My name is Margaret Michel and I am a 5th year senior at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, and hope to focus my efforts on research, especially on the underrepresented parts of ecological systems. I believe that I am an ideal candidate for this scholarship because I am a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I hope to keep conservation and the protection of wildlife (including that of the ocean) at the forefront of my career goals. I truly believe that I am capable of making a change in this world. I am drawn to study the health of all natural systems and ecologies because it is something that has made me who I am today. I feel that without the natural things in this world, we would very quickly be reduced to nothing as people, mentally, spiritually, and especially physically. We rely on these natural systems so very much, especially the ocean. I have spent a long time studying the impacts that humans have made on the oceans, and especially on the fish and marine mammals that inhabit them, as part of my coursework. I was devastated to learn how little is done to protect them in the grand scheme of things, and how little regulation exists, especially for large marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, and seals. I am passionate about creating change for these organisms, and I want to do my part to give back to the environment that has provided me with so much throughout my life. To me, it goes beyond a calling, and is what I feel, on a deep level, something I was created specifically for. I want to see a difference in my lifetime, and I know that I can make it happen. This scholarship will allow me to not only continue my education, but to complete it. I have paid my way through college from the beginning, and have struggled to do so. Working while studying is not easy, and I know most people do it, but working to pay not only tuition, but my rent, grocery bills, car payments, utilities, and more has been challenging. I have worked very hard to put myself in the position today, and without the passion behind it, I could not have made it this far. I truly love all things natural, and I want to fight to protect what I love. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a 5th year undergraduate studying Wildlife Management with a focus on research. I currently attend Northern Michigan University, but have completed courses at Washtenaw Community College and Mott Community College as well. There is so much that is changing in the world, and I see this most with my studies on large, predatory mammals and the differences that urbanization and anthropogenic impacts have made on their behavior, rearing of young, diets, and even their genetics. I have participated in research projects where I had the privilege to dissect the digestive tract of grey wolves here in the Upper Peninsula, and it was astounding to see how much humans have influenced even this. Change is necessary to preserve the "wild" aspect of wildlife. My hope is to pursue a career in wildlife research, particularly focusing my efforts on the changes caused by urbanization and humans on the mammals I discussed previously. Bears, coyotes, and wolves have always had a soft spot in my heart, and as cliche as it may be to say, they are so deeply misunderstood. I want to teach others to respect and appreciate these beautiful creatures in the ways I have come to. These animals are not killers, as some may believe, but rather, animals doing what animals do, just trying to survive in an ever changing landscape that continues to cause them problems. They are simply evolving as animals tend to do. My goal is to educate others enough that we can revive these populations and protect them from the issues that we have created as humans. Wildlife conservation is so important, and I want to play a key role in making it more widespread, especially for the animals that may not be as cute and cuddly as others. There is so much out there that can play a role in making a difference in the future of these animals, from advanced genetic testing to remote tracking, we have tools that are as ever changing as the world. I am fascinated by these things, and hope to continue to utilize them in my work. I got to work with harvested bobcat tongues to study genetic material, and it was astounding to me how much information and data can be collected from such a small tissue sample (smaller than the tip of your finger!), and this proves that we are able to make amazing progress.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University, studying Wildlife managment. I chose to pursue this because I am passionate about wildlife and the environment, more so than anything else in my life. I have a deep love for all things wild, and I want to truly make a difference in this field. I want to share my love and value for these creatures with everyone, and I want to help them understand and perhaps feel that love first hand, because nothing makes someone care more than truly knowing what they are caring for. Growing up, I lived in the middle of nowhere. My childhood was full of wildlife and nature, such as deer in my backyard, coyotes howling during the night, frogs and turtles using our yard as a crossing (and subsequently being caught by my little brother and me), watching fish migrate down the river, and more. My love for animals is due to these moments that cemented themselves in my memory. I hope to pursue a career in wildlife research, primarily focusing on large, predatory mammals and the effects that urbanization and anthropogenic impacts have had on their behaviors, diets, and long term development and genetics. These are such important facets of understanding what we need to do in order to make the future more livable for these creatures. I have had a great deal of hands on learning experience, and I hope to bring this knowledge into my field and create a different perspective and perhaps drive change through this. I want to teach others about the importance of conservation of wildlife and the environment, and I want to spark interest in others to learn about what they can do to help. The future that I hope to see is one where we all recognize that we cannot live without the natural things that have survived far longer than man. I hope that we can all work to protect them, knowing that we are little without them. The values that guide me are empathy, compassion, integrity, and most of all, love. I love animals, and I always have. They are something that I truly cannot live without, and I cannot imagine a future without them. I hope that I can make enough difference to drive a change in this world so that I know their future is as guaranteed as my own. I want to see this change first hand. Thank you.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing my undergraduate degree in Wildlife Management, with a focus on wildlife research. I hope to make a change in the field. Animal care and welfare are crucial to the field of wildlife conservation. I have spent a great deal of time in the field, and I have seen others that simply do not care for the health and wellbeing of the animals with which we are directly working. Things like IACUC are incredibly important when it comes to research and conservation alike, and without it, animals would be abused and violated often. We are responsible for maintaining their welfare, and we need to remember that. I try to maintain a professional role when working with animals, while also recognizing that everything I do in my work must have a purpose and a significant outcome in order to justify working with living or deceased organisms. This is something that many do not do, and it makes me upset to see others wasting a life for no reason. I believe that the animals that I work with are significant contributions to improve science and our scientific knowledge, in one way or another. There are times when using an animal is avoidable, and I choose not to use an organism in these scenarios. I hope to work in wildlife research, primarily focusing my efforts on large, predatory mammals and how urbanization and anthropogenic effects have impacted their behavior, reproduction, diet, and more. It is something that I have spent time doing already, and I find it so rewarding. I have had the great privilege of studying deceased wolf digestive tracts, and collecting fur samples, which meant that the wolves, which were trapped and killed illegally, did not die in vain. Being able to take something so tragic and make it into something worthwhile and informative is such a powerful thing. I also hope to educate others on the importance of wildlife conservation, while also making the outdoors more accessible. I want others to be able to experience the joy and passion I have for animals, and I want to teach them that animals are not just here for our benefit, and we cannot treat them as such. Animals are equal to us, as taught in traditional Indigenous knowledge and teachings. Wildlife must be preserved, not for our sake, but for theirs.

My name is Margaret Michel, and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I have always loved reading. I can remember being so excited when I first got my “book with no pictures”, B is for Betsy, and feeling so mature when I got my first “thick” book, Matilda. I remember sitting up in bed, too excited to put down a book, even though I knew I ought to have been sleeping. That feeling still remains one of my favorites. Reading has taught me countless things, but the most important things are often in the backgrounds of the stories that I read. For example, in the novel Where the Crawdads Sing, I found myself fully immersed in the main character’s story, but constantly absorbing her knowledge about the natural world while she went through the plot. It was a fascinating look at the beauty of nature while tackling heavy and complex issues of the South in a bygone era. To Kill a Mockingbird taught me that people are not always what other people say. My goals are shaped largely by what I have found in literature. My favorite book, A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold, changed how I look at conservation, and the world in general. It broke my heart and gave me hope, and I have dog-eared, highlighted, and written in the margins, letting it inspire and educate me on things I may never have considered about my field. I have learned about the natural world, about love and passion for things that are beautiful and underappreciated, and how to follow your goals, even when others may disagree. Books have shown me that the hero’s journey is rarely linear and straightforward, but interspersed with obstacles, pauses, and triumphs that may not necessarily follow the exact pattern. It is comforting to know that my journey will work out, one way or another. I have found that reading is a truly remarkable thing, and not quite the “escape”, as it is often called, but rather a mirror to another part of ourselves that we can see differently each time we immerse ourselves in the stories we select. Reading gives us the opportunity to put ourselves in the shoes of another and to discover deeper meanings and more empathy by seeing inside the head of someone else. It gives us truth that we may not get otherwise, and often insight into what we may not think about often.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a focus on research. I am worth the dreams that I aspire to achieve because I have pursued these dreams my entire life. These dreams have driven my entire academic career, constantly in the back of my mind, reminding me that I CAN make a difference. I hope to work in wildlife research, primarily focusing my energy on large, predatory mammals and how urbanization and anthropogenic effects have altered their behavior, diet, reproduction, and even their genetics. This is something that I am passionate about because the largest animals are often the most forgotten, especially those deemed “nuisance” by others. I am worth the dreams that I aspire to achieve. I have loved wildlife from the time I understood the concept of animals. I have always been drawn to them because they fascinate me. Their unique behaviors, how they communicate, and everything about them. They are utterly spellbinding, and entirely misunderstood. Wildlife deserves more than we give it, and deserves to be represented when major changes are in progress. Too often, we forget about the fact that wildlife are our brothers, as Indigenous culture teaches us. We forget that the wild animals were here first, and have even more claim to the land than we do. We do not acknowledge that they maintain the lands that we too often take from them, calling them nuisances and pests when they continue their patterns within cities. Wildlife is fundamentally important, and I hope to educate others on this fact. I want to help others feel the way that I feel. Wildlife makes up entire ecosystems and preserves them far better than humans. We are the guests in their territory, and acting as if we are not is detrimental to the function of the environment. I am worth the dreams I aspire to achieve because I recognize that I am equal to the wildlife I hope to preserve. I am no greater than them, and this is why I am so drawn to them. They are similar to us in more ways than we truly recognize, and they deserve to be approached with respect, passion, and considerable gratitude for what they provide for us. Wildlife research is my dream, and if I continue to put my passion and devotion into my work, I will be able to make a difference.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, with a focus on research. I hope to obtain a career in Wildlife Research, primarily focusing on large, predatory mammals and how urbanization and anthropogenic effects have changed their behavior, distribution, reproduction, and diets. Growing up, I spent a lot of time outdoors. Coming from a home where I experienced emotional and physical abuse and neglect, the woods were my safe space. They were the place where I could be truly myself, and the place where I felt most comforted. To this day, I feel most authentically myself when I am outdoors. The woods never judged my character or what my life looked like, but saw all the struggles I experienced. I never felt like I had to pretend when I was outside. The first few times I experienced significant mental illness episodes, the first place I ran to was the woods. When I hit the rock bottom of my alcoholism and knew I had to change, it was in the woods. When I discovered that life was worth living, it was in the woods. When I discovered my passion, my drive, my reason to move forward, it was in the woods and was the woods. I discovered the woods at an early age, but I never knew how much of an impact they would have on my life later on. I was always curious about the wildlife in the area and spent a lot of time studying them with the curiosity that a young child has. I would bring jars down to the creek, scooping leeches up to watch how their mouth attached to the glass and trying to figure out how they “worked”. I would sit as quietly and still as I could, letting birds, deer, and other animals get closer so that I could see them up close. I was always fascinated by the natural world, and that fascination never left me. Wildlife is the core of my heart, the thing that makes it beat. It is something that I have a passion for more than anything else, and the energy it gives me is unmatched. I hope to be able to educate others and make them feel the same things that I do. Wildlife is what makes the outdoors truly captivating. It is the bottom line of everything for me, and all I want to do is make a difference.

My name is Margaret Michel, and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Wildlife Management with a focus in research. When I was a freshman in college, I was diagnosed with a handful of psychiatric disorders. They were medicated quickly, and for a while, things seemed to be going well. My entire life, after all, I was the picture of health. This did not last, however. A month or two after beginning these medications, I was beginning to experience several issues. My hair began to fall out. My body would become covered in hot, burning rashes daily. I developed insomnia that got to the point of 8 total hours of sleep over one week. My heart rate and blood pressure were skyrocketing, and I was struggling to breathe. The event that finally sent things over the edge was the day I stood up, immediately blacking out and losing motor function for several seconds as my roommate watched in horror. At the emergency room, the doctors would not listen as I pleaded with them that something was not right. They dismissed my concerns and sent me home. The issues continued. I figured that perhaps I was being ridiculous, overreacting to the issues. Summer break came, and I went back to live with my parents for the summer. I visited several specialists in our area, all of whom gave me the same answers. I was fine, all the tests were normal. I knew that something was wrong. Finally, one doctor studied my health records and was appalled to find that one of the medications I had been given was prescribed at all, and even more disgusted that the dose they had given me, at the time 18 years old, would not be prescribed to a male twice my age and weight. The medication was discontinued in the late 1980s as a blood pressure medication due to severe blood pressure rebound effects, and was only used as a sleep aid and, oddly, a heroine withdrawal aid. Not only this, but I was severely allergic, and my body had been fighting to protect me for the previous 8 months. If this weren’t bad enough, it turns out that the medication was also habit-forming and addictive. Upon stopping the medication, I went through a nightmare of a withdrawal process. I was shaking, sweating, and hallucinating. 3 years later, I am still seeing the effects of this in my daily life. I was diagnosed with asthma, chronic idiopathic urticaria, tachycardia, anemia, and more. I went from 0 medications to over 10 daily. But I am stronger now, and I have made sure that I will not let these issues define what I am capable of. I encourage people to advocate for themselves. I did not know how to when I first began my medical journey, but now, I am confident about the fact that I know myself best. Today, I work at a dementia care facility, and I take residents to appointments often. I always stand up for them and make sure that they have a voice. I have learned a lot from this, and I want to let others know that they are not alone.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. My favorite tech invention of the last 10 years is probably smart health tracking devices. As someone with a chronic illness that is difficult to manage, smart health tracking has changed my life for the better. For example, I need to carefully monitor my weight and keep an eye on any changes. With a Bluetooth scale, this has never been easier. It generates graphs and notifies me when there are deviations from my weight. This is synced with my Health app on my phone, which allows me to combine this with my blood pressure data and movement data collected from my watch. Wearable health technology was what first alerted me to a significant issue with my health. I was notified repeatedly that my heart rate was reaching dangerous levels when I was at rest, which I would not have recognized as being significant without it. I went to the emergency room and showed the doctors the previous week's data, complete with charts showing what was at rest and what was active, and they immediately began running tests and were able to begin the road toward finding what was wrong. Smart health technology has absolutely improved my life more than I ever thought possible. I am able to look at all of my health information, including getting medication reminders, all from the same app on my phone. Going to the doctor's office had been a struggle with trying to document everything that I would need to provide them, but now, I can just open up my phone! I am so grateful to be in an era of such quickly adapting and improving technology that has made this possible for me. I hope to change the way that the world looks at not only technology, but how we can use technology to improve wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. As a volunteer at NMU's genetic lab, we are constantly using technology to sequence and analyze data from several sources, and finding the best way to organize that data is challenging. I want to create a way to organize the data in a comprehensive and straightforward way so that it is accessible to anyone who wants to use it and/or learn from it. The world is just seeing a glimpse of what the future of technology can bring, and I can't wait to see what else is in store.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. Growing up, my great-grandmother was a woman I loved. She was funny, charismatic, and the daughter of first-generation immigrants. She was incredibly strong and devoted to her family. She loved to bake, and she could lighten the mood in any room that she walked into. Then, she was diagnosed with dementia. The woman that we all had known was still there, still present, but she wasn't. She knew my brother, sister, and myself, up until the very end, and I count that as a small miracle. She would have delusions that stemmed back decades, telling us that she had a lamb that needed caring for, adamant that this lamb was in the next room (there was no lamb). There were days that she was herself, and those days made the bad days even harder. I remember the Norse prayer on her wall, and how she seemed to stare at the embroidered words throughout our visits. I wish I knew what it said. My great-grandmother's brave fight until the end is what made me want to work in a dementia and Alzheimer's care facility. I have worked at Norlite Nursing Center for a year now, and if anything, I have never found more joy and love anywhere else I have worked than in the minds of those who are battling these illnesses. My residents are like a second family. I have cried at their bedsides, knowing that they will soon be reunited with spouses I heard so much about, my heart breaking that I only got to know them such a short time. I have held their hands as they cry or yell in fear or sorrow, scared because the world they once knew is no longer there. I have talked with them, listening to their stories on good days and bad, never quite knowing what is true, and what perhaps, they wish were true. No job has ever brought me so much peace, so much pain, so much joy, and so much love than working with residents experiencing battles that we cannot truly fathom. I have learned so much about the progression of the diseases, how they affect families, and how they affect the individuals themselves. There is nothing I want more than to educate others on the truth behind the disease and help them see that these people are still people. They are still there, they just need more patience. They need more love, and they need more support.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a focus on research. I have loved animals since before I can even remember. Growing up, I spent a lot of time outdoors. I wanted to learn everything I could, on my own and committed myself to making their world better in the only ways I knew how. I would sit by the creek behind my house and watch how the tiny minnows swam down to the swamp, captivated by their somehow innate knowledge that they were headed there, together. I would stand as still as I could in the woods and study how deer behaved with one another, trying to understand their subtle cues, like the flick of their ears, and the way a doe treated her fawn. I would study tracks, tree rubbings, and anything else I could find that may identify the diversity of wildlife present in that space. I would gently move painted turtles from the dirt road to the pond, and sit holding my breath as snapping turtles hatched and crawled out of the ground for the first time. I have never found anything else that made my heart beat faster, made me feel truer in awe, or given me more lasting peace than wildlife. They are the soul of the earth, what makes it most beautiful. I hope to obtain a career in wildlife research, primarily focusing my efforts on large predatory mammals and how urbanization and anthropogenic effects have impacted their behavior, genetics, diet, and more. I have spent time preparing for this career through work in the genetics laboratory, as well as working on a wolf gut microbiome project that allowed me the privilege to better understand these increasingly rare predators. I want to educate others and help people learn what to do and what not to do to protect wildlife, and also experience the outdoors. I want to make the outdoors more accessible, and I want to give back to the wildlife that made me who I am today. I truly care about wildlife. I care about the way that they make me see the world in a different light, I care about the way that they showed me that life is meant to be lived naturally. I care about the way that they showed me what is most important. I want to preserve them for future generations because I want this feeling to be something that others can experience too.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a focus on research. I am passionate about conservation, wildlife, outdoor recreation, increased access to outdoor recreation, and the environment. I love the outdoors and everything associated with them, and being in this educational field has been my dream since before I even knew that this degree existed! I always told people that I wish there were a degree for playing outside, and now that is exactly where I have led myself. I am proud of the accomplishments I have made during my academic career, and I love knowing that my younger self would be so excited to see where I ended up. This scholarship will allow me to finish my degree, which I am concerned will not be possible without assistance. I have worked to earn money for college since I was only 12 years old. This should have been enough, but unfortunately, it has not been. I am continuing to work to pay for my tuition, rent, and other living expenses, but along with my education, the funds seem to be depleted faster than I can replace them. This scholarship would provide me with the support I need to make it to graduation, and then to my dream career. I hope to work in wildlife research, primarily focusing my efforts on large, predatory mammals such as black bears and grizzly bears, and how anthropogenic effects have changed their behaviors, genetics, and diets. This is work I have dabbled in already, working with grey wolves and others. I am excited by the knowledge that urbanization has the potential to be reversed, or at the very least mitigated. I find wildlife animals fascinating, and I would love to give others the opportunity to learn about what I am so passionate about. Along with the costs associated with college, I have found that being a woman in this field means being taken less seriously than my male peers. I hope to give other women the confidence to pursue this degree if they so desire because I want to see more women in this field. Along with the work I hope to do, I want to work to encourage other women that they can be successful in any field they pursue, regardless of whether or not it is male-dominated.

