My commitment to healthy living and balanced growth is deeply tied to my educational and professional aspirations in pharmacy. I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Pharmacy degree, with plans to graduate in May 2026. My goal is to obtain a fellowship in industrial pharmacy, which is a dynamic and nontraditional path that merges science, technology, and leadership. This field allows me to apply my problem-solving skills to large-scale challenges such as medication accessibility, drug safety, and innovation in patient care. I am actively preparing for the upcoming fellowship application cycle by networking with professionals, refining my CV, and working with two mentors who have completed fellowships themselves. Their guidance has been instrumental as I strengthen my professional profile and position myself for success. At the same time, I’ve created contingency plans by identifying residency programs that align with my values and skill set. This dual preparation reflects the same principles I value in both health and education: balance, adaptability, and a proactive mindset. My passion for STEAM—especially in the pharmaceutical sciences—stems from my personal health journey. As a child, I faced several medical challenges that required consistent hospital visits. The compassion and innovation of my healthcare team inspired me to pursue a career where I could make a similar impact. Through pharmacy, I combine my love for science with my desire to serve others. I want to be the kind of professional who not only understands the chemistry behind medication but also the humanity behind each prescription. Industrial pharmacy, in particular, allows me to contribute to the advancement of healthcare systems and bridge the gap between research and patient outcomes. Beyond academics, I am committed to maintaining balance through creative expression. I have taught dance for several years, and I plan to continue teaching after graduation while pursuing a flexible or remote pharmacy position. Dance is more than an art form for me, it’s a form of mentorship and empowerment. It allows me to encourage confidence and self-expression in my students while keeping myself physically active and emotionally grounded. By integrating my love for science and art, I embody the interdisciplinary nature of STEAM: uniting logic and creativity, precision and passion. Receiving this scholarship would make a profound difference in achieving these goals. Although I recently became a resident of my college state to reduce tuition costs, I still carry substantial financial responsibilities. This award would help fund my final semester in Spring 2026, allowing me to graduate with less debt and greater financial security. I plan to manage the funds wisely by depositing them into a high-yield savings account until tuition payments are due, ensuring every dollar is used intentionally. Reducing financial stress will allow me to dedicate my full attention to fellowship preparation, professional development, and continued community engagement through dance education. Ultimately, pursuing a career in STEAM—specifically pharmacy—means more than advancing my own future. It means contributing to a healthier, more informed, and more compassionate world. With the support of this scholarship, I can continue striving toward that vision: leading with empathy, applying science to serve others, and inspiring those around me to live fully and healthily in every aspect of their lives. Thank you for your time, your generosity, and your investment in student leaders like me.

I have been fortunate to experience the world of theatre throughout my life, even though I didn't fully understand its significance at the time. During high school, I was involved in theatre class, and although it was just a hobby then, it sparked a passion that would later open many doors. As I moved into college and continued my dance journey, I began to discover my strengths and talents. Eventually, I became a choreographer while completing my undergraduate degree, and this experience paved the way for me to become a dance teacher. In my second year of graduate school, I applied to be a desk assistant for a local dance company. To my surprise, I was hired the day after my interview— not just as an assistant, but to teach musical theatre. Though I had never formally taken a musical theatre dance class, I had danced throughout elementary and high school, and participated in theatre productions, including musicals like West Side Story and performing pieces such as "Nobody" from Bandstand. Teaching young students for the first time was a challenge, but it was around that time that Wicked began making its way into theaters. I watched it with my sister, and from the beginning, I was captivated by the music, the characters, and the story. Wicked became a bridge between myself and my students. After struggling to connect with them following the isolation of the pandemic, the musical provided a shared experience. I started incorporating songs like "No One Mourns the Wicked" into our class routines. We discussed the deeper meanings of the musical, how the characters' journeys spoke to us, and how we could express those emotions through dance. We all developed a newfound appreciation for the characters and their stories, and it brought us closer as a group. Not only has Wicked rekindled my love for musical theatre, but it has also created a unique opportunity for connection with my students. Through learning and performing choreography inspired by the musical, they were able to connect with the music and characters on a deeper level. Together, we embraced the emotions that the musical evokes and expressed them through dance in ways we hadn't before. Wicked wasn't just a musical to us—it became a catalyst for growth, both as artists and as a community

