Fallen Angel, by Alexandre Cabanel, depicts a fallen angel–more specifically Lucifer–after being cast out of Heaven by God for rebelling against Him. I am often drawn to its religious stories and their depictions throughout time. Fallen Angel is a standout piece because it depicts Lucifer, generally regarded as evil, in a more human light. Lucifer's scowl show only rage and hate to some, but I believe that the tear under his eye is meant to show a considerable measure of regret. His face speaks of a man who has fallen from grace and regrets his previous actions, but knows that there is no redemption, and thus is enraged by that. My second reason for admiring this painting is a parallel drawn in Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith. Anakin Skywalker, known in-universe as the Chosen One, is potentially the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy and is said to be able to destroy the evil Sith and restore balance. After being manipulated by the Sith, he turns and destroys the Jedi, being defeated by his master and becoming the imposing Darth Vader. After viewing Fallen Angel for the first time, I drew parallels between Anakin and Lucifer. Both were in some way important in their stories, rebelling against their superiors and consequently becoming shells of their former selves. One image in Revenge of the Sith greatly alludes to Fallen Angel. On the lava planet Mustafar, Anakin is tasked by Darth Sidious to kill the leaders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Fresh off his orders to kill his former comrades at the Jedi Temple, he gets a moment of reflection, and in his eyes you can see the same fiery rage and intense regret you see in Lucifer's, down to the single tear rolling down his cheek.

1. Why do you deserve this scholarship? (Utilizing Jedi mind trick…) Because. 2. What are your academic and/or career goals? When it comes to my goal in life, I have always climbed toward becoming a terrifying immortal totalitarian emperor with unparalleled psionic powers. Under my regime, all people on Earth will be equal in that all people have been brainwashed and enslaved. Literally nobody is safe, and all will fear the telepathic and telekinetic might of the all-knowing Gabriel. 3. Tell me about a time you’ve overcome an obstacle. I have never struggled once in my entire life. From the moment I was born to this moment, I have been immaculate in execution and flawless in decision. I am the greatest human to ever exist, and everything I do is the definition of perfection. Everything I do is a cakewalk, and absolutely nothing has ever once tripped me up.

My name is Gabriel Guevarra. I am nineteen and am attending East Carolina University majoring in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. I was born to a Hispanic-caucasian mother and a first-generation, Filipino American father and have lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the home of Fort Bragg, my whole life. I am proud to say I am a Filipino artist. Growing up in a military town, there is a larger Filipino population in Fayetteville than in other parts of the country. However, I believe there should be greater representation of Filipinos in the media. I am studying Graphic Design and would like to bring a fresh perspective to this industry. With a job as a graphic designer, I can become a voice for Filipino Americans. For too long, American media has been content with depictions of “stereotypical Asian” images in their media world. As a Filipino, I believe that specific representation is important to inspire young Filipinos and to help educate others about our beautiful culture, history and heritage. Though many Filipinos have been the backbones of industries like web design and the comic industry, their names are largely unknown. Filipinos are slowly gaining traction in entertainment, but the same movement in graphic media is lagging because these industries, while powered by Filipino artists, are lacking in Filipino leadership. Like Whilce Portacio, a well known penciller, inker and writer for Marvel Comics and later a founder of Image Comics was not made a partner. Recently, however, Team Manila, a Philippine-based graphic design company, derives a lot of influence from Philippine history and art. They have been blazing the trail in Filipino-themed graphic design. My goal is to begin a graphic design company that focuses on putting Filipino artists in positions of leadership as well as introducing Filipino students to members of the art community as well as local Phil-Am cultural and historic organizations to reclaim our sense of connection to our culture to grow our inspiration. In a global and increasingly-online world, an image can and must speak clear and precise messages. Filipinos representing Filipinos in this space will ensure an authentic picture of our future.

