Some kids know what they want to be when they grow up and pursue those goals into adulthood. Other kids have an idea, but that changes as they grow older. I fall into the latter of the two, having changed my career goals as late as my freshman year of college. When I started my first semester at UNT, I was a computer science major wanting to learn how to code and be a programmer. During that semester I realized that computer science was not for me, so I changed my major to business computer information systems. While I still learned some programming, I was also studying more business topics. This has been a positive change in my goals, as since then, I feel that I have more opportunities for my future career. I could hold an administrative support job, study network analysis, or become a data analyst. What piqued my interest in data analysis was my internship with the SUPER Girls SHINE Foundation, a local, non-profit organization dedicated to helping underprivileged girls. While working in a team of other students around my age, I was tasked with researching data about how COVID-19 impacted Black and Latino communities in the Houston area. This internship gave me the opportunity to work with a mentor who has experience in data analysis and contribute to the team research paper. It was that opportunity that inspired me to do a remote Summer Research Team internship for the U. S. Department of Homeland Security. My research in Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis (CINA) has taught me how important it is to look at any topic from multiple perspectives. To further my skills in research and analysis, I recently attended a summer workshop for future leaders of the Minority Serving Institution community held at George Mason University, where I learned how more about the tools and technologies that can keep our homeland and the world safe. The topic of cybersecurity is of particular importance to me because members of my own family have been victims of identity theft, so I know personally how disruptive and costly it can be. My poor grandmother has fallen victim not once, but twice, to online scams. After I graduate it is my hope to use my technical skills to protect the elderly community and other groups who are at risk.

Only a few hours on campus and I was pretty overwhelmed! So many new faces and so many choices to make (Which organization should I join? Where should I eat? How do I find my classes?). Then I found someone with a friendly face and tons of school spirit, our UNT mascot. After I got a hug from Scrappy, I felt right at home at UNT.

Romance, intrigue, humor… Lore Olympus has it all! While it is one of the most popular webtoons on the WEBTOON app, I didn’t start reading it until around Episode 15. Lore Olympus (created by Rachel Smythe) is a modern retelling of the story of Persephone and Hades, along with fascinating side stories following other Greek gods and supporting characters. What I love most about the story is how relatable Persephone’s character is: moving to the big city, her need to feel like her work is meaningful, her gifted-child syndrome, and her new romance with her future husband, Hades. I always enjoy rooting for Persephone and seeing how she handles the issues as they come. Lore Olympus is always the highlight of my weekly webtoons (I read about 55!), and I look forward to reading a new chapter every week.

@jazzben118 My captions: 1. When I have to do work (sigh): 2. Me, during Zoom lectures (I still passed): 3. Me, when the class group chat asks the same questions that were already answered on the syllabus: (Do you have any idea how frustrating all of you are?) #zoom #zoomuniversity #virtuallearning #groupchat #onlineclasses #collegelife #studentlife

From an adorable, squeaky-voiced superhero, to a raspy, demon-like teen titan, to a friendly, slightly nerdy unicorn pony, my favorite artist has the power to transform her voice into the most incredible animation characters. When I was growing up, one of my favorite shows was My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. It holds a special place in my heart because of the friendship lessons and the adventures Twilight and her friends went on. I chose Tara Strong because she voices not only Twilight Sparkle, but Raven, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, and Timmy Turner and she is a beast in the animation field.

