I was born in the middle of a desert on a Naval base in Lemoore, California. My father often likes to point out that since I was born on a sweltering summer day and endured a complicated birth, that I can survive in the most arduous of circumstances. He was an aviation technician in the Navy and had plenty of experience working with technology. His love of technology became a major part of my family household and it was not long before I started to develop a passion for it. Growing up, he taught me plenty of technical skills that ranged anywhere from repairing computers to building 3-D printers. He was always teaching me to be inspired to pursue my passion and to create something that will help make the world a better place. Throughout my life, I have been in various leadership positions that has aided me in possessing the qualities and skills that embody who I am today. In high school, I was a part of a magnet program that specializes in medical research and sciences. It was there that I was introduced to the career options that the STEM field offers. I joined a robotics team during my freshman year and immediately fell in love with it. I became really interested in the programming aspect of robotics and I eventually became the lead programmer of the team until I graduated. I was also a part of a youth leadership program known as C5 foundation of Georgia for 7 years. Graduating from this program and then coming back to work as a staff member taught me a lot about communication skills, how to lead teams, motivate others and empower the youth. I went to Mississippi State University to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. I spent my 3 years working for the ITS department at the college of Veterinary and Medicine, and then the College of Forestry Wildlife and Resources. This is where I learned a great deal about problem solving, managing customers, and how to be action oriented on the job. It was from this work experience and my educational achievements that I was able to acquire an internship at International Paper as an IT intern specialist. I have worked with them for over two years now and gained valuable skills in supporting databases with SAP systems as well as data validation testing. I am currently a transfer student attending Kennesaw State University to complete my Computer Science degree. My goal is that one day I will be able to make the world more efficient by applying creativity to technology and inventing the means to improve functionality within company infrastructure. I would also like to create a platform that will help encourage others to pursue their passion and achieve their goals in IT regardless of their gender, race, or social economic status. This is important to me because I have experienced firsthand the struggles and challenges of being an African American female in the STEM field. Through these challenges and experiences, I have learned how to speak up for myself, never doubt my intelligence, and how to preserve in a field where many people try to tell you that you cannot make it. I have learned to overcome the most arduous of circumstances and I will continue to preserve so that I can one day help others to do the same.