I don't know why I deserve this scholarship. I don't know what my academic and career goals are. I don't know. Maybe I'll write these tomorrow.

I can still remember slumping over in the grass of my elementary school playground, waiting for my mom to pick me up from soccer practice. My coach, the stereotypical businessman, fretted leaving me alone. Like clockwork, he’d call my mom after 21 minutes, and she’d answer, drunk at Applebee’s and slurring, “I’ll be right there.” Then, 21 minutes after that, he’d call my oldest sister, who would come to pick me up from the ground, hug me close, and wipe the tears from my cheeks. Yet, the questions lingered. Why was I always waiting 21 minutes for someone supposed to care about me to remember my existence? Then another 21 minutes for her to actively choose cheap liquor over me? My most meaningful achievement is graduating from Delta College, and this scholarship money will fund my education to open my nonprofit marketing organization. I grew up hiding in closets from my mom’s alcoholic tantrums. Among many of her responsibilities as the “Big Sister,” my oldest sister shielded me from our mom’s name-calling, fed me, and read bedtime stories behind locked doors. When I was twelve years old, she moved to Grand Rapids to attend GVSU. I dreamed of walking from our home in Bay City to live with her in Grand Rapids. Although my family is relatively affluent, my parents believe higher education is unnecessary. Therefore, the responsibility of tuition fell upon the student. With the rising tuition costs, my oldest sister, who also has severe depression from our childhood, had to drop out of GVSU and abandon her dreams of becoming an English teacher. If my biggest inspiration couldn’t do it, how could I? My college career looked bleak. After years of hearing the muffled yelling of our mom about how we are spoiled rotten, the creaks of the floor under her stomping feet, and the humming of my big sister holding me – I felt as worthless as my mom said. With the help of high school teachers and scholarships, I attended Delta College for psychology to impact others struggling with mental health. I worked over 40 hours a week to pay for tuition with 2 part-time jobs. However, as a lesbian first-generation college student battling severe social anxiety and working full-time, I defied all odds and didn’t give up. I graduated from Delta College with a 3.9 GPA, an AA degree, and a new passion for marketing. My AA was the first step to accomplishing my long-term goal of opening a nonprofit marketing organization. It gave me the confidence to continue my education at GVSU and to keep dreaming bigger. I am a well-prepared student and hungry to continue my education. I have 3 jobs while attending GVSU full-time and almost had to drop out because tuition is more expensive than I've expected. Instead, on top of working 3 jobs, I am applying for 100s of scholarships. Being a leader means taking initiative and promoting the well-being of everybody. I have taken leadership in every aspect of my life: work, school, and socially. I took control of my life by volunteering with the Walk to End Alzheimer's marketing committee. I conceptualized a marketing campaign and worked to see it come to life at my own fruition. Even with the daunting tuition costs and exhaustion from being overworked, I am not giving up. I will open a nonprofit marketing organization in Bay County after earning my BBA in marketing. With the generosity of the Cardenas Family, I will complete my education and return to our community to solve entrepreneurship problems within it.

My simple pleasures help restore my feelings of happiness and positivity. In addition, they give me the energy to pursue challenging goals in my daily life. As a full-time college student working nearly 50 hours a week, my daily life is mundane and repetitive, so I seek any simple pleasure. My favorite simple pleasures are getting stuck in traffic and hugging my niece. I am a student commuter attending Grand Valley State University's business school Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The commute is anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour -- the longer the commute takes, the happier I am. Driving between my workplaces and school is the only time I have to myself. I can relax, enjoy my beverage, and rock out to One Direction. It is so easy to be swept up in the flurry of life and stressing about my day, but getting stuck in traffic gives me time to relax I wouldn't usually have. My second favorite simple pleasure is hugging my niece after a long day. When I decided to transfer to Grand Valley from Delta College, my sister invited me to rent out a bedroom in her house so I wouldn't need to stay in a dorm. My niece was only a year old, and she didn't know who I was because we lived far apart. So now, when I come home after a long day, she will smile, run to me with her arms up, and squeal, "Duck-eee" -- her nickname for me. It makes me so happy to have a close relationship with her, and it gives me a boost of energy to finish my homework for the night. My two greatest simplest pleasures are relaxing in traffic and hugging my niece, helping me recharge to finish my responsibilities.