Rogue’s remix of “Protostar – Galaxy” is a song that I would describe as uplifting and inspiring. I first heard this song on the record label, Monstercat, YouTube channel. Every week the label releases four new songs. The most recent songs I thought were bad or boring, not something that I would consider downloading - until this song was released. I was surprised by how good the sound, melodies, and singing were. I knew I had to get up and dance around my room. My favorite parts of this song are the bridge and second drop. The lyrics inspire me the most. The music during the second drop has a kick that feels harder than the first drop. It makes me want to swing my arms around like I am flying. Something that I really appreciate about this remix is that the lyrics and singing were not part of the original version. Some of my favorite lyrics are: “I won't stop fighting. We'll take it higher till we're in the stars.” and “On and on, we're going up. Don't stop fighting, don't give up. Take it to the galaxy. Take another look at me, look at me. We're in the starlight now”. These lyrics have inspired me to think of all I was able to accomplish this year, even with the pandemic. I was able to earn all A’s (a 4.0 GPA!) during the spring semester when the University of North Texas had to move all classes online in the middle of the semester. I enrolled in two online summer classes and found a summer internship with a local, Black female-owned firm that allowed m to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I helped document the systematic challenges of COVID-19 and its impact on the Black and Hispanic communities. Our project allowed me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. I know that 2020 has been a very difficult year for many people and this next year could be just as hard. But there is hope because of the vaccines that have been developed. I will continue to listen to the Galaxies remix when I need a boost to get through the next semester and hope that I can see the end of this pandemic.

My cultural background is unique because my family owns a small tutoring business. For years, my sisters and I followed a weekly dinner schedule: chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, leftover pizza, McDonald’s. Usually, fast food equates to convenience, but for my family, it was a symbol of my parent’s fervent work ethic and love. My mom and dad sacrificed home-cooked meals to provide financial stability for my sisters and me. By watching my parents run a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are. While our dinners were consistent, the family business was erratic. Some months we had many students; some months we did not. I remember the days when our tutoring center first opened. The building was empty except for us. I was worried during this slow period. My dad, who proudly served in the US Navy for five years and used his GI Bill benefits to attend college himself, remained positive and continued to motivate us. Research shows that Black women are historically underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, but I am still inspired to pursue my goal and work in the tech industry. One of my mentors—an uncle with experience in the field of cybersecurity—helped me refocus during a tough first semester. He suggested that I change my major from Computer Science to Business Computer Information Systems. Filled with new determination, I earned a 4.0 GPA and earned two President’s List Awards in my following two semesters! Knowing how instrumental a mentor can be, I plan to mentor young women post-graduation to help prepare them for their own STEM careers. Although the pandemic forced me to continue my college studies at home, I refused to lose my momentum. This quarantine experience has only made me stronger and more adaptable. After my spring semester, I enrolled in two online courses for the summer at the University of North Texas: Business Statistics and Analysis of Business Information Systems. One benefit of taking summer courses was that I could focus on two classes instead of five. While I was taking my online courses, I found a summer internship with a local, Black female-owned firm that allowed me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I helped document the systematic challenges of COVID-19 and its impact on the Black and Hispanic communities. Our project allowed me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. Like many families, mine has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Our business has been improving the past twelve years, however, social distancing policies to slow the spread of the pandemic forced our learning center to shut down temporarily. The family cash flow dwindled to zero for the first two months of the pandemic. We have been fortunate to resume operating on a much smaller, virtual scale. Unfortunately, it appears COVID-19 may still have a drastic economic impact on us this upcoming school year, putting our ability to fund my college education in jeopardy. Winning the Undiscovered Brilliance Scholarship for African-Americans would be a huge blessing to me and a great source of financial relief for my family. While social distancing guidelines are currently enforced on campus and I am attending classes both online and in-person, I am determined to reach my goal of graduating on-time and attaining a career in the tech industry. I want to be a role model to the next generation of students so they know that obstacles like a pandemic cannot keep them from achieving their academic dreams.

