I am a doctoral candidate exploring Organizational Leadership and Development at Grand Canyon University, based in Phoenix, Arizona. I give back by serving my community as a community advocate, role model, former board member, and current government employee. Due to my early commitment to business, I was recognized by the Maryland House of Delegates for community service. After one course in economics, my focus changed to business. By engaging others as an influencer and dedicated researcher, I give back to my community. For my efforts, I have been recognized by Stanford's Who's Who of American Women in Business, a prestigious designation awarded only by nominations from fellow business leaders. I embraced my interest after receiving the nomination in 2012. That same year, I became an influencer and received LinkedIn's Top 10% Influencer Award. Shortly thereafter, I received acceptance into Harvard University's Copyright X Program hosted by the Berkman Institute for Internet and Society to explore the challenges I faced during my early years in fashion design. With the same passion, I have engaged and volunteered in my community. In 2010, I received a Community Service Award while serving in government in Los Angeles. Realizing that I could and should do more, I continued to volunteer. Within 2 short years, I was nominated to serve on the board of directors for a community-based organization on the east coast. The organization has a blue-print that spans six generations of African-Americans along the east coast region. Today, that small effort has resulted in recognition by senators and politicians in the region for celebrating the cultural legacy of people traditionally viewed as underserved. By sharing my perspective, I have been able to change that perception. In 2017, I was elected to serve on the Board of Directors at PMI, an internationally recognized program to expand the body of knowledge in the Project Management field by training and certifying management professionals. As the youngest board member, my goal was to introduce a new perspective to leadership. In my role as Director of Educational Programs and Events, I gained invaluable experience engaging the business community. By paying close attention to their needs, I provided professional development and project management training to a growing chapter spanning five counties across the state of Maryland. During my tenure, chapter membership grew to more than 800 project management professionals. As a result, I was awarded a community service award by the President of the organization. As a fashion designer, I traveled quite extensively, often with no time to really transfer my thoughts onto paper. While on travel, I was asked to speak at an event to inspire business leaders in attendance. I declined the offer. Today, I proudly share my knowledge with others because I want to make a difference. As a result of my commitment to furthering the body of knowledge in business, I was awarded acceptance into The National Honor Society, one of our nation's oldest and most prestigious academic institutions. In less than a decade, I have seen the results. Billionaires are now taking their place on the world stage to respond to this phenomenon of lack of educational training and resources for African American innovators. Celebrity endorsements from Mrs. Mellody Hobson, Mr. Earving Magic Johnson, Mrs. Alicia Keys, Mr. Pharrell Williams and The Black Girl Ventures (BGV) fund are now changing the landscape in the venture capital space for people of color. As a doctoral candidate, my research has resulted in a whirlwind of progress. With the support of The Priscilla Shireen Luke Scholarship, I will assume a coveted new role as Dr. Kimberly R. White.

When the announcement came over the airwaves that the airports will close, I almost panicked. During residency, I thought that it was an impediment preventing me from developing into the person I have always wanted to become. Am I destined to fail at this lofty endeavor? Was this a fluke? Is the country really shutting down? And why, on earth, NOW? There was no time to entertain such thoughts. I decided to contact a colleague who is a resident who had recently relocated to the area. He was a mentor, friend, and certainly someone I looked up to. At this moment, he became a stand-in, bonus parent. When he answered the phone, I exhaled. Calmed by his former military demeanor, knowing he was quite familiar with dealing with uncertainties, I asked if he could take me to the airport. Aware that I may need to alter my flight or prepare for the possibility of staying in a hotel should the airports close, he willingly agreed. Within moments, it seems, I went from a basket case to calm and demure. We shared laughs over dinner. To save him the hassle of taking on my problems, I actually decided to take the shuttle to the airport instead, as scheduled. After all, just his presence seemed to make everything alright. As of 2022, the U.S. there were 57,596 doctorates in our country. From this statistic, I knew this would not come easily. I had no idea it would become this difficult. Through this experience, I have learned to trust my instincts. I had made a major decision to attend residency, with no knowledge of what it entailed. When I think of challenging times, I rely on the work of my favorite scholars in science: Neitzche (mankind), Dr. King (vision), Abraham Maslow (survival), Charles Darwin (evolution), Madame Curie (health crisis). I could go on. Over time, I have learned to apply the lessons learned to real-life situations. My first response was to complete the presentation, after all that is what my experiences in life had conditioned me to do. According to Darwin, that is the nature of evolution. If I could come this far, I thought, it's only fitting to finish what I started. Abraham Maslow introduced the Hierarchy of Needs. His work suggests we all have needs. I made a high-level decision to travel, guided by a vision rooted in self-actualization. If I could embody that mindset, then certainly I could take additional actions to reach out for help. I did. It was a wise decision. Everything that I went through led me to believe I could make it through. If someone is experiencing a personal challenge, I encourage them to consider elements of the situation from divergent perspectives. If we are, as leaders, called to think of all of mankind, what should prevent us from thinking along those lines daily? Who is to say that the entire world isn't in the same situation as you are? Think of your health and well-being. Ask yourself what you have learned from past experiences? What inspired you to believe you could embark upon such a lofty endeavor to further your education? With so much to do, I decided today that I must write this article in an effort to put muscle behind my ideas. I encourage others to dream while no one is counting on you. Like me, dream when you have all the cards stacked against you. Build time into your day to consider ways to overcome your personal challenge. Consider ways to clarify your vision. Find the time to dream and dream big.