It is important for people to be involved in their communities.: Volunteering is a meaningful way of changing and improving our communities. Activities like clearing litter, planting trees and flowers in public spaces or participating in a food drive fill a need in the community and build connections with like-minded people in the community around acts of service. Volunteering is a good way to build relationships between community members such as when events blend youth and elders in planting gardens. The younger people learn from the elders and the elders can be inspired and invigorated by the young. Volunteering can also make meaningful changes for the better in one’s community, such as working in a volunteer soup kitchen for those less fortunate, organizing protests to speak out for social changes, or to help your peers plan for the future at a college or job fair. One person working alone can easily feel alone and overwhelmed when confronting challenges in our communities, but together, there is potential for real change. Being a volunteer can also give a young person invaluable life experience in a professional and social sense. Skills like organization, data processing, customer service, dedication, and motivation are things that many colleges and employers value greatly, and volunteering is a good deposit on the future of the community. How I’ve helped my community.: For 12 years, I have been a part of the All-American Fencing Academy. I have seen children, seniors, physically handicapped, military, and fencers on the autism spectrum become valued and important parts of our community and exceptional athletes. I help with free, public demonstrations at schools, libraries, and Fayetteville Librari-Con, which gives the public the opportunity to learn about a unique sport. We encourage new students to come and experience our club, its community, and benefits free of charge. I have taken leadership roles at the Fencing Academy as an assistant coach and was elected Men’s Team Captain during my senior year in high school. I am a role model and mentor, especially to newer teen fencers. As Captain, I felt a sense of responsibility in guiding fellow students to success in our sport and their lives off the fencing strip. I continued this type of leadership as I helped restart the fencing club program at East Carolina University and coached new college students interested in the sport. I have participated for multiple years in the Fort Bragg Teen Resilience Program. The program teaches team-building skills and stress management to help both the participant and others during times of stress and hardship. In fencing, in school, with friends and family-- I have used many of the strategies and thinking processes to help both myself and others cope with everything from test anxiety, interpersonal relationships, and performance anxiety before a sporting event. When I am helping people with their stressful situations, I help them put their problems into perspective, ground, center, identify their stressors then make a plan to deal with them. All of those strategies were taught to me in the Fort Bragg Teen Resilience Program. I have been presented many opportunities to participate in Fort Bragg Geek-A-Thon computer giveaway events. These events gather gently-used computers, monitors, laptops and accessories, refurbish them and give them away to military-connected families in the area. We work together as a team to process the requests, fill the orders and present the computers to the recipients. Not only is it a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle, it's also a great way to connect with and fill the needs of our military community. My family has become more active participants in demonstrations and protests relating to social issues like Black Lives Matter, environmental issues and gun control. These issues are important to me and the more I learn, I am inspired to act and encourage others to act as well. I use these events as an opportunity to speak up for things I believe in and learn more about the issues. I volunteered with Democracy NC and Cape Fear Indivisible for their "Get Out The Vote" postcard drive to encourage people in our voting district to make a plan to vote in the 2020 Elections. I encouraged and assisted my friends who turned 18 to register to vote. I want to help ensure that the beliefs of the citizens of our city, state and nation are accurately represented by the people elected into government office. How I plan to help my community in my future career.: My planned major, Graphic Design, is both an incredibly important and somewhat- underappreciated job in modern society. Everything that is not created by nature must be designed by a person. This idea holds true for even the tiniest details on everyday things, whether you notice them or not. It is the job of graphic designers to plan, create, and organize every picture, pattern, logo, and font that you see every day, everywhere! Brands rely on these artists to design things like visually-pleasing and interesting packaging, organizing any information on the back of the box as well as informational inserts. On top of this, graphic designers may be responsible for designing and formatting company websites or the look and appealing concepts of computer programs or smartphone and tablet apps and video games. Some designers create the fonts we use on word programs like Microsoft Word or Google Docs, ensuring they are easy to read and spaced correctly. In short, graphic designers design things that people will interact with visually and use every day at home, work and play. A person can’t go long without interacting with the work of a graphic designer in our modern world! Without graphic designers, things like websites, pamphlets, instruction manuals, or even road signs could become visually harsh and impossible to navigate short of having a map (which also must be designed). Clothing and packaging may become grating or confusing, or simply become boring, with boring designs on each one. If companies simply decided on a color and their brand name to discern them from their competition, brand designs would become hard to distinguish from one another leading to customer frustration. It’s up to designers to create visually-discernible and memorable designs for brands to use, even to the point that they are recognizable without writing the names of the brands . For example, think about the designs of brands such as McDonald’s, Nike, Apple, Android, Windows, etc. I could show any American today the logos for these brands and most would be able to identify the company or what they make. Having a recognizable design for your brand is one of the most important keys to success in the modern world and it starts with the Graphic Designer.