My cultural background is unique because my family owns a small tutoring business. For years, my sisters and I followed a weekly dinner schedule: chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, leftover pizza, McDonald’s. Usually, fast food equates to convenience, but for my family, it was a symbol of my parent’s fervent work ethic and love. My mom and dad sacrificed home-cooked meals to provide financial stability for my sisters and me. By watching my parents run a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are. While our dinners were consistent, the family business was erratic. Some months we had many students; some months we did not. I remember the days when our tutoring center first opened. The building was empty except for us. I was worried during this slow period. My dad, who proudly served in the US Navy for five years and used his GI Bill benefits to attend college himself, remained positive and continued to motivate us. Research shows that Black women are historically underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, but I am still inspired to pursue my goal and work in the tech industry. One of my mentors—an uncle with experience in the field of cybersecurity—helped me refocus during a tough first semester. He suggested that I change my major from Computer Science to Business Computer Information Systems. Filled with new determination, I earned a 4.0 GPA and earned two President’s List Awards in my following two semesters! Knowing how instrumental a mentor can be, I plan to mentor young women post-graduation to help prepare them for their own STEM careers. Although the pandemic forced me to continue my college studies at home, I refused to lose my momentum. This quarantine experience has only made me stronger and more adaptable. After my spring semester, I enrolled in two online courses for the summer at the University of North Texas: Business Statistics and Analysis of Business Information Systems. One benefit of taking summer courses was that I could focus on two classes instead of five. While I was taking my online courses, I found a summer internship with a local, Black female-owned firm that allowed me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I helped document the systematic challenges of COVID-19 and its impact on the Black and Hispanic communities. Our project allowed me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. Like many families, mine has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Our business has been improving the past twelve years, however, social distancing policies to slow the spread of the pandemic forced our learning center to shut down temporarily. The family cash flow dwindled to zero for the first two months of the pandemic. We have been fortunate to resume operating on a much smaller, virtual scale. Unfortunately, it appears COVID-19 may still have a drastic economic impact on us this upcoming school year, putting our ability to fund my college education in jeopardy. Winning the Impact Scholarship for Black Students would be a huge blessing to me and a great source of financial relief for my family. While social distancing guidelines are currently enforced on campus and I am attending classes both online and in-person, I am determined to reach my goal of graduating on-time and attaining a career in the tech industry. I want to be a role model to the next generation of students so they know that obstacles like a pandemic cannot keep them from achieving their academic dreams.

Sometimes my dog, Ginger, likes to relax in a very interesting way. When I pass by the game room to go upstairs, I look over to see what Ginger is doing. She was easy to find as she was lying down in one of her two bean bag chairs. Except instead of curling up in a ball, Ginger was lying on back with her paws in the air. "What a weird dog," I thought and continued walking. Sometimes, I wish I could be as carefree as her.

My cultural background is unique because my family owns a small, veteran-owned, minority-owned tutoring business. For years, my sisters and I followed a weekly meal schedule: chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, leftover pizza, McDonald’s. I could tell the day of the week simply by my craving for pepperoni pizza or French fries. Generally, fast food equates to convenience, but in my family, it was a symbol of my parent’s fervent work ethic and love. My mom and dad sacrificed home-cooked meals to provide financial stability for my sisters and me. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of owning a small business, I became more than just a student. I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. While our dinners were consistent, the family business was not. Some months we had many students; some months we did not. I remember the days when our tutoring center first opened. The building was empty except for us. I was worried during this slow period; if we did not bring in any students, we might have to shut down. My dad, who proudly served in the US Navy for five years and used his GI Bill benefits to attend and graduate from college himself, remained positive and continued to motivate us. During this time, he taught me how to persevere during difficult situations. The pandemic has also given me the opportunity to develop new computer skills. After my spring semester finals were over, I immediately enrolled in two online courses for the summer: Business Statistics and Analysis of Business Information Systems. Not only did I take online classes, but after submitting over 50 job applications, I was finally able to find a summer internship with a local, female-owned small business that allowed me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I helped document the ¬systematic¬ challenge¬s of COVID-19 by analyz¬ing data o¬n the impa¬ct it has ¬on the Hispanic and Black comm¬unities. Our project allowed me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. Research shows that Blacks are historically underrepresented in STEM fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, yet I am inspired to continue to pursue my goal of becoming one of the few women of color working in the tech industry, maybe at a small business like the one owned by my family. Since social distancing guidelines are still being enforced this fall, some of my classes are taught online while a few are physically in a classroom. Either way, I am determined to excel in my classes and graduate on time. I want to be a role model to the next generation of students so they know that obstacles like a pandemic cannot keep them from achieving their academic dreams.

