I believe selflessness begins with understanding that what I know and what I am capable of doing should not exist solely for my own benefit. Architecture has taught me this most clearly. Through my education, I have come to understand that each person develops a unique facet of knowledge shaped by their experiences, education, and perspective. I believe that knowledge creates a responsibility to use it thoughtfully. To me, selflessness means recognizing that responsibility and having the agency to act on it. My commitment to service began long before I understood it in those terms. At Howard University, I became involved with Circle K International and participated in efforts that responded to needs within the community. I helped organize a hygiene bag assembly for women experiencing homelessness in Washington, D.C., where volunteers prepared essential care packages and included encouraging messages. I also participated in food and school supply drives and helped organize an environmental cleanup at Banneker Park. These experiences reminded me that service often begins with something simple: recognizing that someone needs support and deciding to contribute what you can. My involvement with Circle K also taught me that responsibility extends beyond the moments when service is most visible. As Treasurer and Social Media Coordinator, I managed financial records, prepared funding proposals, and helped promote opportunities for students to participate. The work required consistency because the decisions I made affected our organization’s ability to serve others. I learned to take those responsibilities seriously, understanding that even work happening behind the scenes can have an impact beyond myself. Through my sorority, I had another opportunity to connect my knowledge of architecture with service. I served as an Event Co-Chair for a program examining architecture, housing equity, and community development in Washington, D.C. My architectural education had already taught me to look closely at the built environment, but this experience challenged me to consider who benefits from the way communities are designed and who may be left with fewer choices. It reinforced my belief that having specialized knowledge comes with an obligation to use it responsibly. That belief has shaped the direction of my education. My interest in sustainability science comes from recognizing that many of the challenges affecting communities cannot be addressed through design alone. I want to understand the environmental systems behind the decisions I make as an architect so that I can act with greater knowledge and agency. I do not want to simply recognize that a problem exists. I want to develop the ability to participate meaningfully in addressing it. For me, selflessness is not about sacrificing my ambitions. It is about understanding what my ambitions are for. I want to become highly knowledgeable in my field, but I also want that knowledge to have a purpose beyond my own advancement. If I have the ability to understand something that can improve another person’s circumstances, I believe I have a responsibility to use that understanding. That is the kind of person I hope to remain throughout my career: someone who recognizes the value of what she knows, remains humble enough to keep learning, and has the agency to put that knowledge into service of others.

I love math because it makes imagination buildable. Architecture taught me that some of the most exciting ideas begin as things that do not yet exist. A design can start as an abstract idea on a page, challenging the way we understand space. Math allows that idea to become possible. It gives me a way to understand something abstract without taking away the freedom to imagine what it could become. I first encountered calculus in high school, but I began to understand its value when I studied architecture. As I learned to design, I spent hours working with geometry and studying how different elements relate to one another. I started seeing mathematics differently. It was no longer something that existed only in a classroom. It was embedded in the spaces I was creating. That realization gave me more freedom as a designer. When I encountered an unfamiliar form, I did not have to see its complexity as a limitation. I could begin to understand the relationships that made it possible. Mathematics gave me a foundation for exploring ideas that might have otherwise felt impossible to design. Something that began as an abstract concept could eventually become a building that people could experience. That is what I love most about math. It gives structure to imagination without defining its limits. There are rules, but within those rules are endless possibilities. The more I understand those relationships, the more possibilities I can see. Architecture showed me that creativity and mathematics work together. My design ideas become stronger when I understand the logic behind them. Math does not make architecture less creative. It gives creativity somewhere to go. As I prepare to begin my Master of Science in Sustainability Science, I am carrying that perspective with me. Sustainability involves systems that are constantly changing. Mathematical thinking allows us to recognize patterns and understand how one change can affect something much larger. I hope to use that perspective to approach environmental challenges while remaining grounded in the communities they affect. I love math because it expands what I believe I can create. Architecture gave me a reason to see mathematics beyond equations and calculations. It showed me that math can take an idea that exists only in my imagination and give it the structure to exist in the real world. To me, that is freedom.