Professional Athlete and Award-Winning Journalist. I could use many adjectives to describe my husband. He was adventurous, athletic, scholarly, witty, accomplished, determined, competitive, and computer-savvy. He excelled in anything his heart desired. An all-around athlete, he was awarded a full scholarship to attend a prestigious Ivy League university, where he focused his attention on a career in broadcast journalism. A career in the media landed him in front of the world's most elite professionals who had excelled in professional sports. During his lifetime, he prided himself on highlighting the careers of African-American athletes, as he was all too familiar with the challenges athletes faced to compete on the world stage. Some of the celebrities he had the privilege to interview include track star Marion Jones, fellow U.S.C. alumni O.J. Simpson, basketball great Marcus Allen and all sports. He was phenomenal. He was an all-American athlete, track star-cum-scholar of all things sports-related. He lived for and enjoyed a stellar career as a journalist. There was no topic too large or small to cover. From Negro League Baseball to the U.S. Olympic Games in Greece, he relished in writing about the competitive nature of professional sports. No matter where we went or what city we traveled to, there was always time to catch a game or attend one. On one occasion, I had the pleasure to attend a Detroit Red Wings game for the championship title. It was 15 below when we arrived in Canada! It was the first time I felt ice cycles on my eyelids. It was incredible to witness his hard work and dedication to sports journalism. Just like athletics, he was a passionate man who cared about people, experiences, life stories, and the human condition. He put effort into the lasting legacy he created. I know very few people who exhibited his level of compassion for others. It was through this lens, he documented the human condition. Dreamweaver Through his work, I learned to take an assessment of my mental and physical state because that is what he instilled in me. For so many years, I watched him cover games where he always inherently noticed if someone was underperforming due to fatigue or performing while injured. You name it, he noticed it. So today I am forced to turn my focus away from the world in which we live to my health, happiness, and well-being. He was the kind of person who would surprise me with spa days or remind me to make time for myself. This morning, I am reminded of my favorite passage, "Put God first in all you do". I was blessed to have such a loving force in my life. He was my everything. Although it's been twelve years, I have been writing to share my experiences so that others may find comfort in knowing they are not alone. Every day is still a struggle, but it is my belief that if I put God first, He will make a way. When I think about the many blessings in my life, this is one of those moments when I feel encouraged, even though there is an internal struggle to embrace a multitude of things that I have encountered since his passing. I am blessed to have another day, for I know that each moment is not promised. The loss of my husband has truly impacted my outlook on life. Pursuing an education has been fulfilling because it empowers me to dream. I am reminded to live life to its fullest, "For I know He has great plans for me". Thank you.