My cultural background is unique because my family owns a small tutoring business. For years, my sisters and I followed a weekly meal schedule: chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, pizza, leftover pizza, McDonald’s. I could tell the day of the week simply by my craving for pepperoni pizza or fries. Generally, fast food equates to convenience, but in my family, it was a symbol of my parent’s fervent work ethic and love. My mom and dad sacrificed home-cooked meals to provide financial stability for my sisters and me. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of owning a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. While our dinners were consistent, the family business was erratic. Some months we had many students; some months we did not. I remember the days when our tutoring center first opened. The building was empty except for us. I was worried during this slow period; if we did not bring in any business, we might have to shut down. My dad, who proudly served in the US Navy for five years and used his GI Bill benefits to attend college himself, remained positive and continued to motivate us. During this time, he taught me how to persevere during difficult situations. As with most families, we have been deeply impacted by the pandemic. Our business has been improving the past twelve years, however, social distancing policies put into place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus forced our learning center to shut down temporarily. As a result, the family cash flow dwindled to zero for the first two months of the pandemic. While we have been fortunate to be able to resume operating virtually, it is on a much smaller scale. Unfortunately, it appears that the coronavirus may still have a drastic economic impact on us this upcoming school year, putting our ability to fund my college education in jeopardy. While the pandemic forced me to abandon campus mid-semester to continue my studies at home, I refused to let this steal my momentum. This quarantine experience has only made me stronger and more adaptable. After my spring semester finals were over, I immediately enrolled in two online courses for the summer at the University of North Texas: Business Statistics and Analysis of Business Information Systems. One of the pros of taking summer courses was that I could focus on only two classes instead of potentially five. The Business Statistics course was a continuation of a previous course that had given me trouble. So, I thought it would be better to take Business Statistics online so that I would have more time to focus. During the winter break (before the coronavirus outbreak hit the United States), I had applied to almost 50 summer internship positions through multiple sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and UNT Handshake. However, when COVID-19 forced businesses to shut down, many companies were no longer hiring or supporting internships. With each rejection email, I grew more determined not to give up. I finally found a summer internship with a local, Black female-owned firm that allowed me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I helped document the ¬systematic¬ challenge¬s of COVID-19 and its impa¬ct ¬on the Black and Hispanic comm¬unities. Our project allowed me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. Research shows that Blacks are historically underrepresented in STEM fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, yet I am inspired to continue to pursue my goal of becoming one of the few women of color working in the tech industry. My internship has a mentorship program that I would like to join. One of my own mentors, an uncle who has experience working in cybersecurity, helped me refocus during a tough freshman year. When I first enrolled at UNT, my major was Computer Science. I chose this path because my passion is technology and I excelled in my math and robotics classes in high school. However, after taking a class to learn the programming language C++, I realized that this part of computer science was not for me. It was too technical! My uncle, a former Navy veteran who earned his Electrical Engineering degree, suggested that I change my major to Business Computer Information Systems. The switch was transforming; in the next two semesters, I earned a 4.0 GPA and won the President’s List Award! Knowing personally how instrumental a mentor can be, I plan to mentor other young women after I graduate to help prepare them for success in their STEM careers. Although the pandemic has dramatically impacted not only my life but the entire world in a negative way, I try to focus on the positives and the things I can control. Winning this scholarship would be a huge blessing if awarded to me and a great source of financial relief for my family. While social distancing guidelines are currently enforced on campus and I am attending classes both online and in-person, I am determined to reach my goal of graduating on-time and attaining a career in the tech industry. I want to be a role model to the next generation of students so they know that obstacles like a pandemic cannot keep them from achieving their academic dreams.

