When faced with a crisis, it can be difficult in the moment to imagine the experience will eventually lead to some type of growth. Resilience is a person’s ability to bounce back from adversity and grow from the challenge, and research now shows that past adversity can help you persevere in the face of current stress. My past struggles helped me become more resilient and shaped me into the man I am today. Adversity has a way of bringing up challenges unexpectedly, most people shrink away from it and get consumed, but when they push through it people come out stronger than they were before. Throughout history there has always been adversity, even today there are people who struggle to cope with it in their everyday lives, but some are able to overcome it as individuals and move on. But sometimes there are situations so adverse it takes more than one person to overcome mentally and/or physically. When in the doctor’s office it can be a really tense situation for the patient. But that is why doctors describe the many benefits of getting a shot, to administer medicine or a vaccine to keep people from getting sick and prevent infections or diseases. After the patients know that a shot isn’t that bad, they are more mentally prepared for the next time and will not be afraid. Adversity is something that many people are able to over come, most people can by themselves, others it requires a lot of help and if they work together and set aside petty fears it will be overcome. When I was a creative project manager, I led an advertising team in creating and sending deliverables to clients We once had a client who needed to push up their campaign's deadline for timeliness. We had two weeks to complete the revised mock-ups, get client approval on the final designs, create the campaign deliverables across the art, photography and copy teams and deliver the assets for publication. In nearly two days, I reorganized the whole team's production schedule. I first reviewed the deadlines for our three other clients and calculated how much time we could spend doing less work on their projects to make time for this client's rush project. After discovering we only had three days of excess time, I met with the creative team leads to reallocate team members to the rush tasks. I then collaborated with team leads to vet and hire external contractors to take on tasks for other clients to ensure work was still completed. Then, I reviewed the budget to see if overtime for internal employees was feasible. Finally, I held an all-hands meeting to communicate the new goals and delivery dates for the rush project, assign team members to review externally contracted work for other clients and provide opportunities for overtime that fit within the budget. With all of this reorganization, the team was able to meet the new rush deadline without compromising other client projects. This, as a result, demonstrated my ability to manage complex calendars with conflicting deadlines, use external resources when necessary, communicate expectations & goals, and lead a team. I always believe in paying it forward in my community. I have provided more than 100 volunteer hours with several organizations. As a volunteer, I was able to solve problems and also make positive changes within my community. With this scholarship, I can continue my education and continue working to improve the quality of life for others with my Mathematics degree.

People all grow up in different places, around different people, under different circumstance and, all of these cause different effects on their lives. People are who they are today because of the experiences that they faced. Until I was a teenager, it was always just my mom and I. I never met my “dad”, not even from day one. I never was able to get to know him, or see him, but I did have a mom. I faced the odds of becoming the stereotypical kid with a single parent that went down the wrong path, but I never did. Life caused me to have a single mother that has made me the strong person that I am today. Watching my mother live from pay check to pay check when I was young was difficult. It was always hard for my mom to keep up with other parents but, she still somehow managed to get me everything I wanted, and more. Even though I was too young to understand, I could feel the stress, and the struggles my mom faced every day. She was only 17 years old when I was born and, because of that she had no choice but to grow up fast. At such a young age, I saw the effects of being a single parent, and the ways it changed my mom. She not only had to be a young mother but, she had to find a way to replace the void of a father, or a father figure in my life. My mom was strong, independent and courageous. Growing up watching her live her dreams under all the circumstances she faced, made me want to strive for a better life for myself. When I think of whoI am and my background as a whole, I automatically think of growing up in my home. I grew up in a single parent home with a single mother who I am most gracious for. Although this is one of the biggest challenges I may have had to face while growing up, it has been a motivating factor throughout my life. Since an early age, watching my hard working mother, I knew I wanted to be successful in life to achieve whatever I desired. My mom has always instilled the importance of work ethics to me. At the age of 16, I began my first part-time job. I took on this job to help with my increasing wants as a young adult. This enabled to learn at an early age to work for what I want. As I grew up, I watched my mother balance working full time at a low income job raising me and my four younger siblings. Seeing this made me realize that things can be done with balance, perseverance, and structure as long as you put your mind to it. My mother has overall shaped my worth ethic and my perspective to work hard for what I want. My mother's values have always inspired me to set and achieve goals with balance and hard work. Being raised by a single mother has been such an essential to my identity because my mother has always shown be that hard work, dedication, and independence is what it takes to be a strong person or at least as among at my mother. These qualities are what I hope to strive for with all the things I may face along my journey in life. The strong relationship I've built with my mom has helped me develop who I am.