The impact I want to make is rooted in my belief that the environments we create have a responsibility to support the health and well-being of the people who inhabit them. I want to become a licensed architect with a deep focus on sustainability and use my education to create healthier, more resilient communities. For me, architecture is an opportunity to serve. My understanding of service was shaped early in my life. When I was nine years old, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. While I was too young to understand the complexities of her experience, I understood that life could change unexpectedly and that people need community during difficult moments. That experience shaped my sense of responsibility and strengthened my belief that we have an obligation to show up for others. As I have grown, I have come to understand that service can take many forms, including using the knowledge and skills we develop to improve the conditions in which people live. At Howard University, I began connecting this understanding of service to architecture. Through Circle K International, I participated in food and school supply drives, assembled hygiene bags for women experiencing homelessness, and contributed to environmental cleanups. Through Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, I helped develop a program examining architecture, housing equity, and community development in Washington, D.C. These experiences taught me that meaningful service requires both compassion and action. My architectural education introduced me to environmental justice and expanded my understanding of how the built environment affects human health. Through coursework in environmental inequality and environmental justice, I learned how environmental burdens disproportionately affect Black and marginalized communities. Pollution, contaminated sites, transportation corridors, and other hazards can shape the health and quality of life of communities for generations. I began to understand that decisions about buildings and development are ultimately decisions about people's lives. My thesis research on vertical farming and food justice further demonstrated how architecture can respond to environmental and community needs. I became interested in how design can improve food access, strengthen resilience, and create healthier urban environments. This work led me to pursue my Master of Science in Sustainability Science at Columbia University, where I am developing the scientific and systems-based knowledge necessary to make more informed decisions as an architect. Professionally, I hope to contribute to buildings and developments that advance environmental quality and human health through healthier materials, energy-conscious design, resilient systems, and responsible construction. I want to work at the intersection of architecture, sustainability, and development while remaining attentive to the communities affected by those decisions. My goal is not simply to make buildings sustainable on paper, but to understand how sustainability can translate into healthier everyday experiences. I also hope to use my education as a resource for others. As an African American woman entering architecture and sustainability, I understand the importance of representation and mentorship. I want to encourage young people to see themselves in these fields and make pathways into architecture and sustainability more visible. Ultimately, I want my career to reflect the belief that knowledge creates responsibility. When we understand how our decisions affect people and the environment, we have an obligation to act thoughtfully. Through architecture, sustainability science, and a lifelong commitment to service, I hope to create healthier places and contribute to communities that can thrive for generations.

My goal is to become a licensed architect with a deep focus on sustainable design while building the experience, knowledge, and financial flexibility to eventually pursue opportunities in real estate and development. I have established a strong foundation by earning a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Design Studies and a Master of Architecture through Howard University's NAAB-accredited 4+1 program. This fall, I will continue my education at Columbia University, where I will pursue a Master of Science in Sustainability Science. The program is 36 credits, and I plan to complete it full time by taking 12 credits over three semesters. Because my classes will be held in the evenings, I plan to work at an architecture firm during the day. This will allow me to gain practical experience while completing my degree. A major priority will be documenting my work toward the Architectural Experience Program (AXP), including experience in its six categories: Practice Management, Project Management, Programming & Analysis, Project Planning & Design, Project Development & Documentation, and Construction & Evaluation. I plan to be intentional about my responsibilities so I can gain well-rounded experience and steadily prepare for architectural licensure. I also plan to use my professional experience to make thoughtful decisions about my education. Rather than viewing my architecture career and sustainability degree as separate paths, I want them to strengthen one another. I will carefully review Columbia's cross-reference list of courses to identify classes that can count toward my degree while being more closely aligned with architecture and the built environment. I am particularly interested in sustainable buildings, urban systems, resilience, energy, and development. My work at an architecture firm will help me identify gaps in my knowledge and guide me toward classes with the greatest practical value. Financial planning is another important part of my strategy. My Fall 2026 account statement lists $34,200 in tuition for this semester, before other university fees and financial aid are applied. For this semester, I earned a $10,000 Merit Base-Financial Aid Award and a $10,000 SP Deans Scholarship, totaling $20,000 in scholarship support. The statement also lists an anticipated $10,142 Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. While this support has significantly reduced my immediate financial burden, I do not yet know what financial aid or scholarships will be available for my next two semesters. Combined with the high cost of living in New York City, completing this degree represents a significant investment. I plan to continue working while in school and budgeting carefully, and I would greatly appreciate any additional financial assistance available along the way. Minimizing debt is especially important because my long-term goal includes entering real estate and development. I want to preserve the flexibility to eventually invest in projects or pursue entrepreneurial opportunities rather than carrying excessive debt when I may need startup capital. Overall, my plan is to strategically complete my Sustainability Science degree, gain and document AXP experience, prepare for licensure, and develop specialized knowledge in sustainable design. By combining my architectural education, professional experience, sustainability studies, and careful financial planning, I hope to build a career at the intersection of architecture, sustainability, real estate, and development. Embarking on this journey is a leap of faith I am excited to take.