Sustainability is a word thrown around loosely, with little meaning behind the word. Big companies, organizations, and even celebrities are often discussing it, without truly practicing it themselves. Sustainability is not difficult. I have made changes in my own life to better my carbon footprint, and these changes are hardly noticeable! Things like moving away from the idea of overconsumption, and moving toward underconsumption, with practices like simply using the same water bottles I already own, rather than buying the newest trendy one, or fixing clothing that I already have, rather than buying new, poor quality clothing that will likely end up in a landfill for quite a while. Influencers and social media as a whole push the idea of overconsumption, leading people to believe that if they do not have all of these items, many of which are a large amount of plastic and largely useless, they are not as good as anyone else. I try to encourage others to disregard this pattern of thinking, and move toward using what they already have. Individuals are the single most important part of making a difference. If we all adopt the mindset of “not me, someone else will do it”, it leaves no one to make that difference. Now, if we adopt the opposite mindset, we can make a difference. A true, meaningful impact.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a concentration in research. I hope to obtain a position in wildlife research, focusing my energy on large, predatory mammals and how their movements, behaviors, and dietary patterns have been influenced by urbanization. The environment is something that has always been a major part of my life and ultimately led to me becoming who I am. I am blessed to have grown up in a house that was surrounded by woods. I grew up playing in these woods, and they became so familiar to me that they were just as comfortable as my own home. I learned much of what I know about the environment from eagerly studying everything that I came across, from animal skeletons left behind after the spring thaw to leeches that I scooped out of the creek with glass jars. These experiences were the foundation of my continuous love of learning, and the small beginnings of my future of fieldwork. My studies will be the driving force behind combatting climate change and especially educating others about what can be done to mitigate the impacts of it on the environment moving forward. I want to provide those who may not know a lot about the environment with the means and resources to learn as much as I have been able to about the planet and how to protect it. I would tell my family and friends to stop letting social media and influencers convince us to engage in overconsumption practices. We do not always need the new, “trendy” thing, and we can reuse what we already have on hand. The same example I always use is that reusable water bottles, such as Hydroflasks, Stanleys, Owalas, etc., are reusable! We continue to give in to these trends, forgetting about are very good water bottles that we already have. Something as simple as just using the water bottle you already have can make a big difference. The future is in the hands of those who care, and I hope to change it with my effort, work, and dedication to making a difference and leaving the world better than I found it. There is so much to be done, but I truly do believe that with enough strength and enough people who want to do this work, that we can change the world.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University, studying Wildlife Management with a focus in research. I plan to pursue a career in the private sector to further the efforts of conservation and management of mammalian species, specifically large carnivores and omnivores. Winning this scholarship would allow me to continue my education and potentially pursue my graduate degree, which would open more doors for me in the field of wildlife research. As a woman in this field, it is difficult to get my feet in the door. I am working harder than I ever thought that I could, simply to put myself on the same level as the men in my classes, and this gives me the motivation to continue forward. I want to prove to myself, and to those who told me I would not be able to “stomach” it, or “handle it”, that I am perfectly capable of doing anything that I set my mind to. Wildlife research is something that I am immensely passionate about, and it has been my life’s work to create a world that I can feel good leaving for the next generation. I want to increase awareness of the wildlife conservation issues we as a society are both facing and creating and how we can make a change for the better. I dream that someday, I will see a world that respects wildlife and the environment, rather than viewing them as something expendable. I want people to feel what I feel each time I see the beauty of the Porcupine Mountains, Tahquamenon Falls, Pictured Rocks, or Lake Superior. I want people to feel the love in their hearts that I feel when I see a fawn with its mother, woodcock doing their mating rituals, or even the simplest bugs crawling on the ground. If more people had these feelings, I firmly believe we could do better as a whole. My dream career is to research black bears and their responses to increased anthropogenic movements and damage to their habitats. I want to provide widespread education initiatives to the public to prevent further issues in the future and to maintain the species that means so much to me. This scholarship is more than just funding my education, it is funding my future, and potentially the future of the wildlife that I hold so dear. Thank you for your consideration.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a concentration in research. I plan to graduate with my undergraduate degree by 2026, and then pursue my graduate degree. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, and doing whatever I can to get outdoors and enjoy the life I am blessed to live, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I also enjoy drawing, painting, and other means of artistic expression that allow me to put my thoughts on paper in a different way. I hope to pursue a career in wildlife research, focusing primarily on large, predatory mammals and how the impacts of anthropogenic effects have changed their behavior and biology. I have already begun efforts through research opportunities, such as obtaining samples of a grey wolf's digestive tract for microbiome research, studying parasitic relationships of large predators such as black bears, and more. I am fascinated by the environmental impacts that predators have, and how little we truly know about them and what they contribute. I hope to use my research to better educate others about the importance of wildlife and wildland conservation. These topics are very near to my heart and have been since before I could remember. I have always loved animals, especially those that do not get the attention they deserve. Making a difference in the world is something that I hope to do, truly. I want people to learn to respect wildlife and wildlands with the idea of two-eyed seeing, an idea taken from Indigenous culture. I want to make this idea more widespread and understood. The idea itself is that we are not better than other beings. We are all equal and take and give to and from one another with this understanding. We do not pursue things that only benefit us but do things with other beings in mind. We focus on making the environment better with each resource we utilize. There is a great deal of work that I need to do, but I am excited by the opportunity to learn, grow, and educate myself and others in what I am deeply passionate about. I want to ensure that everyone else has the ability to love what I do, and I want to make my passion something that I can work with. Thank you for your consideration of my essay for this scholarship

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a senior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management, and hope to pursue a career in wildlife research following graduation. I have struggled with my mental health for just about as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories revolve around the undiagnosed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that has always been as much a part of me as my hands or ears. It made my life difficult, and those around me often misunderstood it. From the age of 12 to the age of 17, I suffered from severe anxiety, depression, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) as side effects of the constant battle I was undergoing with my OCD. I felt trapped in my head, unable to escape or to describe what was going through my brain. During this time, I felt that perhaps suicide would be my only option. I turned to substance abuse and self harm. These became my turning point. Something had to give. It took 18 years to receive my laundry list of diagnoses, including anxiety, depression disorder, ADHD, OCD, ODD, and others. I was brought to tears by the fact that I was not "crazy". I had not been imagining this my entire life. Having someone else acknowledge these things made everything feel validated. I was no longer alone. It made me realize that many people, especially women, are often not taken seriously. We may be told that we are "attention-seeking", "dramatic", or a "worrier". I have worked very hard to shed light on my situation to help others seek the help that they need. As a member of my university's Diversity in Disability organization, I feel that I have played a role in making my voice heard. In the future, I hope to continue working to provide information and resources to others, and provide them with the validation to keep moving forward. We are never alone, and we should never feel "less than" for seeking help.

My name is Margaret Michel. I am currently a senior in Wildlife Management at Northern Michigan University. I am dedicated to wildlife conservation and the preservation of natural areas for years to come. I want to keep wildlife wild and make sure that we can protect these valuable parts of the earth. I plan to pursue a career in wildlife research, primarily focusing on the effects of urbanization and increased anthropogenic contact on large mammal species such as black bears. I have experienced countless things throughout my time in college that have solidified my decision to continue on this path. I hope to share a few things that stood out to me as reassuring me that I am doing what I am meant to do. The following are experiences that I have amazing professors to thank for. I was given an open-ended project to study wildlife during my junior year. We could do whatever we wanted as long as we focused our efforts on animals or organisms. I chose to study the patterns of white-tailed deer in different areas of my property by utilizing trail cameras. I created a large and comprehensive spreadsheet, tracking dates, times, temperature, moon phases, and more. I was fascinated by watching these animals move and loved seeing the patterns solidify through the data I was collecting. I knew that this was something I wanted to continue to work on in the future. I spent time in a laboratory studying parasites and dissecting various organisms to collect them. During this period, I also conducted extensive research on a specific parasite that often infects black bears: Trichinella spiralis. It was like I had opened a brand new door into research possibilities. I was astounded at this entire facet of the creature that I had never before considered. I decided that I wanted to fold parasitic infection into my research realm. So much information can be collected simply by studying the organisms within other organisms. Finally, I would like to share the story that made the most impact in my career path. I took a wildlife management class with a great deal of outdoor fieldwork and laboratory practice. We had one field lab that took place in a forested area near our campus. We went out late one night and set out mist nets with the hopes of tagging a woodcock. We sat in stunned silence as we watched this bird do its unique mating calls and dances, feeling its noises so low that we were feeling it physically present in our chests, and watching it fly into our net. We rushed to tag, collect data, and ensure that it was able to leave safely and quickly. It was remarkable to see something that most people will never see.

Wildlife conservation has always been a major passion of mine. I grew up in a family filled with avid outdoorsmen that supported every wildlife conservation organization I could imagine, and their fervor to protect vulnerable species was what influenced me at a young age. I was constantly fascinated by the salamanders, tree frogs, whitetail deer, rabbits, and that frequented my backyard. I would sit at my bedroom window, watching in awe as a doe led two young fawns around my swing set. It captivated me, and I could never quite look away until they had left my eyesight. I am currently majoring in Fishery and Wildlife Management at Northern Michigan University, and when I complete my degree I hope to be able to work in wildlife research, education, and conservation. I want to show others the importance of working to conserve what is in our backyards, rather than focusing on tropical species hundreds and thousands of miles away. While every species is important, efforts should be focused more locally to create a larger impact with the funding allotted. I want to work on land conservation to preserve the habitats of species that have already had so much taken away from them. I want to work on research of large, predatory North American mammals and see how the impacts of recent urbanization have affected them behaviorally and adaptationally. It would be fascinating to note any differences between decades or maybe even seasonally. One way I impacted my local community’s environment was when I began work at a Michigan State Park. I noticed that a lot of fishing line was being discarded improperly, and I wondered why there weren’t specific receptacles similar to the ones I had seen at other parks. I talked to my supervisor, who then approved my idea to take PVC pipes and create the proper receptacles to take care of discarded fishing line and keep it out of the water, where they could potentially harm the organisms in the lake. While at the park, I also personally made sure that over 1,500 aluminum cans were removed from the trash receptacle and properly recycled, thus avoiding more waste going to the landfill. We worked to ensure that garbage was removed from the ground and bushes where people would throw it, and we worked to make sure that the wildlife and people in the campground could peacefully coexist. People, it turns out, are often more of an aggressor than a wild species. I also work with my father on wildlife conservation on our property, where we work to plant specific types of crops, trees, and plants, to encourage the wildlife to feel safe in the habitat and make a sort of reservation where they can grow and mature. We talk with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources regularly to ensure that we are doing what we can and within proper guidelines to maintain the integrity of the environment. My goals for the future are things I truly want to see a change in my community. Firstly, I want to make fishing line disposal receptacles much more commonplace, therefore preventing a common trash item from entering waterways and creating damage to the ecosystem and its inhabitants. I also would like to see a change in the levels of urban wildlife, specifically on my college campus.

I am pursuing a degree in STEM because I have always loved science. It was one of the subjects that never seemed to conflict with my learning disability, always allowing me to work as hard as I could to learn all of the material that I could. I have had a thirst for more information in the study since I began science education many years ago. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, something near and dear to my heart. I am diligently working my way toward a career in Wildlife Research, and hope to work in research of large predatory mammal behavioral patterns in response to rapid urbanization in recent years. It is something that is both underfunded and looked past. I am dedicated to creating a platform of education and furthering the efforts of the conservation of wildlife in the United States. Education is the solution to many problems we face as a whole, and more widespread education on conservation efforts could mean the difference between extinction and successful reproductive seasons for many species across the country. If I were to win this scholarship, it would put me just that much closer to achieving my goal of a graduate degree in my field. With a graduate degree, I can get a position in a historically male dominant program, which would mean the world to me. I have been working for most of my life to break down the barriers for women in my areas of interest. I realized that women are not respected in many jobs from a young age. One example always seems to come to mind. When I was 16, I worked at a hardware store and was told by a customer that he would prefer if one of my male coworkers assisted him. I assured him I was capable and carried out the task with the same ability that any of my coworkers would. This was one of many experiences that showed me that I needed to prove that women are just as capable as men in a variety of different positions. This applies to finding a job in the Wildlife Management subsect, and would once again prove that I am capable and worthy of doing whatever my male counterparts can. I am so grateful for the opportunity to explain my position in applying for this scholarship, and thank you all for your consideration and generous use of time.

I want to work in wildlife research and/or wildlife education because wildlife conservation is one of the most important factors in my life. I have had a lot of obstacles to overcome. I have been diagnosed with a slew of mental health issues, including Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and more. These made it incredibly difficult for me to find success when it came to my schoolwork. It took a lot of time and work, but I have found that overcoming these illnesses and persevering through the difficulties that they present is what makes me proud in my life. As well as these illnesses, I was also diagnosed with a variety of chronic health issues to a doctor’s negligence. Overcoming that obstacle was one of the hardest things that I have ever done, in my entire life. I still struggle with breathing issues, heart issues, and skin conditions. I will never be my old self again, and that was one of the hardest things to accept. I worked harder than I thought possible to get healthy again, and worked to show myself that the doctor’s negligence could only control so many parts of my life. I learned more than I can imagine from these obstacles. I saw them as negative and learned over time how to turn them into positives and pay attention to what I could take away from these challenges. I learned how to be my advocate and to stand up for myself when things aren’t going in the right direction. I learned how to show others to do the same, and I learned that the healthcare system does not always have the final say. I learned that I am stronger than my diseases and that I can overcome a whole lot more than I ever thought was possible. I feel that I am very involved in the community and helping the community. In the past, I have been very active with a group centered in Detroit, called Guadalupe Workers. This organization helps mothers living in poverty get what they need to live a fulfilling life with their children. It was bittersweet because I realized that so many people have so unimaginably little. It made me so happy when they expressed their utmost gratitude for the simplest of things, like diapers, formula, and beds to sleep on at night. In the same breath, it broke my heart to know that they did not have the essentials. I want to continue working to better the poverty level in the Detroit area, which is close to me. It is where my father grew up, and it is important to our family because it holds heritage. It is where my grandfather moved and made his final home after immigrating from Guadalajara, Mexico, and we want to see it become better than where it is today. Community service plays an incredibly important role in making that a reality.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management with an anticipated graduation date of May 2025. I am passionate about wildlife, classic trucks and cars, and research in both. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, working on my truck, camping, and anything that gets me outside. I also love to spend time with my kitten, Trout, who is just as fond of the outdoors as me! My future goals have been in place for several years. I have loved wildlife since I was a little girl, and it was hardly a surprise to anyone I knew when I announced what I planned to do. Many expressed their excitement that I was going into a career that mattered to me, and told me that they couldn’t wait to see what I could do. Others were less supportive, and told me I was wasting my time. I hope to prove that I am capable of doing whatever I set my mind to. I know that I can do this! I hope to pursue a career in Wildlife Research, primarily focusing my attention on large predatory mammals and the impacts that widespread anthropogenic effects have had on disease and parasite virulence, behavioral patterns, and genetic differences. It is something that I would like to educate the public about because I have noticed a chronic misunderstanding and misconception about large predatory mammals and their impacts on various environments and ecosystems. It is something that deserves more attention and care. I would like to participate in creating a difference in wildlife conservation and management, and along with research, I want to get out into the field and work to make the environment cleaner, safer, and more beneficial to all species of plants and animals that inhabit the ecosystem. This scholarship would likely change my life. It would allow me to complete my degree and continue my education, which I have been worried I may not be able to complete due to my financial situation. It would give me the opportunity to remove a load of stress from my shoulders and allow me to focus on the important parts of my college education, as right now I am spending a great deal of time working in order to finance this education. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship, and appreciate your consideration.

