I prefer to keep my head held high, look to the future, appreciate the good I have, and not let the bad be what determines my path. After all, the only way to go is forward. Above all else, the best thing about being able to go to college is the career I get to pursue. I am pursuing EMET. It is a career heavily seen in automation and robotics and generally covers a wide array of engineering applications. One such application that applies to EMET is, in fact, materials science. In my first semester of college, I recall taking a Materials Engineering Technology (MET) class that went into detail about different material manufacturing processes and micro-structures in materials and their varying properties like melting, breaking, and plastic deformation points. The properties of a material greatly affect the outcome of any assembly or part you make, as its tolerance, smoothness, and appearance can have a big effect on its behavior and appeal. EMET, though, covers more than just materials science and expands into topics like microcontrollers, PLCs, FPGAs, and all sorts of software and hardware that are related to the electrical side of the field. I also love programming and technology, and the wide uses it can have such as entertainment, communication, and everyday utilities from automatic doors to credit card readers, to entire assembly lines. The mechanical aspect gets more into things like the machinery used to process materials and assemblies like solenoids and motors, etc. In the end, all these skills and processes are used in automation and the creation of most modern products seen on the market, even ones that I think aren’t always needed. That is one of the reasons I like the thought of being an engineer, keeping things simple and doing them right. I also have a strong passion for engineering because of the intricacies and expansive creativity you can have with all its facets. There may be only so many things you can do but you can combine these basic ideas and steps to create something greater. I always have liked the thought of making things on my own and having things done to my liking. In a way, I can achieve that with engineering and with the skill sets it will give me. There’s just something amazing about making something on your own or with the help of others that pushes me to go further. It’s also nice to know that this is a field in which my creativity and passion for creating can benefit others, even if I do not always directly see the outcome. To me engineering and creation is more than a career path and a job, it is a passion that I always think about and have an interest in, and I hope choosing a path in engineering can satisfy the creative thirst that I have and benefit others in the process. I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this submission and greatly appreciate the opportunity to apply to this essay. I hope that my passion and determination are something that Mr. Neito would have beamed at with pride.

When it comes to who is most influential in my life, I find it hard to choose. The reality is that I feel being a role-model, supportive, and understanding is a collective effort across many people. So as a result I would like to thank a grouping of people opposed to one single person, as nothing is accomplished without the help and support of others. The people I would like to thank, is the people I hold closest to me foremost: friends and family. The people that are there for you through thick and thin no matter how much you irritate torment or need to come running back to them. The people that understand you are human too. I have had many experiences with my closest friends and family members, both good and bad, that I have personally reflected on. Fights, good moments, bad moments, and in-betweens. I feel that these experiences have shaped me to hold the values that I currently abide to day-to-day. Be a good person. Do not be mean or snappy when it is not necessary to act in such a way. Everyone does slip up on occasion, but when you do, learn to admit it was wrong and you’re sorry. Be patient. Patience is a very taxing activity, but it is always rewarding. If you want good things to happen, you put in the work, you are persistent, and you stay on track, you will achieve your goals and feel a sense of purpose in doing so. Be attentive. People want to be heard and understood. Do not assume the way someone acts is purely out of arrogance or superiority. Everyone is human we all can hurt, and we all bleed red. Be patient when you feel someone is starting to irritate you and do your best to allow them to get used to you and understand you are a friend. Be bold. There is honor in humbleness, sure, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to be heard. Say what you feel, share your views beliefs and understanding of the world, but do it in a respectful or playful manner. I feel trying to give the credit of all these morals to one person is not fitting or feasible. In fact, I can go beyond just crediting my friends and family to helping be an influential part of my life. Where would these people be without their own family and friends? Everyone knows someone that knows someone else and every person you meet is capable of making a small difference in your life. People often drift away from other people out of fear or anxiety. Stop. Making a positive impact on one person makes a positive impact on two. That two second talk could have led to one more beneficial and understanding companion in your life. Maybe we should learn to be thankful of each and every individual we bump into in the course of our lives good or bad because, regardless, we learn a lesson from them in the end. And in the end, don’t you want to say that you’ve felt that, you yourself, have made a difference in someones life?