An unpopular opinion that I have is social media is nothing more than a waste of time and energy. The addiction to social media is at an all time high nowadays. Turn off your phone or computer. Stop caring what random people you likely have little deep connection with see or think of your life. Make decisions and construct your life by focusing on what brings you joy, a sense of fulfillment, a sense of calm, or something that sparks in you a curiosity or motivation. I am of a generation that saw the very beginnings of Facebook and all that social media has become. As time passes in life you will likely stop caring what most of these people think. Time moves on and I personally do not think it’s healthy to care what someone you knew 2, 5, or 10 years ago things of your life choices, or “where you’ve ended up”. It is also not healthy to constantly see and compare yourself to what other people you follow are doing in their life. Everyone’s path is different. We all have unique backgrounds and reasons for making the choices we do. Strive to live your life doing things that make you happy, without pausing or contemplating for one second what that kid you were in math class in high school might think. Because it doesn’t matter! Fight to stay in your own mind and be excited about the real life you have all around you. Sure, social media has been a helpful tool for many people and for many purposes. But all of that comes at the cost of risking our relationships with others and that is far too steep a price. I’ll be honest, I’m afraid to even post to my Facebook wall anymore. I love my family much more than my opinions and I would hate to go down that route. If all forms of social media shut down tomorrow, there’d be a bit of confusion and outrage for some time but I guarantee the world would become a better place. I suppose social media only served to bring negative feelings that were already there to light, but is that necessarily a good thing? Absolutely not. I wholeheartedly believe that we are better off without social media. With the advent of the internet it was inevitable, but we have definitely lost something good and replaced it with the most toxic things you can possibly think of. The human mind was not equipped to deal with a constant stream of breaking world news, constant debates and the pressure to stay informed and connected. It is overwhelming for most people, who may already be miserable just dealing with daily life, work, money, family, and so on. Just in the last year I personally know at least 5 people who have stopped using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram because it was taking such a toll on their mental health. I am not blaming social media, it is a personal choice to use it, but there is no denying it is adding to the spread of misinformation and panic. I stand by this opinion, even though it is unpopular because I was against this line of thinking before, rationalizing that it has people connected, but lately I've realized that the negatives far outweigh the positives.

