I am a cancer survivor! The doctors pushed off my issues and despite being bounced around for six years I didn't give up. In those six years I lost every single back tooth. My dentist told me it had to be cancer. He worked with a professor friend at a local college to review my teeth. Every time I would go in from two months to the next I would have fourteen cavities and lose more teeth. All the while I experienced the worst menstruation. I had been through 6 doctors because my doctor was so overbooked he couldn't accept patients. The doctor I had been seeing passed away, she was his associate. So my journey through doctors began. One who told me it was normal to bleed more as you got older. One who hurt me severely without care performing biopsy after biopsy. One who insisted there was nothing on the imaging. One who was helpful and so caring but only lended her time to the clinic and left when her time was done because her time was done there and I was no longer her patient. One who refused to entertain that there was any issue beyond a heavy flow period, even though it put me in bed every month without ability to walk. Then finally MY doctor. I finally got back in with the doctor who delivered my youngest son and just as I demanded he tie my tubes or I wouldn't leave the hospital after giving birth to our now 12 year old I sternly told him something was wrong and I needed a hysterectomy performed. I was 36 years old. He knew me. He trusted my intuition. He simply replied, "ok, I will draft the paperwork and we will start the fight with the insurance company." It's not common for a 36 year old to be approved for a hysterectomy by any insurance company but my doctor was willing to fight until we got the approval. Prior to approval the insurance company ordered two more biopsies ignoring the three I had in the previous two months. They ordered a DNC. Then finally, six months later my doctor called and said Julie we got the approval! I cried. I was so relieved. We would finally know what was wrong. My doctor scheduled the surgery. It was the Friday before Easter. When I came to I was met with a hug and tears. My doctor was holding a color picture of my uterus. He told me that we were so lucky. He removed all the cancer, a 66 gram tumor, fibroids and two rare types of endometriosis in the liner which had spread so severely. None of which could be seen on imaging because it was all internal. He commended me for knowing my body and being so persistent in my care. I say he saved my life, he says I saved my own. I am lucky to be here. I have an everyday reminder when I go to eat with no back teeth but I am here. I'm here for my kids and now I'm following my dreams in school. Even at 40, 4 years later. It's never too late to live your dreams. Life is short. I'm a cancer survivor.

What can I say about addiction? You can be there before you know it. When I first fell into addiction I was in my young twenties. I was a wonderful mother, a natural mother. In my first round of college, divorcing my abusive husband. I met someone I fell in love with. His personality was great but he had hidden habits I didn't outright know about. At that time, I was blind. As they say, love is blind. Before I could realize what was happening, I too had those habits. I still remained in school. Still remained a terrific mother and still navigated school. Life was beyond hard, addiction makes things so much harder. I remember when I decided I was done. It was about four years later. I had gotten pregnant with the guy i fell for and decided not to bring the baby into the terrible situation we were in. So, I found a family and gave him up for adoption. This was the best decision I as a mother could have made, and to this day still do not regret it. Our son turns fifteen this year. At that moment, I knew this was not a life i wanted to continue. Not for my son with me and not for myself. It took seven years to clean up the financial mess of those four, and another four to make sure my significant other was on the same page. We had another son the year after I gave the other up for adoption. It was a tough road being a mother to two boys with addicted fathers. One an alcoholic and one still addicted to illicit drugs. Once my significant other was on the same page, and we were both sober, things began to become a whole lot easier. We bought a home. We built a business together, which became his full time job. I work my full time job who I have been with for seven years. Fifteen years I have been sober and I have never once looked back. I never will. In this next chapter of staying sober, I have decided to continue the education I started when my oldest son, now twenty one, was a baby. We are finally at a point in our sobriety that I can return to working on my dreams and aspirations. I was twenty one then, I am forty now. Amazing what the differences in living a life in addiction and living a life in sobriety provide.

