I have never really connected with the theoretical side of math. Geometry, proofs, the various shapes out there that seem to have no reason for existing other than to prove other shapes exist, none of this has ever resonated with me the same way that equations do. Equations have a certain satisfaction to them. You begin with a series of variables and equations that seem to lead nowhere in particular, but if you follow the proper steps, it will resolve to one answer. It's true or it isn't. There is this process to trust in calculus and pre-calculus in particular. Every derivative, every limit, every equation that I work through in pre-calculus follows a process that, no matter what, even if I am having the worst day of my life, 2 + 2 will always equal 4 by the end of it. It's comforting in a world where nothing else seems to be as reliable as math. It's the only subject in which I know I can trust the answer and the process will always yield that answer. Equations don't allow for faking your way through problems. You either figured out the steps correctly or you didn't. I respect the honesty of subjects like this, which is the same reason I'm drawn to fields like cybersecurity, where a system either has a vulnerability or it doesn't, and the only way to know is to actually do the work. Most other subjects leave room for interpretation. Math never does. I know there's an answer waiting for me if I do the work correctly. For me, math is not because I love numbers. Instead, I love the process of figuring it out. That's a feeling that I will never get tired of pursuing.

As I look toward my future, beyond simply securing me a better career in the field of Computer Science, higher education is the only path that makes sense for the goals that I have and the challenges that would need to be overcome to reach them. Currently, I am a Computer Science student at North Central Texas College with a 4.0 GPA with plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Dallas or UT Austin to complete my degree with a focus on cybersecurity and health informatics. As an international student, I do not have access to most forms of federal student aid. Because of this, I have had to find my own way to afford college. I have had to start and operate my own business, take on additional work and manage my finances myself to afford college. Higher education, for me, is something that I fight for every single semester of my enrollment in college. I fight for education because of what I hope to do with my career. I would like to start my own company that provides cybersecurity solutions for small businesses. These small businesses are essential to the U.S. economy yet face significant challenges with cybersecurity. Additionally, many of them cannot afford the resources and software necessary to protect their data from cyber threats. Small businesses are also targeted more often than large companies who have the resources to defend themselves. As a result, there is a challenge for these small businesses to find companies that can provide services within their budget. Many times, they are overcharged for low quality services. This is the problem I hope to dedicate my career to solving. My decision to pursue this path did not come from research alone. It came from watching my father. I founded a web development company called DEAJ Marketing which builds websites for small businesses in the Dallas Fort Worth area, and one of the first projects I took on was building websites for his three businesses. My father spent his entire career building companies from the ground up across different parts of the world, yet never had a website for any of them. That meant customers who could have found him never did. When I built those sites myself and saw how much it meant to him, something clicked. Technology is not just a career field. In the right hands it is something that can genuinely change the trajectory of a small business owner's life. That project also pushed me to investigate the cybersecurity challenges small businesses face. Many are attacked more frequently than large companies yet have far fewer resources to defend against those threats. This motivated me to start self-studying on platforms like TryHackMe and to begin working toward my CompTIA Security+ certification to demonstrate my commitment to learning as much about the industry as possible before entering it. Small business owners would benefit greatly from having affordable, high quality cybersecurity and web development services available to them. With that in mind, after earning my degree I would like to work at a top technology company to gain enough experience to eventually start my own company providing these services to small business owners who need them most. Higher education is what makes all of this possible. I don't have the credentials to enter the companies I want to work for, and without experience in the field, I can't start my own company. My higher education will provide me with the knowledge and experience that I require to enter the industry and build my company. Despite the challenges I face in financing my education, I have dedicated my own funds and have not accessed federal student aid programs. I will use this scholarship to relieve some of the financial pressure that I face regarding my education, which will allow me to dedicate more energy to my studies versus my finances. Furthermore, receiving this scholarship will allow me to come closer to creating the company that will assist those who are fighting the same battles I have faced throughout my life.