DK sounds like he was a very bright and joyful person. I grew up in Sacramento and had been to Davis a few times in my life for volleyball tournaments. It would've been nice to meet him, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm Jackson and I'm in my 8th season of volleyball not including 3 years of club and I don't regret a single minute of my dedication to this sport. There have been many ups and downs with competition through the years, but I've never once faltered or thought that something was impossible. Sports have been a huge part of my life, and my passion for sportscasting has derived from my pursuit of excellence, my family, my teammates and coaches, and my desire to be a leader on the court. I want to bring the energy, emotion, and raw moments of competition to audiences everywhere—whether it’s through live broadcasts, behind-the-scenes content, or cinematic storytelling that immerses fans in the game. My favorite project was a short documentary film called Pursuing Excellence (linked below), which featured my team captain of 2 years at my first institution. He inspires me so much and I created this documentary to show what an amazing person he is, what motivates him, and what struggles he's gone through, all to teach a universal lesson of making the most of your opportunities. What I am most passionate about in this field is the ability to make people feel the game, even if they’re miles away from the action. Whether it’s a perfectly timed highlight reel or a player feature, I love capturing the details that make sports more than just a game. The teamwork, the struggles, the victories—those are the moments that define athletes and inspire fans. I want to be the one behind the lens, crafting the stories that bring those moments to life. This passion has driven me to study communications and media with a concentration in digital media to refine my camera work and learn from some of the best in the industry. I've regularly been working with WNZR.TV in Mount Vernon, OH as a sportscasting camera operator and announcer during volleyball, basketball, soccer, and even lacrosse matches, in addition to working at WNZR 90.9FM as an On-Air DJ. My goal is to create content that not only excites but connects people to the heart of sports. This scholarship would be monumental in its impact on my family and me. My mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few years ago and with that comes medical expenses, lower household income, and overall financial stress. With this scholarship, I can continue developing my skills and working toward a career where I can share my love for the game with the world. Thanks for reading and your consideration. https://jacksonbushmedia.wixsite.com/portfolio

The USA Men's Volleyball team has one standout athlete that I love to cheer for, and that's Micah Christenson. I've been watching him since he competed in the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World League, and I love watching him play, uplift his teammates, and be a true leader on the court. As a setter, Micah embodies everything I admire in an athlete. His ability to read the game, make split-second decisions, and deliver precise sets makes him one of the best in the world. But beyond his technical skills, what truly sets him apart is his composure, leadership, spirituality. No matter how intense the match, he stays focused, encourages his teammates, and brings a calming presence that allows Team USA to thrive under pressure, which was displayed when they most recently got the Bronze Medal in Paris at the 2024 Olympics. As a collegiate volleyball player myself, I look up to Micah not just for his skill but for his mindset. His dedication to the sport, his ability to lead by example, and his strong faith inspires me to be a better teammate and competitor. Watching him has taught me that being a great player isn’t just about individual talent—it’s about how you elevate those around you. Micah Christenson isn’t just an incredible athlete; he’s a role model for young players like me. His leadership, work ethic, and love for the game make him my favorite athlete to cheer for on Team USA, and I hope to embody those same qualities in my volleyball journey.

Storytelling has the power to inspire, and I want to be behind the camera creating those stories. My passion for directing comes from my love for making audiences connect with characters and feel the emotions I intend to convey. My favorite project involved someone I admire and look up to, my team captain during my first two years of college volleyball. I made a short documentary film about him, his journey, and what motivates him to be the person he is called Pursuing Excellence. The documentary resonated with me and helped me build a deeper bond with those involved in the project, like my Coach, my captain, and other teammates who allowed me to interview them. Looking ahead, I see myself behind the camera in sportscasting, cinematography, or even larger roles in filmmaking like directing or screenwriting. My family and I have always been huge about sports, but I also love the idea of storytelling and making films that emotionally capture my audience. This scholarship would help tremendously for my college journey and future career because my mom has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and is on permanent disability, reducing my family's income and leaving her at home most of the time. It would mean not struggling with paying medical expenses every month, not worrying about making tuition payments on-time, and less stress on my family and me. Thank you for your time and consideration. I am excited to continue growing as a filmmaker and storyteller.

