Access to education is one of the most powerful equalizers in society. It equips people with the tools to break cycles of poverty and unlock opportunity. Education shapes not only individual futures, but also the health, resilience, and prosperity of entire societies. Yet for many, especially those from low-income backgrounds, Indigenous communities, and underrepresented groups, quality education remains an elusive opportunity. This is not an abstract issue for me; it is part of my personal history and identity. I grew up in a low-income household where the idea of higher education was both an aspiration and a challenge. My mother, an enrolled member of the Mesa Grande tribal nation, taught me that education was more than a path to a career; it was a means of honoring our ancestors, strengthening our community, and ensuring that each generation could reach higher than the one before. From her, I inherited a deep sense of perseverance and a strong responsibility to use whatever opportunities I earned to benefit others. As a proud lineal descendant of the Mesa Grande tribal nation, I inherited a living connection to generations of survival and determination. That heritage continually reminds me that education is not only about self-advancement, but about stewardship-lifting others, honoring culture, and creating pathways for those who come after us. My early years taught me that opportunities rarely arrive without effort. Becoming an Eagle Scout while managing the challenges of a low-income upbringing required resourcefulness and persistence. For me, Eagle Scout was far more than just a title or a badge, it remains a series of formative experiences that taught me to serve others and lead with integrity. I organized community projects, mentored younger Scouts, and learned how to inspire people to work towards a shared goal. I discovered that leadership isn't about a position or rank; it's about building trust and showing up for others. These lessons have shaped every stage of my educational and professional journey, deepening my understanding of the connection between leadership, opportunity, and access to education. The barriers to educational access are complex and interconnected. For many low-income students, the most visible challenge is cost; tuition, housing, and supplies can be an insurmountable hurdle without outside support, forcing students to take on long-term debt or postpone their education entirely. Poverty can also force students to make a difficult choice, working long hours to help support their family instead of focusing on school. But financial strain is only one layer. Geographic isolation of rural communities can mean limited access to quality teachers or extracurricular opportunities. In Indigenous communities, systemic underfunding of schools, cultural disconnects in curriculum, and the historical injustices of boarding schools have all left intergenerational scars. These challenges don’t just affect individual students, they ripple outward, limiting economic development and cultural preservation in entire communities. I have experienced both the weight of these barriers and the transformative impact of overcoming them. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, funding it entirely through scholarships, student loans, and grants. That accomplishment wasn't the product of luck; it took years of hard work, countless scholarship applications, and careful financial management. At one point, a single scholarship meant the difference between continuing my education and putting my degree on hold. I know firsthand that access to education is not just about ability or ambition; it is also about the opportunities and support systems that make learning possible. Because of what I was given, I have committed myself to creating opportunities for others. In my current role as a Systems Engineering team lead, I have worked to hire interns from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, providing them with meaningful, hands-on experience that builds both technical and interpersonal skills. Several of these interns have transitioned to full-time positions after graduation, launching careers that might have been out of reach without that first opportunity. For me, this is more than filling a position, it's about mentoring the next generation and ensuring that talent does not go overlooked simply because someone lacked access. The impact of unequal access to education is far-reaching. On an individual level, it can limit earning potential, career choices, and personal growth. On a community level, it can perpetuate cycles of poverty and weaken cultural preservation. On a societal level, it wastes potential that could otherwise drive innovation and address pressing global challenges. This loss affects all of us. Addressing these inequities requires action from individuals, organizations, and governments working together. Individuals can make a difference by serving as role models through mentoring students, sharing their experiences, and helping them navigate personal and academic challenges. I credit much of my own development to mentors such as Mr. Jack Turner, Mr. Ron Fish, and Mr. James Roe, who played a transformative role in my life. They've shown me that people are not just part of the business; people are the business. They created an environment where others can thrive, placing mental health, community, and care at the same level as profit. Their example reinforces my belief that access to opportunity, including education, isn't just about personal advancement; it's about lifting others along the way. Organizations have the power to make systemic contributions by funding scholarships, creating paid internships, and partnering with schools in underserved communities. My own experience hiring interns has shown me how impactful these initiatives can be, not only for students, but for the organizations that benefit from fresh perspectives and diverse talent. Governments