From a young age, I have been captivated by the world of numbers and the stories they tell. This fascination led me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics, and as I stand on the brink of beginning my Ph.D. this fall, my passion for this field has only deepened. My initial interest in statistics stemmed from my natural affinity for working with numbers and making sense of them. However, as I delved deeper into my studies, I discovered the vast array of techniques and applications within this field, ranging from biostatistics and sports analytics to data science and beyond. This realization transformed my fascination into a determined pursuit of a career in statistics. Currently, I am interning at Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, an independent nonprofit based in North Carolina. This experience has reignited my desire to work on projects that make a lasting impact. This internship has shown me firsthand the power of data to drive meaningful change and has solidified my commitment to using my skills to benefit society. I am particularly passionate about empowering leaders to make data-driven decisions. By providing accurate and insightful statistical analyses, I hope to influence decisions that lead to better outcomes in various sectors, including healthcare, education, and social services. Another significant goal of mine is to make mathematics and statistics more accessible, especially for first-generation, low-income, and BIPOC students. Throughout my life, both in education and extracurricular activities, I have been fortunate to have mentors who saw potential in me and encouraged me to pursue opportunities I never dreamed possible. These experiences have inspired me to do the same for others. I believe that by fostering confidence in mathematical and statistical reasoning, I can help these students unlock their potential and open doors to opportunities they might not have considered, simply because they never saw people who looked like them. Embarking on a Ph.D. journey is a crucial step in achieving my professional passion. The advanced knowledge and research skills I will gain during this program will enable me to contribute more effectively to the field of statistics and to the communities I care about. I aspire to become a professor and mentor, guiding students not only in their academic pursuits but also in their personal and professional development. By creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, I hope to inspire the next generation of statisticians and data scientists to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world. In conclusion, my journey in the field of statistics is driven by a deep-seated passion for numbers and their applications, a commitment to impactful work, and a desire to empower others through education and mentorship. I am excited to continue this journey through my Ph.D. program and to leverage my skills and knowledge to create a positive and lasting impact in both my professional field and the broader community.

Upon landing at London's Heathrow Airport in June of 2022, the past 24 hours suddenly became worth it. Between flight delays and cancellations, sprinting through the Orlando airport to catch my British Airways flight, to finally exhaling once the plane left the runway, I was grateful for some time to finally relax. Reflecting on this journey two years later, I've seen firsthand how travel has an unparalleled ability to reshape the way we see the world, our place in it, and ourselves. It serves as a conduit for personal growth and development, offering unique opportunities to engage with diverse cultures, perspectives, and environments. Through my own experiences, I have come to understand that travel is not merely about visiting new places but about experiencing profound transformations that leave lasting imprints on our character and outlook on life. Travel broadens our perspectives by exposing us to different ways of thinking and living. As mentioned, I was fortunate enough to study abroad in London during the summer of 2022. My cohort lucked out, as we lived in close proximity to the historic Tower of London, allowing us to experience the city's rich historical tapestry daily. Moreover, my course on the Beatles and the British Invasion allowed me to a deeper understanding of the cultural impact of the Beatles and how music can transcend borders and unite people from all walks of life by exploring a city that inspired some of the greatest and most influential music in history. These experiences challenged my perceptions--especially as an American--and opened my eyes to alternative ways of understanding global issues. Furthermore, travel places us in new environments that test our adaptability and resilience. Navigating London’s bustling streets required me to step out of my comfort zone and adapt to a new pace of life and way of living. This included adapting to an no indoor air conditioning, utilizing London's subway and bus systems, and ensuring I don't wear the rival team's colors on accident. Additionally, attending a semifinal match between France and Germany for the 2022 Women's European Cup highlighted how sports can bring people together from diverse backgrounds. These experiences pushed me to become more resourceful and confident in my ability to handle unforeseen situations. The sense of accomplishment I felt after overcoming these challenges boosted my self-esteem and encouraged me to take on new challenges in other areas of my life. In conclusion, travel is a powerful catalyst for personal growth and development. It broadens our cultural horizons, expands our perspectives, and enhances our adaptability and resilience. Through these transformative experiences, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. My travel to London, among other places, have profoundly influenced my character, values, and aspirations, and I am committed to continuing this journey of exploration and self-discovery. Travel has taught me that the world is a vast, diverse, and interconnected place, and it is through embracing this diversity that we can truly grow and thrive as individuals.

As a Black college senior pursuing a degree in statistics at a predominately white institution (PWI), I have navigated the challenges and complexities that arise from being a minority in academia. Hailing from Cobb County in metro Atlanta (specifically Powder Springs) and an upper-middle-class background, I recognize the privilege that has accompanied my journey thus far. However, I am acutely aware of the systemic barriers and inequalities that persist, particularly for marginalized communities. Inspired by my own experiences and driven by a passion for education, I am dedicated to using my unique perspective and skills to empower those who have been historically underrepresented. Through my commitment to education and my unwavering belief in its transformative power, I plan to illuminate pathways of opportunity for marginalized communities, fostering a better world for all. Though in a new environment hundreds of miles away from home, I am actively engaged in making a difference within and beyond my immediate community. Understanding the importance of representation, I have been an advocate for diversity and inclusion on campus, working with student organizations such as Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), Black Male Initiative Living and Learning Village (BMI), and TRIO Collegiate Programs to promote dialogue and create an environment that celebrates and values all backgrounds. Additionally, I have volunteered as a mentor for underprivileged high school students in Wake County, NC, sharing my experiences and helping them navigate the challenges of pursuing higher education. Building upon my current efforts, I am committed to addressing the educational disparities that persist in marginalized communities, specifically focusing on empowering individuals through mathematics and statistics education. The American public education system is, simply put, not set up for minority student success With my background in statistics, I aim to leverage data literacy as a means of fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and empowerment. Upon graduation, I plan to establish an organization that brings accessible and engaging mathematics and statistics education to underprivileged schools in the state of Georgia. Collaborating with educators, community leaders, and local organizations, my initiative will provide comprehensive curriculum resources, interactive workshops, and mentorship programs tailored to meet the specific needs of marginalized students through the establishment of evidence-based practices and equitable programs serving a multitude of racial, gender, and ethnic identities. Recognizing the importance of representation in academia, I will actively recruit and mentor students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in pursuing the sciences. By creating a supportive and inclusive community, we will work together to break down the barriers that often deter historically-underrepresented individuals from pursuing these fields. I believe that by fostering a sense of belonging and providing mentorship opportunities, we can inspire the next generation of critical thinkers who will contribute to solving real-world problems that impact marginalized communities. In conclusion, my journey to make my community and the world a better place after college revolves around empowering marginalized communities through education. As a Black college senior pursuing a degree math-heavy STEM degree, I am committed to addressing educational disparities and promoting diversity and inclusion. By providing accessible mathematics and statistics education, mentorship, and hands-on experiences, I aim to empower underrepresented students and equip them with the tools to succeed in academia and beyond.