Disability is something that many people live with. It is struggling to complete the simplest of tasks, and it is overcoming the symptoms that would cripple those not familiar with the pain or discomfort. It is strength, resilience, and knowing that giving up would be too easy when you have gotten this far. Disability is something that I have lived with and it is something that I am working hard to overcome and use to my advantage. I do not see my disability as simply something I must just live with until I die, and I don’t like to see it as something that holds me back, even when it does. I do not like that on my medical records, my diagnoses are categorized as “Problems”. I am not a problem, I do not need to be fixed. Defining disability in the modern world is different than the medical definition. Disability is simply a difference in opportunity. It gives the individual a different outlook and a different vantage point of seeing the world. For example, my ADHD lets me see things differently, that others may not notice. The details of day-to-day life that may not be visible to others. My OCD helps me stick to a defined schedule, cross off my to-do list, and organize everything. My endometriosis provides me with sympathy for others’ pain because I know how debilitating pain can be. My anxiety provides a caution when things may be unsafe or wrong, and keeps me on my toes when things may not be what they seem. My ODD has shown me how my words can affect others, and it reminds me that I must remember the emotions of those I am close to. Those are a few examples, and of course, they do not set me at the same level as my peers. I am unique, and I am working to put myself through college just like my peers. Disability has been a major part of my life, more so in the last two years, when a large number of important diagnoses seemed to fall onto my shoulders. Visits to a psychiatrist confirmed what we already knew, and then listed some more. After being medicated for those, I was put on another medication to control the side effects from the first. The hurt from my physical ailments is overcome by the emotional pain that comes from knowing that many of my chronic conditions are due to the malpractice of a doctor and a medication that was no longer recommended by the early 1990s. I was ignored, and my pain meant little. My eyes still brim looking at the documents that certify my multiple diagnoses, the lengthy list of treatments that failed me, some that made me sicker and resulted in a few of my chronic conditions, the doctors that are my heroes for listening and helping. I am not just these things, I am hardworking and enjoy the outdoors, love to learn, and am dedicated to my studies and my career in Fishery and Wildlife Management. I am not ADHD, ODD, OCD, anxiety, endometriosis, chronic idiopathic urticaria, hair loss, folliculitis, or depression. I am an individual that has overcome the issues that these problems give, and I am a problem solver and resilient. I am not my disability. I am not a list of “problems". I am Margaret Kathleen Michel. I am here as a person. I am not a statistic, I am a human being. I am not another patient on the docket. I am strong, and so is everyone else like me.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management with an anticipated graduation date of May 2025. I am passionate about wildlife, classic trucks and cars, and research in both. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, working on my truck, camping, and anything that gets me outside. I also love to spend time with my kitten, Trout, who is just as fond of the outdoors as me! My future goals have been in place for several years. I have loved wildlife since I was a little girl, and it was hardly a surprise to anyone I knew when I announced what I planned to do. Many expressed their excitement that I was going into a career that mattered to me, and told me that they couldn’t wait to see what I could do. Others were less supportive, and told me I was wasting my time. I hope to prove that I am capable of doing whatever I set my mind to. I know that I can do this! I hope to pursue a career in Wildlife Research, primarily focusing my attention on large predatory mammals and the impacts that widespread anthropogenic effects have had on disease and parasite virulence, behavioral patterns, and genetic differences. It is something that I would like to educate the public about because I have noticed a chronic misunderstanding and misconception about large predatory mammals and their impacts on various environments and ecosystems. It is something that deserves more attention and care. I would like to participate in creating a difference in wildlife conservation and management, and along with research, I want to get out into the field and work to make the environment cleaner, safer, and more beneficial to all species of plants and animals that inhabit the ecosystem. This scholarship would likely change my life. It would allow me to complete my degree and continue my education, which I have been worried I may not be able to complete due to my financial situation. It would give me the opportunity to remove a load of stress from my shoulders and allow me to focus on the important parts of my college education, as right now I am spending a great deal of time working in order to finance this education. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply for this scholarship, and appreciate your consideration.

Mental health has always been something that I have struggled with. Some of my earliest memories surround my fight with (currently diagnosed, but undiagnosed at the time) ADHD, OCD, and anxiety. These were the things that led me down a negative spiral, one which ended with a bout of alcoholism and substance abuse. That was my breaking point. I took what I learned from this and chose to make myself better and to help others to feel better too. I have spent the last few years helping others to advocate for themselves in life and especially in medical settings, because for far too long, my pleas for help were ignored. I hope to continue pursuing a better future, and to continue helping others get the help they need. I have already helped some of my friends to find a road to healing, and I have helped my partner to seek therapy to address the past. These are things I want to give to others: the power to accomplish something for themselves, and to see themselves as the person they are inside. It can be difficult, but it can also be beautiful.

Wildlife is the center of most things. It is the center of the environment we love, the recreation many of us pursue, traditional stories passed down, the food we eat, the pets that we domesticated, and much more. Whether or not we realize it, it is critical to our histories, our present, and our future. It is absolutely necessary, and this is why I want to work so hard to preserve and care for it. It is what I consider to be my life’s work, and I care about it with what feels like every fiber of my being. It is what makes me whole. My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, and I hope to pursue my Graduate degree upon completion. This would allow me to provide education to others and complete more in-depth projects. Throughout my time at Northern, I have participated in several organizations. I was secretary for Northern Michigan University’s Ducks Unlimited chapter. I am a member of NMU Zoology Club, NMU Disability in Diversity Club, and others. I would like to create a career for myself in wildlife research, primarily concerning large, predatory mammals and their behavioral patterns. I intend to study whether urbanization has made a significant difference in behavior, adaptations, genetics, and evolutionary mechanisms. I also would like to focus even more of my energy on the various black bear populations that inhabit North America, and how they are specifically being impacted by urbanization on a wide and narrow scale. More so, I would like to study the differences between bears in National Parks and those outside. I hope to work to educate the public about environmental damages associated with anthropogenic impacts and the consequences that can result. I have taken many steps to pursue the career of my dreams. I have worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which allowed me to create professional relationships with several other employees, who are all beneficial resources in furthering my career. I have spent a great deal of my free time working on research in order to understand the world around me and the issues that I am passionate about. I have taken several classes at my university that allowed me to explore the areas that I am interested in, and create a better big-picture idea in my own head of what I am looking into.

I plan to pursue a career in wildlife research, primarily studying the species Ursus americanus, or the North American black bear. I want to study how urbanization has had an impact on the behavior, diet, and genetics of the species and what management steps can be taken to mitigate these impacts in the future. I hope to provide education and resources to the public for proper interaction (or lack thereof) with the species. I feel that I am already on a good path to accomplishing my goals. I am currently a junior at Northern Michigan University, studying Wildlife Management with a concentration in Wildlife research. This experience already has provided me with extensive information and background to conduct research properly. I have also worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and this provided me with insight into the government sector of wildlife management. My interests have always been in wildlife, and this path that I am pursuing is one that no one was surprised to hear about. I have always loved the outdoors, and as a child, I spent hours upon hours studying the wildlife in the woods behind my house. I would collect leeches in glass jars, studying them for a few minutes before releasing them back into the creek. I would sit still and silent and observe deer and birds. At night, I would sit in my bed, trying to adjust my eyes to the night and shadowy trees to study the wildlife moving around within them. It was a passion that only flourished with age, and gave me the entry I needed into the career of my dreams. I want to change the way that people view black bears, and I want to help to return them to their wild state, rather than the urbanized and anthropogenic state in which several populations are currently living. There are negative effects that many people do not notice, but as someone who has lived alongside these animals, they are real, and they must be paid attention to. I want to educate people on the importance of this work, and the importance of separating ourselves from wild animals. We must remember that they are not ours, and though they are often "cute", we need to keep our distance and let them behave naturally. This is something that means the world to me, and without the education necessary, my world may very well disappear.

Recovery is not becoming perfect. Recovery is not immediately knowing what went wrong, or how things are different. Recovery isn't even a road. Recovery is a long, hard, twisting route through the most difficult obstacle course in the world. There are deep canyons that you must cross with only faith that you can avoid falling. There are holes in your way that you will trip in, but you have to get back up and keep moving. There are rivers that will threaten to sweep you away with the current as you struggle to cross. That isn't all of it. There are the most beautiful flowers, ones you have never seen or smelled before, and they are perfect. There are others that you come across every now and again, and you can share things with them that others don't understand. There are moments when the sun shines brighter than you ever thought possible. Recovery is everything from the moment the decision is made.

I have faced a great deal of difficulty in my life, but most notable was likely learning that a prescription medication from a trusted doctor had caused me to contract a chronic disease, and had affected my health permanently. I learned at eighteen years old that my life had changed forever. I was 18 years old when I was diagnosed with ADHD. I was prescribed a stimulant medication and had trouble sleeping as a result. When my doctor heard this, he immediately recommended a medication that I was unfamiliar with. I saw no issues taking it, as he had been my doctor for my entire life. Soon, I was up to the highest dose and was seeing horrid health effects, but could not determine what the issue was. I suffered from heart palpitations, soaring blood pressure, insomnia, urticaria, chest pain, fatigue, hair loss, weakness, and more. I visited specialists more times than I can count, and my cardiologist finally discovered that the medication had been the root of these all along. We assumed that upon cessation of the medication, everything would return to normal. This was unfortunately not the case. It turns out that the medication was addictive and only intended for short-term use (I had been on it for seven months), and I went through a horrible withdrawal period, where I hallucinated, and suffered from severe insomnia, sweating, and other usual side effects of withdrawal. I assumed I was through the woods until my dermatologist confirmed that I had chronic idiopathic urticaria. It is rare and causes me to flare up with hives that are only partially managed with medication that I take up to eight times a day. Not only that, but my hair is still thinning and my breathing is still abnormal. I rely on a host of vitamins and medications that I have heavily researched to live a somewhat normal life, something that I was unfamiliar with before this. I got through all this with a lot of strength. I had little support during this period, and I was mostly on my own. I was told by my own family that they could do nothing to help, and since I go to college 430 miles from home, I had no family close to me whatsoever. I got through the misery and fear with meditation and the hope that it was not permanent, and a few close friends understood that something was wrong. I had friends that drove me to the emergency room and waited for hours for test results with me, and I had friends that offered as much help as they possibly could. I worked harder at school to take my mind off of the pain and discomfort I was in and placed distractions that would benefit me as my priority. When I could not sleep, I worked on homework. When I could not leave the bed, I read books. I enjoyed nature as much as possible. Now, my boyfriend is always close by when I am having a flare-up and cares for me better than anyone else. I am so grateful to have the community that I did when things got bad, and I am glad that I made it through, coming out stronger on the other side.

I have faced a great deal of difficulty in my life, but most notable was likely learning that a prescription medication from a trusted doctor had caused me to contract a chronic disease, and had affected my health permanently. I learned at eighteen years old that my life had changed forever. I was 18 years old when I was diagnosed with ADHD. I was prescribed a stimulant medication and had trouble sleeping as a result. When my doctor heard this, he immediately recommended a medication that I was unfamiliar with. I saw no issues taking it, as he had been my doctor for my entire life. Soon, I was up to the highest dose and was seeing horrid health effects, but could not determine what the issue was. I suffered from heart palpitations, soaring blood pressure, insomnia, urticaria, chest pain, fatigue, hair loss, weakness, and more. I visited specialists more times than I can count, and my cardiologist finally discovered that the medication had been the root of these all along. We assumed that upon cessation of the medication, everything would return to normal. This was unfortunately not the case. It turns out that the medication was addictive and only intended for short-term use (I had been on it for seven months), and I went through a horrible withdrawal period, where I hallucinated, and suffered from severe insomnia, sweating, and other usual side effects of withdrawal. I assumed I was through the woods until my dermatologist confirmed that I had chronic idiopathic urticaria. It is rare and causes me to flare up with hives that are only partially managed with medication that I take up to eight times a day. Not only that, but my hair is still thinning and my breathing is still abnormal. I rely on a host of vitamins and medications that I have heavily researched to live a somewhat normal life, something that I was unfamiliar with before this. I got through all this with a lot of strength. I had little support during this period, and I was mostly on my own. I was told by my own family that they could do nothing to help, and since I go to college 430 miles from home, I had no family close to me whatsoever. I got through the misery and fear with meditation and the hope that it was not permanent, and a few close friends understood that something was wrong. I had friends that drove me to the emergency room and waited for hours for test results with me, and I had friends that offered as much help as they possibly could. I worked harder at school to take my mind off of the pain and discomfort I was in and placed distractions that would benefit me as my priority. When I could not sleep, I worked on homework. When I could not leave the bed, I read books. I enjoyed nature as much as possible. Now, my boyfriend is always close by when I am having a flare-up and cares for me better than anyone else. I am so grateful to have the community that I did when things got bad, and I am glad that I made it through, coming out stronger on the other side.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management with an anticipated graduation date of May 2025. I am passionate about wildlife, classic trucks and cars, and research in both. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, fishing, working on my truck, camping, and anything that gets me outside. I also love to spend time with my kitten, Trout, who is just as fond of the outdoors as me! I currently work at Auto Zone as a Parts Sales Manager with recognition as a Parts Expert and Customer Sales Professional. I enjoy this job a great deal because I love to work on my own vehicle, and I love helping people find solutions to their vehicles' problems. It fascinates me how different and yet similar all vehicles, no matter the year, make, or model can be. I love learning everything that I can so that I can be responsible for my own vehicle repairs and maintenance. I hope to pursue a career in Wildlife Research, primarily focusing my attention on large predatory mammals and the impacts that widespread anthropogenic effects have had on disease and parasite virulence, behavioral patterns, and genetic differences. It is something that I would like to educate the public about, because I have noticed a chronic misunderstanding and misconception about large predatory mammals and their impacts on various environments and ecosystems. It is something that deserves more attention and care. This scholarship would likely change my life. It would allow me to complete my degree and continue my education, which I have been worried I may not be able to complete due to my financial situation. I currently live off campus with my partner and find it difficult to make ends meet on an already tight budget. I am responsible for paying rent, utilities, and other expenses with no help. This makes it difficult to set anything aside for tuition costs, even though it is what I am working towards. Recently, the vehicle I had completed paying off had to be totaled, and I now have to put even more money towards a vehicle. This scholarship would give me the opportunity to have enough money to pay for my tuition and being able to continue to pursue my dreams and accomplish what I have set out to do. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story.

Pursuing a higher education was something I did not think I could do. As someone living with a learning disability, most of my education was spent being told that I needed to do more, be more, and do things that I could not do. I was told that I would not be able to succeed in life. I thought that college was something that would not be an option for someone like me. In the end, I applied to just one college, pursuing it because I felt that if I did not at least try, I would never forgive myself for the missed opportunity. To my delight, I was accepted. I knew that this would change how my future would look. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, in the field of Wildlife Biology. Throughout my life, the outdoors and wildlife were what I loved most. I was constantly told that I could not make it a career and that I needed to focus on something more “useful”. To me, knowing everything I could about the animals around me and the environment I spent time in was the best possible use of my time. Finding out that a degree path existed for this interest was probably one of the most exciting things that has happened to me. I have never felt so much passion as I do while studying animal physiology, or wildlife population statistics, or even researching what makes behavioral changes in wildlife. I hope to pursue a career in wildlife research, primarily putting my focus on large predatory mammals and the effect that widespread anthropogenic effects have had on their behavior, the prevalence of illness and parasites, and other factors of life histories. It is something that I would like to provide public education for, because the thing I have noticed most is that there is a chronic misunderstanding and misconception of several large predatory mammal species, such as black bears, coyotes, and grey wolves. My life has been defined by my choices. I am proud to say that I have gotten as far as I am now, and I can’t wait to continue the path I am on. It brings me joy to wake up each day, knowing that I am doing something that I am so deeply passionate about, knowing that I am making a difference just by continuing my studies. I am proving to not only myself, but those who told me I couldn’t, that I very much can succeed.

