My computer science journey began with a simple goal: to create websites that are both functional and beautiful. I’m passionate about front-end design because it allows me to combine creativity and logic in a very unique way; a way that is nearly impossible to achieve in any other field. As I continue down my computer science and design path, I plan to deepen my knowledge by learning full-stack development and expanding my proficiency in UX/UI design. Accessible design is also crucial to my work so that the websites and apps I create can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. Long-term, I hope to lead web design and development projects that combine aesthetics with functionality to solve real-world problems. Currently, I’m one of only four women on a software development team of 20 people, contributing as the team’s sole web designer. I started as an intern, but my passion and dedication to excellence led to being hired as a full-time employee. While I mainly focus on creating intuitive designs for a web app in my work, I’m also committed to expanding my coding knowledge so that I can contribute more directly to development. I spend about eight hours per week learning React and strengthening my JavaScript skills. On top of my education and work responsibilities, this goal of contributing to the app’s design and development has pushed me to my limits; however, I know the obstacles are worth the reward of contributing more to the team—through both creativity and logic. This experience has deepened my love for problem-solving and teamwork, and it has shown me the importance of continuous learning. Beyond computer science, storytelling is a big part of who I am. I’m passionate about videography, social media content creation, and creative writing because they allow me to capture the human experience. Creative writing, in particular, helps me explore and express everyday moments in new ways. I also enjoy singing and hope to learn to play the piano one day—creative outlets that give me balance and fuel my imagination. My education in computer science has only strengthened these creative passions. The technical knowledge I’ve gained allows me to transform stories into visual and interactive experiences that anyone and everyone can experience. For example, I want to design and develop unique websites for local small businesses to share their stories. Through storytelling-focused websites, I can help small businesses highlight their unique values, connect with their customers, and thrive in an increasingly digital world. My computer science education empowers me to build platforms that celebrate voices and ideas that might otherwise go unheard. As a woman pursuing a computer science degree, I’m deeply committed to increasing diversity in the field. I want to be a role model for other underrepresented students and young workers, showing them that they can embrace their unique blend of passions and walk a meaningful path in tech. By combining my technical skills with my creative storytelling abilities, I’m creating a career that uplifts voices and celebrates diversity while pushing boundaries in both art and technology. This scholarship would allow me to continue pursuing my dual passions, helping me expand my skills and create work that’s innovative, impactful, and rooted in empathy. Thank you for supporting students like me who want to make a difference through technology and creativity.

Technology has always fascinated me because of its endless possibilities to solve real-world problems. I discovered my passion for creating technological solutions when I noticed a common challenge many first-year college students face: figuring out how much a semester will actually cost. There are so many expenses to consider—tuition, books, transportation, rent—and it’s hard to keep track of it all. I decided to create a college cost calculator using what I’d just learned in my HTML, CSS, and JavaScript classes. Even though I had only been learning JavaScript for about eight weeks, I was determined to make it happen—not just to grow my skills, but to help others like me. A lot of that determination came from how I was raised. Growing up in a small town community in West Central Minnesota, I was surrounded by family and teachers who believed in hard work and education. My dad, who earned an associate’s degree in computer programming, and my mom, who completed a program in administrative work, encouraged me to always push myself, stay curious, and keep learning. They showed me that even when life gets challenging or seemingly impossible, you can still grow and accomplish your goals. That’s why I’m working full-time while also attending college as a halftime student. Balancing both has definitely been a challenge, but it’s taught me resilience, time management, and how to keep moving forward even when things feel overwhelming. That same mindset carried me through the challenges I faced while building the calculator. There were plenty of times when I felt frustrated and doubted myself—coding errors popped up constantly, and sometimes I felt like I was in over my head. But I kept going; I watched tutorials, read code documentation, and debugged line after line until everything worked. In the end, the calculator was fully functional and easy to use—a tool that could actually help students like me manage their college costs. One of the most rewarding moments came when my instructor asked if she could share my project with the college’s marketing team as a potential resource. It was so validating to know that something I created could actually make a real difference. More than anything, it showed me that even with limited experience, I can create meaningful solutions if I put in the effort and believe in myself. This experience not only deepened my love for web development but also gave me the confidence to pursue a degree in Computer Science. I’ve learned that technology, when paired with creativity and determination, has the power to change lives. With this scholarship, I hope to continue building my skills and developing tools that make life easier for others. Thank you for considering my application and for supporting students who are passionate about creating positive change through their fields.

I have always loved learning. In elementary school, I was the “smart” student who had her hand in the air, ready to ask and answer all of the teacher’s questions. In middle school, I was the “overachiever” that would study two hours for a 10-question quiz to ensure success. In high school, I was the “4.0 GPA” girl my classmates turned to when they needed help learning any topic. While my love for learning helped me excel in school, it also blossomed into a love for helping others learn. In the summer before 7th grade, I volunteered at my elementary school’s special education summer program, where I experienced firsthand the joy of learning and teaching. At first, some kids could barely spell three-letter words like “cat”, but by the end of the program, they were spelling challenging words like “necessary.” Witnessing their progress in such a short time was incredible and inspiring. I also used my love for helping others to teach a friend for an entire semester. She overbooked her 10th grade schedule, so she had to replace her end-of-the-day study hall with Algebra 2. Since I already learned the material earlier in the day, I taught it to her in under 15 minutes so that she would have time to finish the homework. I did this so often that the algebra teacher joked that I was doing his job for him. Helping my friends, family, and classmates has always come naturally to me. When a friend snaps a picture of their homework and asks for help understanding the question, it only takes me 5 minutes of explanation to save them 30 minutes of frustration. As I learn more through higher education and practice patience and positivity, I find myself wanting to continually help others. One of my most meaningful teaching experiences has been helping my older sister learn. She is 24 years old, but she has a mental disability that has resulted in her only learning at a 3rd to 4th grade level. Last summer, I requested that my parents buy her a 3rd grade workbook that covered core subjects so that she could practice the topics and strengthen her learning. I helped her through each page, patiently teaching her when she got frustrated with long division and fractions and celebrating the victories when they came. Now, after a year, she is almost ready to start the 5th grade workbook—a testament to both her commitment to learning and my dedication to helping her be her best. Even now as a college student, I continue to love helping other students. In discussion posts, I elaborate on questions my classmates may have with 500-word replies, even though the minimum was only 50 words. I make sure every classmate’s post has a reply at the end of the week so no one feels left out. I’ve even found ways to share my passion for helping others in my job. My team hires interns every semester, and as the only designer on the team, I have found a strong interest in helping the interns with design-related tasks. This improves the final product and teaches them some design concepts they can carry into another project or their future career. As I have developed my skills through school and work, I have found it impossible to not share my love for learning and helping others. It is my hope that by being a positive force in their lives, they will become a positive force in their own and others’ lives.

