“Born American but in the Wrong Place”, is how a Hungarian refugee Peter Schramm described himself (Schramm). Growing up in a civil war, he was taught about America, and how it was a place where people ruled themselves using debate and reason. He eventually escaped to America and became an incredible professor and an amazing man. He searched the world and found that America was the only place where any man, if he had the desire and will to follow America’s ideals of freedom and liberty, could call himself American. The greatest thing about America is that it is that citizenship is not dependent on bloodline or where a person was born; it is based on a person’s choice and desire to follow the ‘American ideals’. We founded our government on Locke’s principles that because man was created with reason, all men have the same rights and the same ability to choose how they should live. Instead of being founded through what Hamilton calls “accident and force” like prior countries, we argued, debated, and created a government based on “reflection and choice” (Hamilton, Fed. 1). Because of that, it is not a shared history that brought us together, but a commitment to further the causes of the government that we founded. People in America have ignored and forgotten these ideals, and because of that, we as a society have become numb to suffering across the world, ignoring various human rights violations for our own gain. Things like unethical labor practices and child labor have been willingly ignored by Americans so that they can continue their overconsumption of goods. No one bats an eye ordering from Shein, Temu, Zara, or the hundreds of other fast fashion companies, even though their unethical practices are widely known. No one doubts their morality when they buy a phone, even when they know it was made by people who are practically slaves. People not only support, but often fight for those found to be guilty of horrendous crimes. To fight this willing ignorance of Americans, I have joined Ashland University, majoring in political science and history in their Ashbrook program, where Peter Schramm taught. I will be joining the field of lobbyism and politics, aiming to solve many of these problems in America by increasing awareness among Americans about these issues, and pushing America to drop our support of these companies and people. Schramm, Peter. “Born American, but in the Wrong Place.” Ashbrook, Ashbrook Center, 15 Dec. 2021, ashbrook.org/viewpoint/bornamerican/. Hamilton, Alexander, et al. The Federalist: The Gideon Edition. Liberty Fund, 2001.

My love of history started when I was in second grade. That was the first time I could recall picking up a history book, and to this day, I still remember many of the different scenes and stories I read. I remember reading about amazing stories like the life of Ulysses Grant, how he won a bull-riding contest when he was eight, and how Louisa May Alcott came to write her famous book, "Little Women". Both of these are strange examples, but this is all to say that since I picked that textbook up, I have been fascinated with history. I loved to read people's stories; I was fascinated with these amazing men and women how their actions changed history, and how a series of seemingly unrelated actions combined to create a world-changing event. This love developed further in high school when I took a summer course at my current college, Ashland University. Within the university, they have a special history and political science program for undergraduates called Ashbrook. At a summer seminar that they hold for high school students, I was introduced to a whole new way of viewing history. They went deep into history, how it is at its core a study of human nature, and how actions and ideas can reverberate throughout the centuries. That program has led me to go to Ashland University to major in history and political science and has introduced me to my second love of political science. Political science, the study of the best form of governance, is heavily intertwined with history, with history exhibiting both the human nature necessary to understand politics and examples of political systems and how they have worked and failed. My love of political science is similar to my love of history, in that they both revolve around the study of human nature and what can be done regarding it. My study of history has inspired me to choose a path similar to those that I have read about. I want to be a change-maker, I want to help those around me and lead them to a better future. It is commonly said that history is the gateway to the future, so it is necessary to use lessons learned from history and apply them to the present. That is what I plan to do in my career; when I lead, I will lead using the wisdom gained from my study of history, and I will teach others the same so that we can all enter into a brighter future.

While working in high school, I had to balance two work schedules alongside my classes, which taught me the hard way how to keep a good schedule. I had to learn to prioritize my schoolwork rather than doing other fun things, which was made possible by my desire for education and the work ethic instilled in me by my dad. In retrospect, I really enjoyed that time of my life, I was often stressed out, but my love of education in addition to my love of my jobs helped me push through. Now, I have to balance my work schedule with my class and club schedule, which, though stressful, is so fulfilling that I don't mind the extra work, I only feel the gratification of knowing that I fully earned what I have and am accomplishing. My different work experiences have taught me many different skills outside of time management. I learned patience and customer service skills through working in the fast food industry. While working as a lifeguard at a local Kroc Center, I learned practical skills like first aid, childcare, and safety practices and how to lead. I've also learned to prioritize different things within those jobs. My job as a lifeguard gives me plenty of time to do homework during work. I will also be working as an intern at the Ashbrook Center, which gives me practical skills in office management and allows me to learn more from professors there. Working through my educational experience has been a hard learning experience, between accidentally sleeping in when I was supposed to work to turning in assignments late because I failed to prepare for them ahead of time, but through those failures, and through other successes, I have learned to work hard and prioritize to accomplish what I want. That is why I am applying for this scholarship; alongside my busy college life, I have prioritized searching for and applying to scholarships because I know that the outcome will be well worth the time that I put into it. That is why I do everything that I do, I know that a good education that I will earn is well worth the time and effort I put into it. I would like to thank Mr. Umstead for funding this scholarship and for giving it to those who have worked very hard to complete their education. Thank you for considering my application and for recognizing the importance of a strong work ethic.