Faith & family are the forefront of everything I do and I'm working towards which includes directing films or being a cinematographer in the very near future. My parents are high school sweethearts together for over 30 years now and my sister and I have really been blessed by our upbringing and relationships. My mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago and is very strong but finances have become much more of struggle due to her significant medical bills which have drained any savings they had. I would say that I got my entrepreneurial side from her. Prior to her diagnosis, she was a real estate broker and ran her own property management company so it's been a difficult adjustment for her and my family overall. I was diagnosed with ADHD very early in my life and it wasn't until I found movies, cars and volleyball, that I really started to focus and thrive despite it. My dad and I are your typical All-American horsepower seeking guys and love to watch all things automotive... we even had a jeep project at one point in my younger years. This forged a deeper connection with my dad and now we go to car shows and cars & coffee events as often as we can. Volleyball has been a major part of my life in recent years and I'm now entering my junior year of college with a major in Communication and Digital Media. While growing up, movies have always been a huge part of bonding for my family, especially when it comes to anything in the Star Wars and Marvel / DC comic book genres. Some might say that we're a bit overboard with all of our movie quotes and impersonations but we're quite entertaining. We always look forward to new movie releases that we can watch together and often watch our favorite films together on repeat. This love of film has inspired me to pursue the ultimate dream of video production and directing films. Over the last couple of years, I dove head first into learning all facets of film making and creating my own content. I've been able to put this knowledge into action with making a documentary, commercial and other small projects. I'm inspired by films directed by Christopher Nolan like Interstellar and Inception, films that are thought provoking and intriguing. I'm very fortunate to have had an encouraging foundation at home knowing that I was free to explore many options for my future and make some mistakes in the interim. I'm waiting for the day where I can venture out and make movies of my own to create the same kind of memories that my family has given to me

My sympathies to Brandon's family... it would seem that he and I had an awful lot in common with an entrepreneurial spirit and love of videography and cars. My original major was computer science but it didn't take me long to discover that my true calling was in the land of film and videography. Faith & family are the forefront of everything I do and I'm working towards which includes directing films or being a cinematographer in the very near future. My parents are high school sweethearts together for over 30 years now and my sister and I have really been blessed by our upbringing and relationships. My mom was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago and is very strong but finances have become much more of struggle due to her significant medical bills which have drained any savings they had. I would say that I got my entrepreneurial side from her. Prior to her diagnosis, she was a real estate broker and ran her own property management company so it's been a difficult adjustment for her and my family overall. I was diagnosed with ADHD very early in my life and it wasn't until I found movies, cars and volleyball, that I really started to focus and thrive despite it. My dad and I are your typical All-American horsepower seeking guys and love to watch all things automotive... we even had a jeep project at one point in my younger years. This forged a deeper connection with my dad and now we go to car shows and cars & coffee events as often as we can. Volleyball has been a major part of my life in recent years and I'm now entering my junior year of college with a major in Communication and Digital Media. While growing up, movies have always been a huge part of bonding for my family, especially when it comes to anything in the Star Wars and Marvel / DC comic book genres. Some might say that we're a bit overboard with all of our movie quotes and impersonations but we're quite entertaining. We always look forward to new movie releases that we can watch together and often watch our favorite films together on repeat. This love of film has inspired me to pursue the ultimate dream of video production and directing films. Over the last couple of years, I dove head first into learning all facets of film making and creating my own content. I've been able to put this knowledge into action with making a documentary, commercial and other small projects. I'm inspired by films directed by Christopher Nolan like Interstellar and Inception, films that are thought provoking and intriguing. After graduation, I'm blessed to have an opportunity already in place to intern with my mentor who is a producer and director who has inspired me to be a part of the industry. I'm very fortunate to have had an encouraging foundation at home knowing that I was free to explore many options for my future and make some mistakes in the interim. I'm waiting for the day where I can venture out and make movies of my own to create the same kind of memories that my family has given to me.