I can still remember slumping over in the grass of my elementary school playground, waiting for my mother to remember to pick me up from soccer practice. My coach, the stereotypical businessman, fretted over leaving me alone. Like clockwork, he'd call my mom after twenty-one minutes, and she'd answer, drunk at Applebee's and slurring, "I'll be right there." Twenty-one minutes after that, he'd call my grandma, who would come to pick me up from the ground and hug me close. Yet, the questions lingered. Why was I always waiting twenty-one minutes for someone who was supposed to care for me to remember my existence inherently? Then another twenty-one minutes for her to actively choose cheap liquor over me? Since then, my grandma has unfortunately passed away from Alzheimer's Disease. My grandma has given everything to me, and she inspires me to give back to others. Since I am a broke college student, giving money is difficult. I live paycheck-to-paycheck to afford tuition, gas, and food. Therefore, giving my limited free time to end Alzheimer's is how I give back. I am junior marketing, advertising, and public relations student at Grand Valley State University, and I am equally passionate about the colorful world of marketing. I have been volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer's with my education from GVSU. I am leading a marketing campaign at GVSU to promote the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Grand Rapids, ways to get involved in the mission for free, and educating others about the warning signs of Alzheimer's. Giving to others is essential to me because it builds a stronger community. I give by volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association -- building a united community for those who have a family member with Alzheimer's or struggle with it themselves.

When I was ten years old, I dreamed of walking in New York Fashion Week. I practiced my catwalk through my childhood home’s desolate hallway while my stuffed best friends applauded. In 2021, ten years later, I dream of creating tidal waves in the marketing, advertising, and PR industries by utilizing my creativity to better society. In 2023, ten years from now, I will be successfully operating my nonprofit marketing organization. My nonprofit organization will focus on helping honest people succeed in a competitive market to achieve their business goals against adversity. I will be a compassionate member of my community, heavily involved in community service promoting LGBT+ inclusion and marketing for Alzheimer’s Association – services I am immensely passionate about. I will have a committed, stable relationship with a career-motivated woman. I will be the first in my family to graduate college, and my parents will be proud to call me their daughter. My future is achievable, and my vision for my future will come to fruition due to GVSU’s academic vigorous and nurturing generosity to help students reach their full potential. GVSU will shape my life, society, and profession.

I can still remember slumping over in the grass of my elementary school playground, waiting for my mother to remember to pick me up from soccer practice. My coach, the stereotypical businessman, fretted over leaving me alone. Like clockwork, he'd call my mom after twenty-one minutes, and she'd answer, drunk at Applebee's and slurring, "I'll be right there." Twenty-one minutes after that, he'd call my grandma, who would come to pick me up from the ground and hug me close. Yet, the questions lingered. Why was I always waiting twenty-one minutes for someone who was supposed to care for me to remember my existence inherently? Then another twenty-one minutes for her to actively choose cheap liquor over me? Since then, my grandma has unfortunately passed away from Alzheimer's Disease. I am passionate about ending Alzheimer's -- by raising awareness, funds, and volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association. In addition to Alzheimer's, I am equally passionate about the colorful world of marketing. Marketing is essential to engage with customers and sell products, services, or ideas. I am junior marketing, advertising, and public relations student at Grand Valley State University'. I have been volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer's with my education. I have been leading a marketing campaign at GVSU to promote the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Grand Rapids, ways to get involved in the mission for free, and educating others. With Bold's scholarship money and generosity, I will have more time to dedicate to my passion for ending Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, I currently have two jobs to pay for tuition and go to school full-time, so volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association is becoming more challenging to sustain. Nevertheless, I want to continue to use my education from GVSU to help end Alzheimer's in memory of my biggest supporter.