As a rising college senior hailing from suburban Atlanta attending a predominately white institution (PWI), my journey towards pursuing a degree in Statistics within the realm of STEM holds profound significance for both myself and my community. Driven by a thirst for knowledge and an unwavering determination to uplift and empower the Black community through the power of numbers, I am resolute in my commitment to delve into the world of data analysis and communication. In this essay, I will delve into my motivations for pursuing a STEM career, and outline how I plan to leverage my degree to uplift and inspire fellow African Americans and, more broadly, Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) while addressing the unique challenges faced by our community. Growing up in a community enriched with diverse cultures and experiences, I became acutely aware of the disparities and inequities that exist within the Black community. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a two-parent household where I was encouraged to explore fresh, new opportunities and try new things, ranging from baseball, golf, and wrestling to chess, violin, and mathematics. This ignited a profound interest in data and statistical analysis as tools to understand these challenges and create positive change in the world around me. Pursuing a degree in Statistics allows me to tap into the power of data, unraveling patterns and insights that can be used to address systemic issues, advocate for equity, and foster sustainable progress. It's no secret that STEM fields have historically lacked diversity racial and ethnic diversity; this makes it crucial for Black individuals to both seize opportunities and excel in these domains like we know we can. We are no strangers to forcing our way into spaces not made for us, and it is my mission to further Black Excellence in the field of data science. Furthermore, I aim to inspire and empower my community by demonstrating that success in STEM is not only attainable, but it is possible to foster a sense of belonging in historically white, privileged spaces, and eventually provide mentorship to aspiring Black statisticians. One positive aspect of statistics is that it is both interdisciplinary and widely applicable, thus possessing a unique potential to expose and address disparities that persist within our communities. Through rigorous data analysis and research, I intend to shed light on issues such as healthcare disparities, economic inequality, and educational gaps, which disproportionately affect Black individuals. Armed with this knowledge, I can advocate for evidence-based policies and interventions that promote social justice, inclusivity, and opportunity for all. Moreover, by actively seeking partnerships with professionals from diverse fields, I can combine our collective knowledge and expertise to develop comprehensive strategies tailored to the specific needs of Black communities. Through these collaborations, we can create sustainable solutions that uplift and empower, dismantling barriers and fostering prosperity. In conclusion, my pursuit of a degree in Statistics is deeply rooted in a passion for data analysis, a drive to empower Black communities, and a dedication to addressing systemic disparities. Through Statistics, I aim to uplift and inspire fellow BIPOC, harness the power of data to advocate for equity, and forge collaborative networks that drive sustainable progress. As a Black statistician, I strive to contribute to the collective upliftment of our community, fostering a future where statistical analysis becomes a catalyst for positive change, dismantling barriers, and cultivating a society where opportunity and prosperity are accessible to all.

The song that has the most important message to me is The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," written by lead guitarist George Harrison. The track, recorded in September of 1968, illustrates Harrison's disappointment and dismay at the brokenness in the world. The song's opening lines, "I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping / while my guitar gently weeps" capture its essence: 'the love that's sleeping' refers to the world's unrealized, untapped potential for universal love. The guitar that 'gently weeps' is Harrison's response to this. Love brings people together across borders, across cultures--it can save the world, and seeing it go to waste is disheartening. In the first bridge, Harrison more explicitly sings, "I don't know why nobody told you / how to unfold your love." Humans aren't born divided from one another; we're made to love and exist in harmony and communion. The first step to realizing one's potential is identifying it. George Harrison sees where humanity can be and laments over the fact that it's not there yet. Harrison's angst, however, is met with hope as the song continues, with lines such as, "I look at the world / and I notice, it's turning" and "with every mistake / we must surely be learning" suggesting not all is lost. 54 years later, this message holds true now more than ever. The progression from despair to hope in "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was profound for its time, but it's even more impactful in the present day. Furthermore, Harrison's choice to utilize close friend Eric Clapton on lead guitar amidst the Beatles' dissension illustrates the idea that love conquers all. This message, I believe, has the power to heal humanity.

