My dream life would include working for an intelligence agency, or an organization like Interpol or the United Nations. I would be a policy analyst or researcher where I would research social and public policy. My specific individual research that I develop on my own would be regarding human trafficking policy. I would look at current or proposed human trafficking policy and I would see what works and what needs to be changed. Additionally, I would be living abroad somewhere out of the United States because I want to experience another culture first hand and be able to see more of the world. I am leaning more towards somewhere in Europe, possibly Spain, because I am learning to speak Spanish. I am also leaning towards Europe because it is easy to travel between countries and travel to new places. In addition to working as a policy analyst, in my free time I would volunteer with a anti-human trafficking organization or a women's rights organization. Also in my free time, I would take dance classes and boxing classes. I have danced my whole life and I would like to continue doing so; I would like the opportunity to learn new styles like ballroom as well. I really enjoy boxing and cardio kick-boxing as well so I would like to find a gym where I could be properly trained on how to box. My dream life involves helping people while exploring and seeing what the world has to offer. I want to make the most of my experiences and what I have access to, while also realizing that I have the privilege and ability to help others.

I have a passion for cultural immersion because there is so much more in this world for me to experience and learn from. There are many beautiful cultures and practices that I have not been exposed to and I would like to learn from other cultures to have a better understanding of the world around me. I want to study abroad next summer in Spain because I have a Spanish minor. I plan on going to Santander or Valencia, and both spaces have so many beautiful museums, cathedrals, and beaches. I really want to go to Spain because it is a beautiful place with a culture that I am not familiar with. Also, I want to immerse myself in the language because I have been learning Spanish for seven years and I would like to test out my abilities. In addition to the language, I would also have the chance to stay with a family so I would get to experience the culture first hand. I would not just wake up in my apartment and go out to learn; I would wake up and experience what life is like in Spain. I have wanted to go to Spain to study abroad since high school so I am really hopeful that I will be able to do this next year and this scholarship will really help me to achieve this goal. I believe that a study abroad in Spain would help me grow as a person because I would improve my Spanish speaking abilities which would allow me to speak to more people across the globe. Additionally, I would learn how to live in a foreign country and learn the customs of Spain. I have only lived in the United States and I am aware of how different that experience is from the rest of the world. Also, living and growing up in the U.S. tends to create a very American perspective of the world and I would like to undo some of the biases that I have because of where I grew up and the media I was exposed to. I think living or studying abroad is a great way to gain a better understanding of the world and how other people live. Everyone gets very used to their bubble that they are in and I would like to expand mine. Spain would be a good first step for me to become more immersed in the rest of the world.

I need this scholarship so that I can continue to pursue higher education with a little less stress and more security. A $512 scholarship would be very helpful in covering a portion of my loans or tuition. It has been a constant struggle and anxiety of worrying about the future and how I am going to be able to pay off all of my student loans. This scholarship would help so much because it would relieve a little bit of stress and pressure that I have been under, but also my father's stress as well. I am grateful to have parents who want to help me so much and they have tried to help pay for as much as they can to help me have the education that they were unable to. The issue is that my father takes on this burden and puts it on himself to solve all of the money problems and I can see the way this has been weighing on him. I hope that by applying for scholarships I will be able to hopefully help in covering some costs and relieving some of the stress that he is under. Thank you for this opportunity and the scholarship that you are providing to help those that need it.

I continue to pursue higher education because I am passionate about learning and I think that a degree will help me achieve the goals that I have for the future. I want to help with international issues abroad either through non-profit work or policy work and the degree I am pursuing in Social Relations and Policy will help me to achieve this. I plan on attending graduate school as well to help me achieve this career path. High education is a really important step in order to get an established spot in the work force and makes a difference when applying to jobs. I am grateful that I have been able to work on a higher education so far and I will work hard to finish my degree. Extracurriculars I am currently in are dance club, my sorority, and a workout group. I am in the dance club at my university and I am the level 1 coordinator. I run practices for the level and choreograph all the dances for the level as well. I am on the eboard and have meetings with them to help run the club. My sorority is a professional service sorority and I am on the philanthropy committee. Our committee works on choosing an organization to fundraise and learn about for the semester. This year we fundraised for the Black Women's Health Imperative and we educated ourselves about their work and also the systematic oppression that black women face in the health system. The final extracurricular I am in is the workout club I am a part of. We meet twice a week, once as a whole and once as a small group to work out and that has been a good way to meet new people and focus on self-care. What I am currently most passionate about is the work I am doing at my internship. I am interning at a non-profit that helps survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and elder abuse. I am an advocacy and outreach intern. For advocacy, I work with the advocates on researching and providing resources for their clients and I attend client meetings. For outreach, I work on maintaining a good social media presence and community relationship. I reach out to organizations where they might have clients that we could help with and I reach out for spotlights/articles that we might write about organizations that could help our clients. Also, I write and make social media posts, articles, and infographics that can be posted on the social media pages or website. I am really enjoying the work I am doing and think that it is making a difference in the community.