I do not always love math; it can be aggravating to get the wrong answer and make a small mistake that ruins the entirety of the problem you are trying to solve. When you finally get the right answer though, you feel a great sense of accomplishment and relief. When solving a problem, you can commonly notice that your answer is wrong too. Math is a process in which you learn it is okay to make mistakes and try again. My love for math is not the numbers themselves but rather the vast ability numbers have to represent behaviors and actions. Physics, Data Analysis, Programming, and many more processes use math as the core of their functionality. If the world didn’t have physics, data analysis, and programming our current technology would be highly underdeveloped, possibly even non-existent. The thing people neglect to understand is that math is much more than just numbers, it is our understanding of the world and its quirks written in its own unique language, which some may find hard to decipher, and I greatly appreciate its wide range of use. The use of math goes beyond complex scenarios as well. Math is needed in daily life when: going to the grocery store, paying bills, playing games (i.e. Video Games: Code, Ammo, Lives, etc. Board Games: Spaces to move, dice roll, currency), determining the time, and splitting something evenly. Math is something that people cannot live without, one way or another you can find a use for math. Even something as simple as choosing between two things can be shown as a 1 or a 0. TWO things. I had to explain that concept alone, to you with a number. So, the reality of the situation is we all have to love math for its contribution to our daily lives. Maybe there is a certain type of math you may not like or a certain concept, but in the end, we are all math lovers, Like it or not.

Calculus is of great importance in the STEM field. Without calculus, we are left with less accurate numbers and unsolvable equations. As a high schooler, I found myself struggling to keep a good grade in my calculus class. After graduating I received a C in calculus. In college I am doing much better; halfway through my second semester and I currently have an A in calculus. Calculus may be a complex and sometimes hard math, but it has many applications. Calculus helps with creating almost perfect estimations as well as making seemingly impossible problems solvable. Can’t divide by zero? You can with calculus. Can’t find the area of a circle? With calculus, you can. Can’t figure out how to accurately estimate a parabola? You. Can. With. Calculus. Calculus allows you to use equations to solve irregular and inverse areas, create tangents at given points on curved lines, and find the limits near points that don’t exist due to division errors caused by inaccuracies produced by dividing by zero. In engineering, my field of choice, having accurate and rational answers is very important to ensure stability and safety in programs, designs, structures, and processes. If you simply couldn’t find the answer to a problem because you can’t divide by zero, this could cause safety hazards or inhibit progress. Another issue you can run into is a measurement or number may approach infinity in either an x or y direction in a graphical application. Infinity is a number that is impossible to properly calculate in a practical application. Computer science majors could also understand the importance of calculus. If they are not simply skipping over an area where their answer is equal to zero or infinity, which can be applicable in some situations, a program could behave in an unexpected manner or crash. This can also cause safety issues or hinder progress if their software is being used in both commercial and consumer-level applications. If your phone stopped working after setting the date to a certain time because a ‘good friend’ told you to, you would not be happy, would you? You’d lose your contacts, apps, call logs, messages, possibly passwords, and photos too that were of great importance to you. Knowing how to fix and prevent issues with certain applications is very important, and calculus is one application that can solve many problems and prevent many issues. No matter what STEM field you are in, chances are you will find a practical and necessary application in which you need to use calculus. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz did not sit down and make, or rather “discover” calculus as a fun side project; it is a cornerstone of mathematics that many people use to this day.

My name is Evan Yackuboskey and I have always had a fascination with making and experimenting. Born in a small neighboring city of Pittsburgh, PA, I have grown up in the same house for all my life. At the age of seven, I dealt with my mother’s divorce, of which I have little recollection of all the events that took place. Although part of my childhood was rough, I still grew up with financially stable parents, a roof over my head, and food on my plate for which I am thankful for, even if it doesn’t always show. As a first-generation student, I wish to be able to get myself a stable and reliable job, have peace of mind about my future, and be able to support others around me. Knowing the conditions that my father deals with within the steel mill he works at, I am quite aware that a safe, stable, and enjoyable job is a very crucial part of building my future and my career. Knowing that engineering is a stable career and was sure to keep me on my feet, I delved into looking for engineering majors. I decided that the college I wanted to go to was Pennsylvania State University, New Kensington. Although Penn State was close, I also heard from multiple people I knew and did not know, that Penn State offered amazing Engineering courses. Also knowing that Penn State New Ken boasted small class sizes was enticing to me as it would mean I would get a more social and personalized environment in the classroom with the instructors and students. The major that caught my attention at Penn State was the Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology Bachelor’s (EMET). Knowing that this major introduces many subjects that are of interest to me, i.e. Math, Computer Science, Digital and Analog Electronics and Circuits, Physical Interactions in Simulations and Real-Life Environments, I chose this major. At first, I was feeling a sense of doubt about whether I would like this major. I wasn’t sure I would even like college, that is, before I went to my College’s NSO (New Student Orientation) Days. After attending the NSO Days and finally having my first classes, I had no doubt I would enjoy college. I felt determined that my college education would be of worth and be an enjoyable experience. So, now finishing my first semester of college I can confidently say that I feel this major fits me well and will suit progressing my career and community experience further. I feel being an engineer has taught me critical problem-solving skills and how to silently lead and will continue to do so. Engineers must also be dedicated to helping their community and associates. They must work in a team to successfully carry out their jobs and must be accountable and precise. There may be challenges that are thrown my way in this career, big and small, but overall, the reward will be worth the trial. I feel college will not only progress my career and improve the quality of my future jobs but will also improve my understanding of being a leader, being resourceful, and being responsible. This scholarship could be a step in the right direction to assist in furthering my learning at college and furthering my knowledge in the field. I thank you for taking the time to read my submission and wish you well with your career, ambitions, and goals as well.