The opening of my favorite show, Numb3rs (stylized as NUMB3RS), goes like this: “math is more than just formulas and equations; it’s logic, rationality… it’s using our mind to solve the biggest problems we know.” I was hooked from that alone—math is beautiful, how it’s appears in nature. Euler’s number is nearly everywhere (can’t spell compound interest without the letter “e”), and pi is everywhere we didn’t think it’d be (looking at you, normal distribution). Geometry is no exception; design and construction of buildings wouldn’t be possible without it! Furthermore, geometry is a crucial aspect of calculus, understanding how shapes, angles, and positions change. And from calculus comes, well, nearly everything else: physics, statistics, differential equations, and much, much more! I wanted to learn more about what goes on under the hood, so I decided to major in Statistics. While not applied mathematics or pure mathematics, the only true differentiator is the presence of real analysis (a mathematically rigorous treatment of calculus, i.e., the reasons why calculus works). Statistics, additionally, has more niched and applicable areas such as regression, experimental design, survey sampling, time series analysis, Bayesian statistics, and more. I feel as though statistics is more applied and less theoretical—though the theory is important! Either way, a mathematically-rigorous degree, I believe, has improved my critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as communication skills (the best way to demonstrate if you truly understand something is if you can explain it to someone else). Moreover, most mathematics degrees are not computationally dense, and thus less useful in the job market. I love algebra and geometry, as they’re the backbone of calculus (along with trigonometry and precalculus), and they serve as launching pads to more specific fields of study. In conclusion, I chose to study statistics because it’s a rich-but-misunderstood subset of applied mathematics. Statistics, in a nutshell, tells a story about data, and uses mathematical techniques to do it, and I love working with numbers. Not only do I get to work with numbers, but I can communicate these results and real, lasting change can come from it.

Higher education is important to me because it’s a vessel for pursuing my dreams. I want to make math more accessible to others by making sense of data and communicating results, relaying the story the data tells. This is why I chose to major in Statistics. On a broader scale, higher education is where many young adults change and learn so much about themselves while in a social environment fitting of their nature. The day-to-day life can suck, to put it bluntly, but it’s ultimately worth it in the end, so long as you’re doing something you enjoy. Higher education, while not for everyone, is an opportunity to meet some of the best people life has to offer. Beautiful, rich people work in education as staff, faculty, and professors, as well as the millions of students attending universities around the world. A Bachelor’s degree is often just the beginning for many people, myself included. I want a Master’s degree to further my education and provide me with a deeper understanding of coursework to apply in my career. For me specifically, a Master’s in Statistics or Analytics also opens up the career of statistical consulting, which thoroughly intrigues me. No matter where I go from here, pursuing higher education has led me to meet some amazing people that I otherwise would not have. Moreover, higher education is important to me from a basic career earnings standpoint. I aspire to achieve financial freedom. My father grew up in poverty, and he taught me the value of money as a tool to get what you want. It shouldn’t be the end goal, but it’s necessary to achieve what you want to achieve, and that’s simply not possible without a college degree. I say that knowing we’re in 2022, where you can learn almost anything online, but online coursework/degrees deprive students of the college experience that is often raved about. And I’m not talking about the parties and the tailgates—I’m talking about the discussions in class, the clubs and student organizations, and the networking with potential employers. In conclusion, school can be hard, but it’s important to keep things in perspective. Academic performance does not determine a person’s value and worth. It can be hard to stay focused with all that happens on any given day. However, we’re all here for a reason. I’m here to gain the skills and knowledge to help people. Many people resented math in their primary and secondary school education; while I can’t overwrite over a decade’s worth of school experiences, if I can show them the beauty of mathematics, I’d be okay with that.

My father was sure to instill a healthy lifestyle into me because, as he’d say, “we (my family) grow more ‘this way’,” motioning his hands outward horizontally, “than this way,” separating his hands vertically. This would not impact me until I left for college, but it’s not the main catalyst for my lifestyle. The main catalyst driving me to live the way I live is wrestling. I wrestled in high school, and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. In order to excel at wrestling, it became my life. It was a lifestyle. I learned how to eat right, how to maintain a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, and how to replenish myself with electrolytes and nutrients during and after competition. Before wrestling, I ate my vegetables because I had to. After wrestling, I ate my vegetables because I wanted to. Before wrestling, football was more physically taxing than baseball, but I enjoyed baseball more. After wrestling, I still enjoy baseball more than football, but when it comes to physical activity, I crave intensity. My goal is to purchase a gym membership for a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym because it keeps me physically active and satisfies my desire for physically intense and engaging activity. I love strength training, but I like the cardio and endurance aspect of combat sports (wrestling, jiu-jitsu, MMA, etc.). Swimming and CrossFit are as close as I can get right now without having to travel and/or pay out of pocket (that is, my university has an aquatic center, and I can usually get what I need for a CrossFit workout). Of course, health is more than diet and exercise. I value my sleep, and as a college student, this is almost rare to find. College is full of late nights and early mornings. I, however, pick one; I’ve chosen late nights, because distractions are limited, and I find waking up easier than going to sleep. Thus, I go to sleep when I’m done, and wake up at the latest time I can to maximize sleep and not miss anything for the day. Many students pull all-nighters or get less than six hours of sleep—this is unsustainable. Sleep is when the body repairs itself and when the brain processes memories and files them away. I refuse to compromise this process, and this maximizes my health. In summary, my health journey didn’t really begin until wrestling. I was born prematurely via C-section, so I was just focused on surviving; eating what my parents made me and did well in school and sports. After wrestling, I saw the value of food—good food—and exercise. The equation wouldn’t be complete, however, without adequate rest. As I progress through my junior year of college, not compromising these ideals has been the way I get the most out of life.

