When I transferred from a private to a public elementary school, I saw firsthand how money can determine opportunity. In my private school, we had new textbooks, well-funded programs, and teachers who could give us one-on-one support. In my public school, we shared torn-up books and overcrowded classrooms. I was only eight years old, but I already understood: education wasn’t about intelligence—it was about access. My parents were able to afford a better school for a time, and that head start gave me academic confidence. But most of my peers in public school weren’t given that same privilege. That early contrast sparked a question that has guided me ever since: What would the world look like if everyone had the same access to quality education, no matter their income? In high school, I found a way to act on that question. I taught myself how to edit videos by watching hours of complex tutorials, many of which assumed the viewer already had premium software, mentorship, or prior experience. These barriers discouraged students from low-income backgrounds—like many of my public school peers—from even trying. So I created a free, student-led tutoring service where I taught video editing from the ground up. My goal was to make creative tech accessible to students who couldn’t afford expensive lessons or equipment. Now, as a sophomore studying Computer Engineering at The Ohio State University, I’ve continued that mission through my role as Communications Chair for ColorStack, a nonprofit supporting Black and Latinx students in tech. I mentor two freshmen, lead creative outreach, and help build spaces where students of color can gain professional opportunities, tech skills, and community support. Every flyer I design, every workshop I host, is about bridging the same gaps I witnessed in childhood—the kind that don’t just shape careers, but lives. I’m pursuing engineering because I believe technology should serve everyone—not just those who can afford to build it. I want to use my degree to develop tools that empower under-resourced communities: from accessible media platforms to AI solutions that promote equity in education and healthcare. But I also know that pursuing this dream as a Black woman comes with challenges—especially financial ones. Like Michele L. Durant, I believe in the power of education, even when the cost is high. Scholarships like this don’t just pay for school—they free up time and energy to lead, serve, and create change. I don’t take that opportunity lightly. I carry with me the lessons of every student I taught, every peer I mentored, and every barrier I broke through. And I will keep showing up for the next generation—because the fight for equity is not just about who gets ahead, but who gets the chance to begin.

As a first-generation Ghanaian-American and Computer Engineering student at The Ohio State University, my educational journey has been shaped by both the legacy of my family’s resilience and a desire to serve communities that are often left behind. Like Dr. Soronnadi Nnaji, I believe education is not just a personal achievement—it’s a responsibility to uplift others. My contributions to my community, and the goals I’ve set for myself, are deeply rooted in that belief. In high school, I launched a free tutoring and video editing service to make creative tools more accessible to students during the pandemic. I had taught myself Adobe After Effects, but I noticed that many of my peers couldn’t afford the same resources—most tutorials were locked behind expensive paywalls. I decided to step in. I mentored over 50 students, most of whom were teenagers of color who were eager to learn but lacked access. For many, it was their first time realizing that their stories were worth sharing and that they had the power to create. This wasn’t just about teaching software—it was about giving students a new lens through which to see themselves. In college, I continued serving my community by becoming the Communications Chair for ColorStack, a national organization supporting Black and Latinx students in tech. I revamped our chapter’s design workflow, shifting from generic templates to Adobe Creative Cloud and creating personalized, high-quality graphics for every event. Our engagement increased by 145%, and the materials helped members feel more represented and valued in tech spaces that often overlook us. I’ve also taken my passion for service into engineering. I developed a plugin called AESYNC that automatically creates synced subtitles for Adobe After Effects—helpful for Deaf creators, multilingual students, and content creators navigating accessibility barriers. Another project involved designing a speech-vibration detection system with Arduino to support individuals with speech disabilities. My goal is not just to build technology, but to build equity into the systems we use. Being a first-generation African immigrant has shaped my values around perseverance, humility, and excellence. Growing up, I saw my parents work tirelessly to provide opportunities they never had. Their sacrifices taught me to never waste the space I’ve been given. In many classrooms, I’ve been one of the only Black women—and often, the only African student. Instead of letting that discourage me, I let it drive me to build communities where more of us belong. My Ghanaian heritage also keeps me grounded in communal values. I believe in “each one teach one”—the idea that success means nothing if you’re not reaching back to help others rise with you. Whether it’s through mentoring, creating inclusive tech, or helping students find their creative voice, I’m committed to service that lasts. Receiving the Dr. Soronnadi Nnaji Legacy Scholarship would be more than financial support—it would be an affirmation of my mission to serve with purpose. It would allow me to continue developing technologies that solve real-world problems, mentor students from underrepresented backgrounds, and pursue research in human-computer interaction and AI for social impact. It would also mean carrying forward the legacy of a leader who believed deeply in both education and community. Like Dr. Nnaji, I want to build—not just for myself, but for generations to come.