As a collegiate member of two service-oriented organizations, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc., have served as major catalysts for me being involved in community service and disaster relief. But in all honesty, it started from high school, being a member of a nonprofit organization called Kym’s Kids and being involved with Herbalife. I served as a volunteer for Kym’s Kids during my senior year of high school between the ages of 16 and 17. I was able to connect with other volunteers to do small service projects at the times such as volunteering at an animal shelter, doing beach cleanups, volunteering at a children’s museum, and more. As a result of my volunteer work from Kym’s Kids, I worked and earned more than 100 community service hours. With Herbalife members, I fed the homeless and did other service-related events.This was my upbringing into humanitarianism at a young age. As a member of Phi Beta Sigma, my brothers and I participated in a Hurricane Ian Aid Relief in October 2022 where we distributed cases of water for those affected by the devastating hurricane. In addition, we did roadside cleanups, participated in a Breast Cancer Awareness walk, multiple community service events at Miami Norland Middle School, Miramar High School, the Miramar Youth Enrichment Center, the Excel Kids Academy, and more. Every year on September 24th, we the Brothers of Phi Beta Sigma celebrate our National Sigma Day of Service. Last year on that day, my brothers and I traveled to Nova Southeastern University to attend a Veteran Stand Down event. There, brothers connected with government and nonprofit agencies that provided free services to veterans such as housing, healthcare, food security, dental services, mental health screenings, etc. To end National Sigma Day of Service, we went to Winn Dixie and were posted throughout the store and paid for over a dozen families’ groceries. The look on their faces when we ask to pay for their groceries was priceless. It was most definitely a great way to pay it forward. It was also a great day to be men of Phi Beta Sigma. We did an exceptional job in upholding our motto “Culture for Service, Service for Humanity”, meaning our service is geared towards all members of our community and society as a whole. As a member of Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc, I live by our motto, “Service to Humanity is Our Greatest Aim”, meaning Service to the People is our main and top priority no matter what. My brothers and I distributed over 100 books representative of different races, cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles to our youth. We also gave out toys at the Royal Assembly Church of the Living God. We even donated perishable food items to the Miami Rescue Mission during Thanksgiving. Overall, I have plenty of community service experience under my belt. I’d say it’s even more impressive than I took upon myself to develop a passion for getting into community service & disaster relief work because I knew that I can make a difference, big or small. I plan to contribute more in this area in life by taking more initiative to plan the next service event, spreading awareness on issues that affect the livelihood of the community, getting more people involved to lend a helping hand when needed, and so much more. Community service has become a major aspect of my life that has shaped me into who I am today. Volunteering is a way that I can give back to the world that does so much for me. There is no one way to define community service, because everyone has their own definition. However, it is not the definition itself that matters; it is what community service means to you. To me, volunteering and community service are all of these things. Volunteerism is a donation of my time in order to enhance someone’s life, even if it is only slightly. I view volunteering as a window through which I have an opportunity to change the lives of people, as well as my own. However, volunteering is not only about aiding others. It offers so much more. Through volunteering, I learned valuable community and social skills, and well as gained valuable work experience. In addition, I learned what it is like to have a job and responsibilities. Volunteering has played in a significant role in the shaping of who I am today. I sought an outlet, or an escape. I desperately needed a positive activity to take my mind off of the hardships I was experiencing. That outlet was community service. Community service has been a resource for me to express myself and gain control of my life. Volunteering has always been a way to bring joy into my life and to make my day, as well as someone else’s, a little bit better. Community service made me realize that I wanted to participate in a profession that helped people. At first, I was unsure of what I aspired to be when I grew up, but I knew one thing: I wanted to make an impact in people’s lives. I developed a love of Math, and asked myself how I could help people with Math. I decided that my goal was to become a mathematician, so I could help engage students in mathematical mindset activities. That way, a prosperous, strong math community can be built thanks to me. I truly feel as if volunteering has helped me recognize what it is I aspire to be in the future. In addition, I have goals of participating in more volunteer work throughout my life. I also have impacted numerous lives through volunteering, and that is something that I take great pride in. In addition, I have developed numerous skills through volunteer work. I feel as if I have grown significantly through my community service. Community service has shaped me into a responsible leader. I am grateful for all that volunteering has done for me.

I want to become a teacher so that I can make a real difference in children's lives. I take the task of developing young people into kind, thoughtful and contributing adults very seriously. I have always been so grateful to my teachers and the educational system for making me the person that I am today. I only hope that I can make that same kind of positive impact on the minds and hearts of my students. So many children need love, reassurance and attention, and I strive to be that person that builds them up when no one else ever has. I want to not only tell, but show my students that with commitment and hard work, they are capable of anything and can be anything that they want to be. I hope to create a safe place for the children in my classroom, where teamwork and empathy are rewarded just as enthusiastically as a good test score. Through love and understanding, I believe that I can help students achieve their highest potential. My high school Math teacher, Mr. Douglas, was a huge inspiration to me. He is one of the primary reasons that I developed such a love for Mathematics, and absolutely one of the major reasons that I decided to pursue teaching as a career. His teaching style was humorous and personable, while still incredibly passionate about the subject. I hope that I can create a classroom that encourages my students to have fun while learning the same way that he was able to. During my first year of tutoring, I was tasked with a student that seemed uninterested and aloof. I continued to give him individual attention and try out new tactics to try and get him involved. Eventually, after much trial and error, I decided to create a sort of game show for the students about the lesson, and the entire classroom loved it. When it was his turn, he answered a question about slopes and intercepts correctly, and the joy I felt reassured me that I had chosen the right career. Education is a profession where I can see the impact that I am having on the world around me. I also get to grow with my students, as they learn, I learn, too. There aren’t many professions out there that allow for that. My goal and purpose has always been to make a positive impact in the lives of children. We know that a quality education is a game changer for all children, but is a dire need for children in poverty. I truly believe the classroom is where the difference is made.

