Entrepreneurship, to me, is not just about building wealth—it is about building communities. Growing up in a high-poverty area of West Virginia, I have seen firsthand how economic neglect and limited opportunity can shape entire neighborhoods. These experiences have shaped both my academic and career goals, and they have motivated me to pursue entrepreneurship as a tool for community revitalization and public good. My long-term career goal is to own and operate a real estate company that prioritizes affordable, community-centered housing. While real estate is often viewed purely through a profit lens, I believe it can also serve as a powerful mechanism for social change. My goal is to eventually reinvest my earnings into building and renovating affordable homes in underserved areas like my own; creating safe, stable housing while working alongside local governments to ensure these developments align with community needs and public policy. By blending entrepreneurship with government collaboration, I hope to address systemic issues such as housing insecurity in a sustainable, scalable way. My academic interests align directly with this vision. I am eager to study business, economics, and public policy to better understand how markets and governments interact. I want to learn how zoning laws, tax incentives, and housing policy can either hinder or support community development, and how entrepreneurs can ethically navigate these systems to serve the public interest. Entrepreneurship does not exist in isolation; it functions within regulatory and social frameworks, and I want to be prepared to work responsibly within them. My passion for entrepreneurship was further solidified during the West Virginia Governor’s School of Entrepreneurship. At camp, I studied what it truly takes to be an entrepreneur—teamwork, communication, honesty, adaptability, and determination. Working with a small team, I helped develop a prototype for a composting system that uses biodegradable materials, such as oyster mushrooms, to break down small-scale plastics. West Virginia faces a significant recycling and waste management problem, particularly in rural areas, and our goal was to create an accessible, environmentally conscious solution. Through this experience, I learned how entrepreneurship can directly respond to community needs while balancing innovation, feasibility, and ethical responsibility. Beyond formal programs, I have already sought ways to give back to my community. I have used my photography skills to take free portraits of community members, helping them feel seen, valued, and confident. I have also served in student leadership roles, advocating for educational equity and representing student voices in discussions with administrators and school officials. These experiences have reinforced my belief that leadership—whether in business or government—must be rooted in service and accountability. Ultimately, my goal is to become an entrepreneur who understands the responsibility that comes with influence and capital. I want to create businesses that do more than generate profit: businesses that uplift communities, collaborate with government, and address real social challenges. By combining entrepreneurship with public service values, I hope to give back to my community in lasting, meaningful ways.

The world built towers to speak louder. My town built silence. In the National Radio Quiet Zone, created by the Greenbank Observatory Telescope (GBT), where radio waves fade away before reaching the hills, quiet is not emptiness, it is presence. It accumulates in the valleys and settles there in the air like fog, touching gently upon the skin. It vibrates from tree to tree, permeating the earth, residing in the gaps between the sound of the river’s trickles and the song of the whip-poor-will. Only recently did I realize silence was not disconnection, but it was teaching me how to listen. While at the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar in West Virginia, this quiet followed me. Among all the eager speakers, it was as though the soft noise of me was competing with all the confident voices in the hall. The Mayor of Fairmont was giving a speech in one of the morning sessions. Her voice rang through the whole auditorium. "If you really want something, don’t wait for it. Find it. Create it." Those words grabbed my attention like the church bells I hear at 12:02 daily. For the first time in my life, silence was no longer a problem, it was a blank chalkboard upon which the sound of me could leave its imprint. This was not an issue that resounded overseas. Back home, this was an idea that kept echoing. Shortly after, our district had plans to make deep cuts in our teachers. The rumors traveled quicker than a bell through our holler, then nothing. The ensuing silence was thick with anticipation. For the first time in this experience, I found that I could not remain quiet. Alongside our student council, we organized a peaceful protest to convey how much our teachers mattered to us. We painted our signs in the art room after school. The night before protesting, I stood in front of the mirror in my bathroom practicing lines that seemed too large for me. I could see myself blur in the reflection, as if the room was also holding its breath. As the day arrived, my hands trembled, but not my voice. The room was small but each phrase reverberated. The following week, I stood before members of the Board of Education, right across from the folks making the choices. My words revolved around the necessity of teachers, of community, of listening rather than acts of slashing. And this was the first time the quiet environment in which I was raised resulted in anything remotely like power. This experience has given me an insight into the meaning of leadership. I once thought leadership meant speaking the loudest. But I’ve learned that true leadership can begin in silence, through attentive listening and thoughtful speech. When I finally spoke, my words had purpose. Being first-generation college student has also taught me another level of listening, one that hears an opportunity in a room where others hear nothing. What I’ve learned is that I don’t have to be told that this is where I belong, that by listening to the voices that aren’t heard, I can create my own place. Daring to ask, what’s the tale that’s not told in the room? I once believed that I was from a place of silence. Now, I understand that it was this quiet that created me into someone capable of listening to an opportunity before it talks. It was in this quiet that I discovered my noise, a voice not spoken for the sole purpose of gaining someone’s attention, but a voice spoken for making something happen.

In contemplating the ideal soundtrack for the year thus far, Taylor Swift's reimagined album "1989 (Taylor's Version)" offers a plethora of poignant selections that resonate with the multifaceted experiences of 2024. However, amidst the varying trials and triumphs, a few songs stand out as emblematic of the year's ethos. "Shake It Off" resonates with the spirit of perseverance and adaptability, qualities often essential in navigating the unpredictable twists and turns of a year. Its catchy melody and empowering lyrics serve as a reminder to embrace a positive mindset and let go of negativity or setbacks encountered along the way. In a year where challenges may arise unexpectedly, the message of shaking off doubts and criticisms can be particularly relevant, urging individuals to stay true to themselves and their aspirations despite external pressures. In the midst of the year's ups and downs, "Is It Over Now?" offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of closure and moving forward. This track divulges into introspective lyrics and haunting melody resonate with the emotional journey of letting go and finding closure, a theme that resonates deeply with me navigating personal transitions or endings in 2024. This song serves as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and processing emotions, even in moments of uncertainty, ultimately paving the way for healing and new beginnings. "Style" encapsulates the allure and ambiguity of modern relationships. The song's pulsating rhythm and evocative lyrics evoke a sense of exhilaration and longing, reflecting the complexities of love in an era defined by fleeting connections and digital intimacy. Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving dating landscape, "Style" captures the essence of navigating relationships amidst shifting paradigms of communication and connection. Similarly, "Now That We Don't Talk" offers a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a fractured relationship. Against a backdrop of haunting melodies and ethereal vocals, Swift explores the bittersweet nostalgia of a love lost, echoing the sentiments of closure and acceptance that permeate the year's experiences. As individuals grapple with the complexities of letting go and moving forward, "Now That We Don't Talk" serves as a poignant reminder of the impermanence of human connection and the enduring power of self-discovery. In addition to the tracks from "1989 (Taylor's Version)," "Say Don't Go" emerges as a compelling addition to the year's soundtrack. With its poetic lyrics, the song explores the complexities of communication and emotional vulnerability in the digital age. Against a backdrop of transient interactions and fragmented conversations, "Say Don’t Go" serves as a poignant reflection on the challenges of maintaining authentic connections amidst the noise of modern life. In conclusion, the soundtrack for the year thus far is enriched by the inclusion of "Style," "Now That We Don't Talk," “Shake it Off”, “Is it Over Now?” and "Say Don't Go" from "1989 (Taylor's Version)." Together form a captivating narrative that mirrors the multifaceted experiences of navigating 2024. Whether grappling with the complexities of present day or confronting the ghosts of relationships past, Swift's reimagined album offers a poignant soundtrack for the highs and lows of contemporary life.