I have digitally drawn my favorite dinosaur, the Deinonychus, in a manner mildly inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci’s Anatomical Studies. The Deinonychus being my favorite dinosaur comes down to three main things: the history of its name and classification, its devised appearance and abilities, and its impact on culture.. The name and classification were the start of my intrigue with this dinosaur. Beginning with its name, Deinonychus, originating from ancient Greece, with deinos meaning terrible and onyx meaning claw. This leads many to see “terrible claw” as its direct translation, which seems rather fitting. The deinonychus is also unique for its classification and its unanimity. Paleontologists who place dinosaurs based on taxonomy and those who base them on evolutionary relationships agree on the classification of Deinonychus. This classification is that of Theropoda, meaning a creature that is bipedal and carnivorous, as its build will confirm. I find the build and subsequent appearance that contribute to its classification very interesting. There’s, of course, the titular terrible claw, which, between its placement, length, and muscle contractions, makes it perfect for slashing and gouging prey. The Deinonychus also has long legs and a tail that make for swift and balanced running. These features, paired with feathers for insulation and rows of predator-perfect teeth, guaranteed its survival in its own unique way, as well as cementing its impact on culture. The Deinonychus and its shocking impact on culture truly solidified it as my favorite dinosaur. The figure of Deinonychus heavily inspired the builds of dinosaurs within the cultural icon Jurassic Park, most notably its velociraptors. Additionally, the discovery of Deinonychus in 1964 reinvigorated interest in dinosaurs, broke generalizations of them, and created groundbreaking connections to modern birds. The former is more of a fun fact that draws attention to how incredible and intriguing the Deinonychus’ build is, but the latter is a genuine stride in not just paleontology but evolutionary studies as a whole. These facts about the Deinonychus make it my favorite dinosaur in no uncertain terms. Its history, features, and impact are unique in a way that can not be understated in its appeal. I have grown to like the dinosaur even more as I have studied its features closely while drawing. I love its complex features and feel very inspired to bring it to my own fantasy setting and further its strong and deserved legacy. Note: I will happily send over a timelapse of my drawing process to quell any worries about tracing when it comes to digital art (if needed), but since videos are not one of the accepted file types, here is just the PNG of my work. Thank you for your consideration.

I have been so privileged to pursue my passion for art in the form of my major. I have been able to shift my love for visual arts to a Graphic Design major. Even before I was officially a graphic design major, however, did try to have a positive impact via my major. For example, I was able to work with the Community Action Committee and design flyers of resources for students in need. This is in addition to the data visualization I did for statistics about the lower class and pay differences. I would love to continue to explore these avenues of design that more overtly positively impact the world. I feel as though there are more covert was to positively impact the world. For example, I believe that a design identity that reflects my culture and community helps bring more unique and diverse perspectives to the world. This, to me, positively impacts the world as it brings more interest and nuance to the world and its art scene.

Ever since I could remember serving others, has been prioritized by my family. From handing out food to the unhoused, doing supporting those in and through the church, or just helping a neighbor. These moments were all very important to my family, and they passed that importance on to me. This sentiment has stayed with me, even as I have grown up and become more independent. Past my household, I pursued avenues such as National Honors Society ,Rotary Key Club, and Black Students for Artistic Expression, as ways to continue to support my community. I still felt as though I could do more. So, I did; I found more opportunities to do so on my own time. This included helping at nursing homes, schools, meals on wheels, and other community action groups. I want to continue to serve my community but I also now have to consider how I juggle this with being able to afford my schooling. Currently I am privileged enough to have a job that allows me to serve and educate children in my community, while also being able to contribute to my tuition. I don't know if I will be blessed with that same opportunity when the school year starts again, however. My community service and my job to finance my schooling may then have to be separate, should I not be able to find a position like the one I have now. Additionally, I am currently uncertain how much I will need to pay towards tuition and thus how much I will have to work during the year to fund it. This could mean that between classes and the amount of time I have to work, that I would have less time for serving my community. This would be really disheartening to me to have to limit to myself on my community outreach or to stretch myself too thin. This is where I would be so incredibly grateful for this scholarship should I receive it. Every little bit contributes so immensely to my tuition, which directly lessens the hours I have to work. The ability to not have to drastically increase my hours to pay for school means I have more time in my schedule. This time I would be more than happy to be able to put towards more back into my community. I especially would love having the extra time to work with Black Students for Artistic Expression to work with children within my community and encourage expression. With all this in mind, this scholarship would make it easier for me to do what I love; uplifting my community.