My name is Gabriel Guevarra. I am nineteen and am attending East Carolina University majoring in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. I was born to a Hispanic-caucasian mother and a first-generation, Filipino American father and have lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the home of Fort Bragg, my whole life. I am proud to say I am a Filipino artist. Growing up in a military town, there is a larger Filipino population in Fayetteville than in other parts of the country. However, I believe there should be greater representation of Filipinos in the media. I am studying Graphic Design and would like to bring a fresh perspective to this industry. With a job as a graphic designer, I can become a voice for Filipino Americans. For too long, American media has been content with depictions of “stereotypical Asian” images in their media world. As a Filipino, I believe that specific representation is important to inspire young Filipinos and to help educate others about our beautiful culture, history and heritage. Though many Filipinos have been the backbones of industries like web design and the comic industry, their names are largely unknown. Filipinos are slowly gaining traction in entertainment, but the same movement in graphic media is lagging because these industries, while powered by Filipino artists, are lacking in Filipino leadership. Like Whilce Portacio, a well known penciller, inker and writer for Marvel Comics and later a founder of Image Comics was not made a partner. Recently, however, Team Manila, a Philippine-based graphic design company, derives a lot of influence from Philippine history and art. They have been blazing the trail in Filipino-themed graphic design. My goal is to begin a graphic design company that focuses on putting Filipino artists in positions of leadership as well as introducing Filipino students to members of the art community as well as local Phil-Am cultural and historic organizations to reclaim our sense of connection to our culture to grow our inspiration. In a global and increasingly-online world, an image can and must speak clear and precise messages. Filipinos representing Filipinos in this space will ensure an authentic picture of our future.

The influence my friends have on my personality and outlook on the world I can't overstate. If I didn't have them as a second point of reference, I believe it would be very likely that I would have a considerably more pessimistic and cynical outlook on the world. Without other people to show me that not everyone is as terrible as the media portrays, it is very likely that I would be much more reserved as a person than I am now. It is because of them that I am optimistic, patient, and hold myself in relatively good esteem. As a designer, design thinking would basically be my entire job (Not counting making the finished product, as thinking of a design is most of the work for me anyway). Something that I would very much like to take into my job as a designer is my heritage. A career in Graphic Design would mean that I am able to insert my unique brand of Asian into American culture, especially considering how uncommon Filipino art is where I live. With a job as a graphic designer, I can become a kind of voice for Filipino Americans, and someone they can look up to if I become well-known enough. I find that Filipinos are not often synonymous with art and graphic design. Filipinos are slowly gaining traction in music, comedy, television, and movies, but the movement in art and graphic design appears slow. Team Manila, a Philippine based graphic design company, derives a lot of influence from Philippine history and art. They have been paving a good path in Filipino themed graphic design. However, I don’t want to be known as an “Asian” or “Filipino” style designer, I want to be a designer or create a dynamic design company that happens to be owned by a Filipino. Like Whilce Portacio, a well known penciller for Marvel Comics, wasn’t an artist they came to because of his “asian influenced” designs, Whilce Portacio was a Marvel Comics artist, who just happened to be Filipino. I say this because I have always believed that I should be chosen based on my skills and ability, not just my identity. This would show other young Filipinos that there are other people like them out in the world, and they don't have to rely on their status as a minority. What I believe to be unique about my skill in visual art, and something that others have commonly commented on in my art, is my great attention to detail. I am always sure to zoom in and check the minute details on a piece, as well as making small additions which may not be consciously appreciated by people who see my art, but it will overall make my art better.