Caring for others has always been a passion of mine. I knew that the health field was for me, and pharmacy was just the right fit. I aspire to work in the field of pharmacy and own a pharmacy, co-own a youth center, and build a nonprofit organization. Working in the field of pharmacy is a dream that I have always had. My mother and her best friend are both pharmacists and they love their jobs. They are my inspiration as they care for their patients and have relationships with them. Being able to see these two strong and intelligent black women work in pharmacy all of my life, has furthered my desire to pursue my career even further. As a young girl, watching my mother, I know how important it is to see people that look like you, take care of you, and I hope to be a part of that. My desire for pursuing a pharmacy degree comes from medicine itself. I have taken medicine since childhood. At the age of one, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. This then advanced to bronchitis, and in the end, I was left with asthma. Genetically, I got the short end of the stick as I also have allergies, and developed eczema at a very young age. I’ve experienced a life of nebulizers or breathing treatments, multiple forms of eczema creams and lotions, nose creams and sprays for periodic nosebleeds, and I now take two antihistamines for my allergies every night. Even though it would seem that these complications would make me hate medicine, they made me fall in love with it. I am blessed to have experienced what needing and using medicine is like, and how refusing or forgetting to take it would affect the body. Medicine is near and dear to my heart and it plays a vital role in making me into the person that I prefer to present myself as today. I want to be a role model in pharmacy. I aspire to become a pharmacist, own a pharmacy and nonprofit organization, and co-own a youth center with my younger sister. I plan to open a local pharmacy, to give the community a remote location for its pharmaceutical needs. My goals are to build connections, continue to learn, and use my pharmacy to reach the community. At the youth center, we will teach dance to our students and allow them to grow in creativity and build their passions. We want to give them a haven and provide a place that allows them to service their community, build valuable relationships, and be taught life lessons. For my nonprofit organization, I will focus on those in need within my community. I desire to provide daily necessities, meals, and educational resources. I’m hoping to truly make a positive impact on my community and hopefully grow to be able to spread my services to other communities as well. Overall, I am passionate about pharmacy. My background in life has allowed me to develop a love for pharmacy and helping others. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to obtain my degree and pursue my visions. While my pharmacy is my first goal, I also want to serve my community with a youth center and nonprofit organization. I hope that through these accomplishments, I will be able to exercise caring for others, helping others, and doing what I love and desire; which is being of service to others and working in the medical field as a pharmacist.

I am passionate about helping others. I aspire to become a pharmacist, and to have my own pharmacy, nonprofit organization, and co-own a youth center with my younger sister. I plan to open a local pharmacy that gives the community a remote location for its pharmaceutical needs. My goals are to build connections, continue to learn, and use my pharmacy to reach the community. I hope that I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and welcomed, and that I help them care about their health as much as I do. My next project will be the youth center. My sister’s and I’s youth center will mainly be for dance and the performing arts as we are both currently dancers. While this is a focus of ours, we will also teach life lessons, and provide a space for other forms of activities like group discussions and community service projects. Our main goal is to reach out to the youth, and give them the opportunity to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to do in the outside world. We want to give them a safe haven that will allow them to grow as individuals, build valuable relationships, and learn how to find their passions. My nonprofit organization is my last project. My hopes are to build it from the investment of my pharmacy, just as that of the youth center. Through it, I will be able to focus on those in need within my community. My desire is to provide daily needs and meals, and educational resources as well. Overall, I want to touch my community, and shed some light and positivity that benefits everyone willing to participate.