I scanned the crowded gym. Tables lined the bleachers and workers from almost every career stood behind one. They each had pamphlets, props, and a speech ready to encourage high school seniors like myself to pursue their chosen career path. I scanned the gym again, more slowly this time. I saw an agriculture table, a sales table, another agriculture table, an accounting table, one more agriculture table, and even a culinary table—but no STEM-related table. Well, that’s not completely true. My math and biology teacher had their own tables, but I already knew where studying math and science led them; I wanted more options and to hear more STEM-related experiences from those in different, more exciting professions. That moment from the end of my senior year was a nearly perfect reflection of the end of the previous school year. My academic counselor encouraged me to take classes that would give me a small taste of different career paths. Some notable class offerings were Small Business Management, Accounting I and II, and Welding. As I read each class option, I didn’t find one that even remotely interested me because I was looking for something that many rural schools don’t offer: an education in technology. At my high school, the T in STEM was silent. It wasn’t always that way, though. My dad went to the same high school I did, and he took a programming class that influenced his decision to become a computer programmer. Even my sister, who is only five years older than me and went to the same high school, took a webpage class where she coded websites. By the time I finally reached high school, all of those classes had been removed, replaced with business and agriculture classes that fit better into a rural community. At this point, I was falling into the mold that my school had created. I had no other choice but to fill my schedule with Accounting I and Accounting II. As my classmates excitedly shared what major they would be studying after high school, I uncertainly said accounting. It wasn’t exciting to me, but it was fine. I didn’t hate it, and I didn’t have any experiences with a career path that I might like better. It wasn’t until college that I was finally exposed to a variety of technology classes, but when I was, I absolutely fell in love. I took classes in Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Java, SQL, and PHP. Once I started coding, I couldn’t stop. I felt empowered, like I could create anything. I knew that this was my passion—technology, the silent T in rural STEM. Looking back, it is easy to see how I didn’t find my passion earlier. Science education wasn’t encouraged in my school. If anything, it was discouraged in favor of business and agriculture fields, unless you wanted to be a math or science teacher or some kind of medical professional. Those were the only kinds of STEM fields I was exposed to, and it left me doubtful of where my passion lay. I believe that more exposure for the technical aspects of STEM in rural high schools would benefit many students. I dream of hands-on demonstrations, like classes, workshops, and online camps, that show the amazing things that pursuing these science careers can accomplish. I dream of scanning a crowded gym and seeing futures that ignite a science-filled passion within me and others like me. I dream of schools bringing back tech classes, so other students can discover their passions early, just like I finally did.

Life isn't fair. Some people are born with advantages that others don't have, and nowhere is this more evident than in education. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential, yet many students with disabilities face significant learning barriers due to underfunded special education programs and a lack of qualified teachers and paraprofessionals. Legal advancements like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) published in 1990 have improved basic access to education for those with special needs; however, there is still more to be done. Education should be a right, not a privilege. Unfortunately, for many students with disabilities, receiving quality education feels like an uphill battle. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2022-2023, 7.5 million students ages 3-21 received special education and/or related services. In that same year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that special education teachers held about 531,600 jobs. This means that, on average, there are about 14 special needs students for every special education teacher in the U.S. These statistics highlight the urgent need for individualized instruction and increased investment in special education resources. Many schools lack the personnel and adaptive teaching methods to support special education effectively, leaving children with disabilities stuck at the same academic level for years. For me, this issue is deeply personal. My older sister, who recently turned 24, is currently learning at a fifth-grade level. This may not seem extraordinary, but just a year ago, she was at a third-grade level—a place she had been stuck for over eight years because her school didn't have the time or resources to personally teach and support her. Now, in just one year, with my mom's and my personalized instruction and patience, she advanced two grade levels—progress she had never experienced in traditional schooling. But not every family has the ability to provide this kind of support, meaning many children with disabilities remain trapped in a system that fails them. Beyond helping my sister, I have worked directly with students in special education. I volunteered at my elementary school's special education summer program, where I taught children ages 8-12 how to spell common words and enjoyed doing art with them. At the same time, I helped empower my sister to become a teacher's assistant, her first-ever paying job. This experience reinforced my belief that special education has the power to transform lives, but only if we invest in it properly. I am also deeply passionate about this issue because I love learning. I have had incredible experiences in education, and I believe that learning should be an empowering journey, not a frustrating one. Every student—regardless of background, ability, or learning style—deserves to experience the joy of discovery, personal growth, and academic success. Sadly, for many students with disabilities, school is not an exciting place to grow but an obstacle course filled with challenges. If I, a patient STEAM student with no formal special education training, could help my sister make incredible progress in one year, imagine what millions of fairly paid, well-trained special education professionals could do in a decade. The reality is that special education programs remain severely underfunded. There aren't enough teachers or paraprofessionals in proportion to the students that need them. Investing in special education means investing in adaptive learning methods, assistive technology, and specialized teaching strategies that can help students break through learning barriers. Without proper funding, students with disabilities remain stuck, unable to progress, and their potential is wasted. Life isn't fair, but access to quality education for all children should be.