Active listening is one key aspect of communication that professionals and conversationalists overlook. However, most people will say they are good active listeners without practicing it in their conversations if you ask. I actively listen by refraining from judgment and focusing on the other person. Being curious is the intent to listen and prevent judgment actively. It helps me understand other people and what they mean by their words and open my mind to their message. Curiosity prevents judgment by encouraging an open mind, wanting to know the facts, and asking why they feel that way. One way I can stay curious is by ignoring internal dialogues. It helps to stay positive in a conversation that may be upsetting and refrain from thinking negatively about others. Focusing on the other person is the other key aspect of active listening. Interrupting others is impolite, and it shows the other person you do not care about their message. Giving non-verbal affirmations tells the other person I am curious, I understand them, and I am interested in what they are saying. I keep eye contact, nod, and avoid distractions. On the other hand, a verbal confirmation shows the other person I understand what they said by paraphrasing, asking open-ended questions, sharing similar experiences, and recalling information they said earlier in the conversation. Even though non-verbal and verbal affirmations are essential, the most significant way to focus on the other person is patience. I may feel a conversation is dragging on, but active listening is to listen -- not interrupt and change the subject. I actively listen by being curious, ignoring internal dialogues, giving non-verbal and verbal affirmations, and having patience. Active listening means to me that I am respectful of the other person's message and respond thoughtfully to build genuine connections.

Helping others connects us to humanity. It makes everyone feel happier and builds a stronger community. Helping others doesn't need to be grandiose. My favorite way to help others is through small acts of proactive kindness -- where the recipient will usually forget but has the influence to impact their happiness for the day. It's in my best interest to be considerate of others. We are responsible for a more understanding and compassionate world, even in the most straightforward situations. If I am nice to others, it's rewarding for me, rewarding for them, and rewarding for the others they impact from their enlightened mood. These acts of kindness are like letting people merge in front of me on the highway, holding the elevator or doors open for others, using manners, and complimenting others. You won't remember the kind stranger who let you merge on the highway in back-to-back traffic, but you might remember her the next time someone is struggling to merge in front of you. You won't remember the kind stranger who held the door for you as you walked out of the store with bags of takeout, but you might the next time you see a stranger struggling to get the door open. The Starbucks employees rushing to get through a fifteen-car line won't remember the stranger who said, "Thank you so much, my drink tastes amazing. You're doing a great job," but they will return to work with a smile. The most rewarding result is the spiral of kindness that may come from your one simple proactive kindness. I help others daily in this way. It doesn't cost anything to be friendly, and as a broke college student without any spare money or time, these acts of kindness are the best way to brighten everyone's day.

We all have undoubtfully heard about the familiar mantra, "Actions speak louder than words." The intention behind acts of service expresses love upon the receiver. I perform acts of service daily towards friends and family. When I moved 300 miles to Grand Valley State University in Michigan, I lost contact with a lot of my friends from high school. I think about them frequently and want them to know that, although we are busy, I still care about them and support them. One of them broke up with their boyfriend, so I drove the 300 miles to bring her ice cream and helped clear out their shared bedroom. For my friends closer to where I live, we are constantly arranging study sessions, and we take turns making dinner. Since I am busy with two jobs and full-time school, I also ask, "What can I do for you?" Physically being there for my friends is essential to alleviate stressful responsibilities; however, sometimes, I'm physically unable to be there. I live with my sister, brother-in-law, and my niece because she lived near GVSU and offered me a bedroom to attend school. I adore my older sister, and she's been struggling with depression for the past ten years. In addition, a stay-at-home mom, she's expected to take care of the household. I help her with cleaning and babysitting because life with a toddler is messy. So any burden I can alleviate helps her immensely. Another important person to me is my mom. She has advanced arthritis in her spine and cannot do a lot of responsibilities she needs to do: dishes, laundry, grocery shopping, driving. So I frequently visit to do these for her and pay for a maid service. My acts of service are about physically helping others tackle responsibilities.

