My journey to Christianity was not a traditional one. I did not grow up around devout Christians, and I found God through a YouTube video that introduced me to a role model who took Christianity seriously. In 2023, I was born again, and I've never been the same. I went from being a depressed and crude person to being filled with the Holy Spirit, which has given me never-ending joy. Before I found Christ, I was really distraught because I had grown up in a dysfunctional family, and I idolized things like sports and women. Growing up, I was always impressed by technology. I was fascinated by computers and video games, and now I aspire to combine my love for technology with my love for software engineering. I want to make ethical biblical video games for many Christian families to enjoy. I want to make a mature, more story-focused game for adults and a more childlike, kid-friendly game for kids. An example of an adult game is a role-playing game based on the David and Goliath story, where one has to spend time with God and fight in the spiritual realm before finally facing a boss battle similar to Goliath. It will also be a game where one interacts with a community similar to ancient Israel and can make choices that will affect how the kingdom sees the player, and bad choices will have a different outcome on the story than good choices, and each different route will give you a different ending after you defeat the boss. A kid-friendly game would be based on Veggie Tales, and it would explore the themes of the bible through time travel, and would be interactive and focused on memorizing the core elements of the Bible and scripture. Also, the game will go over basic apologetical arguments for Christianity. This can give kids nostalgia and help keep them solid in their faith as they grow up. I rejected Christianity when I was younger, and a large part of it was because I was very ignorant about religion, and I didn't know how to navigate learning more about religion as a whole. These types of video games will bring families and friends together and will allow them to bond with each other. This can also be an evangelism tool for those who don't know Christ. They can find him in their own unique way, just like I did. In the life of a Christian, it can be difficult to find content that is enjoyable yet also glorifies God. As Christians, we sometimes settle for basic art or forms of entertainment simply because they have a Christian label on them. This can be very discouraging for Christians, especially for those who have strong convictions about using or listening to secular content. As Christians, we should be doing our best to try to bring people to Christ, and one of the ways we can do that is by making quality Christian content that impacts the culture. During eras like the Renaissance, Christianity provided the foundation for the art that changed the world. This scholarship can help me achieve my goals by helping me pay off the debt I will owe to the University of Michigan. My financial aid did not fully cover my tuition, so I owe them $8,000 for the school year. I am also working two different jobs over the summer to help pay for school. If I can avoid as much debt as possible, I can focus on making Christian technology and entertainment for the body of Christ. My goal on this earth is to glorify Christ as best as possible, and by combining technology and theology, I can achieve this goal.

In life, it's important to pursue truth. Having the right mentor can help you navigate this journey, as truth should be pursued responsibly through education and conversations with others. A person who inspires me to further my knowledge is my pastor. My pastor is a phenomenal man because he is a full-time pastor, full-time teacher, and a part-time student. With a bachelor's and an associate's degree in theology, he has the skills needed to lead a church. He is also a husband and a father of two children. He has shown me it is possible to achieve a high level of education while maintaining the responsibilities of having a full-time job and managing a family. I want to pursue an education in computer science, attend seminary, and earn a degree in theology. I also want a large family, so my pastor is a huge inspiration as he shows it's possible to achieve my goals. He's also only 10 years older than me. This has allowed me to build a strong connection with him, and he gives me relevant advice on pursuing a career and higher education. He's taught me how to manage stress and how to make wise education choices based on debt and what school to go to. I want to combine my computer science skills with my faith and make Christian tech products, such as an app for a local church that functions as a community platform for the members of a local congregation. I could even create a web application for apologetics in theology. I am very interested in debating apologetics amongst other Christians, as well as people who have different religions. I find this topic very important, as we as human beings should be trying to figure out if God exists or not. If we come to the conclusion that he does exist, we should figure out how to worship him properly. It's an important topic because you only get one life to live on this earth, so there's a possibility that when you die, you could face judgment from a deity, get reincarnated, or cease to exist. There are many more views on this and how the afterlife may play out, so why not honestly try to pursue the truth of the spiritual realm based on historical evidence, morality, philosophy, logic, and reason. It can be hard work sometimes, but I think it's worth it. It's also important to debate within Christianity as well to help each other grow and to figure out what we can agree to disagree on. For example, to be a historical Christian, one cannot disagree with the Trinity; that makes one outside of Christian orthodoxy, historically speaking. Christians can disagree on church structure and how we are to run a local body of leaders. We can disagree on this and still consider each other faithful brothers and sisters in Christ, as this area should not affect our salvation. We also need to discuss how we disagree amongst those who practice different religions. Just because we have different beliefs doesn't mean we should hate or harm each other, but we should figure out how to live among our differences. My pastor shares the same passion for apologetics and discussion as I do and has motivated me to pursue theology alongside computer science. He has shown me that you don't have to put yourself in a box, and you can pursue education, apologetics, and still be a good husband and father.

