I am incredibly passionate about inclusivity, diversity and creating space for under-represented communities through my work. I am currently a leader in the largest, highest volume store in my company and my department contributes $13.5m annually. I'm incredibly passionate about business and the work that my company does. It makes me feel like I'm contributing to something valuable and has given me an immense sense of purpose. Where my company lacks, despite what it's marketing will tell you, is actually creating space for the diversity that it wants to promote. We have so many programs, groups and educational materials talking about bias. But as a woman trying to make my way into the world of business, I often feel underestimated and like I am given less resources with more expectations. I know that I have to work harder than my male counterparts, with less forgiveness for my mistakes. Still, I love my company. I am committed to making it better, while never forgetting how I've struggled. My first-hand experience working my way through the company is something that I hold close to my heart. I never want to be the kind of executive that treats my lower level staff like they are replaceable, stupid or less valuable. I want them to know that they are trusted by executive leadership and we can create a better world, only by working together. Additionally, I know that by achieving my MBA, I will be better qualified than most people that I see at the top. This is almost a necessity in my mind, as I'm hoping it will counteract the inherent bias of being a female leader. I hope my future leaders and peers will see it as a representation of my work ethic and commitment, and will forgive me for my gender once they see that accolade. In a way, I'm trying to make myself a triple threat: a "diversity" hire, who knows that business from the ground up, and is just as educated as any external-hire. In spite of being a woman, and in some way mostly due to that fact, it is so important that my dream is realized. Not only because it will completely change the way my company runs, but it will offer visibility to other women and the rest of the world that we are inherently qualified and capable to progress our industries forward. I want to make this world and my company a better place, and achieving my MBA is a step, on a list of many steps, that can finally get us there.

I am currently a department manager at the largest and highest volume store in our company. In this role I have faced many challenges, from managing a diverse team of employees to meeting metric-driven sales goals. However, I believe leadership is most impactful when the focus is fostering teamwork and empowering others to reach their full potential. One instance stands out in particular, where I demonstrated collaborative leadership and was able to successfully make a far-reaching, positive impact. In the past year, I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with a colleague on specific project. However, the project presented multiple challenges, like evolving guidance and requirements from headquarters, technical complexities and firm deadlines. Despite these challenges, it became evident early on that strong collaboration would be pivotal for the overall success of the project. My colleague was relatively new to the team at the time and we were figuring out how to effectively work together. She also lacked experience organizing and contributing towards high-stakes projects. Recognizing her potential and the opportunity to leverage her skillset, I took on the role of both mentor and collaborator, rather than relying on delegating tasks or assuming that she would know where to contribute. One of the key challenges we faced was aligning our approaches and altering our individual styles make sure we were working in harmony. I have a more cautious and detail-oriented approach, while my peer presented as more assertive and focused on big-picture strategy. To bridge this gap, we held regular meetings to openly discuss ideas, concerns, and proposed solutions. Through respectful dialogue and active listening, we were able to leverage our strengths and find creative solutions to even the most complicated problems. Additionally, I made a conscious effort to empower my team member and provide them with opportunities to take ownership of certain aspects of the project. I intentionally delegated broad responsibilities and provided guidance and support when needed or asked. This not only helped build their confidence and skills but also fostered a sense of ownership and commitment to our success. As a result of our intentional efforts, we were able to overcome setbacks and successfully deliver the project ahead of schedule. Our leadership was impressed not only by the quality of our work but also by our ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges and maintain a highly cohesive team dynamic. This lesson was truly indispensable. Looking towards my long-term career, I am committed to applying these same principles of collaborative leadership. Whether facing operational challenges, managing teams, or driving business growth. I am committed to leading with empathy, resilience and integrity, and empowering others to achieve their highest potential.