My “awkward” thing is that I was a grammar critic before I was old enough to understand the power of my own words. As a child, I had an unusually strong understanding of English grammar. I found patterns in language that most people my age had not yet noticed, and I could not help but point them out. I would correct adults when they phrased things incorrectly, which was often met with laughter and surprise. There was something amusing about a small child confidently explaining grammar rules to people much older than me. At the time, I thought I was simply helping. If something was incorrect, I believed the best thing to do was fix it. I loved the clarity and structure of language, and that attention to detail stayed with me as I grew older. It eventually helped me earn a 32 on the English section of the ACT and strengthened my appreciation for the importance of communication. However, I learned that communication is about much more than correctness. As I matured, I began to understand that constantly correcting people could unintentionally make them feel judged or hesitant to express themselves, even within my own family. I had to learn that sometimes the most important part of a conversation is not identifying what is wrong, but understanding the person speaking. That realization became one of my earliest lessons in empathy. I learned that every person communicates from a different place shaped by their experiences, challenges, and perspectives. If I wanted to build meaningful relationships, I needed to make people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts rather than worrying about whether every word they used was perfect. That lesson changed how I approach others. I became more intentional about listening before responding and understanding before evaluating. I began to see that my attention to detail was not just a tool for finding mistakes. It was also a tool for noticing needs, recognizing different perspectives, and helping people feel valued. This shift has shaped how I approach my education, my collaborations, and my goals for the future. Whether I am working with classmates, designing solutions for communities, or engaging with people whose experiences differ from my own, I strive to use my curiosity and attention to detail to build rather than criticize. I believe meaningful change begins when people feel heard and respected. My awkward childhood habit taught me that words have power. They can correct, but they can also connect. They can create distance, or they can create understanding. As we work toward creating a safer and more compassionate world, listening is one of the most important things we can do. Communities become stronger when people trust that their voices matter.