I am writing this essay in regard to the Dr. Alexanderia K. Lane scholarship. My name is Evan Yackboskey and I am going to be heading to college to pursue a bachelor's degree in electromechanical engineering. I believe that everyone deserves to be equally respected and should be given a chance. We are all in this world together. I find it important to help others and treat them with respect, as we all would want to be treated with respect as well. If you give respect to others and help them, they will help you too. Everyone needs help once in a while and the more we help each other the more we all benefit in the long run. I feel that when I help others, even a small action brings a sense of joy to me, and I feel it can to others as well. It’s always nice to see someone hold a door open for you or allow you to go first, or just give you a hand with something when they see you struggling. Help spreads kindness and awareness to everyone. Helping shows that you care about others. I feel on top of helping others being advantageous for everyone, it also allows you to socialize and get to know people better. When you help someone, you usually get to hear stories of past events that may be related to what you are currently helping them with, or not. People usually have something interesting to say too or are nice to speak to, if you just open up to them. Some may seem rude or completely uninterested, but everyone is different and sometimes it takes time for a person to be able to open up or accept help. Any bit of help is good to give. You do not need to have a lot of money or make big donations to make a change. You can volunteer at local events, charities, or places. You can also do little things throughout your day to show kindness and assist others. The smallest action can mean something big to someone who needs it Help where you can and allow others to help you. Helping others is a very important thing to do and in turn can make the world, even if it is only a little bit, a better place for all of us. Help when you can, help often, and be kind. Show others that you care.

My name is Evan Yackuboskey and I am writing this essay in regard to the Corrick Family Scholarship. I will be the first one in my family to willingly go to college and be able to financially as well, with some help. I hope to further my career goals and be able to be successful and have a well-paying job as a result. My desired future career is in electromechanical engineering, which covers a wide range of technology and designs in engineering. I figured that I would take a liking to this major as I always like to analyze and know how objects and contraptions work and interact with the world around them. As background, my father is a steel mill worker, repairs the machinery in the mill, and helps with miscellaneous tasks as well. Although it is sometimes interesting to hear about how the machinery in the mill works, I am more interested in a sterile and safer job which involves barnstorming and design as well as creation and restoration. Majoring in Electromechanical Engineering also requires a lot of higher-level math, but I luckily am not bothered by that as I can find it rewarding at times to solve hard math problems. I feel engineering is a good field to go into to be able to tinker, create, design, brainstorm, and imagine, as well as innovate. Being a first-generation student, I hope that I can set a good example as a friend and family member with my future ambitions. I hope that in getting a bachelors that I can rest easy financially and be a supportive individual for others, as well as have leisure money. I hope to get an internship before leaving college in order to get a jumpstart on my career and future. I see my future job as a job in which I am able to design new parts or assemblies from scratch that can be useful to companies and consumers. I would like to be able to be off the clock when I am out of work and relax and enjoy my weekends while still making a living. I feel this is an achievable goal as long as I stay ambitious enough to fight for it. I hope you will consider me as a choice for receiving this scholarship and I appreciate having the chance to apply for it. I will continue my path to becoming the first college graduate in my family and will ensure I have a bright and fulfilling career in the field of engineering.