I am a singer, dancer, and a baton twirler, but most importantly, I am a scholar. Throughout my high school career, I was able to achieve more than academic success. I would have two to four dance classes a week, band practice for majorette dance and twirling after school almost everyday, and I would attend church religiously for choir rehearsals and services. I lived a very busy lifestyle, and because of it, I had to learn how to multitask and prioritize. I would usually have some activity to focus on during the day whether it be dancing, searching for scholarships, or studying for classes, but no matter what it was, I was always learning. I graduated in the top ten percent of my class, with over twenty college credit hours, thirty three high school credits, and a 4.94 gpa. I am now a second-year pre-pharmacy junior at the University of Mississippi. I am a member of NSLS, NSCS, and Alpha Lambda Delta, along with being a part of some other extracurricular organizations. My desire for pursuing a pharmacy degree comes from medicine itself. I have taken medicine since childhood. At the age of one, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. This then advanced to bronchitis, and in the end I was left with asthma. Genetically, I got the short end of the stick as I also have allergies, and developed eczema at a very young age. I’ve experienced a life of nebulizers or breathing treatments, multiple forms of eczema creams and lotions, nose creams and sprays for periodic nosebleeds, and I now take two antihistamines for my allergies every night. Even though it would seem that these complications would make me hate medicine, they actually made me fall in love with it. I am blessed to have experienced what needing and using medicine is like, and how refusing or forgetting to take it would affect the body. Medicine is near and dear to my heart and it plays a vital role in making me into the person that I prefer to present myself as today. I want to do what I can to help others when it comes to encouraging them to take their medicine to help them live healthier lives. I aspire to become a pharmacist, and to have my own pharmacy, nonprofit organization, and to co-own a youth center with my younger sister. I plan to open a local pharmacy, to give the community a remote location for its pharmaceutical needs. My goals are to build connections, continue to learn, and use my pharmacy to reach the community. My sister’s and I’s youth center will mainly be for dance and the performing arts, but it will also be used for life lessons and other forms of activities like group discussions and community service projects. Our main goal is to reach out to the youth, and give them the opportunity to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to do in the outside world. The funds for the youth center will mostly come from our businesses. My nonprofit organization will be built from the investment of my pharmacy just as that of the youth center. It’s focus will be on those in need within my community, and my desire is to provide daily needs and meals. Overall, I am passionate about pharmacy. My background in life has allowed me to develop a love for pharmacy and helping others and my bachelor and doctorate degree will take me far in life. With the help of this scholarship I will be able to obtain my degree and pursue my vision of opening my own pharmacy, nonprofit, and youth center to continue to give back to the community. While my pharmacy is my first main goal, these degrees will also contribute to my future youth center and nonprofit organization. My degrees will allow me to exercise caring for others, helping others, and doing what I love and desire, which is being of service to others and working in the medical field as a pharmacist.

I am a singer, dancer, and a baton twirler, but most importantly, I am a scholar. Throughout my high school career, I was able to achieve more than academic success. I would have two to four dance classes a week, band practice for majorette dance and twirling after school almost everyday, and I would attend church religiously for choir rehearsals and services. I lived a very busy lifestyle, and because of it, I had to learn how to multitask and prioritize. I would usually have some activity to focus on during the day whether it be dancing, searching for scholarships, or studying for classes, but no matter what it was, I was always learning. I graduated in the top ten percent of my class, with over twenty college credit hours, thirty three high school credits, and a 4.94 gpa. I aspire to become a pharmacist, and to have my own pharmacy and a youth center with my younger sister. I am a student at the University of Mississippi. With hard work, a positive attitude, and an interview, I was accepted into its Early Entry Pharmacy program, guaranteeing my spot in its pharmacy program once I complete my junior year. I am a member of its Junior Entry Honors College, National Society of Leadership and Success, and Women of Color Network, and I am a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Alpha Lambda Delta. I plan to complete my seven year degree program in five years through perseverance, focus, and tenacity. After graduating, my goals are to work as a pharmacist for a maximum of five years, to prepare myself to become the owner of my own pharmacy, co-own a youth center, and start a nonprofit organization. I plan to have all of these goals completed over the next fifteen years of my life. My pharmacy, youth center, and nonprofit are my main goals, they are what I am working towards. I plan to start out with a local pharmacy, to give the community a remote location in which they will be able to have a community-oriented pharmacy. My sister’s and I’s youth center will mainly be for dance and the performing arts, but it will also be used for life lessons and other forms of activities like group discussions and community service projects. Our main goal is to reach out to the youth, and give them the opportunity to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to do in the outside world. My nonprofit organization will be built from the investment of my pharmacy just as that of the youth center. It will focus on providing supplies and information to my community. Overall, I am dedicated and passionate about both my college education and my professional goals. With the help of this scholarship I will be able to obtain my degree and pursue my vision of opening my own pharmacy and youth center to continue to give back to the community. This scholarship will be beneficial to me by becoming one of the building blocks of success for my future. I am a hard worker, and I am focused on bettering myself by bettering others, excelling in the paths that I have chosen, and by having a plan for my growth to build generational wealth for my family and community. If I know anything about success, it’s that no matter how much I do or achieve, I will always be hungry for more. I will never be satisfied with being stagnant.

