December 23rd, 2022 Today is going to be a great day. It's day two of our quick family trip to see Phantom of the Opera before it closes on Broadway. Being in NYC around Christmas is as magical as the hallmark movies portray it. As my family began our final day of exploration, we hiked from Times Square to Central Park. After half of my first semester studying landscape architecture, this was high on my list to ensure I visited Fredrick Law Olmstead's historic creation, which has left a mark so strong that few people do not know of it. This park always makes its way into our discussions in class due to its impact. Whilst experiencing a world-renowned park, all I could think about was how this was what I wanted to do. I want to make this big of an impact that brings communities together. I want to be a part of the conservancy to protect what little natural landscapes we have left in urban regions. I want to make a change in how people treat our home. Earth. Reflecting on my short trip to New York City, I look for the parallels between city landscapes and the rural mountainous landscapes I had grown up on. Appalachia is rich in culture and lush biodiversity, and the land tells many stories. New York City is known as a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. The same goes for Appalachia. Unfortunately, as more outsiders move to Appalachia, gentrification takes over the rich tradition of folk art, bluegrass music, storytelling, and crafts that reflect the local culture and heritage. I wish to be a part of the change that protects our stories and educates those new so we can live as the new yorkers do—protecting our landscapes as Fredrick Law Olmstead intended, as he was a passionate advocate for preserving natural areas throughout the country and wrote the critical language of the 1916 Organic Act that established the National Park Service. I started as a public horticulture major at the University of Tennessee. They had placed me in a landscape design class as my other required courses were at capacity. This class introduced me to landscape architecture. I had never heard of it; however, it piqued my interest. As the semester moved forward, my career path began to shift. I had a new focus and began research for my new beginning. I found a program at Michigan State University to work toward my bachelor's in landscape architecture. Once accepted, I moved back home to Michigan to continue my journey. The motivation to reach my goal is fueled by my passion for nature, design and completing my bachelor's and master's. Using the degrees I will acquire, I will begin my career working abroad to gain as many perspectives and techniques as possible before returning to New York City to continue my practice with the conservancy. Once I am ready to slow down, I will move to the mountains and create an outreach program to help low-income communities beautify their space while retaining the land's respect, culture, and heritage.

Sunday, June 2009, down in East Tennessee. A family of five has been struggling but has always found a way to keep going. Unbeknownst to the three children, the parents have been accepting help from their regularly attended church as sometimes they wouldn't be able to have lunches or dinner. However, the parents couldn't just accept this help for free as their fear of owing would not allow it. To repay the church for their kindness, the whole family went in nearly every weekend to help in the food pantry. Hi, my name is Felecia Morey. I am 20 years old and the middle child of two brothers. My mother and father have worked very hard to get to where they are today, but they will not credit just themselves. They always remember the little church we went to when they weren't working and the people who took us in as if we were their blood. Reflecting on my time in Tennessee, I can always find a memory of me and my family doing something to help our community. Packing meals for the Meals on Wheels program didn't register; this is considered a true act of kindness and selflessness to me. In all honesty, I truly believed this is what many did because who wouldn't want to help their neighbors? Not only did I volunteer at my church, but when I got a little older, I asked my dad if he could take me to our animal shelter. I love cats and dogs, and since our land was a prime animal drop zone, we curated pets weekly. Since money was tight, we surrendered nearly every single one. Surrendering some pets we had for months tore me apart, which led me to go to the shelter and continue the love and support for the animals I had raised and many more. See, I never thought all the volunteering I had done would look good for me in the future. When I took a semester off in college, it didn't dawn on me that using my time to visit with residents at a senior living facility would continue to look good for schools or jobs. I just had time, and my mother asked if I would like to come in and help with activities. I love being creative, and I am very comfortable around the elderly and disabled elderly due to having family members in this state. So I thought, why not. A large amount of my volunteering experience never was out for seeking credit. My parents raised me to be there for the people I cared for. This lesson has never left me.

