As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Relative to me, college is a catalyst to my success as a civil engineer and an investor. Without college, my aspirations and endeavors seem unachievable. In a world where laziness trumps perseverance, many do not see the value of a college education and choose not to attend. However, I am swayed by the words of W.E.B. Du Bois who teaches that education is one of the keys to obtaining power, wealth, and success. As I look back on my life thirty years from now, I would consider my life successful because I achieved the job of my dreams and I helped minorities understand the value of higher education, As an African American male, I believe that the opportunity for advancement into higher education is what many black activists in the past fought so hard for me to have. Therefore, out of respect and honor for those who fought for my educational equality, I choose to continue my pursuit, not just to attend college but also to excel academically. I have been so blessed to have a family that advocates for college and education. Contrarily, some people do not have this support. My goal is to continue the fight for education so that minorities will find success in their own lives. I anticipate receiving a degree in civil engineering and scoring a civil engineering job in my academic journey. My dream is to create efficient systems that will support the environment, such as better roadway systems and eco-friendly buildings. Also, I want to represent the African-American people through the engineering field, as there are not many black people employed in this field. Across America today, black people lose interest in attending college and receiving degrees because college might be too expensive, unappealing, and unworthy. However, I wish to inform minorities, especially the black community, of the importance of going to college and its impacts on their lives. Additionally, I want to inform and help minorities take advantage of higher education because everybody deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It is my dream for people to begin to understand the value of education and the impact it has on the world. This generation is the catalyst for a change that will impact generations to follow. As I continue on my journey, I hope to have helped as many people as I can. I hope to inspire, motivate, and change the lives of preceding generations. I hope to spark an understanding of higher education in the minds of others. Lastly, I hope that we continue the fight for equal opportunity for all races, as everybody deserves to attend college and find success.

My face engulfed with sweat, my face boiling with heat, and my heart pounding uncontrollably. Why am I so nervous? I have presented many speeches, acted in numerous plays, and recited plenty of book reports countless times. Why am I so frantic? My teacher always informed us to be comfortable and relaxed. Why am I so agitated? Lost in fear and anxiety, the teacher announced my name. It was my turn to perform my piece. I walked up to the front of the class, taking little steps in an attempt to stall my presentation. My hands drenched with sweat, my feet unable to regain balance, and my mind racing, looking for an escape. Eventually, I stood in front of the class, note cards in hand, unsure if I would be a survivor or a casualty of this battle. I opened my mouth, silence. I stared at my peers, who were staring at me. Why can I not speak? I began to panic, quickly scanning the room for any confusion or whisper amongst my peers. What are they thinking of me? I finally spoke. Suddenly, I began to stutter. My entire presentation brimmed with elongated pauses, unnecessary repetition, and the occasional twitches as I forced words out of my mouth. I was so relieved when my presentation ended, but I knew it was only the beginning of a long journey. Stuttering has always been the epicenter of my life. It was there in every conversation, every speech, and every interview. Always hovering over my shoulder, it has cast its haunting presence over me every single day. Afraid of being judged, I lived in constant fear of my voice. I went to a Speech Therapist in elementary school to alleviate the stuttering. I felt like I broke through an iron door, chained with fear and shame. Little did I know, my journey was far from over. The confidence that I gained from my Speech Therapist quickly diminished after my oration sophomore year of high school. I felt like I was that elementary kid again, unable to speak an entire sentence without stuttering. Why is this happening again? Consequently, I started to fear for my future. I knew about the many stressful interviews I would have to do, possibly even more presentations. I immediately started to panic. Will I be able to get a job? What would the employer think of me? These probing questions picked at my brain for years. I escaped to Tik Tok, trying to forget the fears that controlled my life. I stumbled across a video of a woman with a severe speech impediment. She stuttered; however, it was far worse than mine. As the video progressed, she showed herself winning a beauty pageant, giving speeches at charity events, and exercising her voice to educate others. How can she openly talk and perform speeches without fear when she severely stutters? Then, she said, “My life has always been hard, but if I open my mouth and say one word, then I know that I must have impacted at least one person.” After watching that video, my whole life changed. I began to spread information about speech impairments and my condition. My peers at school called me to apologize for judging me, and they wanted to learn more about these conditions. After this, I began to give speeches with vitality and confidence, even if I had a few repetitions in them. My voice might be misheard, rejected, or laughed at, but I know that there is at least one person who heard me.