Because COVID-19 made it such that my first year (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) were online, I was excited to just do normal college student things for the first time. Even while strongly affected by the pandemic, I engaged in a lot my first real semester on campus. I was a member of the Raleigh Civic Symphony Orchestra and Sports Analytics Club; I was a Mentor for my Living and Learning Village (LLV) and worked with NC State Softball in the spring. As a college junior, I’m excited about my classes! I’m getting into my upper-level major courses; these are the courses I pay for. As I grow into my degree, I’ve also grown my school spirit, and truly seen what the campus and its faculty and staff have to offer. Maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul amidst the challenges I face is a challenge unto itself. Being an out-of-state student who also spent their freshman year online, making friends was a challenge. It felt like everybody already had their friend groups, which left me on the outside looking in. This is still a challenge I face now, but having studied abroad in July, I’ve found some good people to invest in. Keeping my body right has been a challenge as well: I often struggle to make time for the gym due to my class schedule. I prefer to work out in the afternoons since this is what I did in high school. However, there are often required classes that take place in the afternoons, rendering my preference simply that: a preference. Furthermore, I value sleep, because sleep is when the body repairs itself and the brain processes the day’s events and files them away. I won’t compromise on sleep, and there are some late nights, so I try to have as little early mornings as possible. Thus, instead of going to the gym, I choose to walk most of the time. This includes going to and from class, to the dining hall, and more. While I can’t get the moderate-to-high intensity physical workouts I desire, some activity is better than none. Lastly, the challenges of mind and soul are the heaviest. In a world where we’re bombarded by stimuli nearly all the time, it can be hard to quiet your mind or to focus on the things that matter. I’ve found a wonderful church that helped answer questions I had beyond college. I did not grow up going to church, so this is a new experience for me, but it’s one that may be the most impactful of my college experience. I keep my mind (relatively) clear by minimizing my social media usage. I’ve never installed Snapchat, TikTok was uninstalled in 2020 and haven’t used it since, and Instagram and Twitter are set such that I only get notified for direct messages (DMs). Instagram and Twitter are also off my home screen, buried in a folder with other apps, so I don’t even see it immediately upon opening my phone. This has helped reduce the amount of stimuli I’m subjected to, as well as combat FOMO (fear of missing out) that often plagues teens and young adults. Taking care of yourself in a high-intensity, fast-paced environment like college isn’t easy, but it gets easier every day. I’m setting myself up for success by reducing my distractions and focusing on what I need to do to accomplish my goals. I spend time with people who care about me and lean on them when things get tough.

Health is wealth, as my father once told me. When I practice healthy eating habits, I feel much more productive and energized. I feel like I want to get something done, and in this achievement-driven culture that America fosters, the motivation is just important as the discipline, because discipline without motivation can lead to burnout. The body is like a car, and nutrients are its’ fuel. Just like a car, you can’t throw anything into it and expect it to run. Furthermore, you can’t throw the same amounts of fuel into two different cars and expect them to run the same—different cars need different amounts of fuel, and people are the same way. For college students in particular, the idea of a “set point” in addition to eating habits is wholly important as they transition from the teenage years to young adulthood. A set point is the idea that our brains help our body try to maintain its weight in a certain range. Working with your body is the key to avoiding unwanted weight gain. Adults often talk about the “freshman 15,” referring to how freshmen gain 15 pounds their first semester due to their eating habits. One way to combat this is to understand that yes, you’ll be eating more, or at unnatural times, and this needs to be accounted for in one’s daily routine. Light-to-moderate walking, yoga, and running are just some methods of physical activity that help your body consume more calories as opposed to being idle. When you put bad things in, you often get bad things out. The idea of brain foods is not a myth; certain foods have nutrients that encourage thinking and/or aid in memory recall. Similarly, caffeine suppresses hunger, which can help students who can’t eat in the near future (say they have a two-hour final exam they’re about to take). I wouldn’t advocate for a coffee a day (caffeine, popular to contrary belief, cannot replace a poor night’s sleep), but one way to assist healthy eating habits is to work with your brain and body, not against them. For me, this looks like taking the time out of my way to eat three full meals, with two of them being at the dining hall, allowing me to select from healthy options instead of choosing cheaper, often unhealthy options to save money. When I make time for meals (instead of snacking), maintain hydration (I have a 32 oz. water bottle), and keep active (I walk everywhere, except for going from one campus to the other), I find that’s when my quality of life is best, and my academics reflect my healthy choices.

Clean living is important for thriving—not just surviving—in this world. Beginning with the products we purchase and use, as consumers, we should use the overall best products available. This life is a privilege, though: many underserved communities are focusing on more immediate needs due to housing insecurity, food insecurity, and the like. That said, though it is a privilege, for those who are privileged, it’s absolutely our responsibility to do the right thing. From avoiding fast fashion (mass production of low-cost items in high demand, often outsourcing the production to places with unsafe working environments) to limiting consumption of plastic (including but not limited to plastic silverware, straws, etc.) and everything in between, clean living is important not only for myself, but for the world at large. Furthermore, this can be extended to eating habits and lifestyle. It’s easier to limit plastic, for example, when you’re not eating as much fast food. Fast food, of course, is also super unhealthy. As a college student, it can be hard to avoid fast food since it’s convenient, inexpensive, and time efficient. Grocery shopping, meal prepping, and cooking are time-consuming activities, and college students are on borrowed time, between classes, meetings, interviews, and everything else that goes on in a given day. While clean living seems impossible—especially in an achievement-driven culture like America—it’s not only possible, but realistic. Clean living in my life starts with the most overlooked aspect: time management. I use social media minimally. TikTok and Snapchat aren’t even installed on my phone, and I’ve set Instagram and Twitter such that I only get notified for direct messages (DMs). Instagram and Twitter are also off my home screen, buried deep in a folder with other apps, so I don’t even see it immediately upon opening my phone. This frees up hours of my day to cook, make a grocery list, or exercise, just to name a few things. I do my part in sustainability and being an ethical consumer by avoiding fast fashion (SHEIN is one example), recycling (I’m fortunate enough that my college has recycling in my apartment and around campus), and going to the dining hall or eating at on-campus restaurants instead of off-campus restaurants. The dining hall is a good alternative to home-cooked meals, since I know they use fresh produce and have healthy, balanced meal options. The buffet-style dining at my university always has vegetable options and usually one fish-based dish. They also offer vegan and vegetarian alternatives, a salad bar, and other accommodations for students. In conclusion, clean living offers two main benefits: improved physical and mental health, and lessening the burden on the environment. When you eat healthy and exercise (of course there’s more to it than that), life becomes easier to manage. On a broader scale, developed countries such as China, the United States, and Russia produce the most carbon emissions; anything I can do to reduce that, such as walking or biking instead of driving, reducing my use of plasticware (plastic either sits in landfills or is burned, producing toxic chemicals), or recycling so my waste doesn’t go to waste is what I should do, because we only have one Earth, and we should take care of it (and it’s never too late to start!).