I have been an online student since 2020 and fully online since 2022. I have learned general subjects for my Liberal Arts & Sciences A.A. degree and technical skills for my Web Development A.A.S. degree through online platforms and tools. Now, I’m preparing to obtain my Computer Science B.S. degree through an online program. Online learning resources have furthered my education more than I could have ever imagined. While my instructors have played an enormous role in my learning, the online tools and resources I’ve used throughout the years have been crucial to my success. The most notable tool, or platform, is D2L (Desire 2 Learn) Brightspace. This platform has allowed me to watch lecture videos, submit assignments, and discuss subject matters with classmates all in one place. After using the platform for 5 years, it feels so familiar and almost comforting. Every time I log in, I am prepared to learn and better myself. Another online platform I use to further my understanding of subjects I’m studying is YouTube. This platform allows me to dive deeper into subjects, more than my instructors expect. It has also helped me understand topics that I’m struggling with and get ready to ace exams. Some great YouTube channels I’ve watched in the past are The Amoeba Sisters (for biology) and Crashcourse (for history). These channels break down complex class topics in a fun, entertaining way that helps me understand them better. It wouldn’t be right to write about online resources that have helped me learn without mentioning Quizlet. My junior year of high school, I created over a thousand flashcards just for a single biology class. I studied those flashcards day and night, and at the end of the semester, I believe I was the only student to score above 95% on each of the four unit exams. There are so many more tools I could write about, including those I used in elementary school and still remember to this day. For example, IXL, Study Island, Khan Academy, and Sheppard Software. These online resources paired with classroom instruction gave me the necessary skills to succeed in an educational setting. I am so fortunate to have grown up in a time with ever-advancing technology. There is so much information at my fingertips, and all I have to do is search for it. Although I only mentioned a few platforms, tools, and resources, there are so many more out there to be found. As I continue my education, I’m confident I’ll use many more of these online tools to aid my success!

Growing up with an older sister with a mental disability, I have seen the incredible impact that a simple act of kindness can have on a person. I practiced showing kindness from a very early age until it became second nature to me. From showing kindness to teachers and peers to friends and family, I have found that it very rarely has adverse effects and almost always leaves myself and the recipient in a better mood. My dedication to showing kindness led me to experience three wonderful moments in my senior year of high school that I will remember forever. The first instance occurred in September, during my high school’s Homecoming festivities. My school always holds a pep fest, and all classes perform a dance in front of the school. My class was trying to figure out the choreography to our dance and nearly everyone was joining in. There was one girl in my class who wasn’t dancing with us. I asked her if she wanted to add anything to the choreography. She was very shy, and she said she didn’t want to. I tried to respect her feelings while also offering support. I asked her if she would dance beside me when we performed in front of the school. She smiled and said she would. Throughout the 2021-2022 school year, I would talk to the girl, and she would talk to me whenever we saw each other. That simple act of kindness led me to make a great friend. The second instance occurred in December, right before Christmas. There was another girl in my class who didn’t have many friends. I noticed her giving small, thoughtful gifts to our classmates as she passed them in the hallway. They gave her a polite smile, took the gift, and continued walking with their friends, leaving her to stand alone in the hallway. I felt horrible watching this happen, not because of my classmates’ lack of kindness, but because the girl seemed accustomed to that kind of behavior. The next day, I brought my two close friends homemade holiday cookies that I made every year. I also brought an extra plate for a very kind teacher of mine and for the girl. When I gave my two friends their plates, the girl was standing nearby at her locker and saw them receive their gifts. I smiled at her and walked over with the third plate in hand. I gave it to her and said “Merry Christmas.” The surprised joy on her face said it all. I was so happy that I could make her Christmas even a little bit better with a small act of generosity and kindness. The third instance occurred in April, around the time of my senior prom. Initially, I was planning on going to prom with a friend. However, my friend got a date last minute, so I was considering going by myself instead. Before deciding, though, I asked the prom coordinator if anyone else didn’t have a date but wanted to go with someone. The prom coordinator told me that there was someone who fit that exact description, a very quiet girl who had been in my class since kindergarten. When I was walking back to class after talking to the prom coordinator, I saw the girl in the hallway. I ran up to her and explained the situation. I asked if she would like to go to prom with me. I will always remember the bright smile on her face when I asked her that question. She nodded and genuinely seemed excited, which made me even more excited as well. Later in the week, a special education paraprofessional who taught the girl told me that I made her day by asking her if she wanted to go to prom with me. Even writing about it now, years later, I’m still so happy I asked her and made both of our proms better. Throughout my life, I have had so many incredible opportunities to show kindness. I have volunteered over 100 hours in my community and found small moments like the ones I described to make a positive impact on others. I sincerely hope that those three instances made as big of an impact for those girls as they had on me, and I also hope to find even more ways to show kindness in the future.

As a passionate and ambitious student, I am constantly running at full speed. I was a half-time college student while being a full-time high school student for half of my high school education. I was a half-time intern while being a full-time college student in the fall of 2024. Now, I’m simultaneously a full-time web designer for a public benefit corporation and a half-time Computer Science student. I used to really struggle with a balance between academic rigor and my mental health. In my junior year of high school, I spent hours of frustration memorizing my biology textbook so I could ace each unit exam. After creating thousands of flashcards on Quizlet, I proudly finished the class with a 99.17% grade; however, I also lost a lot of weight during that semester, became depressed, and felt overwhelming anxiety about failing from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, often struggling to fall asleep. After that semester, I realized that while school is important, my mental health should be my number one priority. It is not worth attending school if it fills my mind with endless doubt and is so detrimental to my mental health. My goal in school is still to graduate with a 4.0 GPA just like it has always been, but I’m willing to loosen the reins a little bit to improve my mental health and be a better example for those around me. For me, finding the joys in everyday life has helped me prioritize my mental health. When I wake up, I look out of my window and see the sun rising. It reminds me that I’m on a floating rock filled with over 8 billion other people who don’t know me. It makes my life seem less intense and demanding. I’ve also stopped using a planner. This may seem backwards, but planning out every assignment, quiz, test, and project made my college experience feel rigid and premeditated. I need to experience each lesson in the moment and take them one at a time instead of overwhelming myself with plans that are bound to go off rail at some point. As for everyday actions, walking outside with my pets is an incredible mood booster. I breathe fresh air, center myself, and feel at home in my mind and body. I also like trying various forms of exercise, from high-intensity interval training to Pilates to yoga. Improving my physical health improves my mental health. Not only does this help me be a better student, it also helps me be a better sister, daughter, and friend. My twenty-three-year-old sister has a mental disability that causes her to learn at a 4th grade level for subjects like math and reading comprehension. Prioritizing my mental health increases my patience and helps me to help her stay calm and learn important life skills. If a college student of any gender, major, or educational level is reading this essay, please know that your mental health is important. If you are like me and are constantly running at full speed, please find what works and doesn’t work for you and use that knowledge to better yourself. Your education is important, but your mental health is even more important; making it your number one priory is one of the best decisions you will make.