Sustainability is incredibly vital to maintaining the world in which we live. Sustainability maintains the health and biodiversity of the environment and the global population. Ignoring the need for sustainability could mean the difference between literal life and death. If everyone were to use all the resources they wanted, we would likely need several Earths to support the selfish actions of one another. There is a program that, with a simple questionnaire, can determine how many Earths would be necessary if everyone lived as you do. This was a project in my environmental science class one semester, and it truly changed the way I view myself and how I utilize resources. International cooperation is crucial. If not everyone complies, all efforts will be futile. Everyone needs to do their part and participate to form a better world for us all. If one person maintains their habits and continues needlessly expending resources, we will be in serious trouble. Individuals are truly the most important factor in creating a sustainable future. As mentioned above, we must all work together and put aside things that are not necessary. Perhaps take a shorter shower, or even switch to a vegetarian diet. Each person doing one or two small things can make a world of difference. It may not appear so at a small scale, but if everyone did just one thing, we would be far better off.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am currently studying wildlife management and hope to pursue a career in wildlife research and education. As someone living with a learning disability in a very high-paced degree path, I have had to find ways to learn differently that often rely on technology. I have learned which resources are beneficial and which are not, how to access these, and how to make technology work for me. I utilize an iPad in order to take notes during lectures, and spend a longer amount of time outside of class writing these notes by hand to further memorization and understanding. Having the iPad in class allows me to write more information more quickly and utilize figures that I may not otherwise be able to include. It enables me to keep all of my notes in one place no matter where I am. I use ChatGPT to write study guides for me on different subject matters, and then work to make sure that I understand each concept listed. It shows me what I may be missing, and gives me a great breakdown of topics for my more difficult subjects. In addition, I use ChatGPT to write my to-do lists for classes or break down the ways that I can study better for different courses. This has given me a better understanding of the various benefits of AI, as well as the drawbacks. I use flow chart apps to create “mind maps”, which are spiderweb like charts that can break down a variety of concepts into just one main concept. This allows me to go over my notes and find the important information, while also giving me an opportunity to make connections. This enhances my understanding of course material and helps me to better retain all of the information. Overall, technology has given me the resources necessary to succeed in such a difficult biology-intense major. It has allowed me to learn at the same level as my peers, and given me so much more than I could ever do on my own. I have been able to retain more information and focus better than I ever thought possible. While some may label technology as something that is making our generation worse, I find that it gives us new ways to enhance ourselves and create new possibilites.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying wildlife management and hope to receive my undergraduate degree by May 2025. I am passionate about the outdoors and educating others. My education goals have been what has kept me going throughout college. I want to prove myself and set myself apart from the stigma that follows me as someone with a learning disability. I hope to prove that I am far more than just this disability and that I am capable of achieving my degree requirements just like my peers. I am confident in my own abilities despite being told that I was not capable of completing this degree due to both my gender and my disability. I know that I can do it. My career goals are something that I want to reach more than anything. I hope to pursue a career in wildlife research, which has interested me since childhood. I have always loved animals, and I spent much time noticing the intricacies of wildlife since I was a little girl. This passion has followed me into adulthood. It is this passion that keeps me moving, keeps me seeking more educational opportunities, and keeps me focused on my studies and doing what I can to make sure that I learn the most possible about my future work environment. In addition to research, I would also like to work in public education and make the outdoors more accessible to others. I would love to teach people about the safety tips that have made the outdoors more accessible for me, and I want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable being outdoors. I would also like to educate people on wildlife conservation and put to rest some of the most common myths of wildlife in order to better the future of conservation and the longevity of several species that are close to my heart, such as the North American Black Bear. This scholarship will assist me in reaching these goals. It will allow me to continue my college education without worries of finances preventing me from doing so. For the majority of my college career, I have worked in order to pay my way. If I were able to spend more time on my studies because I was not so concerned about my financial situation, I would be able to gain even more knowledge that would be beneficial in the future.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management and hope to pursue a career in wildlife research and public education. I began developing my research skills before I knew that that was what I was even doing. Sitting on the bank, I would spend hours outside at the creek behind my childhood home. I would watch how the minnows took over the stream, flooding down towards the swamp. I would catch leeches in Mason jars and study their movements. I watched deer interact with one another, noting their different behaviors, and doing my best to stay absolutely still. When I entered college, I realized that all of the time spent watching wildlife and being outdoors was something I could never give up. It was the thing in my life that made me feel whole, that brought me peace and made me my own individual person. It brought me the reason behind being. It was the answer to the why. I grew up incredibly blessed to live somewhere covered in natural beauty. I did not realize until I started talking to people in elementary school that most kids did not have what I did. I was sad for them. I wanted to show everyone what it meant to love the outdoors and live your life for them. I began playing in the woods at recess, showing other kids how to take river clay and make little “bricks”, which we dried in the sun. I taught them what plants would make them itchy, and I taught them where the best hiding spots for salamanders and frogs were so that we could see them. This was when my sharing of my passion all began. As an adult now, I realize that there is more to the outdoors than frogs and salamanders and itchy plants. There is a world that needs to be experienced for everything it has, and I hope to educate others about wilderness safety, wildlife and wildland conservation, and the other facets of outdoor recreation. I hope to change the tone of how people view the outdoors and open it to others who may not have had the ability to learn within its arms. My goal is to make the outdoors more accessible and more of an understood concept, instead of something that is just out of reach and a little scary.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management. Currently, to pay for my tuition and other living expenses, I work as a Parts Sales Manager at a local auto parts store. In my free time, I enjoy fishing, camping, hiking, and bringing my kitten, Trout, along for all of my adventures. Being outdoors is my favorite thing, and it gives me insight into my studies to see things firsthand. My goal is to pursue a career in wildlife research. My interest is primarily in large, predatory mammals and their relationship with widespread urbanization and other anthropogenic effects. I have spent most of my time in college fascinated with Ursus americanus, otherwise known as the North American black bear. With ever-increasing urbanization, I continue to follow the changes in their behavior, their habitats, and how it is consistently affecting their life and life history. It is something that I would like to work toward improving and providing education for. It is important to me that they are not forgotten and that they are not treated poorly, especially as humans increasingly view them as a novelty, and not a living being. The adversity that I have faced throughout my educational and professional career includes sexism, mental illness, and a chronic disease. Working in both automotive and outdoor-related fields, I have found that women are still statistically absent. This is something that needs to change, and it is something I am working every day to encourage women to pursue. This leads to all sorts of harassment, negativity, and other issues. In addition, I am living with an assortment of chronic illnesses and ADHD. All of these combined led me to the conclusion that I can not give up. I have to prove that despite the hardship that I have faced, I am still capable and can accomplish what I want to. The adversity I encountered did little to stem my passion and my drive to accomplish my goal. If anything, it gave me the motivation I needed to prove myself. If I cannot prove anything to the world, the least I can do is prove it to myself, to the little girl who was told she couldn’t have a career outdoors, the little girl who loved animals more than words could describe. I am doing it to make that little girl proud.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management and hope to pursue a career in wildlife research. When not in class, I work at Auto Zone as the Retail Parts Sales Manager. In my free time, I enjoy playing with my kitten, Trout, working on my truck (a 1995 K1500), hiking, camping, and anything that gets me outdoors. My favorite animal has to be the North American black bear. It is the animals I want to focus my research around because it is so misunderstood as a species. It is gentle, it is smaller than other bears, and it is easily scared. Its behavior has been changing because of humans, and I want to study that to find the root of the nature of this change. From the time I was a baby, my father brought me outdoors and encouraged me to explore and learn as much as I could, independently. He was there for guidance and to answer my questions, but I spent a great deal of my childhood learning from my surroundings, which included a large variety of wildlife species. I remember vividly watching herds of white-tailed deer, noticing how the smaller ones were always wandering off and their mothers had to chase them back into the herd. I would sit by the creek on our property, catching leeches and minnows to watch how they behaved in the Mason jar I caught them in. I loved to sit as still as possible on the leaf litter covering hard patches of dirt on the forest floor to see if I could “trick” the animals into coming up to me. These times were when I was able to conduct my best observations of birds, bugs, and deer. I have always been fascinated by the intricacies of nature and the environment, primarily when it came to the creatures and moving things that frequented my family’s property. Being so close to the wildlife that shaped my childhood made me more attached to them. I want nothing more than to preserve the wildlife left on this beautiful Earth, and I want to educate others on proper safety and interaction with wild animals. It is nothing short of my life’s dream to be able to pursue a career in which I can do better by wildlife. No word aside from “love” feels quite right to describe my feelings toward animals. I truly feel a connection to them, and want to see that they cover earth for as long as I am here, and forever after.

One woman comes to mind when posed with the question of who pushed me to where I am today. I am sure that the cliche of high school teachers as heroes is heard often, but I truly credit my success to one teacher that made me who I am. Open about her learning disabilities, she supported the students who struggled with ADHD, dyslexia, and other disorders that made learning more challenging. As a woman with ADHD who was often discredited or told that I was faking, her support meant more than words could ever express. She offered several things that made learning more helpful for us, such as hands-on projects, different methods to complete assignments, and options when it came to how the course material would be presented. She understood the differences in learning styles that many of us had and encouraged us to do things in the ways that helped us to understand the topics best. I had several classes with this teacher, and none were more of a contribution to my interests than her class that covered environmental sciences. With hands-on projects, outdoor laboratory assignments, and even a fundraiser project to help our local environment, she helped our class to understand the key points of environmental science with full knowledge. After taking a course in college my sophomore year, I texted her thrilled because some of the topics, such as macroinvertebrates, that we had learned that semester were making sense thanks to the lessons that she had taught. It proved how amazing of a teacher she was. The most amazing part about this teacher was her neverending support of my dreams. When I declared a major in my senior year of high school, most of the responses I received were negative and lukewarm at best. "What will you do with a Wildlife Management degree?" "How will you be successful?" Mrs. Ciarelli was far more receptive. She gave me a big hug, told me how proud of me she was, and said that the path sounded like it would be incredible and that she could not wait to see how I did. This was the push that gave me the courage to pursue my dreams. Without this teacher, I would not have gotten as far in life as I have. A junior in college, I still think of her often and talk to her often. She has made me the person writing this essay, and I think of it in some ways as a tribute to her to thank her for all she has done, and to let her know her dedication to her work meant the world to me and many others.

Becoming someone who makes a change, and makes a difference, seems to be what I see in every face as I sit at the table in my laboratory classroom. My peers are here to become something, many of us were told that we could not do what we wanted because it wasn't what our parents saw in our futures, which they had meticulously and carefully planned from the moment of our birth. Notebooks and laptops cover the tables, keys type, and pens scratch as the professor notes the importance of different geological and ecological periods millions of years ago, and describes why they matter even today. There is a focus on learning these, taking them to our permanent memory bank, and being able to apply the concepts in papers, research, and exams. To us, this is more than rote memorization. It is learning the past to avoid the same things happening again. It is noting climate change and the path to destruction humanity seems to be dangerously speeding toward, and calculating diversity to compare with accounts from decades ago to prove what we are doing to the environment. It is more than simply classwork, it is what we hope to change with our careers. As a high school senior, I struggled to pick a path. I wrestled with the idea of a path where I would be guaranteed a salary, benefits, and minimal stress, but that wasn't right for me. I instead leapt with faith and hope toward a career with the objective of changing the tone of the future, of bettering the environment. I can't know what may happen, but I do know that I, and all of my peers, will fight towards a future where there is no longer concern over a crisis of environmental health. We are on our way.

This scholarship would benefit me and my future in a huge way, and in more ways than I really have room to detail in this essay. As someone with a low income and an uncertain financial future, I am concerned about paying for my college tuition. I have saved money from paychecks, birthdays, and holidays since I was a child. I have already run out of these savings, and I am worried that I will not be able to attend college next semester and graduate with my degree by May 2025. This is something that would greatly affect my plans for my career because, without a degree, I cannot begin working on what I hope to do. If I were to receive this scholarship, I would be able to complete my degree, which is what I want more than anything else. I would be able to begin working in the field of Wildlife Research, which has been my dream since I was a little girl. I have always loved animals, specifically wildlife animals, and I want to do my very best to find solutions to conservation and natural resource issues that are cropping up more and more as a result of urbanization into historical territories. I want to reach my goals and the dreams that I have had my entire life. Receiving this scholarship would genuinely impact my future for the better. I would be grateful beyond words because it would do something for me that would help me to achieve something I am passionate about, and have loved as long as I can even remember. I have worked harder than I ever thought possible to reach my dreams, and if I were unable to continue due to a lack of resources, I would be heartbroken. I truly feel that this is what I was meant to do in life, and I want to give back to the environment in the same way that it has bettered my life. I am connected to the wildlife around me because they gave me my dream, my goal, my passion, and my drive. I want to ensure that their populations are protected long-term and that we can find suitable conservation methods that eventually lead to the independent longevity of populations. I have high hopes for the future, and I have higher hopes that I can make it happen. Thank you for taking the time to consider my essay.

Challenges are what propel us through life. Challenges teach us, they help us to grow, and they allow us to do better. They are not easy, and they are not joyful for most. They are struggles that enable us to become better people, and often more compassionate. The challenge that has given me the most drive in my life has been being doubted regarding my abilities as a woman in my field of work. Working in automotive parts sales, I have found that not only co-workers, but customers as well, often judge me far more critically when it comes to my knowledge and experience. I have had many men make inappropriate comments, and others ask my supervisor whether or not I really know what I am talking about. I have had previous managers that remarked that I “should get used to cleaning up after men”, and make comments about my body. I knew that I was capable, and all of this simply drove me to work harder to prove myself and my expertise. I often find that after someone realizes I am knowledgeable on automotive parts and how they work, they begin to soften from the sexist remarks and listen to what I am saying. This is success to me, but it is irritating to have to work to prove that I am not worth less than others. This challenge is what has propelled me to educate women in things that are traditionally “male” hobbies or activities, such as working on cars, fishing, and more. I have found so many women in my career that are scared to ask questions, lest they be judged or mocked for doing so, and many are vastly interested in the very same things that I enjoy. My favorite example of helping another woman with compassion was during work one day when a woman came in with a question about her power steering hose. She was concerned as it was leaking, and my co-worker was being rude. I suggested that we take a look at the leak, and after getting her the fluid she needed, I showed her where the leak was coming from. She admitted that she had no idea where the pump was, and I showed her and told her how to put the fluid in properly. Afterward, she thanked me and said she was grateful that a woman was working at the store. She added that it was nice to have someone work to teach her, rather than judge her and make her feel stupid. It made me so happy that I was able to help her to feel more confident rather than make her feel ignorant because she was not. We all face challenges. I know that mine are challenges faced by countless women, and I hope to inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and do what they dream of. It is something that I work to overcome every day, and I hope to see a future where women will not be questioned, and their knowledge will be respected. Women are no less capable than men, and there are so many that are powerful and capable of amazing things!

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Fishery and Wildlife Management and have a concentration in Wildlife management. I am interested in both wildlife and automotive fields and have held jobs in both. Currently, I am a Parts Sales Manager at Auto Zone and am working full time in order to pay for my tuition in order to complete my Bachelor’s degree. This has been something that has been difficult and rewarding, especially being a woman in this field. I have found in both areas that I have little respect, and even as a manager, I am viewed as less than my other coworkers. It is often assumed that I know little about my field, but once in a while, I am able to prove myself in both when people come in for automotive parts and have questions about the local environment! This helps me to feel that I have taken the right path in life. I plan to contribute to the field of science by pursuing a career in wildlife research. I would primarily like to study the impact that urbanization has had on large, predatory mammals. Even more specifically, I would like to collect data regarding urbanization’s effects on genetics, behavioral patterns, adaptations, and possible longevity and lifespan. It is important that wildlife remain wild, and with humans and wildlife having more contact all the time, this can lead to some negative effects for both. Wildlife are already showing visible signs that they are losing their usual behaviors and fears, especially in Yellowstone National Park. Black bears, which are usually afraid of humans and tend to stay to themselves, are now approaching humans because they are aware that this means being fed. They are losing the natural instincts that assist them in feeding themselves. I want to change this and hopefully reverse it by presenting my research and assisting in creating a program that can remove human contact. Perhaps a specific area in National Parks can be off-limits, or perhaps there can be another change made that will help these species get back to what they know best. Whatever the solution may be, I hope to find it and make a difference. I know my worth, and I know that with hard work come the fruits of my labor. I hope to produce the most beautiful fruits in the future.

College excites me because it is something new every single day, while still maintaining a routine. It is a chance to open new doors for myself and make myself better. I love learning and always have, and with my specific degree there is always more to learn, more to discover, and more to challenge yourself with. It is comforting and frightening in the best of ways, and I enjoy the endless new things that are available each day. I am passionate about my career and I am deeply invested in the success I see for myself in the future. I hope to be able to change the state of conservation in the United States, if not the world, through in-depth research of large, predatory mammals and their behavioral and genetic changes due to widespread urbanization and increased human contact. I hope to develop a better system for their care and maintaining their historical range, and I hope to introduce them back into the wild places that they used to call home. Maintaining my health at school has proved to be more challenging than I initially thought. I entered college as a student that embodied the picture of physical health, but that all fell apart as I discovered that I had been the victim of negligence and malpractice by a trusted physician. I had to rediscover what being healthy meant in the face of chronic illness, something that I never imagined I would need to deal with. I began to focus on my health and make conscious changes to my diet, routine, fitness, and other aspects. I began to practice meditation, take vitamins (after consulting with a doctor to ensure that they were beneficial), better my eating habits, and monitor my fitness. This made me more mentally strong because I was confident that I could maintain my own health and loved taking more care of myself. Focusing on myself was not something I had done in the past, but I came to enjoy the routine that I developed to distract myself from the disease. It helped me feel like myself and feel comfortable in my own skin, and this helped me to take care of other people and teach them more about the medical system and how to be one’s own advocate. My dreams and my health are hand in hand. One without the other can not be successful, and though my plans have shifted, my priorities remain the same. I want to show others that chronic illness does not have to get in the way of success. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

I am a non-traditional student because I am working full-time and attending university full-time. I am working harder than I have ever had to in my life to support myself and pay not only my tuition, but my rent, truck payment, grocery costs, and utilities. I struggle through each day knowing that I am working towards my dreams, and that is what drives me. The end goal of working to better the environment through dedicated research and field work with the species that I am constantly fascinated by is motivation to work through the days. I may be sweating at work pulling auto parts and fixing cars, but I am happy. I am happy that the sweat means that one day I will be sweating from hard work in another field, the one that shapes all of my dreams.

Recovery means waking up in the morning knowing that I am enough to exist. I am able to get through the day on my own. I am able to make my life meaningful without the help of anything else. I am capable. Recovery means knowing that my battles are happening, even if others may not see them. Recovery is making the most of a day that feels like it may never end, and giving it purpose. I have been watching my father, recovering from alcoholism, watch me recover from the same ailment. We stand together in our battle, and that is what is most important to me. He taught me what recovery is. Recovery is recovering. Recovery is putting my head on my pillow at night and knowing that I am stronger than my addiction.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management, with a focus on Wildlife Management and conservation. I would like to enter a career in wildlife research, primarily focusing on large, predatory mammals and their responses genetically, behaviorally, and environmentally to widespread urbanization. Pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management (as a wildlife biologist) is difficult as not only a woman, but a Hispanic woman. Looking at the statistics, it is clear that the profession has been historically reserved for white males. The statistics show that the gender ratio is 63% male, and the race ratio is 72% white. This leaves little room for someone like me, and I have seen that first hand. I have always loved working jobs that are traditionally male-dominated, which has opened my eyes as to how little women can be respected when it comes to knowledge of certain things or capability of completing tasks. I have held positions in a campground, a hardware store, on a farm, and as of now, at an auto parts supplier. The most issues have arisen at my present job. I have had customers that will ignore me and ask for a male to assist, or tell me that because of my size I am not capable of completing a task that I know I am able to do. I have been called disgusting names, and I have been told directly that I don’t know as much because I am a woman. This can be infuriating, but I have adopted the method of proving that I am capable of doing my job. I like to think that I am rather knowledgeable in the automotive field, and I have a great deal of knowledge concerning parts. I have had a few gentlemen ask me for my advice on how to complete a project, such as what they can use to stop a door hinge from squealing (white lithium grease), or how to best apply muffler tape (with foil beneath if it is extra hot, and ensure proper service if there is a hole in the exhaust manifold). These interactions teach me that I am capable of doing what some believe I can’t, and I just need to be allowed to speak in order to prove it. I have been accepted to a program through my current employer called “Young Women in Leadership” that allows me to converse with other women my age that are dealing with the same issues that I am. It offers the opportunity to discuss tactics and management styles that allow us to gain more respect, and allow us to equal ourselves with our male counterparts. I hope to help open the doors to more women, no matter their race, in my field and all fields. I would love to start a non-profit service that takes anyone into the outdoors and teaches survival skills and other things that non-traditional upbringing may not have suitably provided. These can be the difference between life and death on a backpacking trip or camping trip, and many people are simply unaware. This, of course, is not due to lack of want to know, but rather due to lack of education because it simply was not available. I want to provide that education free of charge.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently pursuing a degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management with a concentration in Wildlife Management and conservation. I am devoted to making the world better, especially for the wildlife that are being ignored in the face of “progress” that continues to remove them from their historic habitat. My life, to me at least, is a bit unusual from the normal 19-year-old. I have been through quite a bit in a short period. I have been diagnosed with a chronic illness due to the negligence and malpractice of a medical professional, I have been treated for a host of mental illnesses and a learning disability, I suffered physical and emotional abuse during childhood, and I received little, if any, support when I declared my career aspirations and what I wanted to study. In short, I have become well acquainted with hardship. I used these challenges to push myself further than I ever imagined possible. I wanted to prove that I could come up from the ground and make something of myself, and prove everyone wrong that told me I wouldn’t be successful. This is my motivation and what gives me drive to continue moving forward. I hope to complete my degree, perhaps continuing to receive a Graduate degree if I am able. I would like to work in the field of wildlife research, primarily studying the behavioral pattern changes and genetic changes of large, predatory mammals and their relationship with urbanization. This would enable me to obtain a great deal of information on what can be done in terms of conservation to make habitats better and more responsibly maintained in order to preserve what natural resources are left. I hope to use my education to give great contributions to the field of STEM. I want to give others in the biology field information as to how we can better address the concerns of conservation in areas that are not generally focused on, such as the coyotes that run wild in Chicago, the black bears too comfortable with human contact in Yellowstone, and more. This would enable us to give back to the wildlife that we have endlessly taken from, and hopefully restore populations that are in critical conditions. I believe that I deserve this scholarship because I am hardworking, dedicated, and passionate about what I am doing. I have saved up for college since I took my first job at the age of 12. I saved half of every single paycheck from farm labor, bagging at a grocery store, teaching preschool, working at a campground, and cashiering at a hardware store. Even now, I continue to put money away while struggling to pay rent, my truck payment, and grocery costs with the paycheck from my job at a local auto parts supplier. This, however, is simply not enough. By the time I was finished with my freshman year, I was almost out of my savings that I thought would last until graduation. This scholarship would allow me to remain in school and complete my degree.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Wildlife Management with a focus on conservation and research. I hope to pursue a career in wildlife research, primarily focusing on large, predatory mammals and their behavioral patterns and changes associated with urbanization. STEAM has always been something that appealed to me on a rather significant level. Even when I was young, I knew that science was something I wanted to pursue, no matter what field I ended up in. It was the only class in school I was able to focus on, and it was the one that mattered most to me in terms of how well I did on exams, homework, and projects. I put my all into the classes that I took, and I retained far more than any other subject I studied. From an incredibly young age, I loved biology, chemistry, and all things scientific. The statistical experiments and natural order of things spoke to me, and I liked the black-and-white facts that became easy to understand. There was little that I could not learn, and I spent much of my childhood studying without realizing it. I would spend hours in the forest on our property, studying leeches that I caught in jars to analyze their movements and anatomy, trying to identify scat, and learning to identify bone remnants from the local wildlife. I learned about ecology and wildlife behavioral patterns just by being there, and it took years to realize that it would become something more than childhood games. In high school, I thought that I might like to pursue a career in nutrition and dietetics. I loved medicine, and I studied it relentlessly to learn anatomy, medical terminology, and biology. I competed three times with an organization called HOSA (Health Occupation Students Association) and went to the state level twice for nutrition and healthy lifestyle. As I got older, I decided that I wanted to go back to my roots. I switched my career dreams and put my entire heart and soul into pursuing Wildlife Management. My career is what I needed all along. It is fascinating, it is endless data and statistics, and it is all that I taught myself playing in the woods for all those years. Hunting with my dad taught me about population health and how traditional tracking (following animals using scat, fur, tracks, and other signs) plays a role in studying animal movements and behaviors. Watching leeches taught me how to analyze even the smallest of creatures, and how to be patient in order to learn. Watching frogs and fish in the pond taught me the circle of life, especially after watching organisms that aren’t usually considered carnivores, such as frogs, eat their own kind. Learning has been a lifelong endeavor for me, and I am thrilled to continue my education and continue to grasp more knowledge as time goes on. There is an endless supply of what I can know, and my dream is to fit as much as I can into my brain. I know that young me would be so incredibly proud of what I have done, and that makes me feel good.