The last book I read was called “The Courage To Be Disliked” by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi. I must say the book is worth reading as it opens by the reality about finding long lasting happiness. We tend to become sad by the small things that don’t matter to us in our life. We get ready daily for our school/college/work etc. Some people get ready for themselves to be confident and look best and presentable, but some get ready to impress others in a positive way and to not get judged by other people in either case. That is the wrong thing we humans do. We do things thinking of others which makes no sense, and if people give negative reviews about our appearance or looks, we become disconsolate. The fact is even you look beautiful or ugly it should not matter what others are thinking and what they are saying about you, you must have courage about handling disagreements, the ability to be disliked, and that should be totally fine because even though you become best of yourself. People are going to judge you, and they are going to make some comments which are going to upset you regardless. These amazing lessons are present in the book which build your inner attitude to ignore all the limitations, all the dislikes and be the best version of yourself without caring how people around you are going to react. So far best thing about this book is, it is described in a conversational way which is actually more relatable to the readers which helps in solving the readers questions and doubts about different things on people, judgements, and many more things. This reminds me of a good line from a retro song, which goes like “Kuch toh log kahenge, logo ka kaam hai keha” (Translation: Something people gonna say, it is their work to pass judgements). A memorable quote that I picked up on as I was reading goes like this: “All you can do with regard to your own life is choose the best path that you believe in. On the other hand, what kind of judgment do people pass on that choice? That is the task of other people, and is not a matter you can do anything about.” This book is a game changer and was exactly what I needed to read. We grow up thinking that our past influences our present and future, which is normal to a certain degree. But this book focuses on goals and how as long as we focus on the past, our goals are linked to our past. Once we realize that we are free to pick our goals, we can successfully act towards them. Yes life can be difficult, yes there are illnesses. But we are always free of how we decide to emotionally react to something. Doesn’t mean it’s easy, but taking just one step at a time can be great advance on the long term. I read the negative reviews and most people have a bad opinion about this book and I think it’s because they are probably stuck in the “victim” status. As long as people will blame others, the past, their physical or mental condition, they will be victims of life and continue having that as a goal. I’m not saying we are all born equally, but we all have the equal capacity of working towards freedom. This book definitely shifted my mind for the better.

