I am pursuing a degree in Information Technology with a focus on cybersecurity because I am drawn to a field that is constantly evolving and directly tied to real-world impact. Cybersecurity is not static; it shifts daily as new threats emerge, new technologies are developed, and new vulnerabilities are discovered. That constant change is what motivates me. I enjoy learning how systems are attacked and, more importantly, how they can be defended. Understanding both sides of cyber operations has strengthened my commitment to building a career where I can actively contribute to protecting critical systems and information. My long-term goal is to work in cyber operations within the United States military. I want to serve in a role where my skills can directly support national defense. As cyberattacks become more common in modern warfare, the need for skilled defenders has never been greater. Nation-state actors and other adversaries are increasingly targeting infrastructure, government systems, and private networks. I want to be part of the generation that helps strengthen our cyber defenses and ensures that the country I love is protected in both physical and digital spaces. For me, this career is not just about personal achievement. It is about service, responsibility, and dedication to a cause that is bigger than me. My motivation is also deeply personal. My mother always emphasized the importance of education and encouraged us to put it first no matter what challenges we faced. She battled breast cancer for 10 years before passing in 2024. Even during her illness, she remained a source of strength and stability for our family. She was also our primary financial provider, while my father lives on disability income. Losing her has made continuing my education significantly more difficult, both emotionally and financially. However, it has also strengthened my determination to complete what I started in her honor. I want to make my mother proud by achieving the goals she always believed I was capable of reaching. Pursuing this degree and ultimately serving in cyber operations is part of that promise. Receiving the Aikens Family Scholarship would not only help relieve the financial burden my family is currently facing, but it would also allow me to stay focused on my education and future military career. More than anything, it would be an investment in my ability to give back by protecting my country, contributing to national security, and eventually helping others who are navigating similar challenges.

I am pursuing a degree in Information Technology with a focus on cybersecurity because I am drawn to a field that is constantly evolving and directly tied to real-world impact. Cybersecurity is not static; it shifts daily as new threats emerge, new technologies are developed, and new vulnerabilities are discovered. That constant change is what motivates me. I enjoy learning how systems are attacked and, more importantly, how they can be defended. Understanding both sides of cyber operations has strengthened my commitment to building a career where I can actively contribute to protecting critical systems and information. My long-term goal is to work in cyber operations within the United States military. I want to serve in a role where my skills can directly support national defense. As cyberattacks become more common in modern warfare, the need for skilled defenders has never been greater. Nation-state actors and other adversaries are increasingly targeting infrastructure, government systems, and private networks. I want to be part of the generation that helps strengthen our cyber defenses and ensures that the country I love is protected in both physical and digital spaces. For me, this career is not just about personal achievement. It is about service and responsibility. My motivation is also deeply personal. My mother always emphasized the importance of education and encouraged us to put it first, no matter what challenges we faced. She battled breast cancer for 10 years before passing in 2024. Even during her illness, she remained a source of strength and stability for our family. She was also our primary financial provider, while my father lives on disability income. Losing her has made continuing my education significantly more difficult, both emotionally and financially. However, it has also strengthened my determination to complete what I started in her honor. I want to make my mother proud by achieving the goals she always believed I was capable of reaching. Pursuing this degree and ultimately serving in cyber operations is part of that promise. Receiving the Stephan L. Daniels Lift As We Climb Scholarship would not only help relieve the financial burden my family is currently facing, but it would also allow me to stay focused on my education and future military career. More than anything, it would be an investment in my ability to give back by protecting my country, contributing to national security, and eventually helping others who are navigating similar challenges.

For most of my life, cancer was a common term used in my family. It was part of our daily routine. My mother battled breast cancer for ten years, and over time, our lives quietly began to revolve around treatments, medications, and uncertainty. By the time I reached my senior year of high school, her condition had worsened enough that I often stayed home to care for her while my sister was away at college and my father was at work. At first, my responsibilities seemed simple: grocery shopping, washing dishes and clothes, cooking meals, and helping my mother take her medication. But over time, I realized I had stepped into a role much larger than ordinary household chores. I learned how quickly life can force someone to grow up. While many of my classmates were focused on enjoying their final year of high school, I was learning how to care for someone whose strength was slowly fading. The hardest period came during the summer after my freshman year of college, when my mother entered hospice care and required around the clock supervision. My siblings and I took shifts caring for her while trying to keep our household functioning for our father as well. Those months felt emotionally endless. I stopped taking care of my own mental health, isolated myself from others, and began struggling with depression and self-loathing. When my mother passed away, the silence she left behind was overwhelming. Nothing felt normal anymore. Returning to school was difficult because I no longer felt like the same person who had left campus months before. My grades declined, I withdrew socially, and I struggled to find motivation in everyday life. Eventually, I realized I could not continue carrying my grief alone, so I began attending counseling. That decision changed my life. Counseling helped me understand that healing does not mean forgetting someone; it means learning how to continue forward while carrying their memory with you. My mother always believed education should come first, even while she was fighting cancer. Looking back, I realize how hard she fought to stay with us long enough to make sure we would be okay without her. Her determination continues to shape the way I approach my own future. Even during the most difficult moments in my life, I remind myself of the resilience she showed every day for ten years. My mother was also the primary financial provider for our family, while my father lives on disability income. Without her support, continuing my education has become financially challenging. Receiving the Sharra Rainbolt Memorial Scholarship would not only help relieve that burden, but it would also allow me to continue pursuing the future my mother sacrificed so much to help me reach. Every step I take toward my education is a step taken in honor of her strength, love, and belief in me.

I chose to pursue a career in STEM because it combines innovation, problem-solving, and service. Technology has always interested me, but cybersecurity is the field that allows me to apply technical skills in a way that directly supports national security. As an Information Technology major, I am preparing for a future in cyber operations with the goal of commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force through the Air Force ROTC program. Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving discipline that requires adaptability, precision, and accountability. Through my coursework, I have gained hands-on experience with networking and security fundamentals, including building and troubleshooting a small network in my Computer Networking class. This project helped me understand how systems communicate and how critical proper configuration and security are to maintaining reliability. I am drawn to cybersecurity because technical decisions in this field can have real-world consequences, especially in environments where failure is not an option. My pursuit of STEM is closely connected to my goal of becoming a military officer. As a future officer in a STEM-related field, I will be responsible not only for managing technology but also for leading people. The Air Force ROTC program has reinforced the importance of discipline, ethical decision-making, and teamwork, while emphasizing that strong leadership must accompany technical expertise. This combination prepares me to operate in high-pressure environments where trust, accountability, and sound judgment are essential. As a woman in a predominantly male STEM field, I understand the importance of representation. Being one of the few women in technical classrooms and ROTC environments has strengthened my confidence and determination. I am an active member of Women in Cybersecurity, where I have seen how mentorship and community empower women to succeed. I hope to make a difference by leading through example and demonstrating that women belong in both technical and leadership roles within STEM and the military. The loss of my mother to breast cancer shaped my resilience and sense of responsibility. My mother was a vital source of income, and without her financial support, our household has had to adjust in difficult and unexpected ways. Balancing the rising cost of college with everyday responsibilities—while also coping with grief—has required careful budgeting and personal sacrifice. Despite these challenges, I have remained committed to my education and ROTC obligations. This experience has taught me resilience, responsibility, and perseverance during times of uncertainty. By becoming a military officer in a STEM field, I aim to serve my country while advancing representation for women in technology and national defense.