The loss of several loved ones has been something that has followed me throughout my life, as young as I can remember. As the daughter of a recovering alcoholic, alcoholism itself was no stranger to me. I knew that it was harmful, and I knew that it could make people very sick. It wasn’t until my family members began succumbing to lifetimes of binge drinking and mental illness that I realized how painful it could be to the people around them. In a short period of time, I lost my Tio Carlos, my Uncle Frank, and my Uncle Mike to liver failure as a result of chronic alcoholism. It shattered me. It was the single time in my life that I have ever seen my father cry. I couldn’t bear watching my cousin try to choke through the speech at her father’s funeral, but falling into tears and having to leave. I couldn’t bear watching my family members joke and pretend that everything would be the same, because my family does not express grief. It hurt me. Would it be like this if my father had not recovered? Would they be making jokes at his expense just outside the chapel where the casket was? Juggling grief and school at the same time can feel like trying to run through thick mud. It is slow, and the progress may not be noticeable. It is difficult, and it can make you sore and exhausted from pushing too hard to make it to the other side. I realized that I would not get through thick mud if I ran. I would get through if I took slow, measured steps and took my time, not worrying about it being a race. Knowing the difference between the two can make things much easier to process. I took up journaling to express my thoughts on paper, to express the pain to the best of my ability. I wanted to see how I felt, and I wanted to help myself organize the thoughts that flooded my mind. It still hurts for people to joke about alcoholics or alcoholism, and it takes a great deal for me to stay quiet when my brain is screaming at me to shout, “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. YOU DON’T KNOW. YOU AREN’T HURTING FROM IT LIKE I AM.” Alcoholism is real. It is not a choice. It is a severe mental illness resulting from chemical imbalances in the brain itself. I pray every night for those suffering through the illness presently, and for their loved ones that are struggling by their side. The pain is everywhere. The pain is something that must be healed.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management with a focus in conservation and research. I am passionate about many things, but the two I love most are wildlife and automotive work. Anything that gets me into the outdoors is something that I am excited to do. This includes working on my truck, and learning more about automotive systems. I enjoy doing this especially at my job, where I am a Retail Parts Pro at my local auto parts store. I love helping others and offering solutions for problems they can’t figure out. It gives me greater knowledge and allows me to be more assistive to customers, friends, and family when it comes to automotive issues. Above all of this, I love wildlife research and being outdoors. It is where I am most at peace. I came from an abusive home, and I had to learn how to overcome that and make myself better. My love of the outdoors stemmed from this, as my childhood escape was a few acres of wooded land behind my house where I could go be alone and feel calm. I spent many years of my childhood diverting a water source unknowingly by moving things and pushing leaves around. Within a few years, a dry creek bed turned into a swamp that stretches at least an acre, and an active water source for local wildlife. This experience showed me that even someone as small as I was could make a difference. I wanted to hold that feeling for the rest of my life, and I want to show my younger self that I can continue to do so. While working to overcome the trauma of the physical, mental, and emotional abuse I was victim to, I focused on things outside of myself that I could make better. My mind instantly went to conservation and the wildlife and ecosystems that raised me when I felt like giving up. The numerous deer that locked eyes with me and acknowledged my existence, the wildflowers that I grew alongside, and the tiny birds that showed me that though the world is big, all you need to do is keep moving forward. I wanted to help them. I want to create a positive impact on this world, and I want to do it in a profound way. I want to research large, predatory mammals and study potential behavioral and genetic adaptations or changes that are a result of widespread, rapid urbanization. I want to study population decline and behavioral differences in correlation with human contact, and I want to work to conserve historical habitats of species such as Ursus americanus (American Black Bear), Canis lupus (Wolf), and Canis latrans (Coyote). These species are something we cannot lose, and I want to make sure that they are here for years to come. I also want to help others recognize the beauty of the outdoors and environment in an accessible way by providing education in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), as taught by Indigenous people of North America. It is something that I am passionate about, and I want to educate others in how we ought to treat our fellow creatures and land.

Free speech enables college students to collaborate with their peers in a meaningful way. It allows them to share ideas or debate thoughts respectfully in order to gain a different sort of perspective. It helps move ideas quickly and effectively, and shows young people things they may not have heard of before. It is essential to preserve the right of free speech because it is what allows us to share our thoughts with one another. I came from a small town and a graduating class of 70, and learned few things about the modern day and age that were not related to religious education. I was close minded and had no interest of changing my opinions. Owing to free speech and the help of others, I have gathered several new ways of thinking thanks to collaborating with my classmates. I was taught about the true issues involved with the climate crisis, and about the risks that are present in much of the world when it comes to environmental disaster as a result of corporate greed. Without an open mind or the right to free speech, I would have remained uneducated and unaware of the world around me. My field of study is wildlife research. This of course, is incredibly relevant to the environmental issues that we face not only as a country, but as a world together. If there were no free speech, the sharing of relevant environmental information could be at stake. People would no longer be educated or allowed to be informed of events such as lithium mining creating acid runoff which pollutes water sources, or the climate crisis that we continue to face. This would put my entire line of work at risk, for if no one knows about the issues at hand, what would the point of research be? There would no longer be concern for the species that are struggling as is, and the species that are thriving may not be so for much longer. In my extracurriculars, I have had several opportunities to preserve the right of free speech. For example, I am a member of Northern Michigan University’s Diversity in Disability organization. This has given me the opportunity to share thoughts regarding biased treatment in and out of the classroom in terms of both ethnic background and disability. It has made it something that I am able to discuss with my fellow students, and has helped bring out conclusions of what we need to change in order to allow better acceptance and education in terms of disability and background.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am studying wildlife management with a focus on conservation. I enjoy taking time to spend in the outdoors, whether that be hiking, camping, hammocking, fishing, working on my truck, or any other thing that gets me outside. It has been a passion of mine since I was born because my father brought me into the woods at just two weeks old and set me on my path to loving nature and the environment. In addition to all of this, I am currently the Retail Parts Pro at my local auto parts shop and work full-time there in order to support myself. My plans for the future are to obtain my graduate degree in Wildlife Management and work in the wildlife research field. I would love to work specifically with large, predatory mammals and their behavioral patterns, changes, and adaptations in response to ever-increasing levels of urbanization that are taking most of their historical habitat and range. I would like to study the differences in populations in areas such as Yellowstone, Chicago, and the bush of Alaska. This would give me insight into various levels of interaction with humans and how we can avoid population declines in these species. I want to instill a sense of change in the future health of these populations, and I want to ensure that their behaviors are not the result of urbanization. They deserve their space just as much as humans, and I want to protect the land that they are living on. This scholarship will help me financially in numerous ways. It would help keep me on track to finishing my degree, a goal that I am currently concerned will be unattainable if I cannot gather the funding to do so. I have saved my money from working since I was just twelve years old, and already the costs of tuition have drained my savings. This scholarship would give me the assistance necessary to continue to pursue my dreams and make a difference. It would ensure that I am capable of meeting the lofty goals I set when I was younger, and these goals are something I want to meet in order to fulfill my dreams that I have had for quite a long time. This career is my life, and I want to make sure that I can succeed. Thank you for your consideration of my application for this scholarship.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a junior at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Wildlife Management and Conservation and hope to pursue a career in Wildlife Research. I want to study large, predatory mammals and work specifically on studying their behavioral patterns and possible changes in relation to widespread urbanization and human development. I would like to work in areas that are either completely void of human development or centers of human development and note the differences between them. This would mean that I could help make plans for the future for conservation efforts that could protect animals such as wolves, bears, and others. I plan to make a difference. I plan to work to make populations of large predatory mammals more stable than they have been in the last few decades. I want to help them recover from the impacts of humans and I want to make sure that humans can pay them back for all of the damages that they have done. It will be difficult, but it will be beautiful. I want to ensure that there is a better world for the wildlife that inhabits this planet. After working for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources State Campground, I witnessed first-hand the damage that is taking place daily. I worked with another worker to establish fishing line waste receptacles in order to minimize the litter being dropped into the lake, but this is a minor step in the right direction. To make a larger one, we need the help of everyone. Everyone needs to realize the damages that have been done could be irreversible. Animals are not something that we can continue to take for granted. We cannot take the environment for granted. We cannot continue to destroy wetlands and forests and think that planting a tree for each 20 we kill will make things right. We need to start making the change to a better world soon, because it may be too late before we know it. If we continue on the path of destroying the homes and habitats of animals, we cannot continue to be surprised when they move onto urban areas and begin to become violent. They are hungry, they are scared, and they have no home. Why do we think that this is the fault of the wildlife itself? The answer is right before our eyes, we just need to pay attention to what the environment is saying. We need to reinstate and save what is left.

Mental health has been something that I have struggled with nearly my entire life. I recall being no more than 8 and having a panic attack because I was worried someone was going to throw up. I recall being in second grade and focusing so much on my interior monologue of me talking to myself that I could not focus in class and was getting into trouble. I recall being in preschool and worrying that my teachers would think I was childish if I said that my tummy hurt, instead of saying that my stomach hurt (I was THREE). My beliefs have been changed by my mental illness. I was raised Catholic, and in the Catholic Church, mental illness is something that can be waved away by prayer. This is obviously not true, and I thought that there was something wrong with me. In fact, I was TOLD there was something wrong with me. While attending a very traditional Catholic school, I struggled even more. I was given no help, no support, and no assistance in school. My grades suffered, and I was constantly anxious, worrying that God would not love me anymore because I was not "virtuous" enough, according to teachers. This experience taught me that my beliefs are not defined by other people. I can have my own faith without the negativity and hatred imposed on me by my superiors. I will never forget being told all of the horrid things that I was, from Kindergarten through Senior Year of high school. My relationships have suffered, but the strong ones have grown stronger. I have learned that those who are willing to stay even in the face of an individual with mental illness, are the truest of people. For example, my boyfriend has stayed by my side through OCD-induced breakdowns, ADHD hyper-fixation and irritability, and late-night panic attacks, holding my hand literally and metaphorically, and being the one person I can count on to help me through even the most difficult of things. Even my parents gave up when I was young, deciding that a mentally ill child was not something that they wanted to deal with. Having the support of someone so close to me makes a huge difference in my life and how I am able to see things. My career aspirations have been shaped around my learning disability. I learned that I am a hands-on learner, I enjoy being active, and I am someone who can focus on one thing with a great deal of obsessive nature. I fixate, meaning that I am able to dive deeply into one topic at great length and find out just about everything there is to know about it. Because of all of this, I decided that I want to pursue a career in wildlife research. My mental illness is not something that I asked for, but it is something that I have. I have learned that despite all of the struggle and hardship, I wouldn't want to be anyone else. It is what makes me unique and sets me apart, it is what defines how my thoughts work and how I function differently. It may not be easy, but it is how I am.

Being involved in the community is something that has always been incredibly important to me. Living in a small town means that the community is closer and more tightly-knit and that nearly all problems are close to home. Whether it be the opioid epidemic that took hold or a car crash outside my front door, I have seen many things firsthand. Seeing things firsthand is what inspires me to help. I cannot read it somewhere and say "Well, at least it's not happening here", or watch it on the news and then turn the station. I saw it every day driving to work, standing on my front lawn, and going to the store for truck parts. There are people just like me that are suffering. I have made efforts to help single mothers with gathering what they need through a group called Guadalupe Workers, I have volunteered with the Fire Department in town, and I have helped out at several community events that benefit organizations in our town. When I moved to Marquette, Michigan from the small town I used to live in in downstate Michigan, I realized that the problems were not only worse, but more widespread. Marquette is a city of 20,000, the biggest in the Upper Peninsula, and more than twice the size of my hometown. I was not prepared for what I have seen in the two years of living here. I have seen individuals on methamphetamines standing next to their wrecked car, too high to realize what is happening, or stumbling down the street, clothes no more than rags hanging loose off their thin frames. Once, I was told to call the police by manager when an individual under the influence stole parts from our store and left in a vehicle without any windows left. Seeing the lowest moments of peoples’ lives felt like I was violating their privacy, even though they were on public roads and in public buildings. I was scared. I did not know what to do, I did not know where to begin. Marquette does not have many resources. Though it is the hub for most activity in the Upper Peninsula, healthcare and drug rehabilitation are few and far between. My experiences have been that most people are ignored for health concerns, and I have been trying to ensure that people are taken seriously. Marquette healthcare staff tend to be working at our hospital because rural hospital programs funded by the government assist them in paying their student loans. It’s a great incentive, but the unfortunate reality is that many of the staff do not care about the patients, and assume that they’ll just go to a new and better hospital in a few years. Our community is not their concern. My hope is that with enough persuasion, we can get people the resources that they need. Drug rehabilitation and sobriety assistance ought to be the first step, and continuing forward, it needs to be made accessible. I want to see a community that is able to understand mental health and the risks associated with drug abuse. I want to see this community in a better state than its current.

Leadership is guiding others by example and helping them when they most need it. Leadership is a quality and can be found in many places, not just in those who are in a leadership position. A mother is a leader, a doctor is a leader, a sales associate is a leader, and these are just a few examples. There are many people in the world that are leaders, and too often, their work goes unrewarded and even unrecognized. Being a leader has made my life feel more significant, and has given me a purpose. I am a leader at my job, where I teach others more about the automotive industry. As a woman, I feel grateful that I am respected for my knowledge, and others pay attention to what I say. I have been overjoyed seeing people succeed after I have helped them, and feel amazing when I see them working independently, which is the goal from the beginning. I have been a leader as a teacher, where I taught children under the age of two what the right choices can be, and what consequences can result from poor choices. I led by example and showed how we can be good friends, and how we respect others. I gained a lot from teaching such a vibrant age group, where they are beginning to truly discover the world and see all that it has to offer. I loved being able to lead, and I loved being able to make a difference in the lives of those children. Being a leader is important because we need leaders. No one can immediately know everything in the world, and we are taught not only by teaching ourselves, but by asking questions and getting the answers from others, or watching someone do something, and then learning from their example. We gain knowledge by critical thinking associated with examples set in place by others, whether their example be good or bad. It is our job to recognize the difference between these two, and take what we can from each situation. I have learned such a vast amount from the lives of other people, even if there was never even direct association between us. I have watched people make amazing choices, and I have watched people make choices that would eventually lead to their death. While these our both sides of a large spectrum, it goes to show that everyone is a leader in their own respect.

I have loved the environment since I was a little girl. My father brought me out to our property when I was just two weeks old, and since then, I have spent more time among the trees and wildlife than I can possibly describe. I learned from doing, and learned from the wildflowers I grew alongside. I trusted the path that cut through our wooded acres, and I learned not to sit in the shallows of the river running through, because that's where the leeches are. I want to make a positive impact on the world by sharing this love with others. I want to make the outdoors and nature itself more accessible, and I want to to teach others the foundations of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), traditionally passed down through Indigenous communities. I want to use this to show people the healing that the environment can provide, and how to be one with it while respecting it and keeping it pure. I want to show them that they can use nature without taking, and that the peace it can give is better than just about anything else. I want to provide others with the spiritual healing that the wilderness gave me, and show them just how perfect getting dirt between your toes can make you feel. The environment is not ours, and we do not own it. It is something that we need to protect, to love, and to hold dear. I want to ensure the future of conservation efforts, and along with working to help others, I want to conduct research into management strategies and environmental efforts that can help sustain the wilderness areas left on this planet. This is a finite space, and we are a finite people. We need to understand that what we do matters, and that we cannot continue to destroy without consequence. A time could come where there is no more, and my heart breaks at the thought. That is the motivation for my career, and that is what pushes me daily to do better and to work as hard as I possibly can to make a change and create a positive impact on this earth while I am here. My education is not just for me, but for those that need me and the environment that needs help. I want to change things, and the time for doing so is now. There is not a moment to spare.