From a young age, I’ve always been taught that working towards a bachelor’s degree was the next step after high school. My parents, both of whom grew up working on small-town dairy farms, didn’t have the resources to leave their farms, move hours away from home, and pay tens of thousands of dollars to continue their education. As many incredible parents do, they wanted more for me than they experienced themselves. As I grew up, my knowledge surrounding college and its expenses grew too. I quickly realized that getting a higher education was no small feat. It required persistence, dedication, and, of course, money. However, despite its costs, my education would also ultimately change my path forward in life and help me give back to society in a meaningful way. Throughout my elementary, middle, and high school years, I worked hard to exemplify persistence and dedication. I worked hard for a 4.0 GPA every semester - from my 7th grade year to my 12th grade year. When money became a real concern, I worked even harder, joining my school’s National Honor Society and volunteering over 80 hours at my school, church, and within my community, to attempt to increase my odds at winning a scholarship. Due to family circumstances, I was unable to work for a paycheck, but that didn’t stop my desire to reduce the burden of college tuition. Now that I’m in college, I’ve continued to go through life with the same persistence and dedication I gained in my earlier education years. I decided to major in Computer Science, a field where these traits are needed and can lead to incredible, plentiful opportunities. I want my education to matter; I don’t want to be in piles of debt after graduating and feel like it was all for nothing. Even now, I’m saving as much money as I can. This is another way education has changed my path forward in life. Without college, I would not have the same mentality regarding spending and saving. I make sure every penny spent is going towards a good cause, whether it’s for myself, gifting others, or donating. Currently, I’m not in the position to be donating large amounts to charities. I would love to do that in the future, after graduating college and working for a few years. However, what I can do is volunteer. I believe volunteering is a great way to give back to society, both in the present and future. Over the past 8 years, I have volunteered to be an elementary special education teacher, a high school and college peer tutor, a road ditch cleaner, a concession stand worker, an emotional support person at blood drives, a vacation bible school leader, and so much more! Now, I’m working at a company where volunteering is actually a part of their company benefits! So, I’m sure volunteering and giving back a lot more is a part of my near future, and I couldn’t be more excited!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve never been satisfied with what I already know. That is the main reason I decided to study computer science; there is always something more to learn, someone new to help, and new ways to grow personally and professionally. The field is challenging and always changing, but it is beyond rewarding. Every app I design, language I learn, or program I create, I can feel that I’m becoming a better version of myself: a stronger, smarter, more confident version of myself. It is with these defining characteristics that I hope to create a lasting impact, whether through a project, a business, or our worldwide community. With a Computer Science major, focusing on web design and development, I desire to build an online world that is accessible for everyone. As the internet becomes a necessity, so does internet accessibility. I believe online experiences should be accessible for those with and without disabilities, including visual impairments, hearing loss, and/or mental disabilities - similar to the mental disability that affects my older sister. Growing up with a sister who has a mental disability, I have seen how an inaccessible world creates an unbelievably high level of frustration for those affected by the lack of accessibility. It’s like telling someone their final destination a thousand miles away without giving any directions of how to get there. This personal reason is why I’ve focused so heavily on accessible design and development throughout my education. It quickly became my passion, and it will ultimately be the reason I continue to aim high, never taking mediocre effort or grades (or web accessibility) as an answer. As I keep learning, growing, and improving myself, I hold this passion deep in my heart and at the forefront of my mind. Will I be able to make every website, app, and software on the World Wide Web accessible over the course of my career? It’s highly unlikely; however, one small change can make a big difference in many people’s lives.

I’m a hacker. I was sitting at my desk learning my first programming language - Python. It was another normal day for me as an online student, always ready to learn and experiment. That day, my programming instructor shared a video of him in college. The video, filmed in the 1980s, showed him and a group of his robotics engineering friends “sneaking into” a graduation ceremony with a robot that was programmed to harmlessly blow up in the middle of an important speech. This clever prank demonstrated the skills and aptitude that he and his friends had developed throughout the course of their education. It displayed their enthusiasm for technology and the ever-evolving field. Most of all, it inspired me to grow my own hacking and tinkering skills. As a web development student, I have the opportunity to improve web experiences through design and code. I can endlessly tinker with a problem until I achieve an original, amazing solution. In the fall of 2024, I took this to a new level by working as a web designer intern for a software development team. Throughout my internship, my colleagues consistently complimented my curiosity and my desire to go above and beyond. It all started with a design meeting. A feature in the company’s web application was causing accessibility and usability issues. The software developers needed a new way to improve user experience without spending a significant amount of time making extensive code changes. As a new intern, I was nervous to share my ideas, but I took a deep breath and spoke up. I suggested that instead of removing the feature or completely changing it, we limit it with a different solution. I knew that it was up to me to solve the user experience problem. I spent the next week pouring over my designs, refining my unique idea. To me, I was simply doing what I love doing - tinkering. I love experimenting with different options, constantly improving upon the latest version. However, my colleagues were absolutely delighted with my designs. They were so grateful for the effort I put into them and for the innovative solution I presented. In that moment, I knew having hacking/tinkering skills was special. These skills helped me invent a new solution to a complex problem that no one had thought of before. They encouraged me to maintain a deep curiosity and a love for helping others even when challenges arose. Now, I’m the go-to person when my colleagues need new ideas or a “hacker spirit” to solve the problem. They know I don’t take the word “impossible” as an answer. Instead, I invent new solutions. In the future, I hope to continue to use these invaluable skills in a generous way. I aim to make a difference in my community, always being ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.