My background is shaped by a strong interest in technology, service, and perseverance. I am currently pursuing a degree in Information Technology with the goal of commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force through the Air Force ROTC program. I have long been drawn to the role technology plays in national defense, particularly in protecting critical systems. This interest has developed into a passion for cybersecurity and cyber operations, where technical expertise directly supports mission readiness and national security. As an Information Technology major, I am building a solid foundation in networking, systems, and cybersecurity principles. I am especially interested in how networks function and how they can be secured against evolving threats. The problem-solving nature of technology motivates me—whether it involves troubleshooting connectivity issues, analyzing system vulnerabilities, or learning how attackers exploit weaknesses. Cybersecurity stands out to me because it requires both technical precision and strategic thinking, and it continues to evolve as technology advances. One of the most impactful academic experiences I have had was in my Computer Networking class, where I built a small network as part of a hands-on project. This project involved configuring devices, understanding IP addressing, and ensuring proper communication between network components. Building and troubleshooting the network helped me connect classroom concepts to real-world applications. It reinforced the importance of secure and reliable network design, especially in environments where system failure is not an option. This experience confirmed my interest in pursuing cybersecurity as a career. Outside the classroom, I am an active member of Women in Cybersecurity. Being part of this organization has allowed me to connect with others who share similar goals while also addressing the underrepresentation of women in the technology field. The organization provides opportunities to learn about current cybersecurity issues, professional development, and career pathways within the field. Participating in Women in Cybersecurity has strengthened my confidence, expanded my perspective, and encouraged me to continue pushing forward in a male-dominated field. My involvement in the Air Force ROTC program has further shaped my interest in technology by emphasizing leadership, discipline, and accountability. ROTC has helped me understand how cybersecurity directly supports military operations and national defense. Balancing ROTC responsibilities alongside my academic workload has strengthened my time management skills and ability to perform under pressure—both of which are essential in the technology field. One of the most significant challenges I have faced is the loss of my mother to breast cancer. In addition to the emotional toll, her passing placed a substantial financial strain on my family. My mother was a vital source of income, and without her financial support, our household has had to adjust in difficult and unexpected ways. Balancing the rising cost of college with everyday responsibilities—while also coping with grief—has required careful budgeting and personal sacrifice. Despite these challenges, I have remained committed to my education and ROTC obligations. This experience has taught me resilience, responsibility, and perseverance during times of uncertainty. Through my academic experiences, extracurricular involvement, and dedication to cybersecurity, I am preparing for a future in which I can protect the systems and infrastructure our nation relies on. This scholarship would support my continued growth in the technology field and help me move closer to a career dedicated to service and innovation.

My future is mostly centered around my goal of becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Space Force. I have always been drawn to technology and national defense, and pursuing a career in cybersecurity allows me to combine both. As an Information Technology major, I am developing the technical skills I need, but ROTC gives me a path to apply those skills in service to my country. I plan to become a Cyber Operations Officer who defends and maintains critical space-based assets and digital infrastructure. Along this path, I have gained discipline, resilience, and dedication to something bigger than myself. My motivation for my goals is simple: I want to spend my life doing what I love for the country I love. Serving in the Space Force is not just a career choice for me; it is a purpose. Technology is constantly shaping the world, and how we fight wars, and cyber defense is becoming an important factor in staying ahead of our adversaries. The chance to contribute to something bigger than myself is what pushes me to work hard academically and personally. Every class I take and every leadership skill I learn through ROTC gets me closer to commissioning as an officer who is ready to lead with integrity and technical expertise. One of the most significant challenges I have faced is the loss of my mother to breast cancer. Beyond the emotional impact, her passing placed a major financial strain on my family. My mother was an essential source of income, and without her financial support, our household has had to adjust in difficult ways. Balancing the cost of college with everyday responsibilities and grief has become more challenging, and I have had to be more mindful of every expense while continuing to prioritize my education and ROTC obligations. This experience has taught me the importance of resilience, responsibility, and perseverance during challenging times. The Bright Lights Scholarship would make a meaningful difference in my ability to continue pursuing my goals. With my family’s financial situation hindered by the loss of my mother’s income, this scholarship would help ease the burden of tuition and educational expenses. It would allow me to focus more fully on my academic performance, leadership development, and ROTC training without the constant stress of financial uncertainty. Receiving this scholarship would not only provide support but also reassurance that my hard work and dedication are recognized.

One of the proudest moments in my life was when I earned my first certification in cybersecurity. I studied for weeks, reading pages and pages of material, making notebooks full of study guides, all while I was still in high school and taking care of my mother who was sick at the time. Even though it was a lot of work, I was never bored or felt like giving up. Every chapter opened my eyes to something new and exciting, it made me eager to learn more. When I passed the exam, I went to tell my mother. She did not quite understand it but she was happy for me. My computer science teacher, however, gave me a much more enthusiastic response. She was the one who first introduced me to cybersecurity, and told me about the free course. Her guidance and motivation helped me discover my love for cybersecurity, and I will always be grateful for having her in my life. Having my computer science teacher be a woman made me feel not so alone being in a predominantly male class. She always made sure to look out for me and tell me about opportunities that could help me in the future. Without her, or if I had a male teacher, I probably would have been intimidated and less inclined to learn how to code. It is always good to have someone like you in your field, especially in tech. It allows you to believe that, “If they can do it, so can I!”. This mindset is what led me to pursue my degree in Information Technology at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), where I could see more women like me who share my interests and goals. While at college, I have made sure to help promote diversity and inclusion in tech, specifically cybersecurity. I joined my school’s Women in Cybersecurity Student Chapter, and even became the Vice President in my sophomore year. Our goal is to spread awareness and inform students of the many opportunities cybersecurity offers for women. We also got women from different backgrounds in cybersecurity for Q&A sessions, allowing students to see women like them already in the field. I have also made it my job to help mentor younger women who are a part of my school’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program. With the majority of officers in the military being white men, it is important to build those connections now so they can have someone to relate to in their times of need. After I earn my degree, my goal is to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force, working in cyber operations. But in order to achieve my goal and continue to inspire others like me, I need to find additional ways to finance my education. Last year, I lost my mother to metastatic breast cancer and it took a heavy toll on me and my family. My mental health declined and I was unable to perform well in my classes. This has made it harder for me to earn merit scholarships from my school. With my father on a fixed income, I have had to resort to taking out more loans to help pay for my tuition. With the help of gracious scholarships like this one, I can continue to work hard to become someone young girls can look up to. No longer having to be afraid of being the minority in the room. Breaking through the stigma will allow the tech industry to be a more diverse and inclusive place.

One of the proudest moments in my life was when I earned my first certification in cybersecurity. I studied for weeks, reading pages and pages of material, making notebooks full of study guides, all while I was still in high school and taking care of my mother who was sick at the time. Even though it was a lot of work, I was never bored or felt like giving up. Every chapter opened my eyes to something new and exciting, it made me eager to learn more. When I passed the exam, I went to tell my mother. She did not quite understand it but she was happy for me. My computer science teacher, however, gave me a much more enthusiastic response. She was the one who first introduced me to cybersecurity, and told me about the free course. Her guidance and motivation helped me discover my love for cybersecurity, and I will always be grateful for having her in my life. Diversity like that is so important in the tech industry. Having my computer science teacher be a woman made me feel not so alone being in a predominantly male class. She always made sure to look out for me and tell me about opportunities that could help me in the future. Without her, or if I had a male teacher, I probably would have been intimidated and less inclined to learn how to code. It is always good to have someone like you in your field, especially in tech. It allows you to believe that, “If they can do it, so can I!”. This mindset is what led me to pursue my degree in Information Technology at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), where I could see more women like me who share my interests and goals. While at college, I have made sure to help promote diversity and inclusion in tech, specifically cybersecurity. I joined my school’s Women in Cybersecurity Student Chapter, and even became the Vice President in my sophomore year. Our goal is to spread awareness and inform students of the many opportunities cybersecurity offers for women. We also got women from different backgrounds in cybersecurity for Q&A sessions, allowing students to see women like them already in the field. I have also made it my job to help mentor younger women who are a part of my school’s Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Program. With the majority of officers in the military being white men, it is important to build those connections now so they can have someone to relate to in their times of need. After I earn my degree, my goal is to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force, working in cyber operations. But in order to achieve my goal and continue to inspire others like me, I need to find additional ways to finance my education. Last year, I lost my mother to metastatic breast cancer and it took a heavy toll on me and my family. My mental health declined and I was unable to perform well in my classes. This has made it harder for me to earn merit scholarships from my school. With my father on a fixed income, I have had to resort to taking out more loans to help pay for my tuition. With the help of gracious scholarships like this one, I can continue to work hard to become someone young girls can look up to. No longer having to be afraid of being the minority in the room. Breaking through the stigma will allow the tech industry to be a more diverse and inclusive place.