Submitted via a video link

Architecture taught me that meaningful design exists at the intersection of creativity, science, and systems thinking. A building is never simply a structure. It is a dynamic relationship between form, material, environment, and human experience. Throughout my architectural education, calculus became one of the tools that allowed me to better understand these relationships and expand the possibilities of what could be designed. This is why I believe calculus is an essential foundation in STEM. My first exposure to calculus began in high school and continued during my freshman year of college, where it became especially valuable in my architectural studies. During my early design education, when much of my work involved manual drafting, calculus gave me a deeper understanding of geometry, proportion, and spatial relationships. It allowed me to approach abstract forms with greater confidence because I could better understand the mathematical principles behind curves, surfaces, and complex shapes. Rather than limiting creativity, calculus gave me greater freedom to explore new forms and translate ideas into designs that were both imaginative and achievable. Beyond architecture, calculus provides STEM fields with a framework for understanding change, relationships, and complex systems. At its core, calculus allows us to analyze how variables interact and evolve over time. This ability is essential because many of the challenges addressed through STEM, from engineering and physics to environmental science, are not static. They require professionals to understand patterns, predict outcomes, and develop solutions that respond to changing conditions. As I prepare to begin my Master of Science in Sustainability Science, I am increasingly aware of how important this way of thinking will be. Sustainability challenges exist within interconnected systems where environmental, social, and physical factors continuously influence one another. Climate patterns shift, ecosystems adapt, resources fluctuate, and human decisions create impacts across multiple scales. Addressing these challenges requires the ability to model relationships, analyze trends, and understand how changes within one part of a system can affect the whole. For example, sustainability scientists use mathematical models to study climate patterns, ecosystem dynamics, resource availability, and environmental risks. Calculus provides the foundation for understanding rates of change and interactions within these systems, helping researchers evaluate potential solutions and make informed decisions. Similar to how an architect considers how a building will perform over time, sustainability professionals must consider how environmental systems will respond to interventions over time. Beyond its technical applications, calculus teaches a mindset that is fundamental to STEM. It encourages curiosity, precision, and the ability to approach complex problems by identifying relationships and patterns. These skills are especially important as scientific and environmental challenges become increasingly interconnected. Ultimately, calculus is important in STEM because it transforms observations into understanding and understanding into action. My experience in architecture has shown me that creativity and analytical thinking are not separate. They strengthen one another. As I continue my education in sustainability science, I hope to build upon this foundation by using both creative and mathematical approaches to develop solutions that support resilient communities and a healthier planet.

Every building we create is a statement about how we choose to exist within the natural world, and the most urgent challenge in wildlife conservation is ensuring that human development does not come at the expense of the ecosystems we depend on. As our cities continue to expand, the question is no longer whether humans and wildlife will share space. It is whether we will design that shared space responsibly. My interest in this issue comes from an uncommon intersection of disciplines. Studying architecture taught me how profoundly the built environment shapes the way people live, move, and interact with one another. Yet the deeper I studied, the more I found myself asking questions that extended beyond buildings. I began to wonder how the spaces we design reshape ecosystems, alter wildlife behavior, fragment habitats, and influence the delicate balance between human development and the natural world. Those questions ultimately led me to pursue a Master of Science in Sustainability Science, not because I was leaving architecture behind, but because I wanted to understand the larger systems within which architecture exists. That realization changed the way I think about conservation. Buildings are essential to human life, but they also represent one of our greatest interventions in nature. Every new development has the potential to affect the species that once occupied that land. Too often, wildlife is considered only after construction is complete, when coexistence should instead be a guiding principle from the very beginning of the design process. The encouraging reality is that our built environment can become part of the solution. Bird-safe glass and facade treatments can reduce millions of bird collisions each year. Green roofs and native landscapes can create habitat for pollinators and urban wildlife. Wildlife crossings reconnect habitats divided by roads and development. Sustainable stormwater systems protect streams and aquatic ecosystems, while responsible lighting strategies reduce disruption to nocturnal species. These may seem like individual design choices, but together they demonstrate how thoughtful planning can transform our relationship with the natural world. What makes human-wildlife coexistence especially urgent is that ecological systems are interconnected. When habitats are fragmented or species decline, the effects extend far beyond wildlife alone. They ripple through food webs, biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience, and ultimately the health of our own communities. The well-being of people and the well-being of nature are inseparable. As I begin my graduate studies in sustainability science, I hope to bridge the gap between architecture and ecological stewardship. My goal is to help shape buildings and communities that not only minimize environmental harm but actively support biodiversity and resilience. To me, the future of conservation is not about choosing between human progress and the natural world. It is about designing a future where both can thrive together. That is the kind of coexistence I hope to spend my career advancing.