“Take one giant step off the edge. You’ll be fine!” It was one of the most terrifying steps of my life. As I plunged into the warm Caribbean waters, I prayed that I would remember the SCUBA training I had completed just hours before. The boldest thing I’ve ever done was learn to dive during a family vacation. Seventy feet below the surface, I found the underwater world of fish and coral calmed my nerves. I even had a chance to take some photos. This experience helped me appreciate nature and how we need to protect the environment

Her cries could be heard all over the store. A child in a panda t-shirt stubbornly cried for a lollipop while her mom continued shopping. Finally, a sympathetic customer behind them in line offered to buy the candy. Immediately her tears disappeared. Relieved, I rang up the purchase: $1.00. Sometimes, I wanted to cry too. Who knew a summer job as a retail cashier would be so challenging? But every hour I spent on my tired feet was one step closer to my goal – earning cash for college. If I won the #BlackLivesMatter Scholarship, I would use the money to help pay for tuition and textbooks for my undergraduate classes. This scholarship would be very appreciated because I learned the hard way how valuable winning (and losing!) a scholarship can be. When I started attending the University of North Texas in the fall of 2018, I was awarded a $5000 university scholarship for entering freshman based on my academic success in high school. To keep this scholarship, I had to maintain a 3.25 GPA during my first year of college. Unfortunately, I didn’t. My family was devastated; $5000 is a lot of money, especially since my family’s only source of income is a small, veteran-owned, minority-owned tutoring center, where my sisters and I were assigned various tasks to help our learning center run more efficiently. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of operating a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. Losing my scholarship taught me that studying for college exams is different from studying for high school tests. You take fewer classes but must retain more information. Another difference is that in high school I was extremely active working part-time at the dollar store, volunteering in my community, and playing in the marching band. Music has helped me find a place that I can belong and meet new people. I have played the saxophone in the band since middle school and now march in the 400-plus member UNT Mean Green Brigade. Performing as a musician all these years has helped me develop discipline, time management, and mental and physical endurance. I learned to focus on homework in high school because I had so little time to do it. However, when I got to college, I also had to learn how to manage something else - my new independence. The next semester I tried hard to improve my studying habits and sought help from my TA when I struggled in my classes. Another change I made to overcome this financial setback has made a significant impact. When I first enrolled at UNT, my major was Computer Science. I chose this path because my passion is technology and I excelled in my math and robotics classes in high school. However, after taking a class to learn the programming language C++, I realized that this part of computer science was not for me. It was too technical! So, I decided to change my major to Business Computer Information Systems. I believe changing my major was the right decision. In fact, not only have I conquered a different computer language, Java, but I earned a 4.0 GPA for two semesters in a row and won the President’s List Award twice! While the pandemic forced me to abandon campus in the middle of the semester to continue my studies at home, I refused to let this steal my momentum. This quarantine experience has only made me stronger and more adaptable. Not only did I enroll in two online summer classes, but after submitting over 50 job applications, I was finally able to find a summer internship with a local, female-owned firm that allows me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I help document the systematic challenges of the coronavirus by analyzing data on the effect it has on the Hispanic and Black communities. Our project allows me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. One fact my research showed is that Blacks are historically underrepresented in STEM fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, yet I am inspired to continue to pursue my goal of becoming one of the few women of color working in the tech industry. Since social distancing guidelines will still be enforced in the fall, I am not sure exactly what my junior year at UNT will look like. Whether I am physically in a classroom, learning online, or a combination of both, I am determined to continue my college education and graduate on time. I want to be a role model to children like the little girl in the panda T-shirt so that she knows that obstacles, like a pandemic, shouldn’t keep you from making your dreams come true.