A year ago, I identified a problem that I’m sure many first-year college students experience when enrolling in my local community college. There were so many expenses involved with obtaining a college education; it was difficult to estimate how much a semester was actually going to cost after accounting for tuition, books, transportation, rent, and other related expenses. So, as a first-year web development student, using my limited coding knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I set my mind on creating a comprehensive college cost calculator that would solve this expense estimation problem for current and future students. At the time, I had only been learning JavaScript for about eight weeks, but I had ambition and a goal I desperately wanted to achieve. I watched many video tutorials on YouTube and analyzed code documentation, learning how to write clean code that retrieves numbers inputted by the user, uses functions to calculate them efficiently, and displays the answers in a visually pleasing way for the user to see. I wanted the calculator web app to not only function well but also result in a positive user experience for potentially stressed students. I knew this calculator had to be simple. I didn’t have the knowledge that professional software developers gain through years of experience, but I knew some JavaScript, and I held a deep desire for helping others who are struggling. Those were enough to fuel a burning passion for bringing this calculator to life. This passion allowed me to overcome coding errors, design challenges, and feelings of inadequacy. In addition to solving a problem, this project was also completed for an independent study assignment. The assignment was broad: to create something that I would be proud to show to future employers using the skills I had already obtained throughout the semester. I wasn’t satisfied with the skills I already had; I wanted to grow further and become better. Programming a calculator in JavaScript was a project that definitely progressed my coding skills and my personal development more than I could have ever imagined. The end result was incredible to me. The calculator was fully functional and looked like a tool that could actually be used by the college. My instructor requested my permission to share my project with the marketing team so she could ask them if it was a resource they would be interested in implementing for real. Hearing this request and being told my project had the potential to actually help other students was an extremely rewarding experience. This project is the exact reason why technology inspires me. I created something amazing out of a seemingly insignificant “what if” idea. I barely had any JavaScript experience, but with a growth mindset, I was able to create a calculator that solves a real-life problem. More than anything, this project gave me the confidence I needed to enroll in a Computer Science program, a place with endless learning opportunities. It helped me overcome feelings of insecurity, and it showed me the lasting impact I can make in my community when I believe in myself and push myself to grow.

Hello! My name is Kayla Marcus. I live in a small town in west-central Minnesota. I’m studying website design and development through a computer science degree at Concordia University, St. Paul’s College of Business and Technology. Growing up, my parents always pushed my siblings and me to obtain a higher education. They both grew up in working class families, spending their childhood and teenage years working on dairy farms as their family’s livelihood. Although their families didn’t have much money, they both worked hard to be able to attend a community college and receive some sort of higher education. I want to follow in their footsteps and go beyond by obtaining a 4-year degree. I plan to use the scholarship to pay for a portion of my college expenses. I plan to use it as a reminder that the scholarship committee believes in my ability to make an impact using my education, and I plan to exceed expectations through my education. Currently, I hold a 4.0 GPA in my current web development program at Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN. I have been fortunate in receiving scholarships to relieve financial costs, so I am able to focus my time and energy on learning. My work and positive attitude is praised by my instructors weekly, and I attribute this work ethic and attitude to those who supported me financially through scholarships. This financial support will contribute to my academic goals by enabling me to continue growing my skills. It will allow me to help small businesses through e-commerce websites or digital marketing. It will also contribute to my personal development by honing my love for learning and commitment to excellence. My love for learning and commitment to exceeding expectations are two reasons why I love my chosen field. In website design and development, there is always something new to learn, and just like many other business-related degrees, there is always someone new to help. When it comes to reaching client goals, I’m adamant about going above and beyond. These passions are what drove me to this field and what maintains my passionate mindset. I want to use this passion to improve the digital presence of a variety of small businesses, including those in the beauty industry. There are many beauty businesses in my local area that do amazing work, but they lack a strong online community. They rely on word-of-mouth to maintain business. I would love to create affordable websites for these small business owners so they can grow their business and reach a multitude of clients. I hope to have an incredible impact on them just like my education and the financial support of scholarship donors have had on me.

I have two older sisters who started reading before I could even talk, but it wasn’t long before I joined them. I have always felt a strong pull toward reading and connecting with characters who are different from me. In elementary school, I even skipped recess so I could read all about their adventures and the challenges they faced in pursuing their goals. These books from my childhood have had a significant impact on the way I understand others and view challenges in my life. The stories I read provided me with more than just hours of entertainment; they offered me deep insights into human motivations and emotions that I couldn’t find elsewhere. They shaped my perspective on the world. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from these books, especially those I read as a child, was how to understand the motivations behind people’s actions. Characters in books like Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana López and book series such as the Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix were often faced with complex challenges and emotions. As I followed the characters’ journeys, I became more aware of the motivations behind their decisions and the personal experiences that shaped their actions and personalities. Erica’s struggle to cope with her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, which led her to make promises to God, and Luke’s relentless curiosity and determination to fight for the right to live freely taught me that people’s behaviors are deeply influenced by their unique motivations, fears, and dreams. I’ve incorporated this understanding directly into my relationships and work, where I strive to appreciate the perspectives of others, especially when they differ from my own. Another important lesson I learned was the value of perseverance. In nearly every book I read, whether it was a 5-page children’s book or a 500-page fantasy, the characters faced adversity and despair, yet they always found ways to keep moving forward and learn from their past mistakes. Their strength inspired me to keep going, even when I had no friends in elementary school, and they continue to inspire me when I encounter challenges in my personal or professional life. I’ve carried this mindset with me into my journey as a web designer and developer, where learning new skills and overcoming obstacles often feels daunting and scary. Just like those characters, I remind myself that persistence can lead to growth, especially during difficult times. Books like Bridge to Terabithia also showed me the power of empathy. They helped me understand experiences and emotions I hadn’t yet encountered in my own life and aided me in dealing with the experiences I had encountered. The strong friendships and deep emotional struggles portrayed in these stories taught me how to listen and be more sensitive to the feelings of others. This empathy is a skill I rely on in my education, where understanding the needs and visions of clients is essential to delivering projects that truly resonate with them and fit their vision. The perseverance and empathy I learned from these childhood books have shaped both my goals and how I approach life’s challenges. These stories taught me to never give up, to never stop learning, and to always seek to understand others, qualities that continue to guide me today.