I remember exactly where I was when Freddie Freeman caught the last out of the 2021 World Series. I was in my dorm room, on the phone with a close friend who was watching it with me. Tears of jubilation flowed out watching the Atlanta Braves hoist the championship trophy for the first time since 1995, six years before I was born. Soon after, I called my family and we all laughed and cried together, knowing that while uncertain of the future of the team (especially Freeman—he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency five months later), we’d at least have this moment. Sports has a funny way of bringing people together. There’s joy and celebration in triumph like above, but there’s also hurt and disappointment in defeat. It was February 2020, less than a month before the COVID-19 pandemic preemptively ended my senior year of high school. I was competing in the GHSA State Championships for wrestling, a sport I’d picked up in my sophomore year of high school. In less than three years, I blossomed into one of the most dominant wrestlers in my weight class. And today was the day I’d cement that officially, earning a medal by placing among the top six wrestlers at my weight. Or so I thought. After dominating my second opponent for five minutes (high school wrestling matches last six minutes), it was over in a flash. I watched my opponent celebrate with his coaches while mine were in shock. To this day, I don’t know how I walked off the mat, behind the bleachers, and into an empty hallway without breaking down. Along the way, my coach, whom I trusted unconditionally, looked me in the eye and stated, “it’s just a wrestling match.” How could he, of all people, say that? Him, a three-time state champion (who threw away his only non-championship medal), one of the best wrestlers in school history, who watched me grind years of my life in an effort to be successful, say, “it’s just a wrestling match”? After he left to coach my protégé wrestling after me, and before my senior teammates who’d been along the ride all these years joined me in that then-empty hallway, I understood. Eventually, I made my way back into the arena. I saw my dad, who gave me one of the biggest embraces we’ve ever shared, and I fought back tears once more. I didn’t watch the match until last year, for no other reason than to show my protégé, who was preparing for his own match at the time. That experience, I believe, brought me closer to the people that mattered, and taught me many valuable lessons. Fast forward a couple years, and my degree is tangentially related to sports and athletics. It’s not Sports Management or Sports Analytics; it’s Statistics. I chose this degree because I like working with numbers, and I like telling stories (as you may be able to infer). The role of a statistician is to use data to tell a story. Maybe even to make an impact or influence decision-making. We’ve all seen Moneyball, I’m sure. While I’ll never be Pete (while Brad Pitt’s Billy Beane is analogous to the real-life general manager of the Oakland Athletics, Jonah Hill’s character isn’t even real!), using data to assist in decision-making and have lasting, meaningful effects is what I want to do in the sports world: I want to give back to the field that shaped me.

I am pursuing Statistics, which one could describe as a branch of mathematics. This, however, would be an injustice to statisticians everywhere. Statistics is not simply mathematics; it's an art form. Mood, Graybill, and Boes (1974) describe statistics as "the technology of the scientific method." I, though, prefer to describe statistics in 2022 as "the science of data science." The words "technology" and "science" sound less like art and, well, more like science, but art has technical aspects of it as well. Not only does an artist have to be technically skilled, but they must possess an ability to put their own interpretation on things. Statisticians are the same way. Coming out of high school, I didn't initially choose Statistics. I started as an Applied Mathematics major–I wanted to work with numbers, and mathematics seemed like the most logical route to do so. However, upon learning of Statistics major and corresponding NC State's Department of Statistics, I decided to switch. A university with a dedicated, fully-staffed Department of Statistics is a rarity. Through my studies, I've found that statistics is about making sense of data; this idea intrigued me. I want to make an impact, and statistics became a medium to do so. Life in America is often a catch-22: we vote for politicians who (supposedly) represent us on their behalf. However, as we're well aware, politicians have their own agendas that don't often reflect the values and beliefs of Americans. Our representative democracy took the power to affect decision-making out of its citizens hands. The people we elect to help us aren't helping us, and the only way to remove them is to elect more people who are supposed to help us. It's a vicious cycle. Statistics is a way to get this power back. The knowledge and practice of statistics empowers the user to make actionable change. Statistics allows for one to make conclusions about observational data, or to debunk the common myth that correlation implies causation through the design and analysis of experiments (the only way to establish cause and effect). The power to affect a business's decision-making and operations is a power most people wish they could have. My goal is to be a quantitative analyst, which is simply applied statistics mixed with a little bit of data science. In conclusion, I chose to study Statistics because I want to make a difference using the power of numbers. Descriptive statistics focuses on the technical, scientific aspects of statistics and describing data. Inferential statistics is the artistic aspect: technology can perform the calculations and run the numbers, but computers can't see the full picture. Statisticians and data analysts make sense of data and provide actionable feedback, which is invaluable. Sure, statistics can be viewed as a branch of mathematics, but that doesn't capture the full value of statistics as it employs both science and technology to make a lasting impact.

My best back to school tip is to give yourself grace! Not everything is going to go the way you want it to, and you have to be okay with that. Closed doors are not rejections; they are redirections. No matter the level of school, life happens to all of us, and we can't prepare for everything. We have to embrace change because it's the only constant in this world (along with death and taxes). The only social media I use is Instagram, and it can be found here: @krianthony_01

