Attending school during the day, working at night and seeing my family less often than we all would have liked wasn’t an ideal lifestyle for our young family. However, it was the path we took to ensure the life my wife and I envisioned for our children would come to fruition. Having a 4-year-old at the time and another on the way kept me focused and provided the drive I needed to keep going when my eyelids were heavy and completing coursework was the last thing on my mind. Now, with three beautiful children and their accompanying appetites, I can see the fruits of my labor were well-worth the investment. Undeniably, one of the most-enjoyed benefits of higher education is increased income. Achieving my higher education has granted me the opportunity to share enriching experiences with my children such as travel. I strongly feel these opportunities expose them to wide swaths of cultural differences increasing their ability to understand and embrace those differences, bolstering their interpersonal skills and in turn enhancing their empathy for others as they mature. However, being fully immersed in parenthood showed me that the privilege entails more than just providing a loving home, and fun times. Having children looking up to me brought me to the realization that it I now bear the immense responsibility to ensure they grow up to be contributing members of society. It became abundantly clear that in order to achieve this I must posture them to begin their adult lives in a position of financial independence, capable of continuing the cycle of financial responsibility and generosity I strive to embody. I know my children will play a role in guiding the future of this world when they reach adulthood and I plan to invest in that future and theirs by funding their college endeavors. Not everyone takes advantage of the opportunity to pursue higher education. I made a pledge many years ago to capitalize on any such opportunities that came my way. They may not realize it now, but as my children mature, they will make the connection between higher education, wise financial decisions and the comfortable childhood they enjoyed. My journey to achieve higher education is an investment that will bear fruit for generations to come, and I can think of no better way than that to use it.

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed taking things apart to see how they work. I have always had an affinity for math and been a very analytical thinker. Before I even knew what the word was, I was an “Engineer”. I used my organic passion for math and science to purse a degree in Electrical Engineering and have every intention to continue to use my skills in the advancement of humanity as we find new and improved ways to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems. I am passionate about STEM because the research and development that takes place in these fields of study serve as the backbone for all others. The advanced technologies we enjoy today, our understanding of the universe we live in, the marvelous structures in which we dwell, and the precision and safety with which we accomplish it all would not be possible without individuals dedicated to studies in the STEM arena. Although we cannot deny that some of that research has yielded deadly and painful consequences, the overall climate these advancements have created is one of positivity and the feeling that we can overcome just about any problems we are faced with in our technological age. There is no shortage of problems to be solved around the world: energy needs, finding a cure for countless medical ailments, faltering ecosystems and limited space for a growing world population. These are just a few major issues facing society today but one thing they all have in common is that they can be tackled using science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The path to our success is through the development of solutions using those tools. Our current technological state is no doubt far superior to what it was just 100 years ago. However, no one knows what challenges lie just around the figurative corner and what is sufficient to get us through today may not be sufficient to get us through tomorrow. It is paramount that we continue to look beyond the borders of what we know and understand today. Our efforts should not be focused on hoarding resources to sustain our individual selves, but on using those same resources to develop new and innovative strategies to overcome the obstacles that have the potential to halt our growth as a global society. It would be a shame to have come this far technologically and not continue the research and development endeavors that have brought us to our current state. We simply cannot continue to make progress if we do not recognize the importance of and dedicate the required resources to studies in these key areas. Groups and individuals in STEM-related career fields have allowed us to travel, learn new things and share ideas faster than ever possible. We are also living longer, healthier and less labor-intensive lives. If we don’t continue to dedicate ourselves to exploring the possibilities of what STEM-related research can yield, we are risking not only our own futures but the futures of our children and their children after them. I am passionate about STEM not only because it stimulates me intellectually, and provides cool gadgets and toys to play with, I am passionate about STEM because it is at the heart of ensuring we preserve this world and ourselves for generations to come.