Hello! The career path of Health Science chose me. I was an athlete during my freshman year of high school but decided to pursue band with all of my energy. The band is an accepting organization and aligned with its own "accepting" standards. Furthermore, I began to take fitness very personally. I realized that eating right and staying fit is essential for a long life. I began working out and participating in powerlifting at my school. I realized very quickly that nutrition is a fundamental part of fitness. The more I learned about healthy diets, the more I became obsessed with creating healthy dining options for me and my family. I am also enrolled in the culinary program at y school (3 years). After watching a show on Netflix about the advantages of a plant-based diet, I knew that I had to try it. My family was very supportive of this decision and tried this alternative diet, too. At first, it was difficult to change our eating habits. It was nearly impossible to dine out in our rural Texas town. But we made the necessary adjustments and we are very grateful that we did. We started feeling better and having more energy. We were surprised at the benefits! I noticed that I was building muscle and feeling more energetic. I knew that this was a lifestyle choice for me! People in my small town were not very respectful of this diet. They would say, "you need to eat protein to build muscle." In Texas, eating bar-b-que and big hamburgers is an art! Declaring a vegan diet is quite frankly unheard of. But I persisted. I began to notice that my diet was fueling my newfound energy AND I was building muscle rather quickly. My parents even asked if I was taking steroids! I believe there is a gap in nutrition education. There needs to be more advocates for this important dietary choice. This is the reason why I'm studying Nutrition and Food Science at the collegiate level. I would like to educate myself on ways to be healthy, even if it goes against society's definition of a "good diet". I am very passionate about this topic and I hope to help athletes build muscle as a career. I am applying for college jobs that involve working in fitness or a nutrition center for athletes. I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to share my story. If awarded this scholarship, I would work to make Kevin Mabee proud!