I remember when I was a very young child, for some reason, I would have thoughts of suicide and feel so unloved. My parents didn't really understand, and one of them said that if I killed myself, I was gonna go to hell. I would get a lot of encouragement from my mom as a kid after I told her that, which was nice of her. In middle school, I was introduced to lewd content, which eventually destroyed my mental health, and it gave me a terrible view of women as a whole. I was never educated about what it was or why to avoid it, and that's disappointing to look back on that time and period in my life. Although I didn't feel the effects right away because my freshman year of high school gave me a large dopamine boost just from being in a new environment and being on the sports teams, as well as getting to know more attractive women. This is what I put my hope in during my high school years, and if sports weren't going well and I didn't have a girlfriend, my mental health would drop. I'm not proud of this either. I was a very shallow and lustful child, and I’ve dedicated my life to combatting anything that would influence children to be like how I was I would feel the full force of my unhealthy worldview, as well as my lewd content addiction, in my sophomore year of high school, when I didn't make the basketball team, and the girl I wanted to date kept rejecting me. I can't remember how many times I cried myself to sleep during that year, but it was probably a lot. It didn't make it any better that during my sophomore year of high school, the popular music that was trending was about suicide, mental health, and just overall sad songs. It became hard to tell who was actually depressed and who was just trying to fit in with the trends at the time, but honestly, I was depressed myself. I didn't bother to try to figure it out. Also, that same year in high school, one of my classmates, whom I grew up with, killed herself. I didn't know her that well, but that really shocked me that someone could be here one day and gone the next day simply because they didn't want to live anymore. I was friends with people who took suicide as a joke, and they even made fun of the girl who killed herself. I never went that far, but I tried to cut my wrist open that year as well. I felt so worthless simply because I thought I ruined my chances with the girl I wanted to date. Later in my college years, I found my worth in God, not in any woman or sport. I also went to therapy for a short period of time and healed from all of the trauma I went through growing up. I will do my best to be there for those who are struggling mentally and show them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I also want to make sure my kids don’t experience the things I did. Mental health is a real issue amongst us, and for those of us who are healthy, there is a responsibility on our part to help those in need as best as we can.