Like Richard P. Mullen, I agree that integrity is a very important part of one's character. I like to keep integrity in mind and do my best to be respectful and helpful to others around me. I hope that in my future job, my salary will be able to support me and allow me to be helpful to others near and far as well. I am going to be heading into college for EMET. I picked Electromechanical Engineering Technology because, I have experience in higher-level math and enjoy creating designs, and seeing or guessing how objects will physically interact with the environment around them. I feel that engineering will suit me well and be an interesting and fulfilling career path to take. My interest in technology as well, I'm sure, will be an advantage in this field of engineering. I hope that having a well-paying and fulfilling job that it may be able to benefit others directly and indirectly. As a person that believes everyone deserves at least a little respect, I value integrity greatly and try my best to be a respectful person and help. I try my best to not be judgemental and put aside my differences. Everyone deserves to be given a chance to prove themselves and should not be judged by their cover. As a result, I hope that my future career in engineering may help the people I work for as well as allow me to financially help family and friends and keep myself on my own two feet too. My parents are going to be getting older soon, and in the future with a job in engineering, I may be able to help pay for things they may need when heading into retirement, or if they may be struggling in general. I feel that this scholarship would be a great help in paying for this major that I wish to pursue, and would be a great help to me. I am a first-generation college student and wish to be able to pursue a degree I will both enjoy and be able to make a living off of. The more money I get from scholarships the less my parents will have to pay and the less they will have to worry about paying for me. I hope you will consider me as a possible option for this scholarship. I send my condolences to the family of Mr. Mullen and wish them well. I appreciate they have found a way to carry on his image in a positive light.

I am writing in regards to Larry R. Jones the and the scholarship in honor of him. He was an avid fan of volunteering that spent all of his retirement helping others. I, like Mr. Jones, understand the importance of being kind, caring, and helpful as well as how having a higher education is important too. I myself have volunteered a handful of times outside of my school and have also done in school service for our school's LEO club (Leadership. Experience. Opportunity.). My most recent volunteer service was at the annual Santa at the Cabin event. I was located near the fires and ensured that they had sufficient fuel and did not go out. While I was there I got to see plenty of people gather around the fire with their kids for awhile after they had got to see Santa. Every single person that stopped by the fire seemed sweet and caring. While I was there I had chatted with one of the people that were helping run the event. I stayed and helped for about 3 hours before they began to pack up to leave. Although what I did was not anything extraordinary I did feel that I helped. Me and the other volunteers doing small things like watching the fires and giving treat bags to the kids allowed the people running this event to relax and not have to be sporadically running around the entire time. I have also previously volunteered at three other places. I have made pumpkin rolls at the local sportsman's club for Order of the Eastern Star, helped people clean up after a vendor show, and helped supervise at a kids section at a church run cook-off. There is also in school service that I commonly choose the activity of cleaning glasses when provided with an option. As someone who has trouble seeing far distances I understand the importance of having clear vision. It makes it easier to read, learn, and makes many other activities more enjoyable and easier to do. Each time I have volunteered I have enjoyed helping and met nice people along the way. I feel volunteering is much more than just helping. It is also a good way to socialize and show kindness to others. I have genuinely had a great time every time I have volunteered and felt that it has not only benefited the people I was there to help but has also benefited me socially. Volunteering is a great way to get out into the world, be nice, and meet new people.

I am writing this essay in response to the Dante Luca scholarship about kindness. Like Dante I find kindness to be an important part of life as a whole. I, in his memory and hopefully in similarity to his feelings and thoughts about kindness, have wrote this essay. I feel, although it may sound cheesy to say it, that life is honestly nothing without kindness from those that you love. I find a moment in any day to be kind when I can, as I feel everyone deserves at least a little kindness. A simple thing I may do in a day that would show kindness, is opening the door for somebody or simply saying for them to have a good day. These are two simple actions that I feel I do not see done often enough that are easy to show kindness and consideration with. Even the smallest acts of kindness can be enough to make someone’s day better. Such a simple action can show respect and make others feel a sense of belonging, as everyone has a right to feel. I also like to listen to my friends stories, concerns, and opinions even if I may not always agree with them or be able to relate to them. I do my best to show empathy when I am not capable of showing sympathy. I just wish for my friends and loved ones to be happy healthy and determined to follow their wants and dreams. As I have stated I feel part of kindness is consolation and while it may sometimes seem intimidating to help someone when they are in a low spot or scrambled, I feel it is still the right thing to do to help them if you have the ability to. When I see others down it makes me feel down as well. I always feel a yearning to help and when allowed and appropriate, try to. Part of this, of course, is respecting peoples’ privacy if they do not wish to speak about it or a certain aspect of their situation. I have had a few situations in which I have tried my best to be helpful and be comforting. Some of these situations include: My mothers girlfriend before being cured of cancer, my grandmother after the passing of my grandfather, my father after the passing of my other grandfather, a friend who abused sleeping pills, my mother when she is down, and a friend of mine who simply likes to talk to me about his concerns and interests and greatly appreciates my company. Being kind and listening can make a big difference. Some people in this world are simply angry because no one will listen to them or how they feel. Deep down I feel all people in the world, no matter how crooked they may seem, either have someone very close and dear to them or wish to have someone like that, so being nice to someone even if they may not appear to be nice is also something that I find to be important. A simple daily action such as what I have stated before is plenty enough to show care and consideration. I feel being, kind, friendly, and social benefits us all because none of us like to be alone and left in silence. I feel we should all keep each other company and be respectful of one another’s hope dreams passions and opinions. I feel socializing is, in a way, a form of morality. It helps keep ourselves and others in check and aware of our surroundings and is overall a necessity for us as people. I feel we all need kindness and love in our lives. Even the littlest act of kindness makes a big difference. Everyone should help out everyone else and we should strive to be the nicest people we can be because, the truth is society is incapable of running without trust.