The summer before my sophomore year was in a few words, a lot, on me and my family. As I was dealing with the stress of adjusting to college life as a STEM major and the stress of my military training for ROTC, I had to come home to my mother, sadly reaching the end of her life. After fighting metastatic breast cancer for 10 years, my mother grew tired and was ready to go. It was hard, but she made sure that we were ready for this moment to come. For the months that followed, my father, my siblings, and I took care of her around the clock. We fed, bathed, and changed her. Along with helping her use the bathroom and giving her medicine. After a while it became routine, but it never got easier. Losing a parent is hard, really hard. Having someone who has always been in your life suddenly gone forever takes its toll. It leaves a sort of emptiness in your life. Sometimes it's even hard to believe that they’re really gone. I often have moments where I want to call her and just tell her about my day, or ask about hers. Losing someone close to you in your life takes time to heal, a long time. You might cry a lot, and that’s okay. It’s important to keep those happy memories of them with you cause they would’ve wanted you to be happy. After the death of my mother, we had to deal with several issues, mostly financial. With my older sister and I still in college, we had to find more ways to help pay our tuition. While we were considering taking a gap year to save up some money, my uncle stepped in and offered to help us get some loans. He has always been supportive of us and shared the same ideals as my mother of the importance of going to college. Thanks to my uncle, my sister now can finish her last year of college and allow me to continue my education as a sophomore. My mother’s wish for us to finish our education is what pushes me to work hard in school. I still have moments of struggling with my mental health but I make an effort to not let it hinder my goals. My mother, my uncle, and so many other people in my life want the best for me and believe that I can succeed. I owe it to myself and to them to earn my degree and pursue a career in the military.

My name is Jaylin Sellman. I am a rising sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in computer science. My long-term goal is to become a cyber operations officer in the Space Force. I believe I should be awarded this scholarship because it will help me reach my short-term goal of continuing to introduce more young black women to cybersecurity during my time in college. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. I became hooked on playing educational games that used block coding to teach kids about the basic components of programming. After that, I dove deeper into computing by taking classes in high school. Around that time my love for cybersecurity was born, which resulted in my later choice of joining the military. Next semester I will be the vice president of my school's Women in Cybersecurity club. I plan to work with the rest of the e-board team to do more outreach service projects to teach young women about cybersecurity and get them interested. I also plan to hold virtual Q&A panels with women in cybersecurity for the public. I want to raise awareness of the need for more diversity in the cybersecurity field, as people from different backgrounds allow us to spark more innovative ideas. Making the world a safer place. Once I graduate and become an officer in the Space Force, I can be someone young black girls can look up to. Growing up, I didn’t have many black female role models in STEM. I attended mostly white schools, where I often felt isolated and alone. It made me feel like I wasn’t meant to be in the STEM field. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your dreams. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. My family has mostly relied on my mother’s income as my father is on disability and is not able to work as often. My mother has been battling breast cancer for the past 10 years. Unfortunately, we found out recently that the cancer had reached her brain, and that there was nothing more the doctors could do. She had to stop working. Her doctor approved her for hospice care in mid-June. We are now managing to pay bills and buy groceries using our parents' savings and whatever money we can spare. I do not wish to burden my father any more than he already is with dealing with my mother and his health issues by trying to figure out how to fund myself and my older sister through college. I am uncertain of my future but with help through generous people like the ones from the Jerzee Foundation, I can focus more on my education and become a person that could help make the world a more inclusive place.

“Aggies Do!” A powerful statement known by all the students and staff of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. To me, Aggies Do means more than just striving for excellence. It’s using your excellence to build up others around you and give them the experiences you wish you had. And that’s what being black means to me. Growing up in a predominantly white community, I didn’t have any black friends or role models in computer science or cybersecurity to relate with. If I attended another predominantly white institution (PWI) for college, I would be stuck with the same feeling of loneliness and isolation. To be surrounded by more young black students in STEM, North Carolina A&T became the obvious choice. No other school puts in the work to ensure I have all the opportunities I need to succeed. By attending an HBCU, I am learning how to navigate my field as a black woman, while also gaining the skills required to excel in it. My goal is to become a United States Space Force Officer working in Cyber Operations. With the Space Force becoming the head of our military’s cyber force, I aim to be at the forefront of defending my country from cyber threats. I plan to climb the ranks to show others the strength and power of black women in the military. I hope to inspire young black women to follow their dreams in any desired field. Why? Because here, that’s what AGGIES DO!

My name is Jaylin Sellman. I am a rising sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in computer science. I aim to become a United States Air Force cyber operations officer. I believe I should be awarded this scholarship because it will help me continue introducing more young black women to cybersecurity during my time in college and beyond. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security to earn points. I became one of the top players with the most points and was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. This competition showed me what cybersecurity truly was. I constantly learned new things and challenged myself to solve each game. I have always been inquisitive, and with cybersecurity still growing, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. In high school, I made many efforts to be involved in any computer science-related extracurriculars offered. I was the vice president of our coding club and the secretary of our girl's coding club. I also won multiple recognition awards for women in computing as well as a certification in the foundations of cybersecurity. Next semester I will be the vice president of my school's Women in Cybersecurity club. My goal is to do more outreach service projects to teach young women about cybersecurity and get them interested. I also plan to hold virtual Q&A panels with women in cybersecurity for the public. I want to help raise awareness of the need for more diversity in the cybersecurity field, as people from different backgrounds allow us to spark more innovative ideas. Making the world a safer place. Once I graduate and become an officer in the Air Force, I can be someone young black girls can look up to. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your goals. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. My mother, who has been fighting breast cancer, has not been doing well health-wise and has been unable to work. She will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight so we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

My mother was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015. I was only 9 years old then and didn’t quite understand the overwhelming stress it would put on her and my family. Before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced many hardships and setbacks that put us all in a very poor state, and the repercussions of that still linger in our house. Now as I look back, I still wish we didn’t have to live through those times, but I am grateful for the things it taught me about how important it is to take better care of yourself Growing up, my siblings and I were always taught to do what we were told. So it became obvious when our mother first got sick, that we would have to do more to help out. At first, it was basic household chores. But over time, my mother’s health continued to decline and we had to do more. We learned how to shop by ourselves and pick up medicine for her. After a while, it became second nature and from it, we became more responsible. When my mom started to need more around-the-clock care, things began to pile up. I was in my last year of high school, and my sister was away at college, so it was just me and my younger brother. Despite managing to keep my grades up and stay active in various school clubs, school mainly served as an escape from the stresses of home. Becoming a teen caregiver for my mother was and still is an exhausting experience, as staying on top of everything she needed made me put my own life aside. This led me into a spiral of depression and self-hatred, and although my doctor recommended therapy, I eventually stopped going because it felt more like a burden for my parents than help for me. My mother having cancer took so much away from me over the years: getting a job, playing sports, hanging out with friends, things most teenagers my age got to do. Going to college I got to experience some of those things, but I still am struggling with learning how to love myself. This made me realize that to grow and move on from my past hardships, I need to become a stronger version of myself, both physically and mentally. In my first year of college, I joined the Air Force ROTC program, and I haven’t regretted it since. While learning how to become an efficient leader in the Air Force I have gained more self-confidence. I have been more physically active as well which has helped my mental health a bit. I have also been considering using the counseling services at my school to give therapy another try. Being able to be on my own and putting the focus back on myself has been refreshing on my journey of self-improvement. For any teen caregivers struggling with their mental health, please seek out help. It could be a trusted teacher, your school counselor, or anyone. But keeping all your feelings to yourself will only make them worse. It's hard but you have to learn how to put your health first before taking care of others. Self-care does not make you selfish. Always remember that.