My learning disability was ignored for years for a few simple reasons. Firstly, I am a woman. Second, I was considered smart, and people believed my difficulty learning was intentional, and that I was simply not putting enough effort into my education. These are both common reasons that girls are not considered to have ADHD in a majority of cases. I was struggling extremely just to pass classes, and I was growing increasingly frustrated with the situation that I was in. My diagnosis of ADHD came when I was eighteen years old. I was not surprised, but those around me were because I did not display the classic symptoms, which are more prevalent in men. It has been recently seen that women present ADHD symptoms much differently than men, and I was presenting most of them. I was struggling to even finish a page of notes, and could not focus, even when I was fascinated by the topic. Since being diagnosed and subsequently given proper medication, I have made the Dean's List at my university and excelled in my career, even receiving a promotion in a historically male-dominanted career field (Automotive). I have seen my life change in ways that I never expected, and I have gained a great deal of pride in what I can do in my life. My motivation for pursuing higher education came from a love for wildlife and the outdoors. I wanted to encourage other people to experience the outdoors in a way that can be fulfilling and beautiful, while still respecting wildlife and the environment. I have always loved the outdoors because it has provided a wide range of stimulation for me, as well as a variety of different activities that I can engage in while being in my element. I feel that I am a good candidate for this scholarship because of my willingness to learn, my perseverance, and my dedication to my future and bettering the environment. I am hard working and have put a lot of effort into getting where I am today. Additionally, I hope to open the outdoors to those that may not have an opportunity otherwise. I want to teach people how nature can provide a deeper healing and love, and I want to teach them the principles of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), which has historically been presented by Indigenous communities. This theory allows us to engage in a beautiful way with wildlife and the environment while still maintaining a deep respect for it.

My future self will continue working towards change, and will be enabling others to better themselves through connection with wildlife and nature in a positive way.

Chronic illness is something that cannot be understood fully unless you have dealt with it. The symptoms may seem negligible, but they pile up. Living with the symptoms every day becomes something that can make getting out of bed seem like climbing Mt. Everest. Still, people living with chronic illnesses persevere. They go to work, they get educations, and they have families. They do what they need to do to get through the day and are strong through it all. I am one of those people. My chronic medical condition has impacted my life in ways I never thought of until it occurred. It has been negative, but it has also been positive. It has made my life challenging and brought me to some of the lowest points in my life. It has created issues I was not aware existed, and it has placed me in the hospital several times. It has also let me grow, and find that I am much stronger than I previously thought. It showed me that I am resilient, and that I have the power to push forward and overcome any obstacle that comes my way. I am inspired to excel despite my struggle and hardships because I want to make a difference. In my life, I have been able to mentally heal by connecting with nature and wildlife, and I want to increase the availability of this option to more people. I want to to teach people how they can safely and spiritually interact with nature and become whole again, no matter the circumstances. I want to make sure that anyone who wants to feel the dirt between their toes or smell the aroma of cedar has the capability of doing so. I have been working hard to enable others to be their own advocate, specifically in the medical system. I do this because I had to learn to advocate for myself. No one would listen, and I was treated horribly not only because I am a Hispanic woman, but because I am young. It was assumed that I did not know anything, when in reality I have a wider understanding of medicine because I have spent a lot of my life learning about it. I intended to go into the medical field, and had been studying for years. I was aware that my symptoms were not normal. I wanted others to be able to express concern without feeling like they were going to be judged or discriminated against.

Living with mental illness is living one step behind the rest of the world. The weight of everything piles onto your shoulders, and the smallest things can become life-and-death matters that feel like a problem with no solution. Panic attacks, anger, and a racing heart become a daily routine, and there feels like no way out, no way to escape your own brain and its decision to harm you. There seems to be a poor understanding of mental health in the general population, and I have been actively working to educate others on the truth of it, rather than what media presents and the stigmas that are attached to it. My experience with mental health has been a path of struggling and figuring out what works to put me perhaps half a step behind my peers, rather than a full step. I have been very lucky to attend a university where mental health is prioritized, especially learning disabilities. I have access to a program that allows me to access extended testing time, alternative testing location, and other accomodations that set me closer to the same level as my peers. I find that encouraging others to seek out such resources has helped them to realize their potential that often goes unrecognized in a traditional educational setting. I hope that in the future this is a resource offered by all educational institutions. Mental health has influenced a great deal of my life, in a near aspect. There is nothing left untouched by the dysfunction in my head, but there have been good and bad I can attribute to it. I have been able to learn new things about myself, and I have been able to better understand other people and how I can help them. I have been able to completely rearrange my thinking patterns by learning to understand how my mind works at its own level. The mental health industry is better than it was in the past. For a great majority of people, it is still inaccessible without insurance or significant amounts of money. I am grateful to have access to the industry, but it comes with significant costs. Medications and therapy still cost a great deal, and there is a lack of availability when it comes to both. I hope to help others get access to these services, and have been working with my friends to encourage them to be their own advocate when it comes to such things.

I have spent my entire life DREAMING BIG. I spent my childhood in the forest behind my home, imagining I did not have to live in an abusive home, but that I was me, but I was free, alone in the wilderness, making ends meet with my creativity. I loved pretending that there was no one to hurt me. I imagined myself working outside, unaware a career existed for people like me that could not resist the call of the birds from a tree, the feeling of dirt between my toes, or the fragrance of a patch of wildflowers. My wildest dreams surround my career and how I will utilize my degree to make those come true. I have loved the outdoors my entire life, and wanted always to be able to do something meaningful in my life that benefitted the environment. I could not bear the thought of seeing it destroyed for meaningless efforts that did not make a difference for the better. My goal is to work in wildlife research and wildlife conservation education. I want to educate people on how to interact in a healthy way with the environment, and how to respect wildlife. I want to show others the healing power that nature can provide, something I discovered myself. I would like to utilize the concepts included in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as originating from Indigenous culture. I want to make a difference for not only the environment but those around me. My education has already played a role in benefitting the environment, even if it on is a relatively small scale. I have been able to develop my family's hunting property, making sure that the populations are capable of being maintained, and ensuring that the environment is clean and stable, with little exterior pollutants or harm. I have educated my father on the benefits of different types of vegetation and whether or not they could potentially be invasive or harmful, such as Autumn Olive, originally recommended by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. We have been working on doing our own conservation work to benefit the land in its essential nature. I have used my education from classes such as Animal Physiology, Environmental Science, Genetics for Natural Resources, and other classes. I have been learning about Native American traditions from classes such as Indigenous Ecological Movements, and this has greatly changed my perspective and views.

I am passionate about protecting the environment because the environment has protected me. I trusted few people as a child due to emotional neglect and abuse, and spent a great deal of my free time hidden in the patch of woods behind my house. I made believe and played, learned and grew, and cried and meditated upon the simplicities and complexities of life. I felt more at home among the swamp water and on the dirt-covered, barely-there, seldom-used trail that ran up a steep hill. I climbed the fallen trees left over from tornadoes and imagined that I lived beneath the sun and stars. I grew comfortable with the rustles that came from muskrats, whitetail deer, and squirrels, knowing that none of them meant me harm, and that we were all just trying to get through each day. The un-cultivated and wilderness lands of Northern Michigan have always felt like home to me, and I want to work to preserve them for future generations of humans and species. The environment is more important to me than just about anything, and I came to be who I am today by growing alongside the wildflowers that I loved. My studies will aid in combatting climate change in a large way, in my opinion. As a wildlife management major, I have been studying animal physiology, environmental science, genetics for conservation, and more. I hope to work in wildlife management, conservation, and research. I want to ensure that the widespread urbanization that is spreading across the country remains out of the heartlands and preservations that many species call home. In this way, I hope to reduce the carbon footprint that factories, cities, and traffic produce on the daily. Reducing your carbon footprint can be done in a number of simple ways. The absolute easiest thing to do (that also saves money long term!) is to use reusable products, rather than single-use. For example, when I pack a lunch for work, I elect to use a reusable Tupperware over Ziploc bags, and a reusable water bottle over a single use plastic one. Using reusable shopping bags can also save a large amount of plastic from entering into landfills. Another very simple change can be reusing and recycling things that may otherwise end up in a landfill. For example, I have a mid-1990s model Silverado, and rather than purchasing new parts that can be wasteful, I try to scrap parts from other similar trucks so that they do not end up in a landfill. I also try to reuse containers, such as to-go boxes and grocery bags when I forget to bring my own. These simple changes can make a huge difference!

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I have been diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety, endometriosis, and depression. I have encountered several issues as a result of my diagnoses. I have to work twice as hard as my peers without learning disabilities, and this leads to exhausting days that are worsened by the effects of my endometriosis and/or urticaria. Often, I have pain so awful that I am unable to leave my bed, unable to move, and unable to do much but breathe. This may seem an insurmountable obstacle to some, but to me it was something to throw myself at, to attack and overcome. Reaching the peak of my mountain of disability is my life goal. I work toward it every day of my life, figuring out my medications and routines, seeing which holistic and natural methods work for me and which do not, and working hard to work with my disability, rather than against it. This all makes the difference in how I view my disability. I plan to further my education by working with a great deal of fervor through my studies, and ideally completing my Master's degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management. I have been working with an attitude of perseverance and fortitude in my studies and at work, which I do to pay for said studies. These are important factors in my life that are always pushing me to do better. I am exploring the field of wildlife management and additionally would be interested in wildlife conservation education. I want to help the environment, but I also want to help people learn how to care for the environment and harness the healing it can provide, something I have experienced and want to share with the world. I beleive that utilizing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) can create a better mentality in humans toward wildlife, the environment, and the role we play in one another's lives. We are here for each other, not removed from one another. I hope to work in wildlife research, primarily working with large predatory animals, such as black bears. I would like to study the behavioral patterns and adaptions of these species and populations in relation to widespread urbanization. I would additionally be interested to see if anything can be done to better the lives of the populations close to or within urbanized areas.

Living sustainably is no longer a choice, but rather something that must be done by as many people as possible. The Earth is not a resource that is continually regenerating, and especially with the consumption of non-renewable resources, we are looking at a very bleak future if indivduals do not make a change towards living with regard to the environment and the population as a whole. There are so many simple things that I do each day, even while living in the dorms on a college campus. My intent with sharing these is to show that it is possible for anyone to make easy changes. Some things that I do to achieve better sustainability include car pooling to work with my boyfriend so that we produce less emissions and save gas, eating local produce when I am able to, avoiding meat unless it is sustainably sourced, and turning off the water while brushing my teeth or doing my skin care. I also ensure that I am using what I have to its full extent before discarding it, like wearing socks until they develop holes. I also do my best to avoid fast fashion so that I can stay away from clothes that deteriorate quickly but will sit in landfills for the foreseeable future. Anyone can live sustainably, it is just about being aware of what is happening in the world and how you can help. It is so incredibly important to reduce carbon footprint, especially for people living in the United States. The United States produces and consumes a great deal more material goods and waste respectively than most other countries, if not all. With the education that most of us here have access to, one would expect that Americans would be more aware of the issues that are facing us and make more actions to protect the environment. This does not seem to be the case. According to one carbon footprint calculator, my carbon footprint is 20.7 tons each year. This horrified me, because I make an active effort to reduce my carbon footprint. Also according to this website, if everyone on the planet lived like I do, we would need 4.4 Earths to support us. This type of visualization shows me that even while trying to do well, there is always more that I can do to better my practices and make a bigger commitment to eco-friendly actions and less waste production and material consumption.

The books that I have read are the reason that I am who I am today. Books are an escape from reality for a few hours, a trip somewhere that one has never been, and a journey into educating oneself on topics often unread. I have learned more about the outdoors from books than I have in two years of wildlife management college education. I have learned survival skills and tracking information and learned how to make the most of the beauty of the wilderness. I have cried for the characters that I read about, deep sobs that made me realize that the character shared far too many similarities with me. In the book "Where the Crawdads Sing" I realized that the loneliness experienced by the main character, the wish for a lonesome time, and the simultaneous longing for a companion, were feelings that I felt deeper than I knew. I hurt not only for The Marsh Girl but for myself. It was a pain that felt like a knife, cutting into my ribs and pulling at my heart, deep into the aorta and ventricles. I wept at the completion of the novel, knowing that my life would never be the same after reading the words on the pages. I knew that there would be things I would never look at quite the same, and I knew that the moments that passed before were far different from what lay ahead. I wanted things to return to normal, but far more I longed for the healing that could be. I wanted more, and that novel led to an insatiable hunger for more feeling, for more healing, for more information. I wanted to read each book that I could, and I made a list that spans an entire notebook of books that I feel would be worthwhile for me to read. I have read numerous books off of that list since, devouring books such as "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed, "Into Thin Air" by John Krakauer, and "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver. "Demon Copperhead" may have been one of the most influential books I have ever read, and it changed how I view drug addiction and how easily it can become uncontrollable. It made me cry even more than "Where the Crawdads Sing", showing me that life has unique challenges for everyone, and that no one is perfect. It showed me how to view meth addiction in my county, and how to pity rather than laugh at those struggling, because they are someone's child. Books are a resource that I love more than anything else.

My plans for the future are to work either in a direct career in wildlife management, wildlife research, or in outdoor education and conservation education. I want to be able to make a difference in the future of conservation and wildlife. I would primarily be interested in studying the behavioral patterns and adaptations of large predatory mammals such as black bears and coyotes, in response to widespread urbanization, and then comparing those adaptions and behaviors with populations that have little exposure to humans. I would then like to use this information to see what can be done to better the populations that have been urbanized. This path was inspired by a childhood spent in the freedom of the outdoors, with the ability to learn and grow in tandem with the wildflowers, trees, and species that I was alongside. I was able to spend day after day doing things that many never get the chance to do, and learned independently about the vast world that surrounded me. I would catch leeches in Mason jars in the creek behind my house, studying their movement and how they worked. I once had the opportunity to watch a deer left behind by a hunter decompose for an entire summer, and learned about the skeletal formations and the process of decomposition. I caught frogs with my brother and watched dozens of baby snapping turtles emerge from the ground upon hatching. These were all moments and times that led to my blazing love for both the outdoors and wildlife. Everyone has unique qualities. I believe that mine lies in my ability to find the good in even the worst of situations. I have been through a considerable amount of trauma and tragedy for someone my age, in my opinion. I have been through the wringer and come out with scars and wounds that feel as though they may never heal. I have lost many of my family to cancer, alcoholism, and the like. I have been diagnosed with a laundry list of mental illnesses, an autoimmune disease, and endometriosis. I have suffered neglect and abuse at the hands of those whom I thought I could trust. Each painful moment taught me something and showed me something about life I did not have before. My father has impacted my life more than anyone else that I can think of. Many of the memories that pushed me into this career revolve around him and what he has done to make me the outdoors(wo)man I am today. Growing up, he taught me why we hunt, how we do it without harming the ecosystem that our property encompasses, and how to maintain and give back to the wildlife populations that we take from. He is a strong advocate for the conservation of all sorts and has made strong efforts to better wildlife in lots of ecosystems. One of my fondest memories I can recall is sitting next to my father on the bench seat of an 80’s model Ford truck, sipping a pop I wouldn’t usually be allowed to have, on the way to pick up corn to put out for the deer. We loaded the bed of the truck with the corn, and he let me play in the corn crib and kick it all in. He showed me a childhood that is long gone, that many in my generation did not have the opportunity to experience.

Mental health is one of the most important things in life, in my opinion. I have struggled through a host of mental illness diagnoses throughout my life, such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), anxiety, depression, and more. These have affected my life, which sometimes felt overwhelming and led to me pondering whether leaving this world would make things easier. I could not bear to be in my mind some days. I know that I am far from the only person who has dealt with such pain and suffering. In my own life, I have seen my father, a few of my uncles, and my beloved cousin falls victim to alcoholism because they felt that there was no other way to escape the suffering in their sober life. They turned to alcohol as a means of coping after suffering tragedy after tragedy, and all but my father either passed from complications or continue to drink themselves into a known death. Watching my father maintain his sobriety and encourage others with patience, fortitude, and kindness to do the same is the reason that I was able to get a hold of my substance abuse and turn to a life of sobriety and peace. He showed me that no matter what happens, there are ways to get through it without leaving a sober mind that can control thoughts and feelings. I maintain mental wellness in a variety of ways. I enjoy exercise and try to work out at least three times a week to keep a healthy body and mind. Feeling good about my health and wellness is a fantastic way to keep my mind in a good place. I also talk to a therapist once a week to pick apart the abuse that I suffered as a child and the traumas that I pushed deep down. This has helped me to be more open and to put things on the surface, rather than burying things to come out in violent outbursts. I have also taken to guided journaling, which helps me to put thoughts on paper and work through them in my own time, finding things out about myself that I had either forgotten or did not know. Finally, keeping a schedule helps me to maintain a good work-life-school balance, and planning things out ensures that I am not stressed about missing deadlines or exams. I feel that mental wellness is one of the most important things that can be worked on, and should be worked on just as one works on making the body stronger or more toned.

People like seeing themselves represented in different ways. It is so exciting to see someone like you on television, and it makes you feel like you are important. Of course, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are making waves by including members of the LGBTQIA+ community and BIPOC characters, but when you turn on CNN or Fox, or even your local news, where is there representation? As a young Hispanic woman, I have found that there is little representation for me and others in news broadcasting. In fact, my grandfather’s reason for fleeing Mexico in the first place is not heard of by anyone and is not covered in any history books that I am familiar with. The hiding of struggles and murders of my culture goes farther back than most would like to admit, and it is sickening. Diversity is lacking when it comes to the news industry, and it is time to change the narrative to one that works for everyone, and one that supports the incredibly diverse country we are lucky to call home. Diverse voices could introduce a new array of problems that deserve to have light shed on them. Where is the coverage of Indigenous suffering, especially due to the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL)? Where is the coverage of the murders of multiple transgender individuals? My sibling is transgender, and it crushes me when the families of those that are targeted do not get the recognition they deserve, and the problem continues. I want my sibling to know that people care and that there is going to be something done to fix the issues they face. Diversity is no longer something that can be “avoided”, as the news seems to do. I want to see myself and my sibling represented in mass media, and I want to see the problems that real people face exhibited for the world, as uncomfortable as it may make some people. There is no longer time to pretend that the issues are not there, and the time to make a change is now. I have been working to get my voice heard and to make sure that people know that I am here and that I plan to stay. I want to showcase the wrongs that are hidden strategically, and I want to make a difference for those that seem to be ignored. Let’s be the generation that stands up with heads raised high, and let’s be the ones that make a real difference in how media is presented to the world. There is a lot to get done, and I believe that we can do it. Si, si se puede!