Self-love and acceptance is a difficult thing for people my age. I see it all the time, in many forms, sizes, and flavors. Many times, I'm on the receiving end of some less-than-flattering comments for my looks. Insults regarding my hair, weight, build, etc. were and are common in my day-to-day life, so it should go without saying that my journey towards self-love was an arduous one to say the least. However, it has shaped me into the person I am today. My struggles with low self-esteem have given me a way to empathize with others who may be going through the same, and I believe that empathy is important in such personal matters as this. I believe that hearing "I know what that feels like, because I've gone through the same thing" is one of the best things people can hear in a time of upset or self-hate. I believe this because hearing it from my peers, even if I didn't accept it in the moment, helped me feel better when I could tell they knew how I felt. Of course, my experiences don't translate to everyone's problems and personality, but it is a good place to start. I also believe that self-love is one of the most important forms of love in the world, and that it should take priority in your life and mind. Other types of love are definitely important, but what's the point if you don't love yourself? After finding my own self-love, I now encourage and reinforce it in all of my peers, especially the ones that have a more fragile self-esteem than others. The two I consider to be those who hold themselves in the lowest regard also happen to be the two closest to me, because we can relate to each other in ways that others just can't. We can form bonds by being there for each other when the other feels like they just aren't all they should be. Those two are the people I hold dearest in my heart, and it's because of my journey to self-love that we were able to click like we did.

It is important for people to be involved in their communities. Volunteering is a meaningful way of changing and improving our communities. Activities like clearing litter, planting trees and flowers in public spaces or participating in a food drive fill a need in the community and build connections with like-minded people in the community around acts of service. Volunteering is a good way to build relationships between community members such as when events blend youth and elders in planting gardens. The younger people learn from the elders and the elders can be inspired and invigorated by the young. Volunteering can also make meaningful changes for the better in one’s community, such as working in a volunteer soup kitchen for those less fortunate, organizing protests to speak out for social changes, or to help your peers plan for the future at a college or job fair. One person working alone can easily feel alone and overwhelmed when confronting challenges in our communities, but together, there is potential for real change. Being a volunteer can also give a young person invaluable life experience in a professional and social sense. Skills like organization, data processing, customer service, dedication, and motivation are things that many colleges and employers value greatly, and volunteering is a good deposit on the future of the community. How I’ve helped my community. For 11 years, I have been a part of the All-American Fencing Academy. I have seen children, seniors, physically handicapped, military, and fencers on the autism spectrum become valued and important parts of our community and exceptional athletes. I help with free, public demonstrations at schools, libraries, and Fayetteville Librari-Con, which gives the public the opportunity to learn about a unique sport. We encourage new students to come and experience our club, its community, and benefits free of charge. I have taken leadership roles at the Fencing Academy as an assistant coach and have been elected Men’s Team Captain. I am a role model and mentor, especially to newer teen fencers. As Captain, I feel a sense of responsibility in guiding fellow students to success in our sport and their lives off the fencing strip. I have participated for multiple years in the Fort Bragg Teen Resilience Program. The program teaches team-building skills and stress management to help both the participant and others during times of stress and hardship. In fencing, in school, with friends and family-- I have used many of the strategies and thinking processes to help both myself and others cope with everything from test anxiety, interpersonal relationships, and performance anxiety before a sporting event. When I am helping people with their stressful situations, I help them put their problems into perspective, ground, center, identify their stressors then make a plan to deal with them. All of those strategies were taught to me in the Fort Bragg Teen Resilience Program. I have been presented many opportunities to participate in Fort Bragg Geek-A-Thon computer giveaway events. These events gather gently-used computers, monitors, laptops and accessories, refurbish them and give them away to military-connected families in the area. We work together as a team to process the requests, fill the orders and present the computers to the recipients. Not only is it a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle, it's also a great way to connect with and fill the needs of our military community. My family has become more active participants in demonstrations and protests relating to social issues like Black Lives Matter, environmental issues and gun control. These issues are important to me and the more I learn, I am inspired to act and encourage others to act as well. I use these events as an opportunity to speak up for things I believe in and learn more about the issues. I volunteered with Democracy NC and Cape Fear Indivisible for their "Get Out The Vote" postcard drive to encourage people in our voting district to make a plan to vote in the 2020 Elections. I encouraged and assisted my friends who turned 18 to register to vote. I want to help ensure that the beliefs of the citizens of our city, state and nation are accurately represented by the people elected into government office. How I plan to help my community in my future career. Graphic Design is a creative field that gives me the ability to think fast and work quickly to come up with solutions for a variety of challenges. Graphic designers are trained to emphasize reaching different people of varying age, identity, and even across languages because art can speak beyond these barriers. Graphic design is all about speaking to as many people and conveying a message clearly, and that can be hugely beneficial in the right context. I would design flyers or social media for things like food drives, campaign signs, and symbols for social justice movements. Designing the next Obama “Hope” poster or Black Lives Matter graphic “Raised Fist” could elevate a local organization or cause to one that inspires change locally and worldwide. When these images and ideas can be shared instantly by millions of people, the impact of acting locally to create positive change can become a global movement. Specifically, I think it would be interesting to use my skills to redesign the logos and promotional items for the volunteer events I work with. The Geek-a-Thon Computer Giveaway has kept the same logo each year. I would love to spice up their designs and give them an update that would attract more attention from younger people who might want to start volunteering and continue to do so. This logo would be put onto the t-shirts, banners and flyers as well as social platforms such as advertising and promotional short videos that could be liked, tagged and shared to get the word out so the Geek-a-Thon can serve even more of our community. I would love to see the Fort Bragg Geek-A-Thon “go viral” and see one of my designs help it do that.