My name is Jaylin Sellman. I am a rising sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in computer science. Through the ROTC program, I aim to become a United States Air Force cyber operations officer. I believe I should be awarded this scholarship because it will allow me to continue introducing more young black women to cybersecurity during my time in college and beyond. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security to earn points. I became one of the top players with the most points and was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. This competition showed me what cybersecurity truly was. I constantly learned new things and challenged myself to solve each game. I have always been inquisitive, and with cybersecurity still growing, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. In high school, I made many efforts to be involved in any computer science-related activities we had. I was the vice president of our coding club and the secretary of our girl's coding club. I also won multiple recognition awards for women in computing as well as a certification in the foundations of cybersecurity. Next semester I will be the vice president of my school's Women in Cybersecurity club. My goal is to do more outreach service projects to teach young women about cybersecurity and get them interested. I also plan to hold virtual Q&A panels with women in cybersecurity for the public. I want to help raise awareness of the need for more diversity in the cybersecurity field, as people from different backgrounds allow us to spark more innovative ideas. Making the world a safer place. Once I graduate and become an officer in the Air Force, I can be someone young black girls can look up to. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your goals. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. My mother, who has been fighting breast cancer, has not been doing well health-wise and has been unable to work. She will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight so we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

My name is Jaylin Sellman. I am a rising sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in computer science. My long-term goal is to become a cyber operations officer in the Space Force. I believe I should be awarded this scholarship because it will help me reach my short-term goal of continuing to introduce more young black women to cybersecurity during my time in college. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition during my junior year. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security and earn points. Excelling in the competition, I was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. Playing in this competition allowed me to discover what I truly wanted to do with a computer science degree, so I decided that was the career path I wanted to pursue. After that, I made many efforts to be involved in any computer science-related activities my school had. I was the vice president of our coding club and the secretary of our girl's coding club. I also won multiple recognition awards for women in computing. Next semester I will be the vice president of my school's Women in Cybersecurity club. I plan to work with the rest of the e-board team to do more outreach service projects to teach young women about cybersecurity and get them interested. I also plan to hold virtual Q&A panels with women in cybersecurity for the public. I want to raise awareness of the need for more diversity in the cybersecurity field, as people from different backgrounds allow us to spark more innovative ideas. Making the world a safer place. Once I graduate and become an officer in the Space Force, I can be someone young black girls can look up to. Growing up, I didn’t have many black female role models in STEM. Going to mostly white schools, I often felt isolated and alone. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your dreams. In order to make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. My mother, who has been fighting breast cancer, has been unable to work recently due to her decline in health and will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight so we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

My name is Jaylin Sellman. I am a rising sophomore at North Carolina A&T State University, majoring in computer science. Through the ROTC program, I aim to become a United States Air Force cyber operations officer. I believe I should be awarded this scholarship because it will allow me to continue introducing more young black women to cybersecurity during my time in college and beyond. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security to earn points. I became one of the top players with the most points and was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. This competition showed me what cybersecurity truly was. I constantly learned new things and challenged myself to solve each game. I have always been inquisitive, and with cybersecurity still growing, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. In high school, I made many efforts to be involved in any computer science-related activities we had. I was the vice president of our coding club and the secretary of our girl's coding club. I also won multiple recognition awards for women in computing as well as a certification in the foundations of cybersecurity. Next semester I will be the vice president of my school's Women in Cybersecurity club. My goal is to do more outreach service projects to teach young women about cybersecurity and get them interested. I also plan to hold virtual Q&A panels with women in cybersecurity for the public. I want to help raise awareness of the need for more diversity in the cybersecurity field, as people from different backgrounds allow us to spark more innovative ideas. Making the world a safer place. Once I graduate and become an officer in the Air Force, I can be someone young black girls can look up to. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your goals. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. Recently my mother has not been doing well health-wise and has been unable to work. She will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight so we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

Calculus is important to the STEM field for many reasons. But to me, I believe that calculus is important because of how it changes the way we take on problems in life, STEM and non-STEM related. When I was younger I used to love math. How could I not? My mother was an accountant and ensured that we were proficient in math. I was always so happy when I could solve math problems faster than others. But eventually, over time math got harder and my math skills became average. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed math; until I got to college and had to take Calculus. The fall semester I had to take Calculus was, to put it lightly, challenging. My professor spoke very fast and had a strong accent, so I struggled greatly with understanding the different concepts and practice problems. Every test I bombed and had to go to his office hours frequently to redo them. There would be times when I would spend hours on the homework just to get a passing grade in the class. I was lucky to have some upperclassmen friends who could help me study, but I still often felt lost and confused. When it came time for the final exam, I knew it was over. I don’t think I understood a single question fully on that exam. I was so frustrated I wanted to cry. When the semester was done I fearfully checked over my grades and was surprised when I saw that I got a C in the class. I was so happy I didn’t have to retake the class that I had forgotten that my troubles with calculus were far from over. As a computer science major, at my school, we are required to take Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. Calculus 2 was on a whole different level compared to Calculus 1. From day one I was immediately lost. For the first test we had, the professor pulled me aside after and recommended that I get help through her office hours and tutoring. I went to her as often as I could but still wasn’t making any progress. I was so far behind that I didn’t know what to do. After talking with some of my advisors I realized that I couldn’t handle taking Calculus 2 and dropped the class. High school me would probably have not chosen to drop the class, but I think dropping Calculus was the biggest lesson I learned from it. Your first year of college can and will be stressful, especially as a STEM major. You put so much pressure on yourself to be the best but you need to realize that you can do all that you can but you can’t do it all. Knowing what you can handle and when to ask for help will make your college experience much smoother. I will be taking the class again in the fall and will hopefully do better this time. I plan to go to office hours and get tutoring as often as I need it. Calculus has changed the way I take on problems. Not just in math, but in life. I know there will be many more obstacles I will have to overcome in my college career, but now that I have a better understanding of myself, I know that I will be able to handle them on my own or with the help of others around me.