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Relative to me, college is a catalyst to my success as a civil engineer and an investor. Without college, my aspirations and endeavors seem unachievable. In a world where laziness trumps perseverance, many do not see the value of a college education and choose not to attend. However, I am swayed by the words of W.E.B. Du Bois who teaches that education is one of the keys to obtaining power, wealth, and success. As I look back on my life thirty years from now, I would consider my life successful because I achieved the job of my dreams and I helped minorities understand the value of higher education, As an African American male, I believe that the opportunity for advancement into higher education is what many black activists in the past fought so hard for me to have. Therefore, out of respect and honor for those who fought for my educational equality, I choose to continue my pursuit, not just to attend college but also to excel academically. I have been so blessed to have a family that advocates for college and education. Contrarily, some people do not have this support. My goal is to continue the fight for education so that minorities will find success in their own lives. I anticipate receiving a degree in civil engineering and scoring a civil engineering job in my academic journey. My dream is to create efficient systems that will support the environment, such as better roadway systems and eco-friendly buildings. Also, I want to represent the African-American people through the engineering field, as there are not many black people employed in this field. Across America today, black people lose interest in attending college and receiving degrees because college might be too expensive, unappealing, and unworthy. However, I wish to inform minorities, especially the black community, of the importance of going to college and its impacts on their lives. Additionally, I want to inform and help minorities take advantage of higher education because everybody deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It is my dream for people to begin to understand the value of education and the impact it has on the world. This generation is the catalyst for a change that will impact generations to follow. As I continue on my journey, I hope to have helped as many people as I can. I hope to inspire, motivate, and change the lives of preceding generations. I hope to spark an understanding of higher education in the minds of others. Lastly, I hope that we continue the fight for equal opportunity for all races, as everybody deserves to attend college and find success.

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Relative to me, college is a catalyst to my success as a civil engineer and an investor. Without college, my aspirations and endeavors seem unachievable. In a world where laziness trumps perseverance, many do not see the value of a college education and choose not to attend. However, I am swayed by the words of W.E.B. Du Bois who teaches that education is one of the keys to obtaining power, wealth, and success. As I look back on my life thirty years from now, I would consider my life successful because I achieved the job of my dreams and I helped minorities understand the value of higher education, As an African American male, I believe that the opportunity for advancement into higher education is what many black activists in the past fought so hard for me to have. Therefore, out of respect and honor for those who fought for my educational equality, I choose to continue my pursuit, not just to attend college but also to excel academically. I have been so blessed to have a family that advocates for college and education. Contrarily, some people do not have this support. My goal is to continue the fight for education so that minorities will find success in their own lives. I anticipate receiving a degree in civil engineering and scoring a civil engineering job in my academic journey. My dream is to create efficient systems that will support the environment, such as better roadway systems and eco-friendly buildings. Also, I want to represent the African-American people through the engineering field, as there are not many black people employed in this field. Across America today, black people lose interest in attending college and receiving degrees because college might be too expensive, unappealing, and unworthy. However, I wish to inform minorities, especially the black community, of the importance of going to college and its impacts on their lives. Additionally, I want to inform and help minorities take advantage of higher education because everybody deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams. It is my dream for people to begin to understand the value of education and the impact it has on the world. This generation is the catalyst for a change that will impact generations to follow. As I continue on my journey, I hope to have helped as many people as I can. I hope to inspire, motivate, and change the lives of preceding generations. I hope to spark an understanding of higher education in the minds of others. Lastly, I hope that we continue the fight for equal opportunity for all races, as everybody deserves to attend college and find success.

