As a woman, education means independence. I was raised in a single-parent household. My mother came from France, where patriarchy is still very much dominant. Her mother and grandmother were forced to quit their education when they got married. They lived a life of frustration because they were never allowed to explore their passions. They were dependent on their husbands' income, which also meant they were at their mercy financially and emotionally. My maternal grandmother had to endure domestic violence and was never able to free herself from my grandfather's tyranny and control. My mother always described her mom as being a bright woman who had immense potential. She however gave up her education to live in the shadow of her husband. My grandfather was a physician and a brilliant man. He would have never considered giving up his education for the sake of marriage but did not have any issues with demanding that from my grandmother. My mother also found herself in an abusive relationship in her first marriage. She had just moved to the United States at the age of 25. Her limited understanding of the language and her status of an immigrant to the country made it more difficult for her to leave her abuser. She never gave up and immersed herself in her education. Ultimately, my mother obtained a juris doctorate and became a prosecutor. She was able to move forward thanks to her education. My mother always taught me and my sister how important education was especially for women to be able to achieve independence. She has inculcated in me the desire to excel academically, to overachieve and to exceed even my expectations. She is my role model and my desire to achieve higher education is also to honor the women in my family who could not do so. Education is a privilege that I want to take full advantage of. My life goals are to be able to pursue my passions and have the freedom to make choices for myself. I am passionate about herpetology. As an undergraduate student, I want to major in biology or animal science. My goal is to get a PhD in wildlife biology. I would love to study and do research on reptiles and amphibians. I want to study animals in their natural habitat to understand their behaviors, their habits, and their reproduction cycles and ultimately educate future generations. My main interest is to help in the conservation and preservation of animals through education. When people understand why animals are an important part of the ecosystem then they are more willing to respect the environment and be part of the effort to preserve our planet. Being able to get an education will allow me to achieve those goals. Education will allow me to mentor others and give back to my community.