I am currently a department manager at the largest and highest volume store in our company. In this role I have faced many challenges, from managing a diverse team of employees to meeting metric-driven sales goals. However, I believe leadership is most impactful when the focus is fostering teamwork and empowering others to reach their full potential. One instance stands out in particular, where I demonstrated collaborative leadership and was able to successfully make a far-reaching, positive impact. In the past year, I had the opportunity to collaborate closely with a colleague on specific project. However, the project presented multiple challenges, like evolving guidance and requirements from headquarters, technical complexities and firm deadlines. Despite these challenges, it became evident early on that strong collaboration would be pivotal for the overall success of the project. My colleague was relatively new to the team at the time and we were figuring out how to effectively work together. She also lacked experience organizing and contributing towards high-stakes projects. Recognizing her potential and the opportunity to leverage her skillset, I took on the role of both mentor and collaborator, rather than relying on delegating tasks or assuming that she would know where to contribute. One of the key challenges we faced was aligning our approaches and altering our individual styles make sure we were working in harmony. I have a more cautious and detail-oriented approach, while my peer presented as more assertive and focused on big-picture strategy. To bridge this gap, we held regular meetings to openly discuss ideas, concerns, and proposed solutions. Through respectful dialogue and active listening, we were able to leverage our strengths and find creative solutions to even the most complicated problems. Additionally, I made a conscious effort to empower my team member and provide them with opportunities to take ownership of certain aspects of the project. I intentionally delegated broad responsibilities and provided guidance and support when needed or asked. This not only helped build their confidence and skills but also fostered a sense of ownership and commitment to our success. As a result of our intentional efforts, we were able to overcome setbacks and successfully deliver the project ahead of schedule. Our leadership was impressed not only by the quality of our work but also by our ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges and maintain a highly cohesive team dynamic. This lesson was truly indispensable. Looking towards my long-term career, I am committed to applying these same principles of collaborative leadership. Whether facing operational challenges, managing teams, or driving business growth. I am committed to leading with empathy, resilience and integrity, and empowering others to achieve their highest potential.

I have always been a "climber" of sorts and I can't exactly point to where it stems from. I always had the sort of personality that made me feel different than others but underneath, there is an underlying greater purpose that I've always felt has driven me forward. I have never been afraid to chase my dreams or make hard decisions to craft and design a life centered around my happiness and motivations. Just as I moved to Colorado to further my career despite never visiting the state, in 2021 as a solo female first-time backpacker, I walked 1,000 continuous miles from the Mexican border through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Perhaps it's simply ignorance or something neurodivergent that I haven't quite pinned, but I feel like I could do anything in the world. I feel limited by seemingly silly things, like society and gender norms, but simultaneously I feel limitless. Like I can break through any barrier in the world. I know that I'm somewhat unique in my thinking which is why it is my greatest passion in life to help others persevere past their limitations. Out in existence, I know there are plenty of genuine struggles like imposter synonym, finances and racism. But my way of thinking lends itself to seeing that there is always a way out of your situation. It may not be a direct path and it always takes hard work, but I genuinely believe in the human ability to endure and thrive. That is fundamental to the person I am. I am currently pursuing a MBA. Part of it is due to my authentic love for learning and education; I always loved school. The other consideration, is how it will allow me to continue the climb, for myself and others. As a woman, there are many paths that feel restricted to me and the challenge fuels me to work even harder. I know that I have to work more than my male counterparts and will be given less second-chances. But I am up for the challenge, in not only what it offers me, but for the world it creates if there are more high-level female leaders. This scholarship will allow me to pursue my dream of higher education and grow the impact of women in the leadership and management space. I promise that I will continue to challenge myself for the rest of my life and share that ability, however I can, with those around me. I will continue to raise up and provide platforms for those who offer something incredible to the world, and hopefully in some small way, I am able to give others the courage to climb.

In contrast to my upbringing as a military brat, stability was never my primary career concern. Part of that was privilege. Although I grew up low-income, my parents fought hard to educate and elevate themselves. By the time I graduated high school, I could actually entertain attending a university as opposed to immediately joining the labor force. So that was exactly what I did. I had always struggled academically when I was growing up. Part of that was due to food insecurity or other household demands but due to how often we moved, I always felt behind my classes. I was often dropped in a completely different curriculum with subjects I had never even heard of. I spent most days in detention because I never did my homework or classwork. But in all honesty, if I even had the time once I got home, I never knew the material, and didn't have the resources or anyone at home to help me. At the end of high school, I took a summer school course that completely changed my approach to academia. For the first time in my life, someone took the time to explain these concepts to me and it was mind-altering. I realized that despite what my teachers said about me and how I felt about myself: I wasn't stupid. If I could learn algebra, I felt like I could learn anything, and I slowly started teaching myself using the library internet as my main tool. I graduated high school with honors and graduated college with my bachelor's, cum laude. I learned to love school for the first time in my life and felt sure that I would dedicate my life to academia. I had published through my university, been accepted for a prestigious work program and was ready to apply to graduate schools when COVID happened. My pending job site was canceled and like many people, I felt the world slip out of my hands. I was furloughed from my part-time retail job, which was much luckier than most people around me. When I returned to work, I was so incredibly grateful to my company for taking care of me that I decided to stay. I completely pivoted my life trajectory. Now, almost five years later, I've found myself missing school and missing academia. I want to continue to work for the company that I love and have already been accepted to a prestigious MBA program. I am beyond excited to be returning to school to be able to impact the world and my company in unimaginable ways. It also satiates the desire I have to be a lifelong learner and keep education close to my heart for the rest of my life. People are always shocked when I tell them that I miss school, especially those who knew me growing up. To me, education has been an incredibly insightful way for me to challenge my thinking, gain new perspectives and expand my world view. I am beyond thankful for my experience in education and know that I will be involved in it, formally or informally, for the rest of my life.