My academic path has been shaped by a growing curiosity about how the environments we create influence the way people live. Studying architecture first introduced me to this relationship. Through studio work, research, and collaboration, I learned to see the built environment not simply as physical structures, but as part of a larger system shaped by environmental conditions, infrastructure, and human behavior. The more I studied design, the more I found myself asking questions about the forces operating beyond the walls of a building. Those questions gradually led me toward sustainability science. I became increasingly interested in understanding the environmental processes that influence the spaces we design and the long-term performance of the systems that support them. Rather than viewing architecture as an isolated discipline, I began to see it as one component within a broader network of environmental and social systems. This perspective encouraged me to look deeper into how resource use, ecological change, and infrastructure decisions shape the resilience of communities over time. My thesis research allowed me to explore these ideas more closely. Through studying urban agriculture and community-centered infrastructure, I examined how design interventions can support both environmental performance and human well-being. This process strengthened my understanding that meaningful solutions require more than creativity alone. They require careful analysis, curiosity, and a willingness to investigate the underlying systems that influence the success or failure of an intervention. Collaboration and mentorship have also played an important role in shaping who I am. Architecture studio culture requires students to constantly share ideas, critique one another’s work, and refine solutions collectively. Through these experiences, I developed an appreciation for dialogue and intellectual exchange. I value environments where people feel comfortable asking difficult questions and exploring new perspectives, because thoughtful solutions rarely emerge without curiosity and open discussion. Pursuing a degree in Sustainability Science will allow me to deepen the analytical foundation behind my work. I want to strengthen my ability to interpret environmental data, evaluate long-term impacts, and understand how complex systems interact over time. These tools will help me approach design and planning decisions with greater clarity and responsibility. Rather than separating design from environmental analysis, I hope to integrate the two so that sustainability considerations become embedded in how projects are conceived from the beginning. In my future career, I hope to work at the intersection of the built environment and environmental systems. I want to contribute to projects that improve the spaces where people live while responding thoughtfully to ecological realities. My goal is to approach each project with a mindset grounded in inquiry, collaboration, and long-term thinking. Education has given me the opportunity to ask better questions about the systems shaping our world. By continuing my studies in sustainability science, I hope to turn those questions into informed action and contribute to solutions that create lasting positive impact.

In the life of my dreams, I am living each day in alignment with my highest purpose, designing spaces that do more than provide shelter; they heal, empower, and inspire. Architecture, to me, is a catalyst for transformation. It is a discipline that shapes experiences, nurtures resilience, and creates opportunities for equity. Every project I lead addresses housing insecurity, environmental challenges, and social inequities through innovative, sustainable, and culturally responsive design. I work at the intersection of design, justice, and community impact. Each space I create is grounded in a deep respect for its context and the people it serves. My buildings integrate sustainable technologies, celebrate local culture, and foster connection between individuals and their environment. The work is not only functional but also aspirational, offering places where people feel safe, valued, and inspired to thrive. My role extends beyond the drawing board. I collaborate with community leaders, policymakers, engineers, and artists to ensure that every project reflects a holistic vision for the future. I lead initiatives that transform vacant lots into vibrant public spaces, reimagine underutilized buildings as community hubs, and design housing that is affordable, dignified, and environmentally responsible. These projects are living examples of what it means to design with both creativity and conscience. Mentorship is an essential part of my vision. I actively guide emerging designers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, so they have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to shape the profession in their own right. In this way, my work creates a ripple effect, empowering others to lead, innovate, and push the boundaries of what architecture can accomplish. In this life, success is measured not only by the quality of the spaces I create but by the quality of life they foster. It is reflected in families finding stability in well-designed homes, in neighborhoods revitalized through thoughtful planning, and in public spaces that bring people together. It is evident in sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impact while improving daily life for generations to come. Every day is guided by a commitment to excellence, integrity, and purpose. I wake up knowing that the work I do contributes to a larger legacy, one that values human potential, honors the planet, and challenges the status quo. The spaces I design are not just physical structures; they are platforms for connection, opportunity, and hope. Ultimately, my dream life is defined by impact. Through architecture, I build more than walls and roofs; I build pathways to possibility. I create environments where people can envision brighter futures, where communities feel empowered, and where design becomes a force for justice, beauty, and lasting change.