My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security to earn points. I became one of the top players with the most points and was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. This competition showed me what cybersecurity truly was. I constantly learned new things and challenged myself to solve each game. I have always been inquisitive, and with cybersecurity still growing, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. However, I didn’t want to just work in an office doing meaningless tasks to make someone else richer, I wanted to help people doing the thing I loved. So after some thinking, I planned to attend college and become an officer in the Space Force. Not only will I be able to help defend my country, I’ll be able to make an impact on people as well. Growing up, I didn’t have many black role models in STEM. Going to mostly white schools, I often felt isolated and alone. Luckily, I connected with other girls through my clubs, but I was still the minority within those clubs. When I become an officer in the Air Force, I can be someone young black girls interested in cybersecurity can look up to. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your goals. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. Recently my mother has been having sudden seizures and has been unable to work. She will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight so we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security to earn points. I became one of the top players with the most points and was given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. This competition showed me what cybersecurity truly was. I constantly learned new things and challenged myself to solve each game. I have always been inquisitive, and with cybersecurity still growing, I knew this was the career path I wanted to pursue. However, I didn’t want to just work in an office doing meaningless tasks to make someone else richer, I wanted to help people doing the thing I loved. So after some thinking, I planned to attend college and become an officer in the Space Force. Not only will I be able to help defend my country, I’ll be able to make an impact on people as well. Growing up, I didn’t have many black role models in STEM. Going to mostly white schools, I often felt isolated and alone. Luckily, I connected with other girls through my clubs, but I was still the minority within those clubs. When I become an officer in the Air Force, I can be someone young black girls interested in cybersecurity can look up to. I want to show them that hard work and determination can fight against stereotypes and allow you to achieve your goals. To make my goals happen, I still need help through financial assistance. Recently my mother has been having sudden seizures and has been unable to work. She will soon have to go on disability with my father. Both my sister and I are in college now so money has been tight and we have no choice but to take out loans yearly. With this scholarship, I can lessen the money burden on my parents and focus more on my education. I am excited to learn more about cybersecurity throughout my college career. I want to make a difference in the world by continuing to go to school and become someone inspiring.

I aim to become a Cyberspace Effects Operations Officer in the United States Space Force. With the rise of cyber threats from our enemies, we need more people to help defend our country. And with the Space Force still young and ever-changing, my goal is to be at the forefront of protecting my country and the ones I love, doing the job that I love. My interest in computers, specifically programming, started in middle school. There was a website that had different programming games on it. They taught us about creating variables, basic for and while loops, and making functions. I became hooked, signed up for computer science classes in high school, and haven’t looked back since. My first experience with cyber security though was in an online competition. You had to play different games that taught you about cyber security and earn points. The players with the most points were given a free certification class and a $500 scholarship. Winning in the competition allowed me to discover what I wanted to do with a computer science degree, so I decided that was the career path I wanted to go on. However, I didn’t want to just work in an office doing meaningless tasks to make someone else richer, I wanted to help people doing the thing I loved. So after some thinking, I made the last-minute decision to join the military. Now, after my first year of college and being in the Air Force ROTC program, I do not regret my decision. I am learning so much about what it means to be a good leader and work with others effectively. It has also been helping me with my time management skills, as well as having discipline for myself and setting priorities. I hope that in the future I will be someone that other young girls can look up to and inspire to be like. I didn’t have many black women in STEM to look up to when I was growing up, so I have to continue to work hard in school and become that person. This is why receiving this scholarship will help me attain my goals. Going to an out-of-state school my tuition is fairly high for my family. My father just recently went on disability and my mother is planning to do the same as her health is making it impossible for her to work any longer. With my sister in college and the amount of bills we have to pay, receiving this scholarship will help lessen those financial burdens on my family and allow me to focus more on my education.

After a long day of school and chores, I face planted into my bed and let out a huge sigh of relief. “Finally,” I thought to myself, “some free time.” I quickly flipped over and grabbed my Nintendo Switch from my nightstand. I looked through all my games, already knowing which one I was going to play; the game that brought me the most joy and sadness, the most grief and gratification, a game where I felt confident saying that I was proficient at: Pokémon Unite. It's a 5v5 multiplayer online battle area (or MOBA for short) based around the popular Pokémon franchise. You work together as a team to attack wild Pokémon to score points on the other team's goals and defend your own in the span of 10 minutes. I've been playing ever since its release and it has become my go-to game to play on my Switch. I text my friend and ask him if he’s free to play. I call him and we talk a little bit about each other’s day. Soon we get a match and begin picking our Pokémon. My friend always plays Charizard, he loves dragons and is actually pretty good with him. I go with my main Blissey to play support. After everyone picks their Pokémon, the game begins and we start to move into our assigned paths. The game starts out slow but when we start to level up and unlock more abilities, it becomes more exciting. I stay behind to heal my friend while he attacks the other team. We managed to kill them quickly and score a few points on their goal. We back off to level up more and wait again for the right time to attack. 2 minutes remained and we reached the climax of the game. For us to win, we had to attack a boss wild Pokémon in the middle to disable all their goals making it possible for us to score effortlessly. I felt that we had it in the bag, my friend thought so too. So when the game announced that the other team got the Pokémon I was speechless. One of the enemy Pokémon managed to get the last hit and steal it from us. It was silent for the rest of the game until I said, “I blame you for this.” He burst out laughing and I soon followed suit. We then queued up another game. I couldn’t hang out with my friends much outside of school since my mother got sick. She was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015 and needed more help around the house. It made me feel alone and isolated while my friends got to do things together that I wasn’t able to do. Being able to play games at home with them helped me feel less left out. I still play Pokémon Unite with my friend when I return home from college. Being able to relax with friends every once in a while has always been great. And with Pokémon Unite, I could do just that. It helped me forget about my troubles at home, having a good time yelling at people on the internet, with my friend there to witness it all.

