Interest in STEM wasn't a passion that I cultivated later. It was a passion that I figured out that I had all along, even before I knew what STEM was. It appeared when I first scattered the parts of a dismantled motor on the floor and, without thinking, felt that I could understand what I was seeing. It appeared every time I ignored a broken item and kept on with it until I figured out why it was not working. When I finally had a term for what I was doing, I had already been doing it for a long time. Since I was raised in a low-income family, I wasn't granted the luxury of going to camps, programs, or having mentors who could formally introduce me to engineering. What I was given was curiosity and a desire to learn by myself. I swapped the engine of my Honda Grom by studying every specification and resolving the problems that arose. I am self-educated in using 3D modeling software and created a wireless phone charger. I developed through different versions until the size and function were perfect. I disassembled the fans, motors, and RC vehicles, not because they were broken but because I wanted to comprehend them. In fact, all those projects stemmed from the same That kind of love is what changes STEM from a career choice into a life mission. Mechanical engineering, for me, is where all the things I love get together, thinking up solutions to problems, understanding how things work, designing, and using the work to help people. It is a profession where being curious is even the main thing, the path from a thought to a final product requires working hard and thinking out of the box. Those are the ways in which, not only am I familiar with them, but they are also pretty much my default. However, my love for STEM is about more than just me. I also understand what it means to be from a community where access to technical knowledge is not only rare but almost non-existent, and where children with the same curiosity as I have may simply not have an adult to guide them to engineering. I also know what it is like to find a field that really speaks to you and then ask the question if it is meant for people like you at all. Not only has that background fueled my STEM interest, but it has also led me to have a desire to open it up to a greater number of people. Getting deeper into the subject really helps me to bring a lot of new things back. I can offer more and more to my community as a result of every new skill, every new concept I understand, and every new problem I solve, whether it be through mentoring, doing work that directly makes people's lives better, or just by being a living example that this path is possible, no matter where you begin. I have great enthusiasm for STEM because it's the way I think, build, and make a difference, and it always has been. Only a degree can make it official for me.

My brother gave me his RC semi-truck as soon as it stopped working. I scattered those little parts on the floor, identified every gear, axle, and motor, and had it working again. I was not just fixing it, I was using a language I had always known. That instinct has stayed with me. I have disassembled fans to clean them properly because it is important to me to do it right. I have changed the engine of my Honda Grom, doing all the research, buying the parts, and fitting them myself because I would rather spend a weekend working under a bike than pay someone else to understand it for me. Just the other day, I came up with the design and 3D printed a wireless phone charger. It is modelled so precisely that the fitting is exactly right. That is the kind of person I am. I keep poking at things until I figure them out, and once I figure something out, I keep thinking about how it can be made better. Mechanical engineering is not even a career choice for me, I just have been doing it all along without even knowing it. I am only looking forward to doing it at a higher level now.

From a young age, I was fascinated by how things worked. Always wanting to learn, I would take apart toys, small engines anything I could get my hands on. A part of me needs to know what makes it tick. The curiosity turned into a passion for building and fixing. The more I learned, the more I realized engineering was not just something I loved. It was something I needed, my past, present, and future. Giving me a sense of purpose of I have not found elsewhere, and the value of learning through trial and error. That is why I am studying mechanical engineering. It is a field that combines my creativity and problem-solving with an impact on the real world. I am planning to earn my degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. I am focusing on mechanical and automotive systems. I want to learn everything I can about how machines operate so I can design systems that are more reliable and sustainable. Understanding the principles behind it all allows me to approach problems thoughtfully. Beyond the classroom, I have started building my foundation through hands-on experience. Working on engines has taught me patience, precision, and focus. Every bolt and component has its own purpose, just like every step in life. One memorable project involved repairing an ATV that had been sitting unused for years. I had to fix the electrical system and get the engine running again, which taught me patience, problem-solving, and perseverance. I have realized the process of solving mechanical problems is just how I approach personal challenges. Observe, plan, adjust, and never give up. In my career, I hope to work in automotive or mechanical design, developing technology that pushes performance forward while keeping our environment safe. But more than career goals, I want my story to show that it is possible to build a strong future. I want to inspire others who might feel they don’t have an advantage or opportunity. Only 1% of all mechanical engineering majors graduates are black women. I want to show that we can make it in this field, which is known for being hard, but I would share all the knowledge I get with our people. So more of us can work in this field can design things to help the world. Curiosity and hard work can take you farther than you think. Receiving this scholarship would make a meaningful difference in my journey. Allowing me to focus on my studies. To gain more hands-on experience and pursue opportunities that otherwise would be difficult to access. Easing the burden would allow me to dedicate my energy to learning. In the end, my life is not defined by what I started with, but what I'm determined to create. I plan to make a real difference through engineering by designing, building, and improving the world around me. Every challenge is fuel to move my passion forward, proving that with persistence and motivation, anything is possible.