My passion for sports has been an anchor for me and my life. Sports has allowed me to travel both domestically and internationally. My time as an athlete taught me invaluable lessons about life and myself, so much so that even though my career as an athlete may be over, I aim to pursue a career in sports with the goal to provide this type of value to athletes looking to better themselves. The story of my passion for athletics began before I was born. I come from a family of athletes—not world-class athletes, but people who understood the value of competition. During my youth, I primarily played football and baseball, but attempted nearly every sport in my area: golf, tennis, swimming, track and field (100 meters), etc. Upon entering high school, I swapped football for wrestling, per the request of my older brother. This decision initiated a chain of events that would change the course of my life. Gone was the reliance on others for my successes and failures. I was engaged in a sport that became my lifestyle, directly seeing the fruits of my labor (or others’ labor) helped me fall in love with the sport. However, I almost quit before my journey took off. The culture of the wrestling team was terrible when I joined. This was largely due to an out-of-touch head coach who took out his frustrations on his wrestlers (unbeknownst to us). I was going to leave the sport and focus on baseball until I heard rumors of a new head coach coming to town. Not just any coach; a man who wrestled for my school during its heyday. Upon meeting him, he informed me I could become a state champion. My response was to laugh in his face. And while I never achieved that goal, I came to realize (as cliché as it is) it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. That man believed in me before I believed in myself, and this unlocked something deep inside me, something that I’d never felt before. My career flourished as a result, and I was team captain for two of my three remaining years in high school. This anecdote serves as the catalyst for my passion for sports. Wrestling stripped away the glamour and left the warrior. Through wins and losses, triumphs and heartbreaks, tears of joy and tears of pain, euphoria of victory and the agony of defeat, I changed as a man. I was smarter, stronger, and wiser. While wrestling is a sport measured by successes (victories), baseball, in contrast, is a sport of failure. And it’s the dedication to one’s craft, understanding that failure is apart of the process of being great, is where the beauty lies. From then on, I knew I couldn’t leave the world of sports. Thus, I set out to investigate how I could marry statistics and sports. Thankfully I live in 2022, where the art of data science and analytics is as far along as it’s ever been. Thus, my path to giving back to what shaped me is clear as day: I aspire to be a quantitative analyst for a major sports organization, possibly in a scouting and/or player development role. The man who coached against me for my first wrestling match ever believed in me and my abilities less than a year later. I would love nothing more than to find that diamond in the rough and believe in them the same way he believed in me all those years ago.

Living a healthy life is important to thrive in this world. I maintain a healthy lifestyle by following the circle of wellness, which consists of physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, and financial wellness. While some of these areas can overlap, it’s important that all of them are given the proper attention in order to life a healthy lifestyle. For me, a healthy life is a busy one. The more free time I have, the more likely it is I get into trouble, so I work to fill my time as to not get involved with the wrong people. A healthy lifestyle, for me, starts with physical wellness. I go to the gym daily, and primarily participate in CrossFit workouts or high-intensity interval training HIIT) workouts. This serves not only as a much-needed reprieve from the rest of the day’s activities, but also keeps me in great shape. I am not trying to relive my days as an active competitor, but being in shape is important to me. Continuing, my emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual wellness are all linked. My spiritual wellness is right up there with my physical wellness, as it influences the others. It's primarily a personal thing, but surrounding yourself with like-minded people who encourage you and push you to be your best self goes a long way towards having a healthy lifestyle. That said, there's value in differing perspectives; I don't simply surround myself with "yes" men. Ultimately, I work to spend my time with people who have healthy approaches to both the good and bad things life throws as them. They serve as a model to healthily navigate life, and it influences me to do the same. Of course, a healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just a healthy body. And in this world of overstimulation and instant gratification, it can seem like an impossible challenge to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as we are being constantly overwhelmed with information from every direction. What people often fail to realize, though, is that we decide what we consume. Streaming and social media algorithms compete for our attention; thus, the more we appear to like certain content, the more we'll be exposed to it. And what we consume has a profound influence on us. It influences our thoughts, our conversations. These thoughts become our feelings. And, for better or worse, our feelings often become our actions. These actions become our life. For me, maintaining a healthy lifestyle involves abstinence from media—and people—that do not provide me benefits. Surrounding myself with positive people who are driven and ambitious like me influences me to work harder, eat better, and live a healthy life. In summary, health is wealth, as they say. It’s the most important currency one has, aside from time. Healthy relationships--both internal and external--are paramount to a healthy lifestyle. But while friends can come and go, you only get one body, and I want to make sure mine is as well as it can be. A healthy mind—not just a body—goes a long way in living a healthy, fulfilling life. And living a healthy life is important to me because on this earth, you only get one, and it's better to sacrifice certain amenities than to live a life of suffering.

I am in a transitional phase of my life, so my role in my community is ever-changing. In high school, I participated as a member of the baseball and wrestling teams, in addition to playing violin in the orchestra. While I never held a leadership role in the orchestra or for the baseball team, I held a prominent role for the wrestling team in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years as team captain. As our team was highly successful, I was a widely recognized symbol in the community. I learned how to tailor my skillset to the different personalities of my peers. Moreover, I learned how to navigate situations that were out of my control, and provide support and/or advice when necessary. Upon graduation, I am currently attending a university over 400 miles away. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it’s been difficult to take on a leadership role in an official capacity. However, that has not stopped me from being an active leader in my community. From leading informal study sessions with my classmates to brainstorming, planning, and executing events for my living and learning village, I’ve spent most of my time outside of class working to improve my community. My aforementioned living and learning village is titled the Black Male Initiative Living and Learning Village. The Village provides a haven for Black males at a predominantly white institution (PWI) as they transition and navigate this space. I served as a Village Mentor for the 2021-2022 school year, where I took part in planning and executing events for the village. These events targeted the village’s capitals of aspirational capital (opportunities during and after college), navigational capital (resources), social capital (a focus on interdependence and community) and cultural capital (relation to Black Culture and social justice). While I am no longer in that role, I learned valuable skills from the experience and plan to use what I learned in my everyday life. I am in my third year of university, and I took a long, winding road to get here, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I spent a year-and-a-half in Math Education and the experience was insightful. Seeing the disparity in education has inspired me to take action wherever I am, and this resulted in me taking a position as an undergraduate representative in the Statistics Diversity Committee for the 2022-2023 school year. Like education, statistics (and, truthfully, STEM in general) needs to improve at recruiting and retaining Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) students. Their perspectives are a necessary addition to the lecture hall, research labs, and workforce. As a Black man, I haven’t done enough to begin and encourage these difficult conversations, and this is the role I plan to serve in my (academic) community for the foreseeable future.

