I need this scholarship to help pay for the costs associated with my course load. I work full-time in a restaurant, and I will be attending the university full time. I do not have the support of family and my friends that support me going to college this late in my life are few. I have no home to speak of, and pursuing a college degree is my dream. One way or another I will make it, but I am not too proud to admit that I need help.

My psychology professor at the community college helped me in more ways than I can describe. She wanted the truth in journal entries and got more than she bargained for in mine. Throughout the semester she took the time to get to know me as more than just a student. She encouraged me that despite everything that life has thrown at me, I am a strong person and I could do whatever I wanted.

I got interested in pursuing a computer science degree in a hotel. I was given a soldering gun and an arduino along with a box of circuits. I enjoy making things work. My goal is to make a difference in the lives of women who think that they are incapable of making a difference. My entire life I was told that I would not amount to anything. Computers and the technology that came with them were a man's job and I should stick to raising the kids. I was a stay-at-home mom until I found myself divorced and homeless. My kids knew my passion for computers and encouraged me to go back to school. I may not be the best candidate for this scholarship, but I believe I can make a difference.

I admire Neil Degrasse Tyson as a scientist but first as a person. I have watched his shows read his books even. His way of engaging and explaining the universe is direct, but in a way that anyone can understand. He is well-spoken and I just find him a very interesting person.

It may sound cliche' but my favorite tech invention of the last 10 years has to be facetime. I have been divorced for a few years now. Not having any work experience or family, my ex-husband gained custody of my children. I raised my children almost entirely by myself as my then-husband gained his degree, and a well-paying job. Newly divorced, I had no choice but to move 8 hours away to a state I had never been in. I use facetime every day to talk to my children and to attend events that I otherwise would miss. Facetime has allowed me to be there for every orchestra performance and even the birth of my grandchildren. I have been accepted to the University of Memphis in the Fall of this year where I plan to major in Business Technology Information. It is my goal to perhaps find a more convenient and cheaper form of communication so that other parents separated from their children do not have to miss out on events that they would like to be at.

I graduated in May Magna cum laude from the community college. My last two semesters I did homeless. I could not fail my kids, I had to show them that anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself. I have now been accepted to the University for the Fall semester.

"there is pain in the fire, but beauty in the ashes" This quote I keep tucked in my purse. It reminds me that there is pain in everything in life, but there is beauty if you look as well. I am rising from the ashes after a life of abuse. My past is behind me, I have nothing but a bright future ahead of me.

My greatest achievement to date is being homeless in the middle of the current pandemic and still continuing my college courses. I did not choose to be homeless. It was the culmination of a divorce and having no family or friends to lend a hand. I had no job experience as I raised my children while my ex-husband worked. What this experience has taught me is that homeless people are people first, homeless second. I am one of the lucky ones, I have a car to protect me from the elements. It did not prevent me from being robbed or beaten though. Being homeless has taught me compassion, understanding, and most of all determination. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was. I hope to continue with my classes at the university and get my own place. I hope to be able to achieve a safe place for people in my situation and show them it is possible. The only way to make a change is to be one.

To me, legacy means conviction. My upbringing should have left me broken. I had no support growing up, instead, I faced being told I was not good enough in anything I did. My parents did not want me and made sure I knew it. They took in foster children almost monthly and neglected their own children at the chance to look like they were doing good for society. When I married and had children of my own, it was as if the cycle was repeating. I did not want children, but when I had them, I vowed they would not live the life I did. I broke the vicious cycle and divorced my husband of 25 years to give my children a better life. They saw the abuse that I believed I hid from spectators. My children are my legacy. They cheer me on at every turn. I learned math next to my 15-year-old. We are on this journey together. My children are involved in the community now, some days we struggle with our demons, but we are building a better future. I broke the cycle of abuse. My children know nothing but love and acceptance now.

My inspiration in life are my children, but my greatest inspiration in life, is myself. That may sound vain, but I had all but given up on life a few short years ago. Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, I found myself homeless and alone. I was raped, beaten, and drugged. But I survived. No one was there to pick up the pieces of my life but myself. So I did. I am an undergrad at the University of Memphis this fall. I continued with my studies and kept my GPA at 4.0 through every obstacle life threw at me. My children, cheered me on. A better life for myself and my children is what drives me. I can make a difference, I will make a difference. I have a better understanding of what the homeless population go through, many will not speak up. I do not have a lot, but what I do have, I will give back 10 fold. One person can make a change. I can make a change.

I am a 46-year-old woman. Up until three years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom raising my six children. I found myself divorced and with no job experience, my ex-husband had all the smarts and I found myself homeless and without much hope. My children are the biggest influence in my life. They encouraged me that I was so much more than mom and I needed to show the world what I really could do. They reminded me of all the times I would fix the broken electronics in the house, and still have cookies made by the next morning for a fundraiser. They told me I could do anything because I instilled in them that they could do anything. They are the reason for everything I do. I am going to show them, and the world, that I can do anything.