My mother was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015. I was only 9 years old then and didn’t quite understand the overwhelming stress it would put on her and my family. Before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we faced many hardships and setbacks that put us all in a very poor state, and the repercussions of that still linger in our house. Now as I look back, I still wish we didn’t have to live through those times, but I am grateful for the things it taught me about how important it is to take better care of yourself Growing up, my siblings and I were always taught to do what we were told. So it became obvious when our mother first got sick, that we would have to do more to help out. At first, it was basic household chores. But over time, my mother’s health continued to decline and we had to do more. We learned how to shop by ourselves and pick up medicine for her. After a while, it became second nature and from it, we became more responsible. When my mom started to need more around-the-clock care, things began to pile up. I was in my last year of high school, and my sister was away at college, so it was just me and my younger brother. Despite managing to keep my grades up and stay active in various school clubs, school mainly served as an escape from the stresses of home. Becoming a teen caregiver for my mother was and still is an exhausting experience, as staying on top of everything she needed made me put my own life aside. This led me into a spiral of depression and self-hatred, and although my doctor recommended therapy, I eventually stopped going because it felt more like a burden for my parents than help for me. My mother having cancer took so much away from me over the years: getting a job, playing sports, hanging out with friends, things most teenagers my age got to do. Going to college I got to experience some of those things, but I still am struggling with things like imposter syndrome and improving my self-worth. This made me realize that to grow and move on from my past hardships, I need to become a stronger version of myself, both physically and mentally. In my first year of college, I joined the Air Force ROTC program, and I haven’t regretted it since. While learning how to become an efficient leader in the Air Force I have gained more self-confidence. I have been more physically active as well which has helped my mental health a bit. I have also been considering using the counseling services at my school to give therapy another try. Being able to be on my own and putting the focus back on myself has been refreshing on my journey of self-improvement. Which is why receiving this scholarship would be so helpful to me. Going to an out-of-state school my tuition is fairly high for my family. My father just recently went on disability and my mother is planning to do the same as her health is making it impossible for her to work any longer. With my sister in college and the amount of bills we have to pay, receiving this scholarship will help lessen those financial burdens on my family and allow me to focus more on my education.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a recent graduate of Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in the fall and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter, helping sort and box donated books, placing wreaths on veterans' headstones, and donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I have always admired people for their intelligence, which is why I believe that forwarding your education is so important to me. But intelligence alone is not what makes someone memorable, it is what one does with that intelligence. I know I'm not the smartest person but I still want to use what knowledge I have and what I'm going to gain to make the world a safer place. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. I also want to be someone that other black girls in STEM can look up to. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom full of white students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My mother getting diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2015 greatly impacted me and my family. Many responsibilities were put on me and my siblings at a young age. Having to learn how to shop, cook, clean, and take care of my mother became stressful and mentally damaging. As the years went on I started to care less and less about myself and my wellbeing. It became easy to just act like I was fine and ignore my feelings as I didn’t want to worry my mother or make it seem like my problems were more important than hers, which has unfortunately made me a more distant and reserved person. This depressive part of my life soon became more visible to my parents. They suggested going to therapy, but again, I put my mother before myself and stopped going. What hit us the hardest was a few months ago when she started having multiple seizures. She had to stay in the hospital multiple times before being able to return home, but she was still very weak and needed a lot more help. I would have to help her eat, use the bathroom, take a shower, and change her clothes. There would be times when I and my brother would take turns staying home from school to watch her when my father went to work. All of this happening during the beginning of my senior year was very hard for me. I even thought about choosing an in-state college just to stay close to my mother. I have had many setbacks while growing up as a caregiver, but I knew I couldn’t let them affect my education. I have managed to maintain a 3.96 GPA for most of my senior year. And despite not being able to play sports in school due to my responsibilities at home, I still managed to get involved in other ways at school. I have participated in our school’s Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society, with an officer position in almost all of them. These clubs have helped me become a more well-rounded person and more connected to the community. Now, I plan to go to North Carolina A&T State University majoring in computer science. I know that I will still worry about my mother but I know that she wants me to be happy and go where I need to achieve my goals. Being a caregiver has made me a more adaptive person. There are many things in life that I wanted to do but couldn’t because my mother needed me. Hanging out with friends became a rarity and doing sports was out of the question. It’s hard but I have managed to make do. I try to call my friends when I have the time and I try to work out at home when I can. And since I usually don’t have time to do homework at home I try to do it at school during my free periods. I don’t like having to live my life around my mother but I do want to make sure she is happy. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. I am pursuing a STEM degree because of the people who have influenced me in my life. I inherited my love for math from my mother, my computer science teacher helped me get into cybersecurity, and a friend of mine helped me connect with other girls interested in coding. When I was younger we would play coding games in school, which is probably how I got into loving technology. Cybersecurity was something I got into later, around my junior year when my teacher introduced me to the CyberStart competition. I love learning and exploring things that interest me, which made cybersecurity the perfect field for me. Every day, people are trying to break into companies' databases and software. It's up to cybersecurity professionals to learn the attacker's tactics and strategies, boot out the attackers and build stronger defenses to make sure they don’t get attacked again. Being able to do this as a job would be exciting and rewarding. I feel that the STEM world would greatly benefit from promoting the need for more women of color. I know what it’s like to feel isolated and alone in a class of predominantly caucasian male students. This is a common occurrence for many women of color. It can be deterring for many to join the STEM field because of this. Having someone to look up to, converse with and communicate with that looks like us can help increase the number of women of color going into the STEM field. This cause is very important to me. I would have never gone into the STEM field without the women in my life. Which makes me want to do the same for others. I want to become someone young girls of color can look up to. I want to help people learn about cybersecurity. I want to help young girls to not be afraid of being the minority in the classroom and to be proud of who they are and the path they are walking on. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter made me a more caring person and helped me work better with others in a group setting. Helping sort and box donated books also taught me about teamwork and made me feel more grateful for the things I always had in my life. Placing wreaths on veterans' headstones helped me better understand the commitment that people in the military and their families have to protect this country which is what sparked my intent to join the Air Force in the first place. Donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated made me feel happy being able to help children during the holidays. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I have always admired people for their intelligence, which is why I believe that forwarding your education is so important to me. But intelligence alone is not what makes someone memorable, it is what one does with that intelligence. I know I'm not the smartest person but I still want to use what knowledge I have and what I'm going to gain to make the world a safer place. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. I also want to be someone that other black girls in STEM can look up to. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom full of white students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter made me a more caring person and helped me work better with others in a group setting. Helping sort and box donated books also taught me about teamwork and made me feel more grateful for the things I always had in my life. Placing wreaths on veterans' headstones helped me better understand the commitment that people in the military and their families have to protect this country which is what sparked my intent to join the Air Force in the first place. Donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated made me feel happy being able to help children during the holidays. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I have always admired people for their intelligence, which is why I believe that forwarding your education is so important to me. But intelligence alone is not what makes someone memorable, it is what one does with that intelligence. I know I'm not the smartest person but I still want to use what knowledge I have and what I'm going to gain to make the world a safer place. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. I also want to be someone that other black girls in STEM can look up to. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom full of white students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout my high school years, I have participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter made me a more caring person and helped me work better with others in a group setting. Helping sort and box donated books also taught me about teamwork and made me feel more grateful for the things I always had in my life. Placing wreaths on veterans' headstones helped me better understand the commitment that people in the military and their families have to protect this country which is what sparked my intent to join the Air Force in the first place. Donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated made me feel happy being able to help children during the holidays. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I have always admired people for their intelligence, which is why I believe that forwarding your education is so important to me. But intelligence alone is not what makes someone memorable, it is what one does with that intelligence. I know I'm not the smartest person but I still want to use what knowledge I have and what I'm going to gain to make the world a safer place. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. I also want to be someone that other black girls in STEM can look up to. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom full of white students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. Additionally, a cause that I care a lot about is bringing awareness to the lack of women of color in the STEM world. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom with not many minority students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference. Being the vice president of my school’s Code Club and the secretary of its Girls Code Club has greatly helped me learn how to be a leader in these areas and allowed me to help support and collaborate with others. I want to continue doing this in college and my career. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