My name is Julie, I'm from New Jersey. My chosen field is Criminal justice. I chose this path to pursue my dream of becoming a private investigator. After finishing the bachelor's program at Maryville University, I intend to work in my relative field to gain experience and fulfill my ten year goal of opening my own firm. When I was a young girl, I was always inquisitive. My favorite books were Nancy Drew. I have always had a compartmentalized mind that works like a jigsaw puzzle. All of my family and friends have always joked my entire life that I should be a private investigator. This year I turned forty years old. I realized I was tired of doing the same things over and over. I also was tired of hearing the same joke. I wanted to be a private investigator. I began to look into what the requirements were to be able to open my own firm. I have never in my life believed in barriers. You can do anything you put your mind to. I needed my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. So that was it, I was going back to school. In New Jersey you see a lot of crime. We are a densely populated state where everyone is on top of one another. Crime tends to start at a young age, merely out of boredom. Mystery and cases are everywhere. There's also a genuine need for philanthropy and community involvement. I pride myself on my ability to work within my community. In my free time I spend a lot of time working with my community. I have always been an out of the box thinker, which will help me tremendously in my future line of work. I know in what I'll be doing I will be helping others and I love to do that as well. Down the line when I open my firm, I absolutely plan to take paid cases. However, I intend to take charity ones as well. I hope to make a difference in this world we are in by minimizing at the very least some crime and helping others with their intimate issues by being a trustworthy confidant and well trained in my career. As a forty year old mother of two, this scholarship could help me immensely with my financials for school. My children are my biggest motivators. I can't wait to show them that once again anything is possible. That they can too do anything they set their minds to. Continuing education is important if for the right reasons. You have to want the dream and execute the goal. Having the opportunity to show my sons this led by example is priceless. By returning to school for my bachelor's, I not only live out a dream, execute a goal but also teach my children a very valuable life lesson at the same time. I appreciate your time and consideration. This scholarship is truly one piece of a larger puzzle.

Addiction, what a word packed with a punch. It seems all my life I've been faced with this word. From a very young age addiction has played a key role in my existence. Both of my parents are alcoholics. This is one level of addiction. As I moved through life, I found out, unfortunately, not even the worst level. Did you know addiction is hereditary? I sure found out. At the age of thirteen I began smoking weed. Not so bad you say? I beg to differ, a "gateway drug" they call it. I had great grades and terrific friends, but not for long. As I spiraled further into the "high" life, those things didn't matter as much anymore. The honors, the people, they meant nothing. I still held a 4.0 GPA in honors but I didn't care nearly as much as I used to. Fast forward, for a short time, maybe age eighteen to twenty one I returned to being the wonderful human everyone knew me to be. I was a mom and married. I was in college. I was doing great. All except, my husband was an alcoholic. Stick to what you know, right? His abuse got worse and so did the bruises. I left him soon after. Alone, a single working mother. Sober, sad, lost and stressed out. I met my love. I was so happy again, or so I thought. I did not know he was on crack cocaine. Stupid addiction. Could I ever escape it? Years went by, we stayed together. I stayed clean, the rock in the relationship as he spiraled. Finally, I broke. Addiction was my false and fickle friend once more. Four years go down the drain. I wake up out of this nightmare we had been living. Finding my strength and person, like a Phoenix, I lift myself from the ashes. It takes me seven years to straighten out the mess of the previous four. I do not falter but my love stays in the darkness of addiction. Finally, I get my love clean. A long, harrowing, heart ripping road. We are doing it! Life is so magnificent! He finds confidence within himself he never knew he had, but I always saw. We become successful in life, happy and settled. We marry, buy a home, start a business. Things are good. Last year, his brother comes to stay, he's homeless. He works for us. My husband is happy and so is his brother. Things are great. They compliment each other so well and to have such a wonderful bond. It's so refreshing to see. Stupid addiction. The guys attend a family barbeque at their mother's. The root of their own addiction. She has their uncle there at the party. They all are doing meth. My guys... How can they say no to their family? They never had a fighting chance. Still, I do not falter. I stand strong. So strong that my entire world crumbles around me and my kids. Kids should never have to live something like this. To have to watch your role models change completely. To become monsters. Now, once again, my love is clean and sober. I stand strong and proud. Addiction did not win and will not ever. It has no place here. It is not welcome in my home. My love and I have been through addiction and with one another for twenty years. Addiction has had it's presence for us both a whole lot longer. All we can do now is protect our kids. As I asked before, did you know addiction is hereditary?