Sex and the City. There. I said it! the HBO mini-series starring Sarah Jessica Parker inspired me to pursue a higher education. I feel guilty for saying it but it's true. I admired her ability to speak up for herself by negotiating an opportunity to become a columnist. She planned her moves, scouting her mate, cultivated quality friendships and found the time to mentor others. I enjoyed watching the series so much so that I can honestly say that it inspired me to elevate my career to new heights. Not only was the main character full of personality, but she also embraced change. That was my greatest set back. After watching the show, it became my greatest strength. So, how did I find the courage to return to school over the age of 35? It was strictly by accident. Throughout my journey I have always strived to push through boundaries. After graduating I began spending a lot of time teaching others, mentoring students in design, and devoting my spare time advocating for arts education. When I realized how much time I invested in my career helping others that I struggled to write a resume, bio, and C.V. After spending numerous hours attempting to put everything on paper, I realized there was a need for professional development coursework because I couldn't make sense of any of it. This was largely in part because no one had attempted to have a multi-faceted career in design. There were no designers who illustrated their ideas, presented them, trained talent, drafted patterns, modeled ideas, collaborated with artists, or who shared the internal dynamics of the industry with others. The environment was characterized by staunchly competitive people racing to the proverbial finish line twenty years ago. The day I attempted to list my accomplishments on a two-page resume was when I realized I had become "Carrie". By this I mean my resume no longer fit into a traditional template. My career had taken on new dynamics. Just when I completed my master's in international business, I realized that I now needed a resume for each career path. The goal was to broaden my horizon; instead, I felt overwhelmed. Shortly before I completed the master's program, someone dear to me passed away. Finding my voice after twenty years of marriage became a challenge. I reflected back on episodes of Sex and the City. I began to realize it's not what happens to you in life, it's your attitude (and I certainly needed an adjustment). Fast forward to today, my resume challenges amounted to an uphill battle to embrace my new life. I had questions about negotiating a salary, deciding which career path to pursue, balancing my work and life balance. Every day felt like an uphill battle. Just when I thought I could not write another cover letter, I grabbed a computer and enrolled in an on-line course. That was several years ago, and I have never looked back. What began as an opportunity to enroll in a weekend seminar designed as a three-day course for executive leadership training became a quest for knowledge. Partially driven by a desire to sustain myself and paralyzed by fear of the unknown, I knew that I had to make a decision. I left my fears behind and stepped out on faith. Life as I once knew it had forever changed. Like the main character in Sex and the City, courage led me to recognize the need to pursue a higher education. As a doctoral candidate, this year marks the end of an amazing, life-altering journey of a lifetime

As the only African-American student in my class I can certainly identify the national shortage for STEM professionals of color in the workplace. For four years I have received training and guidance from the best luminaries in the arts. I quickly developed an understanding of how and why many minority students do not pursue and excel in STEM/STEAM professions. Simply put, the opportunities do not exist. If, in my case, I was the only black student in my class within the last two decades (not the fifties) I wondered if this was a unique situation or a national crisis. As a stylist in my downtime I had the fortune to meet many Hollywood elite celebrities and the storeowners of the places they often frequented in search of gowns to attend their A-List functions. It was during one visit where I had the opportunity to meet the owner of the boutique who developed the infamous white sequined glove that Michael Jackson made his signature trademark which has glossed the covers of many magazine covers and cd's. Yes, engineers are the designers behind the scenes who produce the products we have all come to know and love. Everything we consume, from electric vehicles to cell phones are created from the thoughts, ideas, and concepts of STEM professionals. And yes, by all accounts the United States is in desperate need of new, innovative ideas. So much so that former U.S. President Barak Obama questioned this little-known phenomenon. He asked, "Where are the innovators?" and called for increased attention to developing STEM talent to meet the urgent needs of the U.S. economy. Scholars from all over the world responded to his call for more engineers to enter the workforce. For a moment I pondered, had the entire world overlooked the beauty and fiercely competitive spirit of STEM professionals? If a U.S. President serving in the highest office of the land has noticed this shortfall then surely the rest of the world has also noticed. In my experience this represents a grave opportunity to improve the quality of life for society, in general, by creating a bridge for people of color to openly contribute to the innovative ecosystem that undergirds thriving economies. In my lifetime I have witnessed the first African-American generation of thought leaders who have paved the way for many others. Of them I have witnessed the first African-American thought leaders and change-agents make a phenomenal impact. In office I have lived to see our first African American U.S. President Barack Obama, and first African-America female Vice-President Kamal Harris supported by the first U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Katanji Brown-Jackson. More recently, Maryland Governor West Moore and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser have assumed the ranks of prominent leadership positions in a way that has fueled the demand to recruit minority professionals for leadership positions. For the last eight years I have focused my research on addressing this little known dilemma. By interviewing minority executives across the country I now have a clear understanding of why President Obama highlighted the demand for STEM professionals. I am not sure whether being the only African-American in my class shaped my perspective or laid the groundwork for me to aspire to new horizons in education. By focusing on the world in which we live I have grown to new heights. I now understand why my early experiences mandated attention to challenging topics such as global warming, climate control, and water scarcity. As a POC it is my responsibility to share the results of my dissertation which may someday impact future leaders.