A healthy lifestyle is crucial for thriving, not just surviving, in this world. I like to abide by the circle of wellness, which consists of physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, spiritual, and financial wellness. While some of these areas can overlap, it’s important that all of them are given the proper attention in order to life a healthy lifestyle. For my position in life as an out-of-state college student, a healthy lifestyle is a busy one. My physical wellness looks like going to the gym daily, and participating in a high intensity, preferably contact sport such as wrestling, kickboxing, or jiu-jitsu. This serves not only as a much-needed reprieve from the rest of the day’s activities, but also keeps me in great shape. I am not trying to relive my days as an active competitor, but being in shape is important to me. It’s important to note that even though I call exercise a ‘much-needed reprieve,’ it doesn’t mean I’m trying to escape my day-to-day life. I love where I am and what I do, but life is exhausting at times, and exercise serves as a mental refresher for me. My emotional, social, intellectual, and spiritual wellness are all intertwined. They are primarily influenced by the people I surround myself with. I value differing perspectives and enriching conversation, and my interpersonal relationships thrive on shared activities. I do not make them my life, however, as I am perfectly comfortable in my alone time. Furthermore, the common denominator is surrounding myself with people who have healthy approaches to both the good and bad things life throws as them. Of course, a healthy lifestyle encompasses more than just a healthy body. And in this world of overstimulation and instant gratification, it can seem like an impossible challenge to live a healthy lifestyle, as we are being constantly bombarded with information from seemingly every direction. What people often fail to realize, though, is that we decide what we consume. And what we consume has a profound influence on us. This is because the media we consume, whether it be Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc., influences our thoughts. These thoughts become our feelings. More often than not, our feelings become our actions (good, bad, or otherwise). These actions become our life. For me, I intentionally choose to abstain from media—and people—that are not providing me benefits. As selfish as it sounds, it’s absolutely necessary for living a healthy lifestyle. Surrounding myself with positive people who are, for example, driven and ambitious like me influences me to work harder, eat better, and live a healthy life. In summary, health is wealth, as they say. It’s the most important currency one has, aside from time. Healthy interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships are paramount to a healthy lifestyle. But while friends can come and go, you only get one body, and I want to make sure mine is as well as it can be. A healthy lifestyle—not just body—goes a long way in living a healthy, fulfilling life.

Optimism, I believe, is a muscle that get stronger with use. It requires a consistent, focused effort. For me, this has looked like drawing upon my experiences as a wrestler, which undoubtedly shaped who I am today. In its purest form, the sport is about imposing your will on someone who is trying to do the same to you. To truly excel, it must be a lifestyle, and one must be willing to ride through the ups and downs. A very prominent wrestler, Dan Gable, once said, "Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy." While he may have been stretching the truth somewhat, I can attest that wrestling has prepared me, mentally, for what life throws my way. I am what I would consider to be a realistic optimist. That is, I am optimistic within the bounds of realism. Though I do hold a certain set of uncompromising beliefs--some being that everything happens for a reason and I am exactly where I'm supposed to be--I am not about blind faith. Ultimately, I believe that as long as I do what I can to the best of my ability, focusing on what I can control, everything else will work itself out. And what I don't receive was never meant for me.

The biggest problem facing the world, I believe, is a lack of empathy. From this comes divisiveness, carelessness, apathy, and more. Social media, while not problematic by design, undoubtedly contributes to this. The idea of every person having the ability to build a platform, from the CEO of a Fortune 500 company to a teacher and her students is wonderful, but the execution is flawed. Users have the ability to filter content to only see what they want to see--that is, reaffirm their beliefs and/or avoid exposure to anything that differs from them. This refusal to acknowledge multiple and/or differing perspectives, cultures, and opinions is what ultimately leads to the divisiveness present in society. In today's age, a lack of empathy can manifest in a thought process similar to this: "your thinking is not aligned with mine, so I won't listen to what you have to say." Empathy is defined as the ability (capacity) to understand and share the feelings of one another. Whether emotionally-driven (largely "I feel" statements, with emphasis on one another's feelings) or logically-driven (largely "I understand" statements, with emphasis on logic and rationale), being able to both understand and appropriately share feelings is paramount to the human experience. But when we fail either side, apathy occurs. And apathy can breed ignorance, because if you don't care about something, you're less likely to stay educated about it. From there, musician and activist Daryl Davis states it best (condensed): "Ignorance breeds fear. We fear things we don't understand. If that fear is not kept in check, it will breed hatred, because we hate things that frighten us. If that hatred is not kept in check, it will breed destruction. We want to destroy those things we hate, because they cause us to be afraid."

“Math is more than formulas and equations… it’s logic. Rationality. It’s using your mind to solve the biggest mysteries we know.” –for context, this is the end of the opening to the show Numb3rs (stylized NUMB3RS), a crime drama which ran from 2005-2010. The show followed two brothers: one a college professor, the other an FBI agent, utilizing the former to solve complex cases and crimes. I chose this because the opening of the show captures the essence of mathematics. Math is a building block to nearly everything in society, whether we know it or not. Algebra is the study of operations—used almost universally every day. Geometry, the study of shape, is used in everything ranging from engineering to manufacturing and as well as everything visual. Calculus, the study of change, is used in more areas than I can count. I could go on and on, but it’s clear that life as we know it wouldn’t be possible without math. And this is why I love learning math: it’s a way for understanding how the world works. For example, physics is largely fancy calculus, yet it explains so much. As evident in my applicant profile, I’m not studying pure or applied mathematics. I’m studying statistics—the science of data science, whose goals include visualizing data, modeling, and prediction. Additionally, statistics is more practically useful than some other math concepts. This is because we live in a tech-heavy world, and the ability to predict and forecast data is paramount for businesses. Furthermore, statistics, like the rest of math, is misrepresented and misunderstood, and I want to change that. Of course, in order to teach and educate about statistics, I have to learn it first. Math is important not due to the nitty-gritty details. Basic knowledge of algebra and statistics should be common knowledge. However, knowing how to manipulate a computer is more useful than knowing why and how it does what it does. Math is important because it teaches us how to think critically, and it shows the value of making a process repeatable. A math course isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey. Learning math fosters reasoning, creativity, abstract and spatial thinking (popular to contrary belief), problem-solving ability and even effective written and verbal communication skills. Math is not simply about finding the correct answer; it’s about considering multiple perspectives and approaches to find the answer, and with the complex problems we face every day, there’s often multiple approaches leading to multiple solutions. I love learning math because it empowers me, providing me with both the knowledge and the tools to do powerful, impactful things.