Her cries could be heard all over the store. A child in a panda t-shirt stubbornly cried for a lollipop while her mom continued shopping. Finally, a sympathetic customer behind them in line offered to buy the candy. Immediately her tears disappeared. Relieved, I rang up the purchase: $1.00. Sometimes, I wanted to cry too. Who knew a summer job as a retail cashier would be so challenging? But every hour I spent on my tired feet was one step closer to my goal – earning cash for college. If I won the Opportunity for Black Women Scholarship, I would use the money to help pay for tuition and textbooks for my undergraduate classes. This scholarship would be very appreciated because I learned the hard way how valuable winning (and losing!) a scholarship can be. When I started attending the University of North Texas in the fall of 2018, I was awarded a $5000 university scholarship for entering freshman based on my academic success in high school. To keep this scholarship, I had to maintain a 3.25 GPA during my first year of college. Unfortunately, I didn’t. My family was devastated; $5000 is a lot of money, especially since my family’s only source of income is a small, veteran-owned, minority-owned tutoring center, where my sisters and I were assigned various tasks to help our learning center run more efficiently. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of operating a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. Losing my scholarship taught me that studying for college exams is different from studying for high school tests. You take fewer classes but must retain more information. Another difference is that in high school I was extremely active working part-time at the dollar store, volunteering in my community, and playing in the marching band. Music has helped me find a place that I can belong and meet new people. I have played the saxophone in the band since middle school and now march in the 400-plus member UNT Mean Green Brigade. Performing as a musician all these years has helped me develop discipline, time management, and mental and physical endurance. I learned to focus on homework in high school because I had so little time to do it. However, when I got to college, I also had to learn how to manage something else - my new independence. The next semester I tried hard to improve my studying habits and sought help from my TA when I struggled in my classes. Another change I made to overcome this financial setback has made a significant impact. When I first enrolled at UNT, my major was Computer Science. I chose this path because my passion is technology and I excelled in my math and robotics classes in high school. However, after taking a class to learn the programming language C++, I realized that this part of computer science was not for me. It was too technical! So, I decided to change my major to Business Computer Information Systems. I believe changing my major was the right decision. In fact, not only have I conquered a different computer language, Java, but I earned a 4.0 GPA for two semesters in a row and won the President’s List Award twice! While the pandemic forced me to abandon campus in the middle of the semester to continue my studies at home, I refused to let this steal my momentum. This quarantine experience has only made me stronger and more adaptable. Not only did I enroll in two online summer classes, but after submitting over 50 job applications, I was finally able to find a summer internship with a local, female-owned firm that allows me to work remotely. As a Research Data Intern, I help document the systematic challenges of COVID-19 by analyzing data about the effect it has on the Hispanic and Black communities. Our project allows me to use my passion for math and technology to help provide people in my community access to valuable health information. One fact my research showed is that Blacks are historically underrepresented in STEM fields. This lack of diversity is troubling, yet I am inspired to continue to pursue my goal of becoming one of the few women of color working in the tech industry. Since social distancing guidelines will still be enforced in the fall, I am not sure exactly what my junior year at UNT will look like. Whether I am physically in a classroom, learning online, or a combination of both, I am determined to continue my college education and graduate on time. I want to be a role model to children like the little girl in the panda T-shirt so that she knows that obstacles, like a pandemic, shouldn’t keep you from making your dreams come true.