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University in the beautiful city of Marquette, located right on Lake Superior. I am currently studying Fishery and Wildlife Management and hope to graduate by May 2025. I enjoy hiking, fishing, painting, reading, hammocking, working on my truck, and anything that gets me outdoors. I hope to make an impact on people’s lives and the environment in a large and meaningful way. I want to educate people on wildlife and wilderness safety and basic outdoor safety measures, in order to ensure that people can enjoy nature in an educated way. I also want to show people how healing nature can be and lead them to a deeper communion with the earth and the wild itself. Feeling the dirt between your toes and running your hands along the bark of a tree can bring you to a peaceful state in such an incredibly simple way. I want to work in wildlife research as well, working with large predatory North American mammals and studying their behavioral pattern changes as a result of widespread urbanization. I would like to implement management practices that could further separate humans and the species that I am working with. STEAM interests me because it is one of the few things that truly captivates me in every way. I have enjoyed science more than any other subject for as long as I can remember. My father raised me in the outdoors, teaching me lots of things in a very hands-on way. Much of what he taught me has been beneficial in working towards my degree, and I find that many things are easier to understand thanks to my previous experience. I enjoy science because it is something that I can understand, especially because it almost always involves working to understand things through real-life examples and experiments. Being a woman in the field of STEAM has been a learning curve for me for years. As someone who has pursued various jobs that are not necessarily classically “feminine” jobs, I have experienced a great deal of sexualization, belittling, and taunting. I have been called names and told that I ought to get a man to do my job instead. All of this only pushed me further, making me more dedicated to completing my job to the best of my ability, to prove those who didn’t believe in me wrong. I have worked at an auto parts shop, on a farm, in a hardware store, and for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and each one has taught me something new.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Fishery and Wildlife Management with a Wildlife concentration, and hope to graduate by May 2025. I am currently employed at my local auto parts store, where I have been promoted to an assistant manager. I love research and education, two things that I have actively pursued in the past and continue to look into. I enjoy many things outside of my work and studies, such as painting, hiking, fishing, hammocking, and anything that can get me outside. I want to help people connect with nature without disturbing it, and help people experience the spiritual healing that can come with the outdoors, and teach them to do it with knowledge and safety. After working in a Michigan State Park Campground, I realized that many people have little to no experience with wildlife and nature itself, at all. I heard stories of children coming in from the inner cities and not realizing what a deer was, shocked at the animal that many people in my community are so tired of that they consider it a nuisance. I was astounded to realize that many people were not used to muskrats coming up to their backdoor, or accutomed to learning how to safely protect themselves from black bears (my favorite animal) by age 6. I want to show people that we can coexist with nature and wildlife without creating a lasting impact or furthering the spread of urbanization. I hope to lead a program that would teach people about basic survival if incidents occur in the wild, but more so how to avoid accidents occurring in the first place. I want to educate people about how to get in touch with their roots in a real way, touching the bark of an aspen tree, wading through seas of meadow grass, and tasting the sweet tips of Sweet Vernal Grass, smelling the aroma of fresh, wet, dirt and feeling it against their toes. Connecting with nature is healing, and puts people in a better mental space. I want to help people feel better and help them with a simple therapeutic experience that can literally change their lives. I want to educate people on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) that can help them see nature in the same ways as the Indigenous peoples that pioneered this land first, and I want to help people see it in the very same way that they did.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am an assistant manager at my local auto parts store, and enjoy many things in my free time. I am dedicated to the outdoors and nature very deeply, and enjoy fishing, hiking, reading, hammocking, painting, and anything that I can do outdoors in the open air. I was raised on a large tract of land that borders Michigan state land, and was therefore very attached to the outdoors from a very young age. I spent a good deal of time doing things such as scooping leeches from the crick in Mason jars to study how they moved and why they were able to cling so strongly to my skin, and studying animal bones that emerged in the summer after long winters. I have always had a fascination with wildlife and the outdoors. I hope to obtain a career in wildlife research and education. I would love to research large, predatory mammals and their behavioral patterns and changes due to urbanization. I would compare urbanized animal species to their non-urbanized counterparts, and in turn, figure out a way to revert the changes that have occurred that are negative and perhaps harmful to the species, and also move them from urban areas. If you are unfamiliar with the Chicago coyote crisis, do some research into it, because it is the primary driving factor behind my concern, and I worry that it is far from the last species to become an issue in the cities. If this does not pan out, I would love to work in wildlife conservation and outdoors education. After working at a Michigan state park campground, I was shocked to discover that many people do not realize the importance of knowing about the outdoors and the wildlife that you may encounter while out. I want to encourage others to see the wilderness as being inhabited by the species that live in it already, rather than vice versa. Many people seem to take ownership of whatever land they step onto, and the colonial human supremacy idea has not disappeared over the hundreds of years since the settlers walked onto the land. I want to help others return to the idea of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), that shows us how we ought to interact with the land and the species that we as humans often interact with.

I am exploring a few careers, but I am interested in one field. I am majoring in Fishery and Wildlife Management at Northern Michigan University, and have found that my studies are incredibly fulfilling and interest me endlessly, even prompting additional research outside of class. I am often finding myself enthralled with lessons, something I had never before felt. The first career that I would like to explore is wildlife research. I would primarily be interested in large, predatory mammal species and how urbanization has impacted them in comparison to their non-urbanized counterparts. I am very passionate about these types of species and their interactions with humans because I grew up on land that was often visited by a group of black bears, which are my favorite animal. There was never an instance where I encountered the bears, we simply coexisted on the same land and never had issues with one another. The second career that I would like to explore is wildlife conservation/outdoor recreation education. After working at a Michigan Department of Natural Resources state park campground, I was shocked to realize that most people have not had the blessing to learn what I have about the outdoors. I would like to encourage people to see the forests and unurbanized lands as the property of the wildlife that inhabits them, rather than vice versa. Many people are unaware of the basic safety protocols that should be followed when exploring the outdoors, something that my father drilled into me at a young age. These potential careers would bring me fulfillment because I am a very dedicated outdoors(wo)man. I have spent the majority of my life in the wilderness and outdoors, and my father raised me to respect nature with the utmost reverence. I enjoy breathing the air that the trees give us, and I love appreciating even the smallest of things in nature. I spent my childhood studying leeches in mason jars and then pouring them back into the crick that I harvested them from. I enjoyed studying how water changed an environment, and have been lucky enough to see a creek become active in a previously dry area. This was fascinating because it changed the complete makeup of the environment that it swirled into. The species differed, and a little hut my father and I had made from logs flooded. It was bittersweet to see how things could be altered so drastically in such a short amount of time.

Personal wellness is essential to me and something that makes me feel better. I work hard to ensure that I am healthy, and I have introduced my boyfriend to many ways to stay healthy in college; I have taught him how to better his physical and mental health throughout our relationship. As someone who has struggled with chronic illness for the last year, wellness has become a much more critical part of my life than ever before. I ensure that I take vitamins each day, such as Vitamin D for immunity and keeping my seasonal affective disorder (SAD) at bay, Magnesium for sleep due to ADHD and insomnia, and fish oil for my liver health due to ADHD medication usage. I enjoy cooking healthy meals and have spent time figuring out how to do so on a shoestring budget, which wasn't as hard as I expected it to be. One of my favorite meals that is cheap and healthy involves chicken, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, grated parmesan, red onion, and pesto, all things that I can get very cheap at our local grocery store here in Marquette. The meal itself costs about $11 for four servings, and is so good for you! On top of both of these, I have found great ways to stay active even while working and attending classes multiple times a week. I enjoy attending a cycle class that my best friend teaches, and use an app to follow workouts in my dorm. I love being able to practice yoga in order to maintain a good mentality, and ensure that I start each day with a good mindset and an open physical being. I make sure that I am never focusing my habits around maintaining a certain weight, because numbers affect my mentality negatively when it comes to personal wellness. My goals tend to involve maintaining a good level of muscle, or remaining physically active, which are goals that are not tangible, thus easier to leave open-ended. I try to keep myself in shape, and I thought that coming to college would make it more difficult. I was wrong! Coming to college has opened many doors to being more physically fit, and I have never felt so good before. I like to ensure that I am at the top of my game in physical and spiritual health, and I work on both very often, and usually simultaneously.

Growing up in the Catholic church and Catholic school system, I was taught that members of the LGBTQIA+ community were not people with whom I should associate myself. It was engrained in our subconscious from a very young age. This was only scraping the surface in wrongful things that I was taught throughout the years. That hateful view changed when I found out that my brother (hereafter referred to by preferred pronouns, she/they) wanted to transition to a female. All of my past experiences and negativity toward the community went straight out the window. The only thing I cared about was ensuring that their decision to transition was going to be supported, because they needed all that they could get. My father is incredibly homophobic and does not support transgender individuals, and we both knew that. My sibling knew that they would have to endure a great deal of adversity and emotional pain in order to become who they knew they were all along, and I wanted to be there. I wanted to be there more so because I felt embarrassed and guilty that I had not been there all along, while they were suffering with their gender dysphoria in silence, alone. I have completely changed how I view individuals in the LGBTQIA+ community. I wanted to support all individuals that do not have people to support them, and I wanted to show that there are people who care. I am glad that my sibling introduced me to the positivity that surronds the community, a side that I previously had not been at all familiar with. I now view the entire world through different eyes, eyes that see a positive side to just about everything. I want to see the good in people, no matter what. I want to know more about the community that my sibling is a part of, and I want to be an ally. I have changed from a person that knew little and was disrespectful toward the community to someone that is in awe of the difficulties that the members of the community have endured, and the discrimination they must endure each day. I hope to be able to help others see things the way that I am now able to, because I am so much happier while being much less hateful and negative. I want to create change for the community, and I want to ensure the lasting happiness of those in it.

Healthy eating can make an unbelievable difference when it is done with the proper mindset. In high school, while participating in our school's chapter of the Health Occupation Students Association (HOSA), I went to the state level two times thanks to the work I did in the Healthy Lifestyle category. Both times involves a lifestyle change that I implemented regarding a diet, one being lactose-free and the other being clean eating. While both provided separate challenges, they were unique and helped with different aspects of my life. I found that there is not much that is marketed to those that have issues with dairy. Many things are marketed as being dairy-free, yet still contain milk when you look at the allergens. Ironically, I am now lactose-intolerant and have had less issues finding items I can have thanks to the work I did in the past. While working on the clean eating diet, I noticed that just about nothing fit into it that did not come at a higher cost with less appetizing recipes. I was dismayed- eating clean should still be tasty, why is no one trying to implement better recipes with clean ingredients? There are few, but they still require such things as processed sugar or some sort of processed ingredient. There are many clean foods out there and so many options, and I worked hard to keep things interesting. It was definitely a challenging and rewarding diet that cleared my skin, but left me feeling weak from lack of healthy protein options. Practicing moderated healthy eating (e.g., not becoming so obsessed with the lifestyle that you do not allow treats now and again), is a great way to build a healthy body, healthy mind, and healthy life. There is so much benefit that comes along with getting the proper amounts of fiber and proteins, vitamins and minerals, and the like. I thoroughly believe that body, mind, and soul are intertwined, so how can you feed your mind and soul when you cannot properly feed your body? If all that goes into your body is candy and sugary pop, what does it tell your mind about the care you have for it? Change is not easy, but the choice to switch to a healthy eating habit should be. It is a learning curve, and it won't be perfect, but showing your body that you care in such a simple and easy way can go a long way.

Mental illness is something that runs pretty strong throughout the veins of my family. I have been experiencing it myself and through others for just about as long as I can remember. My sister and I have ADHD, I have ODD and OCD, my father has unmanaged anger issues and is a recovering alcoholic, my mother has depression and anxiety, and my younger brother has depression, and that is just scraping the surface. I have been struggling to overcome these things for just about my entire life, and I have finally come to the air after struggling to swim out from under the waves. I have become more active to better my mental health, going to the gym at least once a week and ensuring that I am active in other parts of my life. I eat healthier because it ensures that my mind feels good too. I have learned how to love each part of my body exactly the way that it is, knowing that I am enough and that is all that I need. I attend therapy each week to push through much of the trauma left from childhood emotional neglect and abuse, and overall I feel 100% different. I feel happy for what feels like the first time in my life, I feel capable, and I feel like I am ready to take on whatever comes my way in life. I want to ensure that this is something that continues and work hard to assess my emotions and understand why I am feeling the way that I do. I do not try to repress anything, but rather, feel it, and then understand that it is natural to not always feel 100%. My passions lie in the outdoors. I was raised in a way that I feel is unique nowadays, and at the time felt like the greatest thing on earth. I felt that everyone was raised the way that I was until I realized that most other people my age hadn't crawled in a corn crib, skirting mice and trying to stay standing. Most had not been taught to track an animal based on fur, scat, tracks, and matted grass. Most were not raised on venison, something I found out when disgusted comments over my lunch in the cafeteria confused me. My father had raised each of us in a way that I feel is bygone, and I loved the wilderness and rural area with my entire heart. The trees seemed like they sheltered me with their reaching branches, and I understood that the forest and I had a mutual respect, a give and take. I had so many opportunities, and as a child used to scoop up leeches from the crick in mason jars and study how they moved, wondering over the mystery of how I had not felt one bite into my knee and draw so much blood. I caught tiny fish heading to the swamp in a bucket, marveling over how tiny and plentiful they were in the spring, just after the spawn. When a hunter took an eight-point buck and left it when he could not find it one fall, it froze over and laid on the bank of the small little crick until the spring thaw, when I began watching it decompose. The stages fascinated me, a marvel of nature. I was taken with all things science and I could not bear taking myself away from it.

I believe that I am unique because I utilize my learning disability, rather than letting it slow me down. As someone with a plethora of mental illnesses that have been diagnosed in pieces over the last few years, I have had to overcome the stigma and show that I am just as capable as anyone else. I have learned to use my ADHD to become more productive, rather than the alternative. When I am in what I call an "ADHD Fixation" with homework and school, I can work on my homework and complete it weeks ahead of the deadline. Therefore, when I am in a rut or find myself less productive, I do not have to worry about completing something that is either not my best work, or not doing it all. I have learned to use a planner to visualize all of my upcoming tasks because I find that I am much better at completing my tasks when they are laid in front of me. If a task is more important, I will sticky note it just in my level of vision on my desk so that it drives me crazy until I complete whatever I need to do, whether it is doing my laundry, washing my dishes, or just writing out some notes from a lecture. I find that I can use different study methods that work better for me that other people might not even consider as productive. For example, last year during the part of the semester when finals are approaching, to prepare for my Environmental Science final I filled an entire whiteboard with notes and doodles and important points that collided with one another and created a colorful mess of knowledge. It was not looking at it as a whole that stuck it in my brain, but rather drawing things out in a different way and organizing my thoughts in a way that reflected my mentality. I plan to give back to my community by educating others about the importance of wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation safety. As someone who worked in a campground, I have seen time and time again that people are at a loss when it comes to many of the things that I thought were common knowledge. The difference for me, however, was that I grew up in a rural area and was accustomed to needing to know many things to ensure the safety of myself and others. For example, I came across more than a few individuals that stored snacks in their tents and found that the raccoons were so bold from being urbanized that they would rip the tent clean open and steal the food, even going so far as to attack dogs. I want to ensure that in the future, people are better prepared against such scenarios so that they can maintain their safety in the most beautiful and wild of places.

Math is something that nearly everyone can understand and utilize with some education and discipline. It is a language that everyone across the world can understand in the same way, and it is useful in many everyday applications. It is something that can assist people in understanding sales prices and taxes, how to calculate loan interest and mortgage payments, and even how to halve a recipe when making something like blueberry muffins. I was not a fan of math for much of my life and entered college testing at a 7th-grade math level. Unfortunately, this was due to poor education and a lack of advocacy when it came to learning disability resources. Thankfully, once I entered college, I was given a professor that helped me to excel and more or less changed my outlook on math as a whole. She instructed me in a way that helped me to understand things I never had before, and I began to see math as more of an interesting puzzle, rather than something to fear or dread. That teacher helped me climb from vocational introductory algebra to complex statistics which would have sent my head into a spiral just a few years prior. I am thankful for this teacher because she opened so many new avenues for me.

Math is all around you, in so many different ways that few of us actually realize how deeply it impacts each moment of our lives. When I was a kid, I used to think it was silly when my teachers would tell me that I would use math every day for everyday things. I thought that I would just be able to figure things out without it. Things like sales tax, sales percentages, and dividing fractions when I am baking cookies or what have you are all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to math. Bigger things like calculating the interest rate, working out how much I owe on my truck loan after interest, and deciphering banking documents and rent fees are what extend beneath. Still, these are all basic things that require little more than a high school education. What I have noticed as I progress through my studies is the importance of mathematical knowledge in fields I would never have even thought of. For example, my major is Fishery and Wildlife Management. Where could mathematical equations POSSIBLY fit into play here? In short, everywhere. Statistical knowledge to a tee is crucial to make sure that the right procedures and policies are followed and enacted. Now, if a major like mine needs so much math knowledge, where is there a major or degree that does not need so much? Math is constantly put down, and without a good teacher, most of us would be out of luck in obtaining the job of our dreams. Upon entering college, I was testing in at a seventh-grade math level. After having a fantastic miracle-worker teacher, I was brought to the forefront of math and can now understand complexities involving Greek letters and other statistical procedures. It is shocking to me how quickly I was able to turn my attitude toward math around and make a significant change for the better. I was so excited that I was able to even begin to work out the equations that had scared me so much throughout high school. I love being able to help my friends in their studies and encourage them that they can do it when they are confused, and I try to explain things the way that my fabulous teacher did which lightened the fog around my brain. I hope that everyone can learn the importance of math in some way or another and that it can be better appreciated as the useful life skill that it is.