Creativity is more than art -- it's a mindset to live by. Although I love acrylic painting, doodling, and graphic design, my creativity helps me live life to the fullest, with curiosity, commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Curiosity propels me to seek new experiences and experiment with new beliefs, purposes, and decisions. I ask myself "Why?", "How?" "What" to drive myself to have a free-flowing mind and expand my perspective of the world. I could be driving, and ask myself, "Why do we stop at stop signs when no one is around?" I could be check my bank account, and ask myself, "How can I save more money?" I could be in-class, and ask myself, "What is the purpose of learning this material?" Ultimately, I think, "How can I best benefit myself, my community, and my loved ones?" The questions I ask myself are significant to how I can explore personal growth. The other way I apply creativity is through Leonardo da Vinci's Dimostrazione. His concept of Dimostrazione is about challenging dominant world views and learning from our mistakes. Are we deceived from our own opinions? Are our opinions truly our own? One of the greatest restraints from creativity is the lack of individualism. When I make mistakes, it no longer reflects my fears of not being good enough. Rather, the "I'm not good" becomes "I can do this differently." Our dominant views are combated for a meaningful experience. My creativity is applied through these concepts. It helps me overcome adversity from being a LGBT first-generation student. The world may be daunting, but opening my mind to new discoveries, as explained by Leonardo da Vinci, is unlocking my full human potential.

When I was ten, I dreamed of being a model. I would practice my New York Fashion Week catwalk through my childhood home’s empty hallways - exploring my creativity from a young age. Then, when I was seventeen, I felt judged for how I walked, enunciated words, and laughed. Imagine having an irrational fear of people judging you for tiny details: the way you pronounce words, stand, dress, and laugh. I believed I deserved the panic attacks and the pressure, so I began avoiding speaking to authority figures, peers, and strangers, presenting my opinions in front of others, and attending school to prevent this non-existent judgment. My experience with severe social anxiety has profoundly impacted who I am today, and it will make a profound impact on who I am tomorrow. My personal and spiritual beliefs are changing from my experience with mental health. I constantly minimized my self-worth and perceived severe judgment of myself. I believed if I didn't say something interesting, people wouldn't like me. Or that if I mispronounced words, people would think I was inferior to others. My beliefs rapidly devolved and spiraled to severity. I felt judged for grabbing the mail, thinking my sweet, elderly neighbors were peeking from their windows, giggling behind my back. These beliefs impacted my education, community involvement, and spirituality. I was skipping school to hide under my covers; I refused to participate in community events if someone thought it was weird for me to help the community; I feared God's judgment and felt ashamed to be God's child. It became a debilitating pressure. One day, however, after missing school for approximately three weeks, one of my professors saw me, smiled, and said, "I'm so glad you're back! I missed you in my classroom." Eventually, after many small steps, I regained my passion for education, and I'm working on not taking negative social encounters personally. I'm actively seeking community engagement because my community trusted me to get an education through community scholarships, and I’m rebuilding my relationship with God. My friendships during this period suffered. I would stop talking to them for weeks, and I'd hear them gossiping about me not replying to their texts, wanting to hang out, and skipping school. I detached for extended periods and started eating alone in that teacher's classroom. I was so afraid of my friends, whom I've been friends with since elementary school. I am still not friends with that group because of their lack of support when I am struggling; however, I have made connections in college that inspire me to keep talking to people. As for my career aspirations, when I was seventeen, I wanted to be a school psychologist. My community trusted me with the Bay Area Commitment Scholarship to attend a community college and give back to the community. After going to Delta College and earning my Associate of Liberal Arts, I discovered my passion for marketing, advertising, and PR. It's everything I was petrified of during the height of my mental illness. It's a challenge to overcome my social anxiety when the attention is on me. However, I am embracing the challenge. I love how hopeful the future is because of my passion for marketing, advertising, and PR. It's a testament to my willpower to succeed in the face of mental health. Even though I still struggle with social anxiety when the attention is on me, I have new dreams. Now that I am twenty, I dream of opening a nonprofit marketing organization to help others achieve their professional dreams in a competitive market to overcome adversity.