I was engulfed with sweat, my face boiling with heat, and my heart pounding uncontrollably. Why am I so nervous? I have presented many speeches, acted in numerous plays, and recited plenty of book reports a countless number of times. Why am I so frantic? My teacher always informed us to be comfortable and relaxed. Why am I so agitated? Lost in fear and anxiety, the teacher announced my name. It was my turn to perform my piece. I walked up to the front of the class, taking minuscule steps as an attempt to stall my presentation. My hands drenched with sweat, my feet unable to regain balance, and my mind racing, looking for an escape. Eventually, I stood in front of the class, note cards in hand, unsure if I would be a survivor or a casualty of this battle. I opened my mouth; silence. I stared at my peers who were staring at me. Why can I not speak? I began to panic, quickly scanning the room for any confusion or whisper amongst my peers. What are they thinking of me? I finally spoke. Suddenly, I began to stutter. My entire presentation brimmed with elongated pauses, unnecessary repetition, and the occasional twitches as I forced words out of my mouth. I was so relieved when my presentation ended, but I knew that it was only the beginning of a long journey. Stuttering has always been the epicenter of my life. It was there in every conversation, every speech, and every interview. Constantly hovering over my shoulder, it has cast its haunting presence over me every single day. Afraid of being judged, I lived in constant fear of my own voice. I went to a Speech Therapist in elementary school to alleviate the stuttering. Her lessons and techniques drastically changed my life. I felt like I broke through an iron door, chained with fear and shame. Little did I know, my journey was far from over. The confidence that I gained from my Speech Therapist quickly diminished after my oration sophomore year of high school. I felt like I was that elementary kid again, unable to speak an entire sentence without stuttering. Why is this happening again? I thought I climbed this mountain, but I felt like an avalanche threw me back down to the ground. Consequently, I started to fear for my future. I knew about the many stressful interviews I would have to do, possibly even more presentations. I immediately started to panic. Will I be able to get a job? What would the employer think of me? These probing questions picked at my brain for months. I constantly looked at the mirror and said: “Who am I without my voice”? I escaped to Tik Tok, trying to forget the fears that controlled my life. I stumbled across a video of a woman with a severe speech impediment. She stuttered; however, it was far worse than mine. Instantly, I empathized with her since we shared the same struggle. As the video progressed, she showed herself winning a beauty pageant, giving speeches at charity events, and exercising her voice to educate others. How can she openly talk and perform speeches when she severely stutters? Then, she said, “My life has always been hard but if I open my mouth and say one word, then I know that I must have impacted at least one person”. After watching that video, my whole life changed. I began to spread information about speech impairments and my own condition. My peers at school called me to apologize for judging me and they wanted to learn more about these conditions. After this, I began to give speeches with exuberance and confidence, even if I had a few repetitions in it. My voice might be misheard, rejected, or laughed at; but I know that there is at least one person who heard my message. Inspite of my impairments, I want to make a monumental impact on this Earth. This scholarship will help me achieve that dream. Even though this scholarship may be small, the effect it will have on my academic journey will be substantial.

I was engulfed with sweat, my face boiling with heat, and my heart pounding uncontrollably. Why am I so nervous? I have presented many speeches, acted in numerous plays, and recited plenty of book reports a countless number of times. Why am I so frantic? My teacher always informed us to be comfortable and relaxed. Why am I so agitated? Lost in fear and anxiety, the teacher announced my name. It was my turn to perform my piece. I walked up to the front of the class, taking minuscule steps as an attempt to stall my presentation. My hands drenched with sweat, my feet unable to regain balance, and my mind racing, looking for an escape. Eventually, I stood in front of the class, note cards in hand, unsure if I would be a survivor or a casualty of this battle. I opened my mouth; silence. I stared at my peers who were staring at me. Why can I not speak? I began to panic, quickly scanning the room for any confusion or whisper amongst my peers. What are they thinking of me? I finally spoke. Suddenly, I began to stutter. My entire presentation brimmed with elongated pauses, unnecessary repetition, and the occasional twitches as I forced words out of my mouth. I was so relieved when my presentation ended, but I knew that it was only the beginning of a long journey. Stuttering has always been the epicenter of my life. It was there in every conversation, every speech, and every interview. Constantly hovering over my shoulder, it has cast its haunting presence over me every single day. Afraid of being judged, I lived in constant fear of my own voice. I went to a Speech Therapist in elementary school to alleviate the stuttering. Her lessons and techniques drastically changed my life. I felt like I broke through an iron door, chained with fear and shame. Little did I know, my journey was far from over. The confidence that I gained from my Speech Therapist quickly diminished after my oration sophomore year of high school. I felt like I was that elementary kid again, unable to speak an entire sentence without stuttering. Why is this happening again? I thought I climbed this mountain, but I felt like an avalanche threw me back down to the ground. Consequently, I started to fear for my future. I knew about the many stressful interviews I would have to do, possibly even more presentations. I immediately started to panic. Will I be able to get a job? What would the employer think of me? These probing questions picked at my brain for months. I constantly looked at the mirror and said: “Who am I without my voice”? I escaped to Tik Tok, trying to forget the fears that controlled my life. I stumbled across a video of a woman with a severe speech impediment. She stuttered; however, it was far worse than mine. Instantly, I empathized with her since we shared the same struggle. As the video progressed, she showed herself winning a beauty pageant, giving speeches at charity events, and exercising her voice to educate others. How can she openly talk and perform speeches when she severely stutters? Then, she said, “My life has always been hard but if I open my mouth and say one word, then I know that I must have impacted at least one person”. After watching that video, my whole life changed. I began to spread information about speech impairments and my own condition. My peers at school called me to apologize for judging me and they wanted to learn more about these conditions. After this, I began to give speeches with exuberance and confidence, even if I had a few repetitions in it. My voice might be misheard, rejected, or laughed at; but I know that there is at least one person who heard my message.