I am the ideal candidate for the Solgaard Scholars: Access Oceanic Studies for LGBT+ Students scholarship. My name is Finn Balawender and my pronouns are they/them. I am a transgender, non-binary student. In the fall of 2022 I will be attending the University of West Florida for a major in marine biology. I have always been drawn to the ocean. My love for the ocean stems from its living things. All of the creatures of the ocean help to make it a unique and vast environment. From the tide pools of the beaches to the bottom of ocean trenches our seas are one of the most beautiful things we have on our Earth. It is extremely horrifying to learn the true extent of ocean pollution. The pollution of our ocean does not stop with plastics or trash. It is filled with pollutants we cannot see. Radioactive waste has been dumped into our ocean by countries all over the planet. These same countries have been using the ocean as a dumping ground for chemical weapons for decades. As the barrels in which these dangerous substances were placed in slowly corrode, the chemicals begin to leak into the water. The runoff of pesticides and fertilizers from farm fields creates toxic environments for the creatures of the water. Most gasses that are all byproducts of production or transportation will all end up in our atmosphere, and then they will eventually make their way back to Earth, usually through rain. However, when these gasses become rain they are acidic. Acid rain has the ability to destroy whole ecosystems. We need to do better. We need to clean our oceans in the hope that one day, our oceans will be returned to their former glory. Furthering my education is extremely important to me and my future. I dream of starting a rehabilitation and research center for my favorite marine animal, the nautilus. The University of West Florida offers the best undergraduate marine biology program. I will begin my education at the University of West Florida in the fall of 2022, working towards my bachelors of science. When I earn my bachelors I can finally start working to make my dream a reality. As a transgender individual, I am not receiving any financial support from my family as I enter college. Currently, I plan to use student loans to pay for my tuition at the University of West Florida; however, receiving a scholarship of this amount would lift a huge weight off my shoulders and bring me one step closer to my dream of nautilus research. I will use my skills to gain research on all aspects of the nautilus species, specifically focusing on breeding and hatching. Once I have gathered enough research on the prime conditions for nautilus breeding and hatching I will recreate these conditions in captivity to boost the nautilus population. Along with this, I will also use my research center to keep the nautili’s habitat clean from pollution. I hope I am able to help my favorite animal thrive for millions of years to come.