Free speech is the cornerstone of American values, and that is seen nowhere better than in our colleges. Young men and women go to college to become well-rounded adults, and a main component of that is to learn how to express your opinions and beliefs. Students at college have an incredible opportunity to meet with people they normally wouldn't have met otherwise; people of different religions, political beliefs, and values. The gathering together of different groups of people creates an environment in which everyone must learn how to communicate their beliefs, and in return can come to understand each other. A student's views can be strengthened, adjusted, or completely changed. That is the beauty of college, any person who goes in can go out with a resolute, yet open mind, which can then lead to more personal and intellectual development as they continue to live their lives. This end can only be accomplished if everyone, even those who have minority opinions, can express themselves. As a political science and history major, it is my goal both in my career and in my personal life to promote open debate and diverse beliefs both on the national scale and on the individual scale. I have been fortunate enough to be on a campus that not only allows free speech but promotes it. I have learned so much through my experiences arguing communist ideas with my classmates, discussing catholicism in my Bible studies, and really learning about why people believe what they believe. I have been privileged to participate in different organizations that promote diversity of thought. Such as my experience with the Student Senate, through which I have been able to listen to and have open discussions with many students and faculty members on campus. I have been able to participate in Model Arab League as Iraq, and even though I still don't agree with what they are doing, I understand why they believe what they believe. Through my experiences, I have learned that diversity of thought paired with the ability to discuss it gives all involved a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. We must create these spaces by opening our minds and trying to understand others, even when we don't agree with them. In closing, I would like to thank Gregory Price for his promotion of free speech, and for supporting students who are passionate about promoting free speech on our college campuses. Your contribution will no doubt go far in keeping free speech an integral part of our society.

Ever since I was a kid, I have been fascinated with history. I loved reading about fascinating characters, and how their actions reverberated throughout history; I loved piecing together the intimate details of each country's or person's actions and how they all resulted in the same event; I loved to try to understand the complex, massive history that was before me. That is what drew me to my current college, Ashland University. They have this program called Ashbrook, that provides a special form of education for history and political science students, and they host several academies over the summer for high school students to be taught by the Ashbrook professors. So, in 2022, I went to one called "Telling America's Story". I fell in love with it. We discussed foundational American philosophies, like Locke's "Second Treatise", in-depth alongside other primary sources from that time that all told the story of America's Founding. We argued about topics like "What does it mean to be an American citizen?" and "When is it justifiable to throw off government?". This experience made me realize my love of debate and political philosophy while strengthening my love of history, so obviously, I went to Ashland University to major in history and political science and joined Ashbrook. At college, I have been exposed to works by political theorists like Locke, Burke, and Morgenthau, and while they disagree on many things, they all agree on one truth: people are inherently fallible, and there is no way to fix that. Instead, they discuss their own beliefs, using historical events to make sense of their ideas, on how both the government and the individual should act and think about the world around them. That is why the study of political science and history helps people learn how to think and act on a national and international level. Famously, the American Founders used their study of Ancient Greece alongside their love of Locke's ideas on human rights to create a longstanding government that is sworn to protect individual people's rights and uses the truth that men are fallible to develop a system of checks and balances to ensure that everyone's rights are secure. Theorists like Locke encourage all men to actively participate in government, and someone who understands political theory and how to apply it will serve to create a better government, even if he is only one person. The study of political science and history also helps people to think and act on an individual level. These studies serve both to refine our minds and, since these studies are essentially the study of human nature, help us to realize that men, as has been repeated many times, are fallible and are capable of being wrong. Through my study and discussions with others, I have been wrong countless times, and therefore I have no inflated sense of my intelligence. Because of that, I had many healthy, productive conversations with people I disagree with, and even when I end the conversation still disagreeing with them, I come out with a better understanding of the topic. That is the benefit of the study of political science and history: a deeper understanding of life and human nature and the ability to communicate and discuss beliefs in a kind, productive way. I study political science and history so that I can impact the world on both a big and small scale. In my career, I will use what I have learned to be an effective and good leader, and in my day-to-day life, I strive to create an environment that promotes healthy, productive discussions.

In 2021, I badly hurt my ankle while playing at a basketball game. The recovery from that injury was rough, but I recovered well due to my good social and educational life. The year after that, I hurt my other ankle at a youth group opportunity, and I tried to walk it off. A few months later, I found out that part of my bone had died, and I needed surgery. The surgery was awful, and at that time my social and educational life was practically nonexistent. It was a miserable five months, I felt useless and depressed, and I could feel my previously amazing health slip away from my control. Right after that surgery, I finally admitted that I needed to fix my other ankle I had hurt the previous year that hadn't healed properly. I had surgery about three weeks after I finished physical therapy on my first surgery. While this was a simpler procedure, I felt even more mentally and emotionally broken. Throughout this period I hadn't kept up a relationship with God in any capacity, I was unhealthy and felt sick all the time, I had no social life, and I felt like I couldn't control anything in my life, especially my body. I was afraid that not only would I never heal, but that my future was completely ruined. But then I realized it was not my bad situation that made me miserable, but my bad relationship with God. And that is when I put God as my main priority. Ever since then, my relationship with God has never been stronger. I am still growing closer to Him every day. He has become not only my support but my guide. There's a song by We the Kingdom called "Miracle Power" that my church choir did this Easter, and one line that I keep replaying in my mind is, "I may not know what the day may bring, but I know who brings the day." The idea that I need to control every aspect of my life now seems ridiculous to me; I don't need everything to be perfect to be happy; I just need to be close to the God who controls everything. And that is what I strive to do now and throughout my life. I have found joy in worshipping Him through music in my church's choir and in how I live my life. The relationships He has given me in college through the Christian ministry, the opportunities He has given me to talk about Him to others, and the opportunities He has given me to learn more about Him through incredible teachers have given me the joy and the confidence that I need to continue living loudly for Him. This is the attitude I will keep throughout my life and career: rely on God and let Him guide you. Right now my goal is to create a career that will honor God and help His creation, and wherever God will take me with my talents and passions I will follow with joy and hope for the future.