The field of fine arts has always been a talent, interest, and part of my identity. My current goal is a major in graphic design; I have had experience, interest, and advanced classes in high school and at the community college with graphic design. Taking digital design courses and earning my Certificate for Advertising and Graphic Design from Fayetteville Technical Community College cemented my direction in the fine arts. Now, with that head start in experience I hope to complete a 4 year degree and perhaps even an advanced degree at a university for fine arts. I have been accepted to and enrolled in East Carolina University. I wish to gain professional experience as a graphic designer during college, as East Carolina University offers real-world work opportunities in their program. They accentuate using abstract methods and more practical, real-world techniques instead of teaching me the more logical and scientific way of doing things.With that, I plan to build up a portfolio of both individual, assignment, and some real-world work. I am planning to enter the workforce after college. Namely, I plan to start working at Fort Bragg's design department, as the uncertainty of the living situations that come with many military affiliated people would likely create a reliable job opening for me. I also have experience working with my father as both an entrepreneur and a small business owner, so I could possibly start and own a small business in graphic design as either an individual or with others to assist. I have also eyed the many companies and organizations that need graphic designers, where I foresee longevity and stability within the organization that comes with bigger business. I plan on climbing the ladder to leadership positions, hoping to eventually become a lead graphic designer. The goals I have set now will most definitely help me in finding a job in the future. Having a degree, especially a higher one, will help me to stand out as a graphic designer in an already highly competitive career path. Having a degree would at least put me on par with other designers, and working up from there would only improve my chances. I have found myself to be adaptable with varied interests and I know that I will be successful in the path I follow.

The field of fine arts has always been a talent, interest, and part of my identity. My current goal is a major in graphic design; I have had experience, interest, and advanced classes in high school and at the community college with graphic design. Taking digital design courses and earning my Certificate for Advertising and Graphic Design from Fayetteville Technical Community College cemented my direction in the fine arts. Now, with that head start in experience I hope to complete a 4 year degree and perhaps even an advanced degree at a university for fine arts. I have been accepted to and enrolled in East Carolina University. I wish to gain professional experience as a graphic designer during college, as East Carolina University offers real-world work opportunities in their program. They accentuate using abstract methods and more practical, real-world techniques instead of teaching me the more logical and scientific way of doing things. With that, I plan to build up a portfolio of both individual, assignment, and some real-world work. I am planning to enter the workforce after college. Namely, I plan to start working at Fort Bragg's design department, as the uncertainty of the living situations that come with many military affiliated people would likely create a reliable job opening for me. I also have experience working with my father as both an entrepreneur and a small business owner, so I could possibly start and own a small business in graphic design as either an individual or with others to assist. I have also eyed the many companies and organizations that need graphic designers, where I foresee longevity and stability within the organization that comes with bigger business. I plan on climbing the ladder to leadership positions, hoping to eventually become a lead graphic designer. The goals I have set now will most definitely help me in finding a job in the future. Having a degree, especially a higher one, will help me to stand out as a graphic designer in an already highly competitive career path. Having a degree would at least put me on par with other designers, and working up from there would only improve my chances. I have found myself to be adaptable with varied interests and I know that I will be successful in the path I follow.