"Anyone with a degree that ends in -ology, won't find a good-paying job." My homeroom teacher once told us this while we were looking up careers. I trusted this homeroom teacher and thought that I shouldn't go into meteorology. It was this phrase that kept repeating in my head when I started liking the meteorology course I was taking a senior year. I did some research into meteorology and see what it has to offer. There are many careers I could get into such as working at the National Weather Service, private sector, or research. I want to be able to build myself to get a career in the National Weather Service and prove my homeroom teacher wrong by getting a degree in Meteorology. This quote has empowered me to keep going when I want to give up. Once I do make a career out of my passion, I will be able to help people stay safe. This is another reason why I want to pursue a career in meteorology.

"Anyone with a degree that ends in -ology, won't find a good-paying job." My homeroom teacher once told us this while we were looking up careers. I trusted this homeroom teacher and thought that I shouldn't go into meteorology. It was this phrase that kept repeating in my head when I started liking my meteorology course I was taking a senior year. I did some research into meteorology and see what it has to offer. There are many careers I could get into such as working at the National Weather Service, private sector, or research. I want to be able to build myself to get a career in the National Weather Service and prove my homeroom teacher wrong by getting a degree in Meteorology. My second cousin works at the National Weather Service in Glasgow, Montana. He helped me achieve an internship there in 2020. I was unable to go to the internship because COVID-19 caused there to be restrictions such as only allowing a few employees into the building. Even though I could not do the internship, they gave me another opportunity to have an internship in Glasgow in the summer of 2021. This internship will help me build my network with other meteorologists. I plan to find other opportunities, so I can meet different meteorologists that do different things with their degree. This plan will allow me to have an idea of what my options can be if I decide that the National Weather Service doesn’t seem right for me. When I first got to college at St. Cloud State University, I noticed there were few women in my science courses. Noticing this made me want to truly pursue my degree in STEM to show that women can do what men can do. I want to be the woman that can help motivate other women to not give up on their degree in STEM. I would tell these women exactly what I was told many times from professors and fellow students, “It is ok to fail. If you never fail, how are you ever supposed to learn?” I will work hard to pursue my degree in Meteorology and take any opportunities that come my way. I will learn from my mistakes and grow strong from what I learn. I want to help women specifically get into STEM so that they aren’t shying away from their dream due to what society might say.

"Anyone with a degree that ends in -ology, won't find a good-paying job." My homeroom teacher once told us this while we were looking up careers. I trusted this homeroom teacher and thought that I shouldn't go into meteorology. It was this phrase that kept repeating in my head when I started liking my meteorology course I was taking a senior year. I did some research into meteorology and see what it has to offer. There are many careers I could get into such as working at the National Weather Service, private sector, or research. I want to be able to build myself to get a career in the National Weather Service and prove my homeroom teacher wrong by getting a degree in Meteorology. My second cousin works at the National Weather Service in Glasgow, Montana. He helped me achieve an internship there in 2020. I was unable to go to the internship because COVID-19 caused there to be restrictions such as only allowing a few employees into the building. Even though I could not do the internship, they gave me another opportunity to have an internship in Glasgow in the summer of 2021. This internship will help me build my network with other meteorologists. I plan to find other opportunities, so I can meet different meteorologists that do different things with their degree. This plan will allow me to have an idea of what my options can be if I decide that the National Weather Service doesn’t seem right for me. When I first got to college at St. Cloud State University, I noticed there were few women in my science courses. Noticing this made me want to truly pursue my degree in STEM to show that women can do what men can do. I want to be the woman that can help motivate other women to not give up on their degree in STEM. I would tell these women exactly what I was told many times from professors and fellow students, “It is ok to fail. If you never fail, how are you ever supposed to learn?” I will work hard to pursue my degree in Meteorology and take any opportunities that come my way. I will learn from my mistakes and grow strong from what I learn. I want to help women specifically get into STEM so that they aren’t shying away from their dream due to what society might say.