As a first-generation Ghanaian-American and a Computer Engineering student at The Ohio State University, I’ve come to understand how powerful technology can be when combined with a heart for service. My passion lies in addressing the equity gap in education and media accessibility—particularly for underrepresented communities who often get left behind in the digital age. I believe that through the intentional use of STEM, we can not only uplift individuals but also empower entire communities. Growing up, I noticed that many of my peers—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic—were eager to learn creative tools like video editing, but most of the resources were locked behind expensive paywalls. As someone who taught myself Adobe After Effects, I decided to create a free tutoring and editing service during high school. I taught over 50 students, many of them teenagers like myself, how to use industry-standard tools to tell their stories and build skills they could take into their future careers. I wasn’t just teaching editing; I was opening doors. This drive to make technology more accessible continued into college, where I now serve as the Communications Chair for ColorStack at OSU, an organization dedicated to supporting Black and Latinx students in tech. I overhauled our creative workflow from basic templates to full Adobe Creative Cloud integration, building personalized flyers and video content to help others feel seen and excited about our events. My work even caught the attention of recruiters from top companies, but more importantly, it engaged more students and made our community feel vibrant and visible. At the intersection of equity, technology, and empathy, I’ve also pursued engineering projects that focus on accessibility. I developed a plugin called AESYNC, which automatically creates synced subtitles in Adobe After Effects. This tool is especially useful for creators who are Deaf or hard of hearing, or for students producing content in multilingual environments. Another project I led involved creating a speech-vibration detection system using Arduino, aimed at helping individuals with speech disabilities gain confidence and clarity in communication. These projects reflect my desire to not just build things, but to build better access. In the future, I want to lead projects and products that center people. Whether that means designing more inclusive tools in tech, or creating platforms that amplify marginalized voices, my goal is to use engineering not just as a career, but as a calling. I am particularly interested in leveraging machine learning and human-computer interaction to close educational gaps and expand access to mental health resources—two areas I believe are critical to community transformation. What motivates me isn’t the prestige of innovation—it’s the impact of equity. I want young girls who look like me to not just imagine a future in STEM but to feel equipped and supported to thrive in it. I want communities that have been overlooked to know that the tools of progress are within their reach. This scholarship would help me continue my work as both a builder and a bridge. I’m committed to a future where compassion drives innovation, and where service isn’t separate from STEM—but deeply rooted in it

Technology is often described as the future—but for me, it’s always been a way to change the present. I’m a second-year, first-generation Ghanaian-American student majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering. As a Black woman in tech, I walk into classrooms where I’m often the only person who looks like me. And I’ve learned that being “the only” comes with challenges far beyond academics—it means constantly being aware of how people perceive you, how your intelligence is questioned, and how easily you can feel out of place. But I also know that I’m not here by accident. I’m here on purpose, with purpose: to build tools that make access to learning and creative technology more equitable, intuitive, and empowering. That sense of purpose didn’t come easy. When I started college, I struggled. I earned a 2.69 GPA my first semester—not because I lacked the ability, but because I lacked the systems. I was adjusting to college life, trying to navigate a major known for being demanding, and figuring it all out on my own as a first-generation student. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. But I took the time to build better study habits, seek help, and reconnect with my “why.” I’ve always been driven by the belief that learning should be accessible to everyone. That belief pushed me to raise my GPA to a 3.6 the following semester and continues to guide everything I do—inside and outside the classroom. My journey into tech began in high school. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I realized how many students wanted to learn video editing but couldn’t afford the tutorials, which were often locked behind paywalls. So, I taught myself Adobe After Effects and launched a free tutoring service. I created an eight-week curriculum, hosted Instagram Live sessions, and mentored over 50 students. That experience opened my eyes to the power of democratizing knowledge. Watching teens grow in skill and confidence confirmed something I’ve always believed: when you remove barriers, people rise. That mindset carried into my first research project, where I worked with the University of Cincinnati on video summarization. My focus was on improving scene-change detection using color histograms—helping video editors streamline their workflows. I noticed the existing system flagged false positives every 150 frames, so I developed an adaptive threshold approach inspired by image processing techniques. Though I didn’t get to test the final model due to the start of college, I proposed a solution that predicted a 25% accuracy improvement. That project deepened my interest in data science, especially when paired with real-world impact. Now in college, I channel that drive into mentorship and leadership. As Communications Chair for ColorStack at Ohio State, I support Black and Latinx computing students by designing workshops and resources that help them stand out. I transitioned our design tools to Adobe Creative Cloud and mentored first-years on portfolios and résumés—two of whom landed internships as a result. I’m also a Career Prep Fellow with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, where I lead mock interviews and share resources with fellow underrepresented students in tech. My career goal is to become a software engineer focused on educational and creative technology. I want to design tools that meet learners where they are—tools that are easy to use, free of unnecessary complexity, and built with empathy for users who have never been “tech people.” My vision is a future where no one’s potential is limited by access, income, or the assumptions made about them based on how they look. This scholarship would allow me to focus more on that future and less on how to afford it. Financial relief means more time for research, mentorship, and coursework—less time stressing over tuition deadlines or working multiple side jobs. More than that, it’s a validation: that stories like mine matter, and that students like me belong in the spaces we’re working to change. Diversity and inclusion in tech aren’t optional—they’re essential. Innovation thrives when we bring different perspectives to the table. But when Black women make up less than 2% of the tech workforce, we’re not just missing voices—we’re missing solutions. I’m committed to being one of those voices and to amplifying others along the way. I’m not just building a career—I’m building access. And with your support, I’ll keep opening doors for those who come next.