Sunday, June 2009, down in East Tennessee. A family of five has been struggling but has always found a way to keep going. Unbeknownst to the three children, the parents have been accepting help from their regularly attended church as sometimes they wouldn't be able to have lunches or dinner. However, the parents couldn't just accept this help for free as their fear of owing would not allow it. To repay the church for their kindness, the whole family went in nearly every weekend to help in the food pantry. Hi, my name is Felecia Morey. I am 20 years old and the middle child of two brothers. My mother and father have worked very hard to get to where they are today, but they will not credit just themselves. They always remember the little church we went to when they weren't working and the people who took us in as if we were their blood. Reflecting on my time in Tennessee, I can always find a memory of me and my family doing something to help our community. Packing meals for the Meals on Wheels program didn't register; this is considered a true act of kindness and selflessness to me. In all honesty, I truly believed this is what many did because who wouldn't want to help their neighbors? Not only did I volunteer at my church, but when I got a little older, I asked my dad if he could take me to our animal shelter. I love cats and dogs, and since our land was a prime animal drop zone, we curated pets weekly. Since money was tight, we surrendered nearly every single one. Surrendering some pets we had for months tore me apart, which led me to go to the shelter and continue the love and support for the animals I had raised and many more. See, I never thought all the volunteering I had done would look good for me in the future. When I took a semester off in college, it didn't dawn on me that using my time to visit with residents at a senior living facility would continue to look good for schools or jobs. I just had time, and my mother asked if I would like to come in and help with activities. I love being creative, and I am very comfortable around the elderly and disabled elderly due to having family members in this state. So I thought, why not. A large amount of my volunteering experience never was out for seeking credit. My parents raised me to be there for the people I cared for. This lesson has never left me. As one of the three college students in my family, I am responsible for finding as much aid as possible. My mother has an autoimmune disease that caused a liver transplant in 2007. My parents consistently have medical bills as she takes many essential medications, doctor appointments, and biopsies. Doctors recently said she would need another liver transplant in a few years, leaving her to pray she makes it to all three of her children's college graduations. My brothers and I are working very hard to alleviate as much stress as possible. Not only does my mom have medical bills my dad has depression and anxiety, requiring him to take medication that can be costly. I also have major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. With my condition, I also require medication and therapy. My family does their best with the cards they are dealt, and I am working to do the same.

Growing up in Appalachia, nature was part of everyday life. I was taught to respect and nurture the land around me; ever since it has become a core value. Many of these lessons were to understand how to move with the terrain, like walking down a steep hill sideways to prevent slipping into the splits, as well as seeing Queen's Lace and giving this plant a wide radius to avoid chiggers. The valley taught me how to look for signs of large storms coming as the leaves showed their undersides before the storm hit. A gravel road snaked throughout the mountainous community leading to my home, following the path into the open space. There our home sat on a small hill with a large pasture directly behind it. The only thing separating our home, the great prairie, and the tall mountain was a winding creek created by the mountain runoff. I lived in a poverty-stricken community during my primary years. Still, nature was always there for the adventures my imagination could conjure. We were hiking in the mountains, swinging on the handmade tree swing, playing "drive-thru" with our bikes on our small porch, climbing in the thick, lush shrubs, and going down to the creek to engineer the loudest dam I could. Creating something from inspiration and my imagination brings me great joy and peace. Learning that there was a career in designing landscapes for under-served communities and people with disabilities immediately grabbed my attention while studying public horticulture and landscape design at the University of Tennessee. Creating accessible landscapes for many has become a great passion of mine. A notable amount of this ambition has come from my observations throughout my formative years. For example, my church's congregation included people with mobility aids, visually impaired members, and those with memory complications. I observed their interaction with the gorgeous landscape around us, acknowledging the lack of design or thought put into who would be utilizing the land. As time progressed and I met my best friend, she became disabled due to a traumatic brain injury. As she navigated her new obstacle, I wanted to be as accommodating as possible. Having her visit me here at MSU, and ensuring I could find the closest parking accessible for mobility aids, was an immediate thought. Recalling these memories helped me realize how critical accessible landscapes are. Another moment of impact was volunteering at the senior living and memory care facility, where I saw how plants could have one of the quietest residents, telling me what plants they used to grow and their favorites to admire. Seeing the information I acquired from my public horticulture class put into effect was astounding. Witnessing the immediate impact of landscapes confirmed how much I want to be a part of the design process. My goal is to leave a positive environmental impact for future generations to enjoy along with the generations here today. Whether having the opportunity to work in national parks to help with trails, preserve the environment, or regenerate damaged land. The endless opportunities landscape architects have fostered my passion for designing. I look forward to leaving a beautiful legacy of creativity in nature.