Growing up I have always loved video games and computers. Now that I am more mature I aspire to turn that devotion into ideas and technology that impact others. I have multiple computer science goals. One day, I want to become a senior software developer at a company with strong values. I want to work for a company that is morally responsible, even if it does not pay as much as larger companies. My goal is to create projects that are useful and beneficial to the world. As a software engineer, I would like to help develop technology that assists people with physical or mental disabilities and improves their quality of life. Pursuing a career in software engineering would also help me achieve personal goals outside of computer science. I want to build a loving family one day and set a good example for my future children through meaningful and ethical work. I want them to see that success is not only about making money, but also about using your skills to serve others and make a positive impact on the world. One of my non-computer science goals is to become an elder at my local church. Christian leadership is not about power or control, but about serving others spiritually and physically. I believe technology can be used to strengthen communities and help people care for one another more effectively. For example, I would like to create an application for local churches that sends alerts when members are in need of help or support. I would also like to create a communication platform focused on encouragement, updates, and building stronger connections within the community. Another goal of mine is to develop video games based on stories from the Bible. I want to retell these stories in a way that is engaging and accessible for different audiences. I would like to create two different types of games: one aimed at adults and experienced gamers, and another designed for children. The games created for adults would focus on deeper gameplay, storytelling, and high-quality graphics, while the games for children would be more lighthearted, simple, and easy to understand. I believe it is important to equip younger generations with knowledge, wisdom, and strong values. Too often, technology is used only for entertainment or distraction. Instead, I believe technology should be used to educate, encourage, and prepare people for the real world. Ethical technology is an important topic that is not discussed enough, especially with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. I believe software developers have a responsibility to create technology that helps people rather than harms them, and I hope to contribute to that positive future through my work in computer science.

I have always been a computer nerd. I’ve loved computers since I was a kid, and when my elders needed help with technology, I was usually the one to fix the issue. As a result, I took my first computer science class in my senior year of high school. I found it challenging. After all, I transferred to it at the last minute because my dad wouldn’t let me take in-person classes during COVID, and the classes were only available in person. Despite the challenges, I enjoyed the class, which sparked my interest in logic and problem-solving. My experience in that class led me to choose computer science as my major in college. My dream job after graduation is to create innovative and impactful projects. I am drawn to developing games, apps, and websites, with a strong preference for projects that align with my Christian faith. I think using my computer science skills to contribute to the Christian community would please God and our spiritual community. I am the best candidate for this scholarship because I see the qualities Chris had in myself. I spend a lot of time studying the Bible, and people often ask me for help and advice even if they aren’t Christians. I enjoy talking to people and creating that deep emotional connection. When speaking with others, my main goal is to listen more than I speak; that's how you can reach and understand people. I aim to make everyone I come across see the light at the end of the tunnel, and people have told me that I’ve served as a beacon of hope for them. I don’t say this to boast or brag, but I want to bring this energy into my profession and work for a good and honest company that wants to impact people’s lives through computer science.

MMy testimony started when I survived a deadly car crash in my senior year in high school. In the middle of a snowstorm, my car skirted off the highway onto a hill at 80 miles an hour. My car flew through the air and crashed face-first into the ground. The impact was so powerful that it bounced off the ground and continued to do multiple flips. My car ended up upside down, and I crawled out of it unscathed. I went to the doctor after for a check-up, and they said I was also fine internally. This event is what caused me to believe that God is real. This opportunity is another blessing from God. Even if my application gets denied, I get to share my fantastic testimony again, which shows that what Jesus did 2000 years ago on the cross still applies to our modern-day human lives. My faith has encouraged me to work harder and take life more seriously. Proverbs 26:16 says, "A lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer seriously." Since coming to Christ, I've been motivated to work harder than ever. The job and housing market don't look too good, but I am not worried because Christ says faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. My family is filled with divorce, broken homes, and absent fathers. I want to work hard, earn a good wage, and start a beautiful, Christ-centered family one day. I refuse to succumb to the bad habits of my family; instead, I will do what Christ tells me to do. I am under the wing of a Pastor at an ABCUSA church in Livonia, Michigan, called Alpha Baptist Church. He is helping me get through life and always advising me on managing my relationships. The most challenging aspect of my life has been maintaining relationships with my family and unbelievers. There have been many times when I considered cutting off all of my friends because they have disrespected my faith on many different levels. According to scripture, Christ calls us to the salt of the earth and the light in the darkness, so I have not cut them off; instead, I distance myself from them. The Bible tells us not to be unequally yoked with non-believers. Even when I was a die hard atheist, looking back I can see Jesus Christ working in my life. I will continue to be faithful to Him as He is to me. Amen