play an essential role and can create lasting change by ensuring equitable funding for schools, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities, and by supporting policies that make higher education affordable and culturally relevant. Real change requires these efforts to work in tandem, guided by a shared commitment to equity. My long-term vision incorporates all of these levels of action. I intend to start my own engineering company, one that fosters innovation alongside empathy and where education is woven into the culture. Mentorship will be a core value, but I plan to go further by establishing a scholarship program for Native students, beginning with the Mesa Grande community and expanding to other Indigenous nations in the San Diego area. This program will not only provide tuition assistance but will also include mentorship, internship opportunities, and career guidance. I know from experience that financial aid opens the door, but mentorship and real-world experience help people walk through it and succeed. My current pursuit of a Master’s degree in Engineering Management with a specialization in Systems Engineering is preparing me for this future. It is strengthening my ability to lead diverse teams and manage both people and projects effectively. Just as importantly, it is reinforcing my belief that leadership is not measured solely by business outcomes, but by how well we create the conditions for people to grow, learn, and thrive. Education changed my life. It gave me the skills to rise above my circumstances, the confidence to lead, and the means to serve others. It connected me to mentors who inspired me and opened doors to opportunities I never could have imagined. Education allows me to build a future where I can help others do the same. From the resilience shaped by my upbringing to the service ethic of Scouting, from my cultural heritage to my professional leadership, my values align with the belief that access to education is a right, not a privilege. The interconnectedness of our global community means that when we invest in education, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. We strengthen communities, foster innovation, and preserve cultural heritage. Expanding access to education, especially in underserved communities, requires persistence, collaboration, and a commitment to equity. I intend to be part of that change, using my own journey as proof that when barriers are removed, education has the power to transform not just one life, but many.

When I think about what makes a company great, I don’t picture skyscrapers or boardrooms; I picture a small office where my mentors, Mr. Jack Turner, Mr. Ron Fish, and Mr. James Roe, lead with compassion before strategy. They’ve shown me through their leadership that business is not about extracting the most value, but about giving people the space, respect, and resources to thrive. People are not just part of the business; people are the business. That philosophy has shaped not only how I see leadership, but also how I see my own future. Looking ahead, my goal is to start a company where innovation thrives alongside empathy and integrity, and employees are valued for their humanity as much as their skills. I want to follow in my mentors’ footsteps, creating a place where teaching, inspiring, and supporting others is the true measure of success. My path toward that vision has not been without challenge. Growing up in a low-income household taught me that opportunity is something that you work for, not something you wait for. The lessons of resilience and determination that I learned early on have carried me through every step of my education and career. Becoming an Eagle Scout in that environment was a lesson in persistence and service. From organizing community projects to leading peers, I learned that leadership is earned through action and trust, not titles. Those lessons continue to shape how I lead today. The values I learned as a Scout mirror those passed down through my heritage as a proud lineal descendant of the Mesa Grande tribal nation. With my mother an enrolled member, I carry a living connection to generations of resilience and survival. My heritage grounds me in the understanding that leadership is not about self-advancement; rather, leadership is about stewardship through lifting others, honoring culture, and creating pathways for those who come after us. It is both a source of identity and a reminder of my ongoing responsibility to contribute to something greater than myself. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, funding it entirely through scholarships, student loans, and grants. Drawn to the challenge of solving complex problems that improve lives, I now lead a Systems Engineering team. I have brought on interns to pay forward the mentorship that shaped me, and several have gone on to full-time roles after their graduation. I am now pursuing a Master’s degree in Engineering Management with a specialization in Systems Engineering. This program is building the leadership and organizational skills I need to guide my team toward shared goals. This scholarship will help to make my vision a reality. It will reduce the financial strain of graduate school so I can concentrate on building the technical depth and leadership philosophy required to run an organization where people’s well-being is the foundation for success. It will also give me the freedom to take on leadership projects, deepen mentorship, and refine the business knowledge to balance excellence with empathy. From the resilience shaped by my upbringing to the service ethic of Scouting, from my cultural heritage to my professional leadership, my path points to a simple truth: people are the business. With your support, I will be one step closer to leading an organization where innovation and empathy thrive, and where success is measured not just in numbers, but in the growth, loyalty, and well-being of its people.