As a collegiate member of two service-oriented organizations, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc., have served as major catalysts for me being involved in community service. But in all honesty, it started from high school, being a member of a nonprofit organization called Kym’s Kids and being involved with Herbalife. I served as a volunteer for Kym’s Kids during my senior year of high school between the ages of 16 and 17. I was able to connect with other volunteers to do small service projects at the times such as volunteering at an animal shelter, doing beach cleanups, volunteering at a children’s museum, and more. As a result of my volunteer work from Kym’s Kids, I worked and earned more than 100 community service hours. With Herbalife members, I fed the homeless and did other service-related events. This was my upbringing into humanitarianism at a young age. As a member of Phi Beta Sigma, my brothers and I participated in a Hurricane Ian Aid Relief in October 2022 where we distributed cases of water for those affected by the devastating hurricane. In addition, we did roadside cleanups, participated in a Breast Cancer Awareness walk, multiple community service events at Miami Norland Middle School, Miramar High School, the Miramar Youth Enrichment Center, the Excel Kids Academy, and more. Every year on September 24th, we the Brothers of Phi Beta Sigma celebrate our National Sigma Day of Service. Last year on that day, my brothers and I traveled to Nova Southeastern University to attend a Veteran Stand Down event. There, brothers connected with government and nonprofit agencies that provided free services to veterans such as housing, healthcare, food security, dental services, mental health screenings, etc. To end National Sigma Day of Service, we went to Winn Dixie and were posted throughout the store and paid for over a dozen families’ groceries. The look on their faces when we ask to pay for their groceries was priceless. It was most definitely a great way to pay it forward. It was also a great day to be men of Phi Beta Sigma. We did an exceptional job in upholding our motto “Culture for Service, Service for Humanity”, meaning our service is geared towards all members of our community and society as a whole. As a member of Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc, I live by our motto, “Service to Humanity is Our Greatest Aim”, meaning Service to the People is our main and top priority no matter what. My brothers and I distributed over 100 books representative of different races, cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles to our youth. We also gave out toys at the Royal Assembly Church of the Living God. We even donated perishable food items to the Miami Rescue Mission during Thanksgiving. Overall, I have plenty of community service experience under my belt. I’d say it’s even more impressive than I took upon myself to develop a passion for getting into community service & disaster relief work because I knew that I can make a difference, big or small. I plan to contribute more in this area in life by taking more initiative to plan the next service event, spreading awareness on issues that affect the livelihood of the community, getting more people involved to lend a helping hand when needed, and so much more.

In my opinion, the STEM field contributes to innovation and world progress more than any other fields. Without STEM fields, I most likely wouldn’t even be able to type my papers, or use the internet to submit my college application and scholarships. If the STEM field were to disappear, the world would stagnate. I never made a conscious decision to choose a STEM-related career; it just flowed naturally as a result of my interests. As a kid, math was my favorite subject in school and it still is. Mathematics is used in almost everything you can or will interact with, within the real world. The acceleration you feel in a car, how much interest you gain in your bank account, or even why leap years exist; it’s all math. Understanding these concepts in a more intuitive way will give me the options to proceed in your career in the direction I want to. Later I learned that a degree in mathematics could lead to a career in research, both within industry or in an academic environment. Unlike some other subjects, a math degree or any other STEM degree can be extremely valuable in almost any job, in any industry. STEM is a gateway for me to live my dreams and succeed in a field that is difficult to enter without the correct steps taken and references known. Majoring in STEM would provide me the education and contacts needs to enter the medical or technological field at an advantage. I believe that STEM is truly a resource that allows students to focus on their studies more intently and unearth their passions in an academic world. For myself personally, STEM would help me to narrow down the fields of Mathematics and Technology to the precise profession that suits my interests. Likewise, in a world that is creating new careers daily, STEM is one of the few pathways that adapts to the growing diversity of options, and facilitates ubiquitous knowledge for success no matter the circumstance. To me, that means that I can reach my hand into the currently unknown world and create my own course of action with certainty that I will meet success along my way. When it comes to my love for all things related to Mathematics, I learn how to analyze problems rigorously and solve them creatively, as well as manage my own time and workload and explain my ideas to a range of audiences. These are precisely the skills needed for practically every job imaginable. The types of jobs available to me are almost unlimited. I will use my mathematics degree to help come up with solid solutions solve real-world problems in the community. Math resolves truths and uncovers errors, making our work more credible. Reports, studies and research are all but discounted without quantifiable facts. Math equals proof. Math validates.