Let's just start by saying, turning forty is never easy. For me, as I approached this milestone in my life you could say everything became a little bit clearer. For years, I have had plans laid out, pathways etched. This year was different. I am a biological mother of three boys. I have two who live with me at home. In my struggles, I gave one up for adoption. No regrets, it was absolutely the best decision I could've made for him. I also have two bonus daughters. I got my eldest three through school, the youngest is still in grade school. Day to day, I homeschool him. Check one for Mom. I also work full time. Thankfully my job is remote. A few years ago, I started my own business. My husband works for our business. Check two for Mom. The youngest is on the spectrum, so all these moving parts make a huge difference to his day to day progress. Now, to why I decided to return to school. One might say, wow, you have so much going on already. Well, yes, this may be true. My passion has always been in criminal investigation. One of the things that helps us as a well oiled family in our daily routine is my ability to put everything together like a puzzle. Mind compartmentalization is key. All my life, everyone has always joked I missed my calling as a private investigator. Well, as I approached turning forty, I decided I would laugh back. I would take that passion, my mind that works like a puzzle, my affinity for knowledge and return to school. Everything we do in life is hard. It's how we do it that matters. In returning to school, I not only obtain a dream goal but I also create a magnificent example for my kids. Never give up no matter what. Always chase your dreams. Never stop learning, your mind will thank you. After I graduate this program, I will have my Bachelor's. I then can work in a relative field to gain the necessary experience to compliment my talents and then I can open my own firm. I will be free of working for someone else entirely between the two businesses. True financial independence and the ability to wholly attribute my attentions to my family when needed. After all, isn't that the point in life? We work for our family. We do not work to work for money and then die. Motherhood has obstacles that bare many faces. It doesn't look the same for anyone. It's how you handle it, what you make of it and what you make out of it. As a student and a mother I will manage my roles just as I do when I wear all my other hats. When I am a business owner, I wear a blue one. When I am my son's school teacher, it is pink. When I am at my desk for work, my hat is green. When I am a pupil, maybe my hat will be red. Just remember to hang whichever hat up at the door at the end of the day to just be Mom. The rest will follow suit.

I am a 40 year old mother of two. I began my college journey when my now 21 year old was 4 years old sitting on my lap in what was the very first online school. I obtained my associates degree in business then and continued my life in motherhood gaining multiple experiences in the working world. Recently I decided to return to school to get my bachelor's degree. I am changing my major to criminal justice this time. I have worked for years in different finance roles but I have always had a true passion for investigation. Being a young mom was wonderful but didn't come without it's challenges. Throughout my years I have been through battles of divorce, single motherhood, drug addiction and recovery. I have risen from the ashes and pulled my life into a full circle. Within the 15 years clean, owned 3 houses, started a business but not without learning those hard lessons. Things like loss of license, going to court amongst other hurdles. Still I prevailed, still I provided for my family and here I am today inspired from my past to jump into something I'm passionate about to help others through a degree I will get because I WANT TO. It's never too late. As a working mom, this scholarship would help me pay for tuition for the classes. My long term goal for this degree is to work in a relative field after graduation for a couple of years to gain experience and then open my own private investigative firm by the time I'm 50. I want my boys to see that it doesn't matter how old you are in life. You never stop learning and it's never too late to follow your dreams. We are the biggest impact and serve as the greatest role models for our children. I homeschool my 12 year old and am fortunate to teach him these valuable lessons everyday. All we can do is be the very best versions of ourselves. Since my mistakes in the past, I have spent my time working to build a greater community in everyway possible. My boys and I donate time at the food bank and church. We attribute random acts of kindness when we see opportunities. It cost nothing to be kind. Through our current business we have neighborhood lemonade stands with the neighborhood kids. The kids pick a donation place like St. Jude and we donate the proceeds. When we open the firm, we will continue those traditions. We will take cases for money but also take charity cases as well. Always be your brother and sisters keeper. We only get one life. With my degree, I will make a positive impact on my community and my children. This scholarship could help pay for the degree. Thank you.

