As a freshman in college, my career aspirations continue to evolve. My current major is philosophy, political science, and economics (PPE). I also plan to minor in consumer psychology. The PPE degree provides me with an opportunity to keep a variety of career options open. I envision a career either as a principal at a mutual fund company or leading a nonprofit organization, yet I am keeping the option of attending law school open. Ideally, I will become a lawyer at a mutual fund company or nonprofit. Understanding how people think and perceive issues is a vital skill set to have today in whichever career I land. This is why I have chosen the consumer psychology minor. The science of money causing global economic swings resulting in inflation, recession, or boom economies has always been particularly fascinating to me. Reading about the effects of wars, pandemics, legislation, or presidential elections have had on market fluctuations, communities or entire country's financial standing led me to consider a career in the financial industry. Coming from a family background where stories of poverty, poor education, criminality, and addiction has steered the lives of many of my family members, I am keenly aware an Ivy League pedigree can alter my life trajectory & influence the course of the next generation in my family. My college degree will not only help me gain life success but also help create generational wealth by encouraging family members to continue a path towards changing the family narrative. Unlike other D1 schools, Ivy League Institutions do not offer athletic scholarships, so my financial package includes loans, tuition & work study (which is hard due to my athletic and academic demands). The final tuition bill which was loaded with unanticipated costs shocked me and my family. Although I likely would have benefitted from a more lucrative athletic financial package at a non-Ivy university, I chose the University of Pennsylvania because of its commitment to academic excellence, social causes, and the likelihood of optimal career opportunities post-graduation. This is a decision I don’t regret after my first year because I am more motivated than ever to succeed. Yet, it is one that provoked me to seek ways to help make it financially possible to stay in school. Short term, receiving support from the Morgan, Levin, Dolan Scholarship would allow me to buy extra food during the in-season, pay phone bills & team fees, get haircuts, opt of work study, purchase books and a new computer. From a long-term perspective, the Morgan, Levine, Dolan Scholarship will help me realize my personal dream of becoming the first male in my family to earn a college degree and likely the first ever to become a lawyer. Whether I am employed for a nonprofit or serve in a volunteer capacity, I welcome the opportunity to give back by empowering marginalized communities to understand financial literacy better and value the power in higher education. I would also enjoy being a role model to younger men in my family and serving as a beacon of hope to others.

Like so many other young men my age, I measured success on tangible things that can be seen. Things like how much money you have in the bank, what kind of car you drive, how much is in your paycheck or how big your house is are the things young people assume make a person successful. The ubiquity and influence social media has in my generation has perpetuated ostentatious images to make my generation believe evenmore that one is only successful if they can show off their material possession online for all to see. I’d like to say as a young 18 year old boy I haven't succumbed to these thoughts, but the truth is I have at some point in time. However, I was prompted to rethink my perspective about how success is measured after living through the worst pandemic ever and a global social justice movement. I reflected on my life as a young black man, who I am, where I come from and what I wanna be. To this extent, I slowly began to change my definition of success. I started to look back over multiple generations of my family. Sadly, the picture was quite bleak. Our family has been besieged by addiction, poverty, poor housing and underemployment which led to limited generational opportunity and exposure to key caveats in life needed to prosper. My mother, the product of addiction, was left an orphan. She struggled through the foster care system, struggled to find her identity and dealt with childhood trauma. Despite the odds stacked against her, she pursued education as her only way out of poverty and disparity. Though her life was full of challenges, her perseverance led to acceptance into Ivy League universities. She didn’t attend any because the price tag was too high and she wasn’t aware of scholarships or ways to gain assistance. She attended a state university instead via a full academic scholarship and earned a college degree. It was because of her education, I have been exposed to o educational access and awareness. Her dream was to open up the doors that were closed to her because of ignorance and lack of support. I often think about what it must have been like for her not to have a mother or father helping her with homework, picking her up from after school activities, watching her play sports on the weekends, or checking her homework to make sure it was completed. The anxiety of worrying about where she would live and with whom at the age of sixteen had to be overwhelming. The tenacity required to keep her mind on her studies amazes me. Her goal was to obtain a college degree so she could change her life and that of her children when she had them. Her college degree not only changed her life, but has changed the lives of me and my sisters. In the community I grew up in, college is expected and graduating is a rite of passage. My affluent friends don't see a degree as the truest measure of success. I have friends whose parents own companies and fraternize with politicians and powerful people. Their homes, pedigree, bank account and zip code symbolize success to them. However, in my opinion, my mother has achieved the greatest measure of success because she came from nothing yet didn't let her disadvantage write her story. Her college degree symbolizes hard work, fierce dedication and a clear goal. Her goal was to change her narrative and to establish a family she never had. I am her goal. I am one of her three children. I went to a private school. I played sports at an elite level. I gained acceptance into multiple Ivy League institutions and unlike her, I was afforded all the tools I needed to attend. My sisters graduated from college as well. To some, it may not be a major feat. To my mother, it is her truest success to pass on generational educational wealth and life opportunities. Receiving the Chris & Carnduff Scholarship will help me become the first male in my family to earn a college degree. It will help my family continue to change the narrative not only within our family but our community. Success to me looks like change and impacting the lives of others. The scholarship will help me continue to change the trajectory of my family for years to come by demonstrating the value of endless possibilities when a person is given access and opportunity. The scholarship will help me carry on my mothers idea of what success looks like.

