3... 2... 1. I counted down the seconds as I pressed record on my mom’s clunky digital camera. I was in seventh grade, and with my family and friends, I was making my first film. Titled Terminal Wilson, it was a 30-minute epic about a father kidnapping an FBI agent to make money for his son, and it was cheesy beyond belief. But it was the start of something real. From that moment on, I was hooked on media production. In high school, I dove headfirst into video projects. I made everything from The Office parodies to pep rally hype videos, capturing stories and creating energy through film. But when I arrived at the University of Virginia, my passion quietly slipped into the background. I convinced myself media wasn’t a “practical” path. I chose politics as a major, believing I needed to pursue something more conventional. That changed when my older brother and I started Hoos Reporting, an Instagram account (@hoosreporting) that began as a way to cover UVA sports. What started small quickly snowballed. We gained thousands of followers, and the content evolved into something bigger. We filmed dramatic admissions trailers, satirical skits, and interviews with professors and student-athletes. Some videos went viral, others flopped, but what mattered most was the process. I loved writing scripts, shooting footage, editing clips, and teaching our new team of student creators how to bring ideas to life. Through that experience, I had a realization: I wasn’t meant to work in government. I wanted to be in sports media production. It was too late to switch out of my politics major, but I decided to pursue a media studies minor. I started taking classes taught by experienced journalists and media professionals who challenged and inspired me. They helped me sharpen my storytelling instincts and deepen my understanding of content strategy and audience engagement. I also shifted my focus outside the classroom. I stopped applying to government internships and instead began targeting roles in media. At first, I had no connections in the field and faced rejection after rejection. But I kept building, kept learning, and eventually, I got an offer for a content marketing internship at the largest soccer league in the country. I’ve also launched a new content account that follows my personal journey and projects. Looking ahead, I want to focus on sports media, creative storytelling, and digital production. I’m especially interested in producing content that brings out the human side of athletes, campus life, and youth culture. Whether it’s short-form documentaries, branded content, or web series, I want to create stories that connect people through emotion and authenticity. This scholarship would play a crucial role in helping me take the next step. It would allow me to invest in better equipment, access educational resources, and attend workshops that would otherwise be financially out of reach. More importantly, it would support the development of a career I’ve chosen not out of convenience, but out of conviction. I’m proud that I rediscovered what first sparked my passion and chose to follow it, even when it meant changing course. This time, I’m not just pressing record—I’m fully stepping into the frame