The first time I played Minecraft, I was 8 years old. I had spent months watching YouTubers like stampylonghead and iBallisticSquid explore the blocky world and build incredible features. The game was released for over a year before I was able to download and play it on my slow 1st generation iPad Mini. To me, the graphics and sounds were amazing. I loved seeing bubbles when swimming in the water and hearing the rumble of wood when cutting down a tree. When I think back to my first moments playing Minecraft, I instantly think of my and my siblings’ colossal goal: to build an entire town in one summer. Building creatively will always be my favorite aspect of the game. I remember problem-solving, thinking of ways to build a grocery store and a fisherman’s hut. I remember rebuilding my wool house with cobblestone after my younger brother decided to drink ‘lemonade’ that was actually a bucket of lava — he placed it on my table and burned down my entire house. I remember watching a stampylonghead ‘Lovely World’ video where he created a huge version of his cat character. My siblings and I immediately jumped on our iPads to do the exact same thing. I built Stampy, my brother built Squid, and my sister built a penguin. I remember spending a lot of time building a brick school with multiple classrooms, a swimming pool, a gym, a cafeteria, a playground, and much more. I think we played school in that building a few days before my first day of 3rd grade started. It was sad knowing that the town we worked so hard on would barely be touched in the coming months. Sadly, we never logged onto it ever again. But I will never forget those memories. I will never forget the teamwork that was required to build a huge town with only three young kids. Building in Minecraft resonates so deeply because it reminds me of that summer. It reminds me of my childhood and my siblings. It reminds me of a deep creativity that was shown through blocks and buckets of lava… I mean lemonade. Minecraft will always hold a special place in my heart. Playing this game was the first time I was in charge of my life. I decided what to build, where to build it, and what material to use. Although it seems simple, being a sandbox game made of thousands of 3D blocks, I will remember it as a powerful and nostalgic game that allowed my creativity to shine for the first time.

In the summer of 2016, my mom’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He works as a dairy farmer, wrangling cattle and cleaning barns, so working physically was crucial to his livelihood. The cancer was found early, and after routine surgery and radiation, he was declared healthy and returned to life as normal. I thought my family was in the clear. I was wrong. A few months later, in November 2016, an MRI scan showed a tumor wrapped around my mom’s spinal cord. Due to the severe back and neck pain she felt when doing simple activities like sitting or lying down, doctors advised it be removed. One doctor bluntly stated the surgery would cause paralysis from the waist down. This devastated my mom. Growing up on a dairy farm, she spent nearly every waking minute moving her body. Fortunately, another doctor was confident about leading the surgery, leaving minimal side effects, because he had done many in the past: about thirty. It was then that I saw my mom’s true self—a woman filled with resilience and strength. After an 8-hour surgery and during a month of intense radiation, she cooked, cleaned, exercised, and made sure her family was okay. I was 12 years old at the time. Throughout those long months, I took on a small cooking role. My mom never asked me to, and I knew she never would because of her upbringing, but I needed to help. I stepped up to teach my older sister, who completed high school online due to a mental disability. At the time, she was in 10th grade while I was in 7th, but I quickly absorbed her class material so I could guide her through the difficulties of her homework. This early experience sharpened my problem-solving skills and pushed me to find creative solutions to challenges, much like I now approach web design and development—finding intuitive ways to solve problems and make tasks easier for others. Throughout the next 8 years, it was my goal to learn as much as possible so I could help others in the future, whether it be siblings or peers. I gained a more positive outlook of learning. While my classmates complained about homework and tests, I used my energy to grow my knowledge. I learned that negativity is a useless emotion, and I consistently focused on the amazing parts of my education instead of the mundane tasks. This resulted in my teachers praising my work ethic, positivity, and passion. They thanked me for being so engaged in class and recommended me for many academic and character-based awards. My family grew closer because of this experience. One of my career goals quickly became to work locally or remotely so I can help them whenever I’m needed. Remote jobs are competitive and tough to obtain, so I need to be tougher. I need to learn many skills to fight in this competitive market. Luckily, my mom taught me strength and resilience. My journey through these challenges has deeply shaped who I am today. The responsibility I took on at a young age taught me the value of resilience, problem-solving, and compassion—qualities that guide my approach to both life and my career. As I pursue my passion, I carry the lessons learned from this experience to create solutions that meet the needs of others and make their lives a little easier. My ultimate goal is to balance my career with my commitment to staying close to my family, ensuring that I can continue to support them while also making a meaningful impact on the world around me.