I grew up as a military brat, to two active duty military parents. They were incredibly strict and like many people in my family, they struggled to accept and manage their mental illnesses in a time and place that felt much less accepting. As a child, I was very artistic and interested in instruments, languages and drawing. This was the anti-thesis to what my parents were, which I was constantly reminded of. My parents were both at times physically, mentally and emotionally abusive and I attempted to take my own life on multiple occasions. The time I came the closest was when I was just 10 years old. Still, there was a light in my life and that was my Uncle. He wasn't like the rest of my family, who only placed value in hard, practical work. My Uncle was like me, ambitious and a dreamer. He worked as a geologist, played guitar, and sang constantly. My fondest memories are sitting at my dining room table with him while he practiced calligraphy. I swear he saved my life. If he hadn't moved in with my family, I genuinely don't believe I would be here. But like most of my family, he struggled with his own poorly managed mental illness and his problems were much more severe. My Uncle was a diagnosed Schizophrenic and was generally inconsistent with his medications. When he was regularly taking his medication, he was happy, present, and productive. Although similarly, it was obvious when he was not taking care of himself. I remember distinctly during one episode where it didn't even seem like he was lucid, more like a walking zombie than anything. It was the worst day of my life when he committed suicide. By this time, he had moved across the country for another job but we received a call that he hadn't shown up for work a couple days prior. My Grandmother was incredibly worried but part of that felt like her nature. My parents and I had seen this happen before. Sure, he probably wasn't taking his medication, but he would snap out of it eventually. That's what had always happened in the past. I was sitting at the same dining room table with my Grandmother, where I had sat with my Uncle a million times before. She received a call, answered the phone, and began wailing immediately. It was the unmistakable sound of a mother who just lost her child. Part of what made that experience so traumatic for us all was the sudden nature but also, as is the case with most male suicides, the violence of how he killed himself. You don't think about it until it happens to you, but I never realized that the police don't clean the crime scene or the objects they confiscate. It makes sense but it's one of the many jarring, but most haunting, part of that experience for me. It took a considerable time for us all to move past it. My Uncle's death, even a decade later, still impacts me greatly. I often have these sudden moments of realization, remembering that he's not here anymore. It doesn't feel right, even after all this time. The most important lessons that I gained from him is to be true to myself, to follow my heart and to remember that you don't know what anyone is going through at any given time. I always thought I was a "kind" person but it has a completely different connotation now. Being kind used to mean keeping my head down and not asking the uncomfortable questions. Now I see that it's the complete opposite. I wonder all the time if before he killed himself, did someone see him at the gas station and think he didn't look right? Did he cancel plans suddenly with his friends? Did they notice a change in him at work? These questions are the things that have left the largest impact on me. No one can prevent anything but sometimes it only takes one person or one interaction to completely change a scenario. I want to live and navigate my life as the person who smiles at the people who walk past, who asks when I see people upset. A person who is truly kind. Time has healed parts of this wound but in reality, it is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. In a way, it challenged my perspectives and grew me as a person, but I will never say that I'm grateful for it. What I am grateful for however, is the caring compassion of my friends and family and the truly kind people, who check in and ask what's wrong. Most importantly, I will live. I have created an incredible life for myself inspired by the lessons he taught me, the good and the bad. I love life and am beyond thankful to rest of the dreamers out there who unknowingly carry a small flame on the geologist who taught a young girl to trust herself and trust her dreams.