I adopted Tommy, affectionally called Tom-Tom, from a young family who decided he was too picky, impatient, quick-tempered, scratched too much, and always wanted to play. They didn't say that Tommy loves salmon, ice cubes, only cuddling after breakfast, sitting in the kitchen sink, chirping at birds from the big bay window, and hiding in Christmas trees. We put up our Christmas tree and lost Tommy for hours until we heard a little chirp. Tom-Tom has quickly become family, and we are so thankful to have him!

As a first-generation college student, I looked for anything to inspire me to keep fighting on the college campus. I needed to show I was as worthy of being there as the law student with law flowing through her veins. Although the Netflix adaption of the comic is flawed, the rendition of Matt Murdock shows the GRIT I wish to embody. Murdock is more vulnerable than many superheroes. His relationships and personal well-being suffered greatly, and he is left without armor for many seasons. Murdock impacts me because he is deeply flawed; however, he turns his conflicts into gifts and keeps fighting for himself and others. My imposter syndrome is a gift of endurance. I will open my nonprofit marketing organization in the next five years to help entrepreneurs start a business. Daredevil demonstrates how to fight personal hardships for the betterment of yourself and others.

1. Opening Track: Mad Hatter, Melanie Martinez 2. Greek God, Conan Gray 3. Babylon, 5SOS 4. Overwhelmed, Royal & The Serpent 5. Do I Wanna Know, Arctic Monkeys 6. Bad Idea!, Girl in Red 7. Closing Track: Jesus in LA, Alec Benajmin Artist Name: Burning Oz

Society acknowledges people's faults and tortures them for a mistake. As a result, their crushed self-esteem and confidence inhibit their ability to educate themselves on their mistakes. Cancel culture is an unhealthy phenomenon, spreading from social media across the world, to public figures, to college campuses. It deprives the ability for education since an education allows someone to improve and recover from their mistakes. Individuals cannot learn from their mistakes if society refuses to allow them the education to improve themselves. Cancel culture teaches people that ostracizing people for their mistakes is morally right. The inherent self-reflection after a misjudged action enables the individual to understand what went wrong, why it was wrong, and how to fix it. Unfortunately, the consequences society enforces directly make it impossible for the individual to learn. Rather than following mob mentality and accepting cancel culture, my education has shown me the patience to give second chances. In a world of cancel culture, education has led me patience. I would have followed the mob mentality of cancel culture in high school because it’s a commonplace activity. Cancel culture is becoming a form of bullying and peer pressure among high school students. It makes people degrade others until their forced to listen and accept accountability without letting them grow from mistakes. High schoolers feel the need to be approved by peers. They need to fit in with the popular culture as they seek relationships with others. Social dynamics in high school echo the social media dynamics of cancel culture. If peers do not accept the individual in their social dynamic, they will be ostracized and deemed demeaning monikers. It’s a vicious bullying tactic that is normalized. As teenagers, we have all been in social situations where we gossip about someone else -- whether their actions, appearance, or educational understanding. Gossiping is seen as typical teenager behavior that we are trying to prevent. Cancel culture is two-step backward; teenagers are degrading those individuals, and they become “canceled.” The cancel culture publicly shames the “canceled” in the hallways during breaks, refuses to sit next to them in lunchrooms, and publicly shames them on social media after school hours. I may have participated in cancel culture when I was younger with famous influencers: James Charles, Jeffery Star, Shane Dawson, Travis Scott, Nikita Dragon. My education has shown me that they make mistakes, and even though they should be held accountable for their actions, they do not need to be publicly shamed and degraded. They deserve second chances and learn from their mistakes, so it doesn’t happen again, influencing others to act with the same respect. More importantly, my education has shown me that patience and gratitude are virtues. Patience and gratitude are the opposite of cancel culture. It’s a positive inspiration to all and implies discussion of the individual is not necessary. Instead, the issue is why it was acceptable for the action to occur. We can cherish and appreciate criticism through the understanding of the world given to us by education. These methods open criticism discussions with profound respect, rather than having cancel culture blindly spread ego and ignorance. Cancel culture is an example of how education can profoundly impact others. Education has shaped my understanding of the world because it allows me to lead with patience.