Around the end of my junior year, I competed in “CyberStart America”, a competition where you would play different challenges to earn points, and if you earned enough points you would qualify as a finalist. Finalists got to take a free class to earn a certificate in the foundations of cybersecurity. Qualifying as a finalist I decided to take the class as I thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to get some experience in cybersecurity and to see if I wanted this to be my future career. At first, the class was easy. They sent me 3 big books to study and take notes in, and since it was the end of the school year I had more time to study. When school was over I still tried to study but I was also studying to take the SAT again. Once the SATs were over I got right back to studying. I knew once school started again I wouldn’t have much time to study but I didn’t let that stop me. Whenever I had free time I would pull out my books and study. I was keeping a good pace to get ready for my exam in October but then there was a setback. In September of that year, my mother started having multiple seizures. She had to stay in the hospital multiple times before safely being able to return home, but she was still very weak and needed a lot more help. I would have to help her eat, use the bathroom, take a shower, and change her clothes. There would be times when my brother and I would take turns staying home from school to watch her when my father went to work. All of this happening during the beginning of my senior year was very hard for me. I would always be too busy or tired to study my books or even do my school work, and with the test coming up soon I started to worry if I was going to be ready in time. Despite all these pressures, I didn’t let them stop me from doing what I wanted to do. Learning about all the different topics related to cybersecurity made me realize how much I wanted this to be my job. As my exam date came closer, I had to work twice as hard to finish in time. Once my mom went to sleep I studied night after night to finish reading and taking notes. It took a lot out of me, but it was all worth it once I finished my exam. I passed and was one of the top 500 highest-scoring students. I received the “Alan Paller Honor Scholarship” and my first certification in cybersecurity. Earning that certification made me see what I can achieve when I put 110% into something I love. I plan to have this same mentality when I go to college. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. Additionally, a cause that I care a lot about is bringing awareness to the lack of women of color in the STEM world. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom with not many minority students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference. Being the vice president of my school’s Code Club and the secretary of its Girls Code Club has greatly helped me learn how to be a leader in these areas and allowed me to help support and collaborate with others. I want to continue doing this in college and my career. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. I am pursuing a STEM degree because of the people who have influenced me in my life. I inherited my love for math from my mother, my computer science teacher helped me get into cybersecurity, and a friend of mine helped me connect with other girls interested in coding. When I was younger we would play coding games in school, which is probably how I got into loving technology. Cybersecurity was something I got into later, around my junior year when my teacher introduced me to the CyberStart competition. I love learning and exploring things that interest me, which made cybersecurity the perfect field for me. Every day, people are trying to break into companies' databases and software. It's up to cybersecurity professionals to learn the attacker's tactics and strategies, boot out the attackers and build stronger defenses to make sure they don’t get attacked again. Being able to do this as a job would be exciting and rewarding. I feel that the STEM world would greatly benefit from promoting the need for more women of color. I know what it’s like to feel isolated and alone in a class of predominantly Caucasian male students. This is a common occurrence for many women of color. It can be deterring for many to join the STEM field because of this. Having someone to look up to, converse with and communicate with that looks like us can help increase the number of women of color going into the STEM field. This cause is very important to me. I would have never gone into the STEM field without the women in my life. Which makes me want to do the same for others. I want to become someone young girls of color can look up to. I want to help people learn about cybersecurity. I want to help young girls to not be afraid of being the minority in the classroom and to be proud of who they are and the path they are walking on. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burden and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. Additionally, a cause that I care a lot about is bringing awareness to the lack of women of color in the STEM world. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom with not many minority students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference. Being the vice president of my school’s Code Club and the secretary of its Girls Code Club has greatly helped me learn how to be a leader in these areas and allowed me to help support and collaborate with others. I want to continue doing this in college and my career. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. Currently, my mother is the breadwinner of our household since my father, who has his own business, will be considering retiring soon because of his health conditions and a decline in work projects. I also have an older sibling who is currently a college student. Therefore any financial help will be greatly appreciated and will help relieve some of our financial burdens and allow me to focus more on my education. Please consider me for this scholarship to help me pursue my goals in cybersecurity.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School. I plan to attend North Carolina A&T State University and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout high school, I have participated in many clubs related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. I helped out at an animal shelter, sorted and boxed donated books, placed wreaths on veterans' headstones, and also donated clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I am pursuing a STEM degree because of the people who have influenced me in my life. My mother gave me her love for math, my computer science teacher helped me get into cybersecurity, and a friend of mine helped me connect with other girls interested in coding. When I was younger we would play coding games in school, which is probably how I got into loving technology. Cybersecurity was something I got into later, around my junior year when my teacher introduced me to the CyberStart competition. I love learning and exploring things that interest me, which made cybersecurity the perfect field for me. Every day, people are trying to break into companies' databases and software. It's up to cybersecurity professionals to learn the attacker's tactics and strategies, kick out the attackers and build stronger defenses to make sure they don’t get attacked again. Being able to do this as a job would be exciting and rewarding. I feel that the STEM world greatly benefits itself by promoting the need for more women of color. I know what it’s like to feel isolated and alone in a class of predominantly white male students. This is a common occurrence for many women of color. It can be deterring for many to join the STEM field because of this. Having someone to look up to, converse with and communicate with that looks like us can help increase the number of women of color going into the STEM field. This cause is very important to me. I would have never gone into the STEM field without the women in my life. Which makes me want to do the same for others. I want to become someone young girls of color can look up to. I want to help people learn about cybersecurity. I want to help young girls not be afraid of being the minority in the classroom and to be proud of who they are and the path they’re walking on.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School. I plan to attend North Carolina A&T State University and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout high school, I have participated in many clubs related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. I helped out at an animal shelter, sorted and boxed donated books, placed wreaths on veterans' headstones, and also donated clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I am pursuing a STEM degree because of the people who have influenced me in my life. My mother gave me her love for math, my computer science teacher helped me get into cybersecurity, and a friend of mine helped me connect with other girls interested in coding. When I was younger we would play coding games in school, which is probably how I got into loving technology. Cybersecurity was something I got into later, around my junior year when my teacher introduced me to the CyberStart competition. I love learning and exploring things that interest me, which made cybersecurity the perfect field for me. Every day, people are trying to break into companies' databases and software. It's up to cybersecurity professionals to learn the attacker's tactics and strategies, kick out the attackers and build stronger defenses to make sure they don’t get attacked again. Being able to do this as a job would be exciting and rewarding. I feel that the STEM world greatly benefits itself by promoting the need for more women of color. I know what it’s like to feel isolated and alone in a class of predominantly white male students. This is a common occurrence for many women of color. It can be deterring for many to join the STEM field because of this. Having someone to look up to, converse with and communicate with that looks like us can help increase the number of women of color going into the STEM field. This cause is very important to me. I would have never gone into the STEM field without the women in my life. Which makes me want to do the same for others. I want to become someone young girls of color can look up to. I want to help people learn about cybersecurity. I want to help young girls not be afraid of being the minority in the classroom and to be proud of who they are and the path they’re walking on.

Around the end of my junior year, I competed in “CyberStart America”, a competition where you would play different challenges to earn points, and if you earned enough points you would qualify as a finalist. Finalists got to take a free class to earn a certificate in the foundations of cybersecurity. Qualifying as a finalist I decided to take the class as I thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to get some experience in cybersecurity and to see if I wanted this to be my future career. At first, the class was easy. They sent me 3 big books to study and take notes in, and since it was the end of the school year I had more time to study. When school was over I still tried to study but I was also studying to take the SAT again. Once the SATs were over I got right back to studying. I knew once school started again I wouldn’t have much time to study but I didn’t let that stop me. Whenever I had free time I would pull out my books and study. I was keeping a good pace to get ready for my exam in October but then there was a setback. In September of that year, my mother started having multiple seizures. She had to stay in the hospital multiple times before safely being able to return home, but she was still very weak and needed a lot more help. I would have to help her eat, use the bathroom, take a shower, and change her clothes. There would be times when I and my brother would take turns staying home from school to watch her when my father went to work. All of this happening during the beginning of my senior year was very hard for me. I would always be too busy or tired to study my books or even do my school work, and with the test coming up soon I started to worry if I was going to be ready in time. Despite all these pressures, I didn’t let them stop me from doing what I wanted to do. Learning about all the different topics related to cybersecurity made me realize how much I wanted this to be my job. As my exam date came closer, I had to work twice as hard to finish in time. Once my mom went to sleep I studied night after night to finish reading and taking notes on everything. On the night before my exam, I went to bed around 4 am. It took a lot out of me, but it was all worth it once I finished my exam. I passed my exam and was one of the top 500 highest-scoring students. I received the “Alan Paller Honor Scholarship” and my first certification in cybersecurity. Earning that certification made me see what I can achieve when I put 110% into something I love. I plan to have this same mentality when I go to college. This is why receiving this scholarship will help me in maintaining this mindset. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. My mother is the only dependable income in the house as my father has his own business, but as he gets older he is becoming unable to continue working and will soon have to retire. Having to worry about bills, and supporting three kids, with one already in college, our money gets spread thin. This scholarship would help relieve some of the financial burden off their shoulders and help me better focus on my education.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. I am a caregiver for my parents; my mother, who has breast cancer, and my father, who has physical health issues. In my free time, I like to read and learn about programming. I also like to bake and play volleyball. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter made me a more caring person and helped me work better with others in a group setting. Helping sort and box donated books also taught me about teamwork and made me feel more grateful for the things I always had in my life. Placing wreaths on veterans' headstones helped me better understand the commitment that people in the military and their families have to protect this country which is what sparked my intent to join the Air Force in the first place. Donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated made me feel happy being able to help children during the holidays. Volunteering has helped me open my eyes and make me realize how blessed I am. My parents have always made sure that we have clothes on our backs and food on the table. Being able to give that sense of reassurance I feel every day to someone else makes me want to continue doing volunteer work in college. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. My mother is the only dependable income in the house as my father has his own business, but as he gets older he is becoming unable to continue working and will soon have to retire. Having to worry about bills, and supporting three kids, with one already in college, our money gets stretched thin often. This scholarship would help relieve some of the financial burden off their shoulders and allow me to focus more on my education.

