I hope to become a good example of success in the field of chemical engineering to mentor other young people who may be interested in this area. My dreams are tied to what I envision as my legacy. I ask myself, “What impact do I want to have in this world?” I know many share this desire, but I want to make a difference positively.

During my 4 years of high school, I’ve excelled in my math & science classes so for that reason I’ve chosen to major in chemical engineering. While I can’t say that I have a specific job title in my head yet, deciding on my area of study has me now thinking a lot about my hopes & dreams for my future in addition to some of the challenges that I may face as I plan to pursue a career in the field of science. I think that one of the first challenges that I may face is the course work itself which I know will primarily consist of chemistry, biology, physics & math classes. I know that I will have to create & adhere to a schedule that allows me to prioritize my studies while at the same time also allows for me to participate in extracurricular activities or choose class electives that will make for a more well-rounded college experience. I consider myself to be an independent & self-sufficient person & I while I think these are good qualities a challenge that I see for myself is that I must be willing to acknowledge if I need help & seek out resources at my university that will provide me with assistance that will help me to be successful. In addition, my research has shown me that the field of science can be very competitive so with this in mind I know that I must consistently work hard to excel in all my classes in order to have the best opportunities as it pertains to scholarships, grants, externships as well as applying for master’s level programs. As an African American man, I became aware of the disparities in my community at an early age. It is my hope that by furthering my education in the field of science I can put myself in a position to work towards viable solutions that will address specific problems such as the pollution & lack of organic food options that often plague a lot of inner-city neighborhoods. In the future, I also hope to become a good example of success in the field of chemical engineering with the goal of mentoring another young person who may be interested in this area of study as well. My dreams are tied to what I envision as my legacy. The question that I ask myself is “What impact do I want to have in this world?” I know this desire is shared by many, but I want to make a difference in a positive way. My dream is to look at what we now see as a problematic issue, whether it affects our environment, a certain population or our economy & know that I played a part in improving or eradicating the problem altogether.

As an African American man, I became aware of the disparities in my community at an early age, and having a financial education and generational wealth will be the most powerful weapon that a young black man can use to change the world. I hope that by furthering my education in the field of science I can put myself in a position to work towards viable solutions that will address specific problems such as the pollution & lack of organic food options that often plague many inner-city neighborhoods. In the future, I also hope to become a good example of success in the field of chemical engineering to mentor other young people who may be interested in this area of study as well. My dreams are tied to what I envision as my legacy. The question that I ask myself is “What impact do I want to have in this world?” I know many share this desire, but I want to make a difference positively. My dream is to look at what we now see as a problematic issue, whether it affects our environment, a certain population, or our economy and know that, I played a part in improving or eradicating the problem. And by having generational wealth, I will be able to pas down any kind of assets from one family generation to another. These assets would include stocks, bonds, real estate, any family businesses, or other investments.

Winston Churchill: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” And while I never define my obstacles as failures, I mark my success by preserving through adversity & in doing so it has taught me a lifelong lesson about accountability and integrity. I was recently faced with an adverse situation that could hurt my future. I was suspended from school for five days and faced expulsion for doing what I thought was a harmless act of kindness. I opened a door for someone who I assumed was a student that was running late. I was later informed that this individual was not a student at my school and by letting him into the building I had caused a serious breach of security and safety. During the proceedings, I realize that I needed to take accountability for the choice that I made as truly understood & acknowledged during my testimony the severity of my actions as it pertained to the safety of everyone who was in the building that day. I feel that overcoming adversity is an opportunity to transform because it isn’t just what happens to us that makes a difference in our lives but how we choose to respond to what happens to us. I have learned that we get two opportunities every day: chance and a choice. I must take advantage of every chance to grow and improve. I must always do my best to make the right choices and learn from my mistakes if I make the wrong choice Life is about making choices. Always do your best to make the right ones, and always do your best to learn from the wrong ones. I believe and understand that it is not the mistakes you make but the lessons you learn from them