My name is Kayla Marcus. I am 20 years old, and I live in a small town in west-central Minnesota with my loving family of six. I am a driven web design and development student at my local community college, Ridgewater College. After graduating with my Associate of Applied Science, I plan to transfer to Concordia University, St. Paul for a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Growing up, I have always loved school. I love learning and bettering myself through education. My teachers have seen this passion and complimented it. Almost every year, they joked, “You need to watch out for Kayla. She’s a troublemaker,” because my main goal in school was always to learn. They never had to worry about keeping me on track because I always held myself accountable for participating in class, completing assignments, and giving my absolute best effort. My classmates often asked how I got such good grades and how I aced almost every test. They attributed it to “being smart,” but I attribute it to something else. My parents made it very clear that I was expected to always work hard. They both grew up on dairy farms, so this work ethic was instilled in them from a very young age, and they gave this ideology of hard work and accountability to their children - one of whom is me! One way I maintain accountability is by acting in a way that makes my parents proud. They have done more for me than I could ever express. I’m confident that I could spend my entire life showing my gratitude, but it will never reach the amount they deserve. Still, I know that holding myself accountable in my education makes them proud. A second, and more specific, way I maintain accountability is by setting goals and building a routine. Each week, I determine my top priority, and I set a goal for completing that priority. For me, building a routine is immensely helpful for achieving my goals. It gives me more time to work toward the goal rather than wasting time being unproductive or overwhelmed with trivial daily decisions. A final way I maintain accountability is by valuing feedback and keeping a positive mindset. When a peer or instructor tells me their opinion about my work, I take it to heart. If the critique is positive, I remember it and pay it forward by continuing to work hard. If the critique is negative, I take responsibility for trying to understand a perspective different from my own. I have achieved success with holding myself accountable in many different ways and times of life. In high school, I achieved a 4.0 GPA and graduated as class valedictorian. I spent many hours studying with the goal to get 100% on almost every test. I also worked toward achieving this goal by paying attention in class, asking complex questions, and helping other students learn, leading me to be known as the class tutor. In college, I maintain a 4.0 GPA by setting a weekly routine of studying, researching, and consistently communicating with my peers and instructors to better my work. My instructors compliment my work weekly. My design instructor even recommended me for professional web design work because of my positivity, work ethic, and desire for academic excellence. Personally, holding myself accountable has led me to be confident in my abilities to succeed. I have learned from experience that working hard, setting goals, building a routine, seeking feedback, and maintaining a positive outlook pushes me past any obstacles I face and allows me to face challenges head-on.

When I considered enrolling in calculus my junior year of high school, my academic counselor advised against it. She warned that the class had caused many students to experience significant stress and breakdowns. She said it was beyond tough. However, what she didn’t know was, I am tougher. To be completely honest, I never enrolled in the calculus class. At the time, I thought I was going to pursue a career in accounting, so I let the idea slip my mind. However, this experience with calculus has left a lasting impression on me. Whenever I reflect on my math background, my first thought is how I earned a 100% semester grade in College Algebra and College Trigonometry, an accomplishment that gives me great pride. My next thought is how I backed away from calculus, an experience that gives me a sense of regret. Even now, I’m uncertain if I would succeed in the class. When I think back to my strong math performance and past math grades, filled with A’s and A+’s, I feel a sense of doubt. Why do I feel so unsure that I would do well in calculus when I have done very well in previous math classes? The reason for this uncertainty can be summed up into one word: fear. This is the reason I believe calculus is important in STEM fields. While the class concepts are undeniably valuable and highly-applicable to many career areas in STEM fields, I believe the true importance of enrolling in a challenging class like this lies in confronting fear—fear of the unknown and fear of failure. The STEM field is full of uncertainties. We often find ourselves as pioneers, and failure is a common part of the process. If a STEM student graduates with a fear of uncertainty and failure, they will have a difficult time succeeding. They will be plagued by self-doubt and hesitation. Taking a challenging course like calculus can help students overcome these fears. It allows them to realize their own resilience and intelligence, teaches them how to handle failure, and emphasizes that failure is an inevitable part of trying new things. Those who never fail are often those who never push beyond their comfort zones. Although I haven’t taken a calculus class, I will be enrolling in a discrete mathematics class soon. This course is known for its complexity, and it will challenge me in new ways, encouraging my academic and personal growth. After completing this course, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I faced and overcame a significant challenge. Confronting this fear of uncertainty and failure will ultimately lead to personal triumph and growth.

Since I was young, I have always known I was going to pursue STEM. I was driven by a passion for knowledge and an intense curiosity for wanting to know as much as I could. I have always loved being involved. When my older sisters were reading chapter books, I wanted to join them even though I was only five years old. I wanted to learn how to multiply and divide as a first-grader who had just learned how to add and subtract. I always wanted to learn more. In high school, I excelled in STEM subjects. My constant curiosity encouraged growth and learning in difficult classes and pushed me to succeed, eventually leading me to graduate as class valedictorian. Throughout these years, I had multiple teachers thank me for my active participation in class and compliment my desire to learn. After graduation, I was unsure how to continue my learning. I had learned so much in my 18 years of life, from science and technology to art and teaching. I found it extremely difficult to choose one field. So, I delayed this decision until I was more prepared to make it. I didn’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a degree in a field that I didn’t love. Through my community college, I worked toward obtaining my Liberal Arts and Sciences Associate of Arts degree. I planned to complete this degree and use it to transfer to a 4-year university, effectively saving thousands of dollars by transferring my general education credits. It was at this community college where I renewed my passion for STEM, specifically in the technology field. I desired to solve tough problems like I did in math classes, innovate creatively like I did in art classes, and think critically like I did in science classes. These were desires that only STEM could offer me. I found an interest in coding and computer science, and with many hours of hard work, I became a skilled beginner in the subject. Although the class was online due to COVID-19, I actively participated in Zoom meetings and live chats. I enrolled in the college’s Web Developer program, being one of the only women to do so. I couldn’t help but notice how I was the only woman’s voice in the Zoom meetings. It felt lonely and exclusive at times. However, I believe it gave me a unique and more dedicated experience. I am introspective, constantly reflecting on my own learning and growth. This allowed me to improve quicker than many of the men in the program. Similarly, I am compassionate and empathetic. I refuse to let others struggle, so when my peers needed assistance with their code or website designs, I was quick to teach what I had already learned. I feel that this is how I can contribute to the STEM field. While I recognize that being a woman in STEM might present unique challenges, I am committed to using my dedication and skills to overcome these obstacles and succeed. Although I believe my own success is important, my compassion and love for helping others succeed is how I hope to truly make a difference in STEM. I hope to make STEM fields more inclusive and inspire other young women to do the same.