Around the end of my junior year, I competed in “CyberStart America”, a competition where you would play different challenges to earn points, and if you earned enough points you would qualify as a finalist. Finalists got to take a free class to earn a certificate in the foundations of cybersecurity. Qualifying as a finalist I decided to take the class as I thought that this would be a great opportunity for me to get some experience in cybersecurity and to see if I wanted this to be my future career. At first, the class was easy. They sent me 3 big books to study and take notes in, and since it was the end of the school year I had more time to study. When school was over I still tried to study but I was also studying to take the SAT again. Once the SATs were over I got right back to studying. I knew once school started again I wouldn’t have much time to study but I didn’t let that stop me. Whenever I had free time I would pull out my books and study. I was keeping a good pace to get ready for my exam in October but then there was a setback. In September of that year, my mother started having multiple seizures. She had to stay in the hospital multiple times before safely being able to return home, but she was still very weak and needed a lot more help. I would have to help her eat, use the bathroom, take a shower, and change her clothes. There would be times when I and my brother would take turns staying home from school to watch her when my father went to work. All of this happening during the beginning of my senior year was very hard for me. I would always be too busy or tired to study my books or even do my school work, and with the test coming up soon I started to worry if I was going to be ready in time. Despite all these pressures, I didn’t let them stop me from doing what I wanted to do. Learning about all the different topics related to cybersecurity made me realize how much I wanted this to be my job. As my exam date came closer, I had to work twice as hard to finish in time. Once my mom went to sleep I studied night after night to finish reading and taking notes on everything. On the night before my exam, I went to bed around 4 am. It took a lot out of me, but it was all worth it once I finished my exam. I passed my exam and was one of the top 500 highest-scoring students. I received the “Alan Paller Honor Scholarship” and my first certification in cybersecurity. Earning that certification made me see what I can achieve when I put 110% into something I love. I plan to have this same mentality when I go to college. This is why receiving this scholarship will help me in maintaining this mindset. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly. My mother is the only dependable income in the house as my father has his own business, but as he gets older he is becoming unable to continue working and will soon have to retire. Having to worry about bills, and supporting three kids, with one already in college, our money gets spread thin. This scholarship would help relieve some of the financial burden off their shoulders and help me better focus on my education.

The dream version of my future self is someone who can finally focus on her goals after being a child caretaker for her mother with cancer.

Having a sense of belonging with others like me is very important. Living in Southern Maryland, the black population is small, especially in my school. In most of my classes, there is an average of 2-3 black students, including myself. The lack of diversity throughout my school years never really bothered me before high school, but now I have had feelings of isolation and feeling like an outsider looking in. To attempt to lessen these feelings, I joined my school’s Black Student Union, which has helped me gain more self-confidence and better connect to my community and myself as a person of color, but that sense of belonging still felt scarce. Throughout my college search, I always had going to an HBCU on my mind. My mother went to Howard and my sister is in her second year there, but it was never on my radar due to it being more known for its medical majors. I wanted to go to an HBCU that was more known for its computer science majors, which is how I found North Carolina A&T. Besides academics, going to an HBCU felt like the right choice for me because I knew I needed to experience our culture and history on a larger scale. Once I go into the workforce, there is a good chance that I'll become the minority again. Being overlooked and underrepresented is what I'm used to, but for just a little bit, I want to feel seen. Not just for the color of my skin but for my intelligence, my determination, my willingness to try new things, and just everything about who I am and who I inspire to be.

My name is Jaylin Sellman and I am a senior at Southern High School in Harwood, Maryland. I plan to attend a 4-year university and major in computer science and specialize in cybersecurity. My goals are to join the ROTC program and become a Cyber Operations Officer for the Air Force. Throughout my high school years, I participated in many clubs that were related to my interests. Clubs like Girls Code Club, Code Club, Black Student Union, and Math Honor Society have helped me become more well-rounded as a person and become more connected to the community. I have also done volunteer work related to my interests. Helping out at an animal shelter made me a more caring person and helped me work better with others in a group setting. Helping sort and box donated books also taught me about teamwork and made me feel more grateful for the things I always had in my life. Placing wreaths on veterans' headstones helped me better understand the commitment that people in the military and their families have to protect this country which is what sparked my intent to join the Air Force in the first place. Donating clothes to children whose parents are incarcerated made me feel happy being able to help children during the holidays. I feel that all students should do volunteer work, especially related to something that they care about. Volunteering greatly helps build character and makes you a better person in general. I have always admired people for their intelligence, which is why I believe that forwarding your education is so important to me. But intelligence alone is not what makes someone memorable, it is what one does with that intelligence. I know I'm not the smartest person but I still want to use what knowledge I have and what I'm going to gain to make the world a safer place. The world of cybersecurity is all about maintaining the sustainability of the online world. As the world has begun to become more intertwined with technology, a new world of cyber criminals has emerged. Their main goals are to disturb the peace and exploit people and companies to gain and sell their information illegally. It will soon be my job to collaborate with others to innovate new deficiencies and strategies to protect companies and other users against cyber threats. Being at the forefront of these issues is what I have wanted to do for a long time. Helping to protect others is a value I greatly admire, but also the challenges and constant learning are what got me into cybersecurity in the first place. I also want to be someone that other black girls in STEM can look up to. Growing up, I never had many black role models in STEM to look up to. Stepping into a classroom full of white students can deter someone from walking a path that can unlock so many opportunities for them. I want to help make that path more accessible to more black women by showing them that the fight is worth it in the end and that they as well can make a difference.

I was born and raised in Southern Maryland. I grew up with an older sister and a younger brother. Some of my hobbies include cooking, baking, reading, video games, and coding. In my free time, I like to learn about cybersecurity, mythology, and astronomy. My favorite subjects in school are Computer Science, Math, U.S. History, and Physics. I like to play volleyball and badminton and I hope to play them for fun in college. I am pursuing a STEM degree because of the people who have influenced me in my life. My mother gave me her love for math, my computer science teacher helped me get into cybersecurity, and a friend of mine helped me connect with other girls interested in coding. When I was younger we would play coding games in school, which is probably how I got into loving technology. Cybersecurity was something I got into later, around my junior year when my teacher introduced me to the CyberStart competition. I love learning and exploring things that interest me, which made cybersecurity the perfect field for me. Every day, people are trying to break into companies' databases and software. It's up to cybersecurity professionals to learn the attacker's tactics and strategies, kick out the attackers and build stronger defenses to make sure they don’t get attacked again. Being able to do this as a job would be exciting and rewarding. I feel that the STEM world greatly benefits itself by promoting the need for more women of color. I know what it’s like to feel isolated and alone in a class of predominantly white male students. This is a common occurrence for many women of color. It can be deterring for many to join the STEM field because of this. Having someone to look up to, converse with and communicate with that looks like us can help increase the number of women of color going into the STEM field. This cause is very important to me. I would have never gone into the STEM field without the women in my life. Which makes me want to do the same for others. I want to become someone young girls of color can look up to. I want to help people learn about cybersecurity. I want to help young girls not be afraid of being the minority in the classroom and to be proud of who they are and the path they’re walking on.