As a collegiate member of two service-oriented organizations, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc., have served as major catalysts for me being involved in community service and disaster relief. But in all honesty, it started from high school, being a member of a nonprofit organization called Kym’s Kids and being involved with Herbalife. I served as a volunteer for Kym’s Kids during my senior year of high school between the ages of 16 and 17. I was able to connect with other volunteers to do small service projects at the times such as volunteering at an animal shelter, doing beach cleanups, volunteering at a children’s museum, and more. As a result of my volunteer work from Kym’s Kids, I worked and earned more than 100 community service hours. With Herbalife members, I fed the homeless and did other service-related events.This was my upbringing into humanitarianism at a young age. As a member of Phi Beta Sigma, my brothers and I participated in a Hurricane Ian Aid Relief in October 2022 where we distributed cases of water for those affected by the devastating hurricane. In addition, we did roadside cleanups, participated in a Breast Cancer Awareness walk, multiple community service events at Miami Norland Middle School, Miramar High School, the Miramar Youth Enrichment Center, the Excel Kids Academy, and more. Every year on September 24th, we the Brothers of Phi Beta Sigma celebrate our National Sigma Day of Service. Last year on that day, my brothers and I traveled to Nova Southeastern University to attend a Veteran Stand Down event. There, brothers connected with government and nonprofit agencies that provided free services to veterans such as housing, healthcare, food security, dental services, mental health screenings, etc. To end National Sigma Day of Service, we went to Winn Dixie and were posted throughout the store and paid for over a dozen families’ groceries. The look on their faces when we ask to pay for their groceries was priceless. It was most definitely a great way to pay it forward. It was also a great day to be men of Phi Beta Sigma. We did an exceptional job in upholding our motto “Culture for Service, Service for Humanity”, meaning our service is geared towards all members of our community and society as a whole. As a member of Gamma Beta Chi Fraternity, Inc, I live by our motto, “Service to Humanity is Our Greatest Aim”, meaning Service to the People is our main and top priority no matter what. My brothers and I distributed over 100 books representative of different races, cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles to our youth. We also gave out toys at the Royal Assembly Church of the Living God. We even donated perishable food items to the Miami Rescue Mission during Thanksgiving. Overall, I have plenty of community service experience under my belt. I’d say it’s even more impressive than I took upon myself to develop a passion for getting into community service & disaster relief work because I knew that I can make a difference, big or small. I plan to contribute more in this area in life by taking more initiative to plan the next service event, spreading awareness on issues that affect the livelihood of the community, getting more people involved to lend a helping hand when needed, and so much more.

The dream version of my future self is honestly living my best life to the fullest with all of my accomplishments & achievements to be recognized by the people of my community for years to come. I want my future self to be able to reflect back on the “good old days” and say that they have come a long way. A life of no regrets, no doubts, positive thoughts, and all around amazing vibes with my loved ones present is what the dream version of my future self will look like.

Math is one of the basic sciences of life; it can be said that is the most basic science, the first thing a person learns, apart from reading and writing, is how to add and subtract. I like Mathematics because every time I solve a math problem it becomes an important challenge to me, a challenge that must be achieved with an answer and my best effort. There are more reasons why I like math and another one is that every time I use it I learn something new. My first experiences with Mathematics began as a young boy when I was taught how to count from one to ten. I began counting fingers then toes until ten was a distant accomplishment and larger numbers were becoming my perspectives. Then I learned how to count up to one hundred, and soon I was learning adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing for the first time. Math is very important to me because besides school, it also takes place in your life and is something you use every day and almost at any time. It has never been too difficult for me to learn math, even thought I don't always get the right answer I know I tried my best and I feel very confident of myself without getting disappointed because I know that at least I learn how I can solve it the next time. Math has always considered it to be one of my most favorite to learn. Plugging numbers into various formulas to reach a solution is so much fun to me. I never really understood why some of my classmates back in school could not understand math concepts like I did. Perhaps I did pretty well in Math because I enjoyed it, so, I can totally relate to the fact that students who excel in math are somehow wired that way. Math is important because it is logic, black and white, yes or no, true and false. The main thing I love about math is that there is always a right answer. The process to get to the right answer can sometimes be what stresses people out and confuses them. Math is so straightforward in its contribution to life. Yes, there may be more than one way to get to the right answer, but there is only one right answer. Math is a rock. It is safe. When every other subject is questioning what has been supposedly proved in the past, Math takes what we already know and uses it to solve problems. In a world full of change, chaos, and disaster, Math is something that stays the same and continues to grow at the same time. I want to bend my perception of math in order to gain even more respect for it. Math is perfect. It challenges the mind. It has the power to solve real life problems. It explains real observations, and appeals to intuitions most of the time. It takes us aback with the counter-intuitive results. It produces exact answers. Its abstract, yet purely objective and absolute. It is man-made, yet all the universe is modeled by Math. It is incorruptible. It can create art. It can inspire creative thinking, and in that even solving problems is an art of its own. And yet, as subjective of an art that the means may be, the ends are still objective. It has practical uses, and yet you do not need to concern yourself with them, Math stands all on its own.