A quick Google search provides the origin story of one old yet inspiring piece of technology: “The first website was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html, created by Tim Berners-Lee and launched on August 6, 1991.” While the lines of black text on a white screen are not entirely inspiring by themselves, designers, developers, and business pioneers soon imagined a vision. They imagined websites becoming pieces of art that not only informed, but also connected emotionally with their audience. These websites - for example, apple.com - give each user a personalized experience. They are filled with animations, interactive features, and 3D images. Whether the user uses a screen reader, is mentally challenged, or struggles to maintain attention, the website smoothly compensates. In addition to the artistry of websites, their impact is also inspiring. In the past, consumers were limited to the products and services in their vicinity. Now, people are free to express themselves through their purchases, regardless of their location. They can support local small businesses or small businesses halfway across the world. Websites give people a voice. They demonstrate emotions and allow those emotions to be felt millions of miles away. I must also mention the inspiring impact of purely informational websites, those that are not focused on artistry and emotional connection. These websites, like medical or news websites, encourage a feeling of safety. When used responsibly, blogs help those who are struggling to find a place where they belong. I imagine traveling back in time and telling Tim Berners-Lee the inspiring impact that websites have made. I imagine showing him the artistry, the personalization, and the voices he has given over a billion people in just 30 years. I imagine how much more evolved websites could be in the future with the integration of AI. I am confident that women and men alike will show compassion, empathy, and responsibility as they continue to use websites to make the world an even better place.

I love math because it only has one correct answer. It doesn’t leave me second-guessing my solution. There is almost always an easy way to work backward to ensure I worked out the right answer. Life isn’t like that; I can’t always be sure that my answer is the correct solution. I can’t be absolutely certain that all of the work I’m doing will end in success. Life is about hard work and a lot of chance. Math, on the other hand, is about problem-solving and patterns. Math is a puzzle to solve. It’s a jigsaw or a crossword. The question gives me all of the puzzle pieces, and it’s my responsibility to put them in the correct place. If I make a mistake, I can erase it and try again, maybe taking a new approach. Math gives me comfort. No matter what happens in my life, 2 plus 2 will always be 4 and the square root of 144 will always be 12. Numbers don’t lie; number don’t cheat; numbers will always tell the truth. I love that I can trust math. I can trust it to help me plan a course of action. I can use it to determine which way will be the quickest, which way will be the least expensive, and which way is the best overall. Math has given me problem-solving skills and logical reasoning. It has helped me stay calm in intense situations. While life isn’t anything like math, filled with uncertainties and unpredictable outcomes, math has given me the tools necessary to problem-solve and succeed in this scary, unpredictable world.

What does it mean to 'dive deeper'? Is it a waste of time to understand complex ideas when simpler ones convey just as much information? If I fear complex thoughts, does that make me a coward? According to Ludwig Wittgenstein, it does. “You could attach prices to thoughts. Some cost a lot, some cost a little. And how does one pay for thoughts? The answer, I think, is: with courage.” -Wittgenstein, Culture and Value In Ludwig Wittgenstein‘s “Culture and Value”, Wittgenstein proposes the intriguing idea that each thought that passes through the mind has a price tag associated with it. Some thoughts are costly while others are inexpensive, and some may argue, invaluable. By diving deeper into this idea, we can reflect on our daily thoughts, recognizing which are expensive and which cost only a mere penny. We can determine if we are actually shying away from deep thinking while trying to appear courageous. This metaphor challenges us to consider the value of our ideas and the price required to hold them. In this case, Wittgenstein asserts that the price is courage, implying that thinking is not a simple cognitive process, but an act of bravery. Is it too extreme to suggest that those who avoid complex thoughts are hoarding their courage, never spending a single cent on deep thinking or expressing challenging ideas? To answer that question, we need to reflect on the costs associated with complex thoughts and ideas. To think critically and against the grain often means risking security, comfort, and acceptance, sometimes within ourselves and sometimes with others. Therefore, in this context, courage is defined as the willingness to confront these risks and endure the potential consequences of our ideas. In this light, expensive thoughts are courageous acts that shape our understanding and engagement with the world. The more dangerous, uncomfortable, and unacceptable the thought, the more courage is required to conceive and express it, and it is therefore, more expensive. The next question is: can a person spend all their courage? Can they conceive and express so many complex ideas that they no longer possess any courage? I do not believe so. Unlike monetary currency, which diminishes with use, courage grows as it is spent on challenging thoughts and ideas. Those who shy away from complex ideas might appear to hold vast reserves of courage, but in reality, they might be avoiding the true cost of deep thinking. They hesitate to spend their courage on thoughts that challenge the status quo or push beyond comfort zones. These are the individuals—an inventor who fears rejection, an environmentalist who remains silent, or anyone whose heart races when expressing an honest opinion. In a moment of self-reflection, I am one of those individuals. We may all be one of those individuals. Exempting those similar to literature scholars, preachers, and philosophers, we all have simple minds. We prefer ideas we can quickly understand to those that require complex thought. We prefer security, comfort, and acceptance. We prefer to be cowards, never spending courage and never gaining more to give. In his assertion, Wittgenstein encourages us to reflect the worth of our thoughts and the courage we need to pursue them, acknowledging that the most valuable ideas often require the greatest bravery to conceive and express. I might seem a coward because philosophy is not my hobby, and I don’t study English literature. I lean toward simple ideas because, quite frankly, they are simple. Yet, I am also a dreamer—someone who dares to dream dreams that others may laugh at, and who refuses to accept the word 'impossible.' My dreams challenge me to spend courage daily, and in doing so, perhaps I’m proving that courage, like dreams, is limitless. Perhaps, after all, I’m not a coward.