My veteran is my dad. My dad served in Vietnam. He is one of the greatest influencers in my life. All of my life he has been the one to help push my educational values and my life values. Even now at age 40. When we were young my dad had us reading at a college level. I'll never forget the huge Webster dictionary on the pedestal in the hall. When my younger brother and I would come up on a word we didn't know in the volume we were reading. Titles such as "Sophie's World" at age 9. My dad would point to the pedestal. We would look up the word, recite the word, it's phonetic, spell the word, read the definition and then use it in a sentence. When my dad was confident we knew the meaning of the word we could continue taking turns reading the pages of the story. As I grew my dad taught me to be strong and independent. Work hard for what I wanted out of life and to never give up. Work hard, play later. This has carried through in every single thing I have continued to do in my life. When you learn lessons such as this young you become determined with a no barrier mindset that can't be broken. I am a locamitive that will not stop until I have accomplished what I set out to do. Everyone should be fortunate enough to have an influence like this in their life. The push to do better, to reach, the sky is the limit. My dad taught me how to work on computers, do electrical, use tools, work on cars. He taught me how to play sports. I wanted to play football when girls weren't allowed. My dad fought the board and I was the very first girl teammate in my town. You can do anything you put your mind to. My veteran taught me that. Now as he is growing older, my family has moved my dad in with us. He's always struggled with residual PTSD from the war. They were forced to do terrible things. Now in life it's my turn to return that support of you can do anything. We work together everyday to overcome the night terrors that keep him up. We work to get past the memories that haunt him. He IS doing it and I am there to help and remind him YOU CAN do ANYTHING you put your mind to. Never give up. No matter what age. You can always keep learning and growing. My vet taught me that and I'm lucky to be able to return the favor at this phase in life.

Personally, I have always struggled with Bi polar disorder. Mental illness is an everyday struggle in the normal balance of life routine. It has not stopped me yet. I am forty years old now, as of a few days ago and have learned how to navigate the vigors of the mental disease. I recall as a teenager it was not so easy. At an early age things were different for me. I was put through different insufferable medications which changed me as a person and I was not grown enough to distinguish the changes to be able to verbalize what was going on. As I grew, I overcame these challenges. I knew when I felt the change within, to walk away from others. I opened my senses and became much more aware of who I was and how to control it. As I grew into young adulthood I learned I was my only advocate. If a medication didn't work right for me, I spoke up. I weaned myself back and demanded a change. Sooner or later, this was the norm, no one else fought me. No doctor could tell me I didn't know what I was saying, it was me. I remember facing individual challenges such as having children, the raging hormones. Having surgery to have cancer removed, they removed my entire female system. Still, I stayed strong. When I could feel the internal shift, I knew, it was time to find the right medication once more. Mental illness as long as you are aware of how you are affected and when is just part of your normal day to day. You absolutely have to pay attention to you. In this chapter of my forty years I've decided I'm going back to school. With the ups and downs which will always be "situational". As long as one can stay true to themselves and honest with their own truth. They can truly do anything. It absolutely can affect you and your loved ones if ignored. Unfortunately, this happens more than most. Not everyone can corner how they are feeling or why. You have to stick with something to figure out if it works and most won't. I understand that feeling. You feel changed, damaged, trapped. I look at it like this, if you had a cold, would you take could medicine to get better? If course you would! There's no difference with mental health. If something is not right, you have a cold in a sense. You don't feel well. You're not your best. However, if you learn how to navigate this for your, your quality of life and possibilities, endless. Thank you for your time.