Math is what I would call a cool subject, nor is it for the faint of heart. I have always considered it to be one of my most favorite to learn. Why? Because it is all about the formulas! Plugging numbers into various formulas to reach a solution is so much fun to me! I never really understood why some of my classmates back in school could not understand math concepts like I did. Perhaps I did pretty well in math because I enjoyed it, so, I can totally relate to the fact that students who excel in math are somehow wired that way. Math is logic, black and white, yes or no, true and false. The main thing I love about math is that there is always a right answer. The process to get to the right answer can sometimes be what stresses people out and confuses them. Math is so straightforward in its contribution to life. Yes, there may be more than one way to get to the right answer, but there is only one right answer. Math is a rock. It is safe. When every other subject is questioning what has been supposedly proved in the past, math takes what we already know and uses it to solve problems. In a world full of change, chaos, and disaster, math is something that stays the same and continues to grow at the same time. I want to bend my perception of math in order to gain even more respect for it. Math is perfect. It challenges the mind. It has the power to solve real life problems. It explains real observations, and appeals to intuitions most of the time. It takes us aback with the counter-intuitive results. It produces exact answers. Its abstract, yet purely objective and absolute. It is man-made, yet all the universe is modeled by math. It is incorruptible. It can create art. It can inspire creative thinking, and in that even solving problems is an art of its own. And yet, as subjective of an art that the means may be, the ends are still objective. It has practical uses, and yet you do not need to concern yourself with them, math stands all on its own.

I chose to pursue a mathematics degree because I have always had a knack for all things related to numbers. My grandfather and uncle on my dad’s side of the family were both good with numbers, and it so happens that I shared that common trait with them. Mathematics is my favorite and strongest subject out of all the subjects that I had in school. I realized that I may have a certain level of talent when it came to solving mathematical problems because I almost always had little to no difficulty doing so. I took both honor-level and college-level (AP) math courses in high school, which meant I was one of the above average students in my class. I successfully passed all my math courses with grades of A- and A. When it comes to Mathematics, I am the go-to person whenever people needed help with math-related problems because people trusted my judgment. I also liked the challenge and creativity that Math provided me with, as well as observing patterns and understanding why those patterns were true. Mathematics is abstract enough to keep me out of exhausting calculations, but scientific enough to provide me with structure. It became the perfect playground. It let me explore my passions, both in research and in tutoring. One of my mathematics professors always reminded of a common saying about the subject: “Every mathematical concept is either trivial or seemingly impossible.” What that means is that every mathematical rule can be completely understood. Once I understood the rule, it seemed completely easy. My success and fascination in mathematics has given me the motivation to continue to expand upon the mathematical knowledge I have already learnt, by further developing the skills and even applying them to harder and more challenging questions. The greatest thing about mathematics is the feeling that the answers exist somewhere out there. We just have to find them using axioms and a bit of cleverness.

