I am currently a junior at The College of New Jersey. I have successfully held above-average grades while balancing my participation in the TCNJ athletic program and dedication to my community service efforts. With my love of math, teamwork and strong belief in law and order, with a career goal of becoming a forensic accountant. After researching, I learned of opportunities including the NJ Office of Criminal Investigation, the NJ State Police Financial Crimes Unit, or even the FBI. I joined the school Accounting club and Criminology club to learn about business and law enforcement topics. Solving financial puzzles and working with law enforcement is intriguing. Participation in sports has allowed me to be tough, but still play with integrity, self-discipline and composure, all attributes that would help me as an officer or special agent. I set the bar high for myself but try to set realistic expectations. My intuition leans towards academics, as well as my commitment and development through athletics and community service. I try to take advantage of opportunities to give back to the community while incorporating my love of hockey. I am most proud of my consistent community service; since the seventh grade, I have volunteered with a local organization that helps children with disabilities play hockey. To improve my skills, I aid the local youth hockey league. Coaching helped me become more comfortable with public speaking, improve my ability to stay composed, gain a sense of gratitude, and learn the value of patience. This season I also helped out at clinics and evaluated players at tryouts. It was interesting to learn what the coaches want to see on the ice. Hockey is a fast-moving game and momentum can shift quickly, to excel you need to pay attention and be a team player. I also watched the player's off-ice skills to see if they had a positive attitude, and strong work ethic and were coachable players. Humility is also an important aspect of hockey. An assist is just as important as a goal, every score is a team effort. As a player I always appreciated when a coach complimented me, saying I was very coachable. By reversing roles, it gave me a new appreciation for coachable players who play with integrity but have the self-discipline and composure to be in control of their emotions, as well as being respectful to teammates, opponents, coaches, and officials. It makes coaching more enjoyable. I learned success through teamwork and my goal is to share the power of sports as an initiative to build resilience and gain a sense of belonging and life skills. I strive to motivate others to integrate their personal passion with service and the importance of education. This scholarship would allow me to continue my service to the community, participate in athletics, and focus on a stable academic career. We are a middle-class family and do not qualify for Pell grants or other financial aid. I have applied to multiple scholarships to help reduce my dependence on student loans and help lessen the financial burden on my family. Unfortunately, my father was hurt at work so my family knows first-hand how life’s direction can change in an instant. In hockey when you are down, you focus on one shift at a time, and life is the same. Thank you for your consideration.