Playing competitive soccer was the catalyst for many great things in my life. The game introduced me to international travel and throughout the United States. I’ve met many great people from all walks of life, great athletes and made lifelong friends. Ultimately, soccer was a conduit from me getting recruited by the top Ivy League universities which was my dream. These are amazing opportunities I would not have had as a young black boy growing up in a humble low middle-class family. Sadly, despite the amazing opportunities I gained from soccer, it also introduced me to the harsh realities of racism in the sport. Racist words on the field tested my character, strength and identity as a young black man life never before. My team was playing the last of a three-game tournament. I was in most critical stages of collegiate recruitment with many collegiate coaches watching me. The striker came running at me with lightning speed right and kicked the ball. I jumped at least one foot off the ground, headed the ball away crashing into the net. I saved a game winning goal from going in. As I got up, a White player from the other team yelled in my ear “nice header, ugly black boy”. The words felt like somebody hit me in my gut. With only forty seconds remaining in the game, I couldn’t react. I had recently hosted a DEI panel discussion at my school, so I was acutely aware of the historical implications behind Black men being called “boy” by White men. So, when the game ended, I asked him exactly what he had said to me. He reiterated exactly what he had. I emphatically let him know a White person wasn’t allowed to call me that derogatory name. After the heated exchange, we both were suspended for four games. At the height of my recruitment, I had to tell several coaches why I wasn’t playing in those games. I was brutally honest and explained the visceral pain I felt hearing that word. Although I was conflicted with how I handled the situation, a part of me felt good that I stood up for what I believed in a way my ancestors couldn’t. The unwelcomed experience taught me that no matter how well educated, well-traveled, and articulate I am, some in society can’t see past my skin color or coarse hair. After contemplating quitting soccer for a moment, I opted instead to use the negativity as fuel to give me newfound energy to find ways to help change the negative narratives about Black menin society. I spoke at WEB DuBois Day in Philadelphia, 100 Black Men of America, hosted a DEI discussion, and currently serve as a Tuskegee airman Ambassador. In these roles, I discuss ways to effectively engage when others mistreat or misjudge you. I also advocate the power of education, good character and emotional intelligence. I proudly tell others Black males; I will be the first male in my family to earn a college degree and encourage them to do the same. More importantly, I let them know it wasn’t easy overcoming financial, educational and social barriers but it can be done. I’m happy to say my college recruitment had a happy ending. Today, I am a freshman at my top choice, the University of Pennsylvania playing on its soccer team. I am also a Black Student League and Black Athletes at Penn. I feel immense pride in my culture and identity as a young Black man. I hope to continue making an impact on the diversity, equity and inclusion forefront.

As a college freshman, my career aspirations are a bit fluid. My current major is philosophy, political science and economics (PPE). I will also pursue a minor in computer science. The PPE degree affords me a plethora of career options open. A career either as a principal at a mutual fund company or developing a financial application are areas of interest for me. Technological experience is a vital skill set in today’s world. Whether I pursue a career in the financial industry, having technological mastery will strengthen my professional aptitude and potential. Since attending a summer camp at a local university, my interest with the world of finance was piqued. I learned there, the business world is an intricate microcosm where capitalism, politics, trends, fashion, current events and law intersect. As a member of a marginalized community, I also know firsthand how long-term economic disparity has impacted generational wealth and upward mobility in the African American community. Reading about redlining practices, dubious legislative agendas and events such as the Tulsa massacre made me want to make an impact knowing there are few prominent Black financiers. The PPE degree is a great conduit for me to seek more understanding of the mindsets, historical practices and laws that led to the current economic disparities that exist today within communities of color. My commitment to diversity and equity is a big part of who I am and spawned from experiences in the classroom and on the soccer field. After hosting a DEI panel as a high school student, I sought out ways to change pervasive negative narratives about Black men in today’s society. I used speaking engagements at W.E.B. DuBois Day in Philadelphia, the 100 Black Men of America’s National Convention and serving as a Tuskegee Airmen Ambassador to discuss ways to healthily process and develop greater emotional intelligence when navigating the challenges of microaggressions, being misjudged, or discriminated against as a young Black man. As an A Better Chance Scholar, I am most proud that I was awarded the Nancy J Lucas Award for promoting social justice and equity in my community. This honor has strengthened my commitment to continue pursuing ways to offer my unique perspectives as a young Black man to my academic, athletic and professional communities. Growing up, I was always the only boy of color in my classes and soccer teams. Today, I am the only active African American player on my college team. I chose the University of Pennsylvania because it has historically shown a purposeful commitment to diversity with its programming and resources. I am also surrounded by a team and school community with initiatives to make me feel welcome. There are not many Black men who graduate from Penn. I want to use my college experience to show others they too can get accepted into Penn and become the first male in their family to earn a college degree like me. Receiving this scholarship will help me continue to show representation both in the classroom and on the soccer field. Unlike other division one collegiate sports programs, Penn doesnt provide athletic scholarships so receiving financial assistance is essential for me to be able to complete a four year degree. Looking towards my future, I am motivated at the possibilities of ways I can represent myself, my company, team and family so well that when people see me, their first thought may not be what the color of my skin is but one centered on my intellect, my ability, my oratory excellence and my value to their mission. Rather, they will see a Penn graduate.