Caring for others has always been a passion of mine. I knew that the health field was for me, but being a nurse, doctor, dentist or surgeon would not be a realistic work field because of my feelings towards handling bodily fluids, plaque, and fat. I aspire to work in the field of pharmacy, and to have my own pharmacy, youth center, and nonprofit organization. Working in the field of pharmacy is a dream that I have always had. My mother and her best friend are both pharmacists and they love their jobs. They are my inspiration as they care for their patients and have relationships with them. My desire for pursuing a pharmacy degree comes from medicine itself. I have taken medicine since childhood. At the age of one, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. This then advanced to bronchitis, and in the end I was left with asthma. Genetically, I got the short end of the stick as I also have allergies, and developed eczema at a very young age. I’ve experienced a life of nebulizers or breathing treatments, multiple forms of eczema creams and lotions, nose creams and sprays for periodic nosebleeds, and I now take two antihistamines for my allergies every night. Even though it would seem that these complications would make me hate medicine, they actually made me fall in love with it. I am blessed to have experienced what needing and using medicine is like, and how refusing or forgetting to take it would affect the body. Medicine is near and dear to my heart and it plays a vital role in making me into the person that I prefer to present myself as today. I want to do what I can to help others when it comes to encouraging them to take their medicine to help them live healthier lives. My pharmacy, youth center, and nonprofit organization are my main goals. As of now, I am pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences(BSPS). By obtaining this degree, I will be able to move into the professional program for pharmacy students. This will in turn pave the way for my PharmD, or Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. By completing this program, I can then become a pharmacist and continue to pursue my dreams. After I gain experience in the field of pharmacy through both the professional program and the work field, I will prepare for my pharmacy. I plan to open a local pharmacy, to give the community a remote location in which they will easily be able to pick up their prescription. My goals are to build connections, continue to learn, and use my pharmacy to reach the community. My sister’s and I’s youth center will mainly be for dance and the performing arts, but it will also be used for life lessons and other forms of activities like group discussions and community service projects. Our main goal is to reach out to the youth, and give them the opportunity to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to do in the outside world. The funds for the youth center will mostly come from our businesses. My nonprofit organization will be built from the investment of my pharmacy just as that of the youth center. Overall, I am passionate about pharmacy. My background in life has allowed me to develop a love for pharmacy and helping others. My bachelor and doctorate degree will take me far in life. While the pharmacy is my first main goal, these degrees will also contribute to my future youth center and nonprofit organization. My degrees will allow me to exercise caring for others, helping others, and do what I love, which is working in the medical field as a pharmacist.

I prefer to have connections with others and to be able to interact with people. My experiences of working with an underserved community would be my service for the needy and homeless. I have been able to prepare dinners and care packages and deliver these items to those that are in need. With the help of my church family and my family, I have been able to service my community and others for the past nine years. I enjoy helping others and providing whatever I can to those that are in need. I have been able to impact others’ lives, and I am happy to say that these individuals have given me both purpose and perspective. Besides learning about my passion for others, I have also overcome challenges. One of the biggest challenges that I have overcame would be truly realizing that no one is perfect. Coming from a household with high academic standards has put a hold on me for my life. Getting anything less than an A was always a disappointment but putting that pressure on myself only led to anxiety and stress. For years I pushed myself extremely hard because I hated disappointing my father. I knew that I had to be the best, and in order to do that, I needed to work harder. I pushed the standard on myself, and this made me who I am today. Being successful is everyone's goal, but as I've grown, I have come to learn that failure is not final. I know that failing is okay and necessary, as it will teach me what winning truly feels like. I now realize that perfection is not a realistic goal, only progress truly matters. Lastly, I have been able to experience what it is to work with and help an underserved community. My perspective and desires are to reach the children that aren't as fortunate as others, but as I pursue my pharmacy degree, I just want to help people. My perspective on life isn't that people should have to work for them to advance, but I truly feel like education plays a larger role. I feel as if there are so many opportunities for people if they could only have the resources and ability to get to them. I hope that through my studies, and the help of others, I can help educate those that are underserved, and give them options in life, that will help to further them as individuals. Overall, I just want to be of service. I want to help and be able to serve those that need the help of others. I want to educate others, and use my experiences throughout life, to be someone that can be a positive figure in the health-care world. I hope that through working with others, I can gain more perspective and develop into a healthcare professional that is trusted. I want to be the person that changes the perspectives of others and contributes to building upon fair healthcare.