I am giving back to my community through volunteering and interning with an organization that helps survivors of domestic and sexual violence. There are many members of the community that come to the organization for help regarding resources, legal matters, and counseling. I help with advocacy and community outreach. When I work in advocacy, I help the advocates provide resources to clients and attend meetings that they have with clients. When I work in community outreach, I work on making connections with members of the community and different organizations. I think that the work I have done so far has helped clients find resources that they can use to better their lives and current condition. Also, I hope that the outreach work that I have done has lead to more people being aware of the organization and the work that we do. In addition to the volunteer work I do at my internship, I also organize and fundraise through my sorority because I am on the philanthropy committee and also because we are a professional service sorority, not a social sorority. The committee and I work to choose an organization that we want to support and fundraise for. Then we hold events to try and support the organization, but also to educate ourselves on what the organization does and what we can learn from it. This past year we worked with an organization that helped provide black women health resources and necessities. In the future, I hope to continue doing the work that I am doing to help more survivors in the community. On top of that, I would like to work on starting to help with campaigns or elections or certain bills that are being voted on in the community, state, or country. I have always been interested in working with candidates that I think will better my community and legislation that will help as well. I am a college student and I am still a newer member of the community so I am trying my best to get involved and have a better understanding of what my community needs and how I can help. I am also a member of the community of my university so I am trying to be more involved there by the groups that I am in. I am in my sorority, dance club, and a workout group. I hope that I can add a few more in the next year so that I can reach more people and be aware of more concerns in my university and city.

A role model I have in my life is my grandfather. My grandfather is a volunteer firefighter and he also owns his own small business, a shoe store. I look up to my grandfather because of his work ethic, how he is with people and his playfulness. He works very hard with his business and also with his fire department, but he still manages to spend time with my grandmother and my family. I have tried to apply working hard into my own life whether that be in school or in my sport when I danced. I try to keep pushing and setting new goals like he does because he always tries to out do himself. For example, he is currently trying to find a second location for his business and trying to hire people so he can manage two locations. I have always had a good work ethic, but I do not always have the best focus. My grandfather's example of goal setting has helped me to stay focused on what I truly want and to set new goals for myself. Another thing that I admire in my grandfather is his way with people. He talks and connects with new people so easily and can have a conversation with anyone. He always fits in and keeps the energy light and positive in a room. I have always struggled with meeting new people and making connections quickly so I really admire anyone who excels in this area. I try to put myself out there more because I see my grandfather do it and he has made so many good friends and business connections this way. The last major thing I look up to in my grandfather is his playfulness and his positive energy. He still has a childish way about him at some points and I really admire how excited he gets over things, like outdoor activities and trips. He is my only grandparent who is willing to run around outside or swim in the lake or go on a rollercoaster with me and my sister. Being around him reminds me to enjoy the little things because I am an old soul and an overthinker. Often it is hard for me to ground myself and be in the moment so being around someone like my grandfather is really helpful in keeping me present and enjoying myself. I want to apply all of these qualities to myself so that I can better myself and those around me. I want to create a positive and uplifting space where the people around me and myself can grow. I think having a good work ethic, strong people skills, and keeping a playfulness is really important to accomplish goals while still being yourself and giving yourself time to laugh and play. My career aspirations involve international non-profit work so I think all of these qualities apply very well to what I want to accomplish. I am going to continue to think about my grandfather and how I can make him proud by applying these qualities into my life.

A time that someone was kind to me was when a girl drove me home late at night. One time after leaving a workout, I was walking back to my dorm with my friend when I realized that I did not have my keys with me. I ran back to where the workout was at and started looking everywhere, but could not find my keys. I was on the verge of a breakdown, but I called my roommate and luckily my keys were still in the apartment. The problem was that I ran all the way to the workout place when I had already walked half the way to my dorm. At the workout place, some of the girls who were in charge of the workout group were still there and they asked if I needed any help. I did not know them that well, but I saw them weekly at the workouts. I told them what happened and they asked where my dorm was. Then, one of the girls offered me a ride back so that I did not have to walk by myself in the dark. She drove me back and we had a good conversation where we introduced ourselves and talked about our studies. That time stands out to me because even though I made a mistake of forgetting where I left my things, the girl still decided to help me and drive me home. She took the time out of her day to help me when she barely even knew me and I really appreciated that. On top of that, she was genuinely interested in getting to know me and asked questions about what I was studying and where I was from. If she would not have driven me back, I would have had to walk back in the dark for about ten minutes and it was also pretty cold at that point. That would have been a rough walk back where I was cold and frightened the whole time so I really appreciate the fact that I was able to drive back in a warm car. The kindness of practically a stranger always surprises me because she did not know me aside from the fact that I was in her workout group and to me that shows how kind of a person she is. I am really grateful that she was kind enough to do that for me and I hope that I can return that act of kindness towards someone else at some point.

The role of education in my life is that it means opportunity and growth. Education can open so many doors in the future for me, whether it is jobs, internships, or connections. I also have the opportunity to take classes and learn about things that are important to me, like women's studies and public policy. I can also learn about things that I do not know much about, like last year I had an anthropology class that was really interesting. By achieving a degree some day, I will be able to get a job that will provide for me and hopefully something that makes me happy. I hope to make a difference in the world and help others, and I will be closer to being able to do so when I get my degree. Besides education providing opportunity, it also provides a chance for me to grow. I grow stronger mentally by the academic challenges that I face. I grow as a person by learning more about the world and seeing and learning different perspectives that I would otherwise never hear. Education, especially higher education, exposes you to new things. I have grown as a person because of the fellow students in my classes who have very different experiences from me. I have also grown by having professors from a variety of backgrounds who are able to offer me different insights about the world and the people around me. Education is so important to me because I want to better myself and I have been able to do that and will continue to do that with the opportunities and growth that it provides me.