Calculus is known as the mathematical study of change, just as geometry is the study of shapes. No matter what STEM discipline it is, from medicine or computer science to mechanical engineering or data analysis (and everything in between), knowing how things change is integral to the goal of the respective fields (pun intended). What many students fail to realize is that calculus lives underneath everything; going back to medicine, for example, in order for doctors to prescribe the correct dosage of a drug and treatment plan (e.g., two pills twice a day for a week), the drug's concentration and effectiveness over time must be tracked. This is done through calculus! While doctors don’t need to know the nitty-gritty details that led to this conclusion, it wouldn’t have been possible without the application of calculus. Furthermore, calculus lives underneath even more scientific disciplines, ranging from discrete mathematics, statistics and probability, and linear algebra to biology (population growth) and weather and climate. On the other side, though, it’s well known that calculus is one of the pillars of most engineering disciplines and data science. It’s worth noting that most engineering disciplines, including but not limited to civil, mechanical, structural, and electrical engineering heavily use physics, which is rooted in calculus. And as for data science, while statistics and linear algebra complete the pillars of machine learning, we know they apply calculus concepts is ever-so-present in them as well. Unless you work in academia, however, it’s a difficult task to see the big picture of how calculus intertwines with various STEM fields. As a university student, life is so fast-paced and coursework is so demanding that the goal of the curriculum can be lost underneath the struggle for maintaining a high GPA, obtaining internships, and strengthening resumés for postgraduate life. Really though, calculus isn’t about the destination, it’s about the journey. Like most math courses, the goal is to gain a conceptual understanding of a topic and be able to apply it when necessary, not hand-solve complex problems. We live in a digitally heavy world; computers can do all the calculations for us, but they can’t tell us what they mean or how to make sense of them. STEM fields, to me, are all about problem-solving. Problem solving is the crux of engineering, but a case can be made that it should be applied to all of STEM. Current society is technology-driven; and in order for technology to work for the consumer, a multitude of problems must be solved before a piece of technology can even be put into production. Similarly, the goal of science is to understand the world around us. Calculus teaches students how to provide rigorous and thorough solutions to problems. While writing formal proofs aren’t necessarily an essential component of a single-variable or multivariable calculus course, the methodology behind the various theorems of calculus—from limits and continuity to the Extreme Value Theorem and everything in between—teaches learners how to think critically. Ultimately, calculus is important in the STEM field because calculus is fundamental to other STEM disciplines while simultaneously serving as a gateway to more rigorous math that serves an important role as well. The mathematical study of change couldn’t be more beneficial in our ever-changing world.

I want to pursue a career in STEM because it’s where the impact is made. No disrespect to humanities and social sciences—they’re equally as important. But the opportunity to develop technology and participate in groundbreaking work that’ll make a real difference in the present day as well as future generations is too good to pass up. I am currently studying Statistics with plans to minor in Industrial Engineering. While I’m unsure if I plan to enter the industrial engineering field upon graduation, the mere description of what an industrial engineer does—optimize complex processes by developing, improving, and implementing integrated systems of resources including but not limited to people, money, knowledge, information, and equipment—illustrates the opportunity to overhaul the labor market and the economy not just here in America, but in the world. Industrial engineers are the heart of the manufacturing industry, one that could possibly become mostly automated by the time I retire. On one hand, that would reduce the need for a certain demographic of employees. That hurts me and the rest of the BIPOC community, but this simultaneously opens up greater avenues, ensuring we (BIPOC) don’t get stuck in jobs with no room for growth or promotion. Of course, I mentioned that I may not go into industrial engineering. What is more likely is that I spend most of my post-graduate life as a data analyst or a data scientist, or a combination of the two. The difference is that data analytics is problem-driven while data science is data-driven, and though data science pays more, solving problems is far more impactful. There are massive problems plaguing my generation—income inequity, housing inequity and inequality, etc.; I would want nothing more than to use my statistics degree as a launching pad for assisting those in this county that need some outside help due to things outside of their control. Furthermore, I have a strong interest in a field of sports analytics. It’s not as illustrious or well-paying as other data-focused careers in finance or business, but I would argue they’re more significant this day in age. Athletes are idolized now more than ever due to the presence of social media. While I wouldn’t be working in an on-field capacity, I’d have the opportunity to scout and identify potential talent. In addition, I would have the requisite connections to improve sporting conditions in the city/for the team I reside. For example, it’s no secret that baseball is a dying sport in America, lagging behind basketball and football in terms of popularity. If I work for the Atlanta Braves, I’d push ownership to invest right back into the city of Atlanta—one of the most cities in America with the greatest proportion of BIPOC (specifically Black people). There are undoubtedly Black and Brown children with the natural athleticism, instinct, and skills to play baseball, they just need the proper opportunities for development. I’d be able to (indirectly) put kids through college via scholarships, and provide underserved and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged with the opportunity to improve upon their current conditions. In summary, no matter what I do, whether it be analytics, data science, industrial engineering, there is a real opportunity to uplift the community I reside in. My impact may not be felt directly, but there will be an impact made regardless.