The moment I knew that I wanted to attend Florida Memorial University was when I met with college recruiters from the school during a college fair at my high school. After talking to them and asking question about the university, I instantly applied right there and then. After a few hours of reviewing my application, I was told that I was accepted into admission on the spot. Florida Memorial University was one of many HBCUs I applied to and my choice since I was set to move to Florida after high school graduation. During my first visit before my first year, I was walking around campus and felt connected to the history and legacy of the influential people who attended my institution. Being able to walk the same halls as civil rights leaders meant so much to me and I knew it was a legacy that I wanted to be a part of. Leadership, Scholarship, and Service are celebrated at FMU, so I knew I made the right decision. My parents have instilled education and excellence into my siblings and I as long as I can remember, and after doing research I knew this was my new home. In the good and bad times, FMU has shown me how a family and a community can come together to make it happen. I've learned to be prompt and "get it done", even when it's a challenge. I value that because I've been encouraged even more to never give up and see things through.

An obstacle that I had to overcome in pursuit of higher education was securing my on campus housing assignment during my Fall 2022 semester. At that time, housing at Florida Memorial University and other HBCUs were limited because of the increased enrollment of incoming freshmen. I already paid my $250 room deposit back in July 2022 and had to drive from Orlando to Miami in order for me to get to my campus. Before the Spring Semester started, I had to make sure that my classes were registered for the Fall 2022 semester and my financial aid was intact before I arrived to campus. Fast forward to August 2022, I arrived to Florida Memorial University ready to start the process to clear the business office. Unfortunately, some thing had happened with my FAFSA and I would need to make some necessary corrections to proceed. The person that helped me overcome that obstacle was my advisor Ray Smith. Ray Smith and I are both members of the elite Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. Ray noticed that I needed to clear the business office before I can move in into my dorm, so he offered me to stay at his place while he left to go to Philadelphia for a few days. He trusted me to watch his pets and look after his home in his absence and I did just that. After about a week had passed, I finally was able to clear the business office for the Fall 2022 semester. I still wasn’t able to move in my dorm after that ordeal because there were no available dorms at the time. So Ray let me this at his house once more until I was eventually moved off the housing waitlist FMU had set in place. About two weeks later, an available dorm was opened up and I happily moved all my stuff with Ray’s assistance. My fraternity advisor, Ray Smith, was definitely my crutch during that time in need. The fact that he trusted me enough to let me stay at his house while he was gone spoke volumes. Ray and I first met back in March 2022 when I was interested in becoming a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Currently, we still have that brotherly bond and we’re able to come to one another for anything at anytime. Being able to call on people in my circle whenever I need some help is a blessing at its best. I am forever grateful for my brother Ray.

Growing up and coming from a low-income single parent household, life wasn’t easy or the best for me. I dealt with many hardships in my childhood leading up to my adulthood. Despite those hardships, I managed to overcome each one. One way in which I have grown over the past year was I learned to remain headstrong and true to myself in every aspect of my life. An event that inspired my personal growth is dealing with the loss of my grandfather on my dad’s side of the family. It has been one year since I got the call that he passed away. He was my rock and he kept me grounded. My grandfather was very well known in his community and everyone loved him. He always looked out for me and loved me like I was his own son. When I heard he passed away, I felt like a part of me left with him. I looked up to him and I followed in his footsteps. He was a hard worker and very passionate in what he did. He was a provider to his family and put others before himself. He was strong physically, mentally, and emotionally. My grandfather was the type of man that I wanted to be. My grandfather and I shared a bond like no other. After I came to terms with his passing, I knew that I had to be strong willed in whatever I faced. I had to keep moving because life goes on. My outlook and perspective on life has changed. During that time, I became spiritually conscious within that one year after my grandfather’s passing. I know that he is always looking down, watching over me every day. My drive to better myself every day has not changed. I realize that the positive things that I accomplish, whether they are major or minor, are the foundations of my success. For every goal that has been set and achieved, I reward myself to a well deserved treat of my own choosing. Through my journey of self discovery, I came to the realization that I am not the same person I was years ago. I changed for the better. I am more confident than I ever was before. I challenge myself to the best what I do, even though I may not be perfect at it. I know my limits and stop while I am ahead. I think before I act and speak. I go after I want because when there is a will, there is a way. My grandfather would be most definitely proud of the man I became today.