I am an intuitive student with a passion for math, technology, and music currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of North Texas. When I first enrolled at UNT, my major was Computer Science. I chose this path because my passion is technology and I excelled in my math and robotics classes in high school. However, after taking a class to learn the programming language C++, I decided that this part of computer science was not for me. It was too technical! So, I decided to change my major to Business Computer Information Systems. I believe changing my major was the right decision. Not only did my GPA improve (in fact, I earned a 4.0 two semesters later!), but I think my new career path will allow more interaction with people in the industry as I figure out how to improve their computer systems and help them reach their visions. Something that I am passionate about is music. Music has helped me find a place that I can belong and meet new people. I have played the saxophone in the band since middle school and now march in the 400-plus member UNT Mean Green Brigade. I enjoy listening to music because I find that it helps me focus on any task at hand. Performing as a musician all these years has helped me develop discipline, time management, and mental and physical endurance. Not only do I plan to keep in touch with the friends I have I met in the band, but I also hope to find some way to continue playing music after graduating from college. Family is also important to me. In fact, my earliest customer service experience was at my family’s business, a veteran-owned, and minority-owned tutoring center, where my sisters and I were assigned various tasks to help our learning center run more efficiently. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of operating a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. While our business has survived power outages, flooding and several hurricanes, the recent social distancing policies put into place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus have been devastating. Forced to shut down our learning center for almost two months (and possibly more), the family cash flow has dwindled to nearly zero. Staying at home during this pandemic has allowed me plenty of time to re-examine what I want to do with my information systems degree. As news reports get worse every day, one idea stands out in my mind – I want to help others deal with social isolation and loneliness. Normally my family travels out of state to visit my grandparents during breaks; now we must postpone our trips until the crisis blows over, communicating through texts, emails, and phone calls. Last fall, I spent hours marching side-by-side with hundreds of noisy musicians; now we barely keep in touch at all. When I graduate, I hope to use my passion for technology and music to help people – seniors, students, families, and friends – find meaningful ways to keep in contact through more effective, creative digital communication tools. Winning this scholarship would be a huge blessing if awarded to me and a great source of financial relief in my family’s lives in these stressful, uncertain times. Thank you so much for the opportunity to apply for the Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship to help me make the world a better place.

I am an intuitive student with a passion for math, technology and music currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of North Texas. When I first enrolled at UNT, my major was Computer Science. I chose this path because my passion is technology and I excelled in my math and robotics classes in high school. However, after taking a class to learn the programming language C++, I decided that this part of computer science was not for me. It was too technical! So, I decided to change my major to Business Computer Information Systems. I believe changing my major was the right decision. Not only did my GPA improve (in fact, I earned a 4.0 two semesters later!), but I think my new career path will allow more interaction with people in the industry as I figure out how to improve their computer systems and help them reach their visions. Something that I am passionate about is music. Music has helped me find a place that I can belong and meet new people. I have played the saxophone in the band since middle school and now march in the 400-plus member UNT Mean Green Brigade. I enjoy listening to music because I find that it helps me focus on any task at hand. Performing as a musician all these years has helped me develop discipline, time management, and mental and physical endurance. Not only do I plan to keep in touch with the friends I have I met in the band, but I also hope to find some way to continue playing music after graduating from college. Family is also important to me. In fact, my earliest customer service experience was at my family’s business, a veteran-owned, and minority-owned tutoring center, where my sisters and I were assigned various tasks to help our learning center run more efficiently. By watching my parents navigate through the trials of operating a small business, I learned the keys to having a strong work ethic and how essential they are to succeed. While our business has survived power outages, flooding and several hurricanes, the recent social distancing policies put into place to help slow the spread of the coronavirus have been devastating. Forced to shut down our learning center for almost two months (and possibly more), the family cash flow has dwindled to nearly zero. Staying at home during this pandemic has allowed me plenty of time to re-examine what I want to do with my information systems degree. As news reports get worse every day, one idea stands out in my mind – I want to help others deal with social isolation and loneliness. Normally my family travels out of state to visit my grandparents during breaks; now we must postpone our trips until the crisis blows over, communicating through texts, emails and phone calls. Last fall, I spent hours marching side-by-side with hundreds of noisy musicians; now we barely keep in touch at all. When I graduate, I hope to use my passion for technology and music to help people – seniors, students, families and friends – find meaningful ways to keep in contact through more effective, creative digital communication tools. Winning this scholarship would be a huge blessing if awarded to me and a great source of financial relief in my family’s lives in these stressful, uncertain times. Thank you so much for the opportunity to apply for the Minority Women in STEM scholarship and help make my STEM dreams come true.