One of the points of the Scout Oath is “to help other people at all times,” and my journey to becoming an Eagle Scout has given me countless opportunities to help those less fortunate than myself. These opportunities are pivotal moments that have taken part in developing my character. One man who helped to foster my growth is my former Scoutmaster Mr. Ken Nordstrom, a man who has devoted over fifty years of service to the Scouting program and is an Eagle himself. Mr. Nordstrom is a man who gives everything and expects nothing in return. My time in Scouting taught me that service is soul-nourishing; choosing to help those who are not as fortunate as you fosters a sense of community, a sense of empathy, and a sense of being. My family and I didn’t fall on the spectrum of economic prosperity, so Mr. Nordstrom’s generosity was unlike anything I had experienced prior. Frankly, my family has always been ‘less fortunate’, but my work with Mr. Nordstrom helped to expand my perspective. I used to think that familial situations couldn’t get worse than ours, but after working with Mr. Nordstrom, I realized that I had a naive and privileged mindset. Despite our financial insecurity, we still had a place to go home to at the end of the day. Every year, we helped our local food pantry in gathering donations during the holiday season. After donations, we would put together ‘dinners in a bag’; these were large brown paper bags full of the ingredients needed to make a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, and then we’d distribute them to those in need. Mr. Nordstrom led by example, he did not need to be there to hand meals to the less fortunate, he did not need to stand with us Scouts for hours pleading grocery store patrons for donations to the hungry; Mr. Nordstrom did it because it was the right thing to do. This consistent act of charity spearheaded by Mr. Nordstrom showed me there is wisdom in humility and Godliness in compassion. There is always someone who could use extra kindness or a little extra generosity in their life. Above all, service has taught me empathy; service has not just shaped me, service is who I am, and I wish to continue to spread that kindness for the rest of my life.

As children, we are taught to think analytically and critically in order to solve the issues present at a young age; for example, the square-shaped block goes into the square hole. All of childhood, even life as a whole, is one gigantic learning experience where we continually mold and re-shape who we are to resolve the problems around us; we never stop learning. Many people deny this learning experience and are perfectly content with going on living their daily lives; these people find comfort in the monotony. Yet, ever since I was a child, I have enjoyed creative problem-solving and thinking “outside of the box”, which is why I have chosen to study in the field of engineering with a double major in business. Engineering is anything but monotonous, and it is my belief that the engineering field will allow me to explore issues from a innovative and free-thinking standpoint. In my experience, it seems as though many people are used to remaining “in the box” and refuse to step out of their comfort zone to truly shine and this is exactly what engineering will allow me to overcome. My goal is to be a lifelong learner; one who is constantly and consistently overcoming the next challenge, whether that be a personal obstacle, or the next engineering project. This is how my higher education will continually benefit my life. However, I wish to use my higher education not only to improve myself, but to improve the lives of those around me. One of the biggest problems that many native communities face today is lack of access to infrastructure. Mesa Grande, the tribe from which I descend, has extremely limited access to running water, electricity, and other utilities essential to a modern day living standard. My mother is currently on the economic board for our tribe, and I believe that my business degree will allow me to follow in her footsteps to both improve Mesa Grande’s standard of living and our economic output. One of my goals is to be able to pave the way for our tribe to have a voice, and to be “put on the map” both physically and financially. Seeing my extended family’s lack of access to these essentials pains my heart; engineering will allow me the time and resources to achieve this goal, and a business degree will provide me with both the knowledge and ability to help provide these rights to my tribe. Through engineering and business, I plan to find a way to provide infrastructure and economic boons while still holding reverence to both ecology and traditional cultural values; these benefit both our native heritage and the land we call home. I’m hopeful and excited for my future, and I’m even more excited for the way I know that I can change things.