Ever since I was little I've always liked to know how things worked, how to build what, and why something behaved/functioned in the way it did. Math always seemed, and seems to be a simple method of just knowing what formulas to use and following them to completion. I have always liked to think about how things will physically interact with their environment and surrounding objects. I like a challenge as well. I feel that engineering fits well with my interests and what keeps me motivated. Engineering, on top of being a field that will keep you busy and very goal oriented, also can help improve the lives of others and the future of architecture and technology. The though of being able to help others and build the future while having fun feels very enticing to me. I like to have a challenge every now and then that is not capable of being solved by practical means. It allows me to be creative and feel a sense of purpose. I feel engineering being very math based is a nice advantage to me because of my mathematical level and my enjoyment of the subject. Math, in most circumstances, feels relatively easy and is just a matter of how much time it will take. I’ve always felt that challenges are a test of strength and reasoning. When I find myself capable of what I am currently working on, I feel a great sense of confidence. I find that something I thought might be challenging can be completed with ease and that fuels me to push forward. I feel there will be a lot of challenges as an engineer, but in completing these challenges I will feel accomplished. Overall engineering seems to be about building, innovating, trying new things, and using old methods that are proven. Engineering is a field that requires you to think and solve problems. I feel that solving these problems will be a source of motivation. Engineering fits quite well with my academic status and personal preference.

I plan to pursue a degree in Engineering. I find it to be a great combination of many personal/academic skills such as design, math, problem solving, building, use of technology, understanding of electronics, placement and flow, organization, and teamwork. I find that most if not all of these skills and/or abilities fit me well. Math and technology are a strong suit and a passion of mine. I feel that coming up with ideas and solutions to problems can be something that is both effective and fun to formulate. I enjoy seeing projects come to completion. Seeing a goal reach its end motivates me to push forward. I am also a social person as well and willing to compromise and cooperate. I feel that engineering can be a high stakes job but it would be enjoyable and as with anything else simply taking action and and performing said goals to get you where you want to be is easier than you make it seem for yourself. Simply pushing yourself can let you accomplish anything and I feel that will help me in engineering since you must be focused and determined to do such a job. Engineering appears to be a core or center for experience in STEM related fields. Even outside of direct engineering fields/paths engineering can give you a good start and outlook to any job. I feel that makes it a good staple and another reason to have it as a major. something such as engineering seems to interest me and provokes me to see the internal workings of machinery/products, how electricity travels and behaves, and the ability to build said objects out of nothing. Even if I am only seeing the digital result it still feels enjoyable to do. Being able to create almost anything you can imagine and adapt to circumstances and issues with your own solutions and others gives me great joy and confidence. I feel that engineering in any field is highly important and that keeping creativity flowing allows us to build the future, hopefully for the better, and improve the lives of others. It seems to me the power of engineering is out of our comprehension and is capable of almost anything within the bounds of what we know and what we want to know. To me it seems like a logical approach to pick a career/major such as engineering for the sake of the many skills, challenges, and solutions that you'll encounter and how they can prepare you for anything that might be thrown your way. It is a very good career path with plenty of math, thinking, and cooperating and is also crucial to society for us to flourish. I feel a career path in engineering would be an excellent fit for me.