My health is something that I did not use to worry about. I was active in my high school's Health Occupation Students Association (HOSA) group and even went to states for my papers and studies on healthy lifestyle changes. However, being young and in my mind invincible, I did not worry. Things changed and took a turn for the worse when I was a freshman in college. My body was covered head to toe with mysterious, burning rashes that would come and go each day for months. My usually low blood pressure was skyrocketing to the point that I could feel it in my ears and almost hear it. More than once, I watched my heart rate take a steep spike to 155 while sitting on the couch, and the chest pain I experienced was unbearable. I would stand and blackout, witnessed twice by my roommate. I was short of breath, fatigued, suffering from insomnia, losing weight rapidly, nauseous, constantly dehydrated, and miserable. I did not know what to do or what could be wrong. After multiple emergency room visits, doctor appointments, and blood tests, we discovered that the cause was a severe allergic reaction due to the negligence of a doctor and highly addictive prescription medication that was incredibly outdated to even be prescribed anymore (Think roughly thirty years outdated). I vowed I would get through the thick of it, suffering the withdrawal from the medication and being diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease as a parting gift, I made changes. I began to go to the gym, something that had previously not usually crossed my mind, thinking people only went to lose weight. I changed my diet and included a lengthy list of vitamin supplements to the medications I would need to take for the rest of my life, morning, evening, and twice in between. I began therapy, in order to make sure that my mental health would be beneficial to my physical health. I noticed changes, but they have been a long time coming. It has been about 7 months since I sat on the crinkly paper in the office of one specialist and was told I would be taking these medications in order to try and maybe, with a chance, reverse the years of damage done to my body with the previous medication. I have come a long way, and I am excited to see where the new roads I am on will take me.

I have a lot of changes that I want to make in the world. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and I have a lot of goals that I would like to reach. The first change that I want to make is to help people become more accepting of transgender individuals through education and gentle teaching. I specifically want to help those in the Catholic community, because that was where I was taught that I should not love transgender individuals the same. I want to educate the Catholic community because there needs to be more of an attitude of love and advocacy towards the LGBTQ+ community, and there simply is not. The reason I would like to do this is because my younger brother came to me one day and told me that he would like to be referred to with she/they pronouns. I was shocked. I had no clue how to respond, but I came to the conclusion that I could show nothing but love and support for my sister. I want to show others that my sister is a beautiful human being, inside and out, and there is nothing wrong with her. The second change that I would like to make is to remedy the issues associated with acceptance as a whole of transgender people as a whole. My father will not accept my sister for who she is, and that is due in part to a lack of education and a history of negative teaching regarding the transgender community. There is nothing but disdain, it seems, in the older generations when it comes to anyone that does not meet a cookie cutter mold. It becomes frustrating, because I never want to see my sister experience anything but love and acceptance. She is beautiful, inside and out, and I want to show the world that she is just as perfect as you and me. There is nothing wrong with her because she wanted to show how she felt on the inside. We as a world are slowly, very slowly, becoming more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. As a whole, we need help getting where we should be. There needs to be much more love, much more joy, much more advocacy and acceptance and peace. I never want to see anyone tell my sister or anyone else for that matter that she is not a wonderful human being because of one simple thing.

The US Constitution is something that provides the essential basis for our everyday lives. The very rules and laws that we live by are superseded and inspired by this one single document that few people are capable of even reading when it comes to the original copy. It provides us with the freedoms that we enjoy that other countries do not have the privilege of having. We are provided with the right to say what we wish when we wish, the right to practice whatever religion we see fit without governmental interference or persecution, the right to defend ourselves with arms against an enemy, and more. The Constitution is the simplest thing that sets us apart from other nations and gives us the strength to continue fighting for our freedoms against warring nations. Limited power ensures that we are not living our lives in a prison-esque political system like that of people living in Communist countries in the modern day. I plan to continue to fight for civil rights by helping my brother, who is currently struggling to transition. My brother (sister) is having a difficult time because the world often does not view her as the same as everyone else. She is seen as less than, or not deserving of the same rights as everyone else. This is something that I want to work to change. Transgender people are the same as everyone else. They are wonderfully human, inside and out, kind-hearted, and can utilize the same resources that everyone else has access to. At the current time, there is not as much service available for people who choose to transition. Medical resources can be few and far between, and judgment-less areas are almost nonexistent. Transgender people also have freedom of speech and expression, so why are we trying to stifle that freedom? Why is it that when anyone displays anything even slightly off of the societal norm, they seem to lose that first Constitutional right? That is what I want to change. I want to fix the societal view on people who do not match the "perfect" person, and show people that even those they don't think to match their cookie-cutter ideal can be amazing people with amazing personalities and so much love to show. The world needs more positivity and acceptance and love, and I want to be one of the people there to give it away.

My experience with mental health has been a difficult one. That is not to say I have not learned from my struggles and applied those lessons to everyday life, but it has not been an easy road. Within the last two or three years, I have been diagnosed with a host of mental health issues. These included Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Growing up with undiagnosed mental illness in an intensely religious environment showed me a great deal about the religious community. My behaviors were blamed on a lack of virtue, and my parents agreed. My inability to pay attention during church services was punished, and I was told once that I was “telling Jesus to leave this house”. Mental illness is not something that the Catholic Church believes in, and I was genuinely told that my issues would be resolved if I simply just prayed more. My OCD worsened due to the Catholic Church, and I was in a constant cycle of misery that made my life agony. The simplest things became a chore and I was worried I was going to go to Hell if I did not move the carpet in our entryway every single night before bed, just for one example. My career is something that I based on my mental health. Due to my ADHD, I am unable to sit and work on a task unless it is something of significant interest to me. I am also a hands-on learner. Knowing this, I decided to major in Fishery and Wildlife Management because it is something that I am incredibly passionate about, and of course very hands-on. I plan to work in wildlife research, education, and conservation, and would love to work on things that will make a difference in my life and the lives of others. Since beginning therapy, I have discovered that a great majority of my mental illness stems from the mental abuse I endured as a child and into adolescence. I was made to believe that the way that I was treated was due to my actions, while that is not true at all. I was led to the presumption that my behavior was only my fault, and that no mental illness could be behind the substance abuse and behavioral issues I was experiencing. Mental illness is not something that I have always been aware of, but it makes a difference in how I now view the world. I work to better myself and make sure that my life is the best it can be. The solution is not only medication but personal betterment and a treatment team that can work with me and shows me how to make the necessary changes to my life. I try to encourage others to be their advocate in receiving mental health help, and my university is fantastic in providing resources for us. I wish there was more education regarding mental health and resources besides just the suicide hotline and telling others to go to therapy. Mental health is critical to the functioning of an everyday human being.

Climate change is quickly becoming a bigger and bigger issue in our day-to-day lives. While it can be ignored by some, the consequences are far too real for those dealing with widespread flooding, heat waves, and the like. Places that are currently dealing with the repercussions are certainly not denying what is happening, so how can it be so simple for everyone else? Natural disasters are not something that can be brushed off as unrelated, and there is minimal time before we will see a huge explosion of more and more globally. There are countless ways that we can individually combat climate change. We can carpool, use reusable products (straws, water bottles, etc.), buy locally, plant trees and small gardens, grow our own vegetables and fruits if possible, and so much more. The issue with these ideas is that usually, they're done by a small portion of the population. The key to fighting climate change is not only to work on it as an individual but to convince more people to join the cause and fight for a more environmentally friendly future for everyone. Share posts on social media, educate your friends and try to have conversations with those that may not even believe in it. I changed my mind on my stance because someone showed me statistical data regarding the topic, and it led me to a completely different idea regarding it. It is possible to have people change their minds! In my own life, I strive to be environmentally conscious and pay attention to what I am doing. I want to help, even if the help is in smaller ways. I try not to leave lights on when it is unnecessary, I try to buy things with minimal plastic packaging, and buy reusable products such as straws, water bottles, and dishes. I also try to carpool to work when it is an option, and I like to recycle when the resources are available to me. I turn the water off when brushing my teeth, and walk a lot. Combatting climate change is no longer simply an option, but a necessity. It is something that deserves far more recognition and should be more widely believed. There is data to back it, and it is no longer just a theory. Choices need to be made to provide a safe future for the next generation, and generations to follow. The time for change is now, so what are you

Serving my community is something I take great care of doing. I do not do it for myself, because it would defeat the purpose. I work to provide a sense of happiness, love, and peace to those that need it. I work to better the environment and make those around me feel that their lives have been improved, even if just marginally. I want to make the world better, and the best way to do that is to take baby steps toward a better future. One of the organizations that I had the privilege of working with was called Guadalupe Workers. The group strived to provide a better quality of life for impoverished mothers in the worst areas of Detroit that were just trying to make a good life for their children while struggling to make ends meet. I have always been passionate about childcare, so I was more than happy to provide free childcare for many of these women. I loved making connections with them and their children, and it was rewarding to see the relief they felt to be able to have just a moment of peace. We also worked to give the women necessary but expensive items such as furniture, diapers, formula, and toys. The tears in their eyes as we brought the items into their homes were a bittersweet reminder of how lucky I am to even have a bed to go to sleep on at night. Over the summer, while working at a local state park, I noticed an issue that concerned me greatly. Visitors fished often at a number of small docks, and the discarded fishing line tended to wind up wound around the docks or floating in the water haphazardly. After noticing a very simple PVC pipe disposal system specifically for the used fishing line at a local Metropark, I suggested it to the rangers at our park and was met with surprise at such a simple yet effective idea. While we were unable to implement it, I hope to return and work on it in the future because it is something that would make a difference in the area. In the future, there is so much more work to be done, and I want to be at the front lines of change. I want to make sure that the world is a better place for everyone in it. One of my career goals is to work in wildlife research, and figure out the best way for humans and wildlife to cohabitate in the face of now widespread urbanization. This is just one example of something that needs attention, and there are endless, almost infinite, issues arising each day. If I can continue to tick just one item off the growing list, I would feel accomplished.

Advice regarding finances tends to be something that people my age don't regard as something important. It may get brushed off, forgotten, or ignored. I notice that so many people my age don't know how to save, or don't know how to use their money wisely, and have never been on their own or with their paycheck. I try to listen to all of the financial tips I can, and I cannot wait to share a few. One of the best pieces of financial advice I have received is to budget. It is so simple, and writing everything out makes me realize what I am spending money on and where I can cut can able to save money for different reasons, and always have some funds in case of an emergency. I can pay my truck payment months ahead of the due date, and even have cash left over for some fun spending for myself, for things like clothes and paint supplies. I enjoy being able to show others the simplicity of this seemingly secret life hack, because so many people I know struggle with spending, and are shocked how I always have money and make my payments when I make so little at work. I save money for vacations, and recently enjoyed a trip to Canada for New Year's with the money that I had put away. I save money or rent so that when I move out of the dorms, I will have enough money to pay for an apartment. I put money aside to pay my student loans, and I put money towards my rainy day fund. When things break on my truck, I am always able to pull money without worry and fix the issue. Another good piece of financial advice I have received is to cut coupons. Most people my age don't, and it leaves a lot left over for me. I have saved hundreds of dollars with store reward programs and digital/paper coupons, and people are always wondering how I have such nice things when I don't spend all that much to get them. Cashback apps, and receipt scanners, all seem to fall into the couponing category for me, and I am always receiving small gift cards and minimal amounts of money that add up over time. Saving coins is another tip I learned that has made a huge difference for me. I didn't think much of it, but the other day my boyfriend and I returned a jar of coins. The total came out to over $45. The next day, we brought another, and the total was over $35. Sometimes, I dig through my truck and my cupholders and I can find about $10 in loose change that can buy me something fun at the store when I don't have all of the money I need. These coins would usually be tossed to the side or lost under a cushion, but the small cents can add up to a huge amount over time, and I look at it like passive income. In Michigan, we can return cans for ten cents each. I was always told to keep them because they add up and it is silly to throw away ten cents. I listened, and over the summer would collect cans at work. At some points, I was able to pay my truck payment just by returning all the cans I would find. Even now, I collect cans at school and can pay for a few of my groceries with the funds I get back from doing so. The biggest thing that I have learned is that money adds up. Money is money, and saving it is important. Even a few cents can gather and add up into about the cost of a fancy steak dinner, and who would throw that away? I can always find a little bit of money somehow, and I am proud of my creativity when it comes down to it. Having the ability to dig up a few dollars now and again when I need it makes me feel a lot less stressed about things. I don't have to worry about going hungry, or not being able to make payments, and I am confident that I can make things work because I have everything planned out just so. Emergencies are accounted for, and so is just about everything else. I have faith that everyone can do what I do, it just takes a little extra effort. I want to be able to share what I do with more people so that fewer college students can be stressed about making ends meet.

Alcohol has impacted my life for just about as long as I can remember. On my father's side of the family, alcoholism runs through our veins just about as well as the blood in our bodies. My father has nine sisters and five brothers, and a fair majority have issues with alcohol. My father himself is one of the only ones that decided to choose sobriety and has been about fifteen years sober. His brother, however, was not so fortunate and passed away due to alcohol abuse destroying his liver. His other brother is currently an active alcoholic that also suffers from related diabetes. The stories continue. When I was in high school, I tried alcohol for the first time. "I should know better", I thought to myself. "I told Dad I would never drink, I don't want to be like everyone else". The thoughts raced in my head, but the bitter sting and burn of a shot of vodka taken from the cabinet or a gulp of disgusting old tequila from the freezer quieted them to little more than a whisper. By the time I was sixteen, I was drinking beer in my water bottle at school, trying to get through everything and ignore the pleas from my friends to stop being so stupid, so ignorant. I was self-medicating my depression and anxiety, and the pile of beer cans hidden under my bed and in my dresser drawers only seemed to grow. There came a breaking point for me when I missed my sister's graduation to drink alone at home. I realized that things had gotten out of control and that I needed to make a conscious effort to fix them. I began working towards healing, and I can say that I watch out for the signs in people around me in case I can offer a helping hand or a kind word of support. I want to be there for someone like all of my friends that stuck with me through the pain of watching me go through what I did. I know that it isn't easy to stick with someone that will not listen to reason, that won't accept the help offered, but they did. They helped me when times were tough and worked with me through my worst, which is more than can be said for even my immediate family. I am proud of what I have gone through, not because I think that I am cooler for it, but because I learned from it. I want to help others feel better like me.

To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a classic, and everyone in the world, in theory, should have already read it in middle or high school. Nowadays, it has made the banned book list and no longer seems to exist in most public school systems. Regardless of all of that, the book shows why we should treat everyone around us with the utmost dignity and respect, regardless of what society or the local community has taught us to believe about someone. Stereotypes are toxic and can create a thread of hate among people that can weave itself into murderous proportions. To Kill a Mockingbird reinforces the idea that these stereotypes are the basis of issues in society, most specifically regarding race. Scout, the main character, saw the world through eyes not yet tainted by the horrors of this world. She believed what she wanted to and became close with people that she would not have usually had the opportunity to become close with. She was truly a literary hero and was respected in her time. She has become a forgotten piece of American culture due to the usage of one word within the pages of her story. If the book was truly read and understood for what it was, I personally do not think that it would have landed itself on the banned books list. It breaks my heart that the future generations will not get to experience the story the way I was able to in the seventh grade. the book changed my perspective.

I am very passionate about music, and have listened to and loved many songs over the years. One song in particular, however, seems to speak to me more deeply. "The Kids Aren't Alright", by the Offspring, has a message that has only become more relevant even though it was released more than 20 years ago. The song discusses how one neighborhood of children had dreams that were going to help them "make it big", and then tells how they grew up and what crushed those dreams. With the lyrics detailing overdoses, unplanned children, suicide, and more, it speaks to what happens to real people with despair for how their lives turned out rather than glorifying it as many modern songs do. I have known many people that had amazing futures ahead of them, and have seen their lives ended tragically. I think that this song realizes the need for more help in underserved communities, and rather than being upbeat and optimistic, serves to share a moral message about the dark underbelly of America. It brings to light real issues that people still struggle with, and shows how much of the American population has lost their dreams due to real life happening too quickly. Music conveys messages much more strongly than any other form of media, in my opinion. I think that this song was an awakening and was not appreciated or paid attention to in the way that it deserved.

When I was in my freshman year of college, I fell ill with a mystery disease. I was unable to get out of bed most days, I was miserable, and I was unable to sleep. I was covered in hot, burning rashes that took away skin from the top layer of my face, and still, I was unable to figure out what it might be, even after several visits to specialists and the emergency room in our rural area. I was far from home, and I didn't know what to do. I figured that there was some reason I had this disease, and I worked to power through it when I could. I finished my second semester and made Dean's list at my university, and I could not have been more proud of myself. I put in so much more work than I felt possible, even under the strain of my disease. Upon returning home for the summer, blood work and many specialists revealed that I had obtained an autoimmune disease that was so rare that even my doctors are often unfamiliar with it when I try to explain it. It is called chronic idiopathic urticaria, and I contracted it due to the negligence of one of my doctors, who prescribed me a medication that almost killed me due to the severity of the allergic reaction I had had for over seven months at that point. If he had paid attention, I would have never even suffered with it. The point of the story is that I was able to push through my illness, and studied harder than I ever had in my life to achieve the things I wanted to. I put my mind to my goals and surpassed them, something I would not have thought possible when I first began suffering from my disease. Almost a year later now, I still suffer from the effects of the entire ordeal, and will be stuck with it for the rest of my life. I have learned how to deal with the symptoms better now, and I am much happier than I ever have been. I feel stronger, and I feel like a superhero for dealing with the issues that I did and continue to. I want to show others that advocating for yourself is sometimes all you can do, and there is never a length too far when it comes to your own health.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am currently studying Wildlife Management with a focus on conservation. Perseverance is the strongest part of my mind and pushes me forward with fervor every day that I wake up and get out of bed. Without perseverance, I would not be pursuing the career of my dreams. I would have given up and settled for something less than my goals like I was told to do by my own family and friends. I continued moving forward and trusted that the belief in myself, and the knowing that I could, was enough to carry me through. I would have stopped pushing forward when I was struggling with my learning disability, and could barely sit down to study. I worked harder than I ever had to in my life, and still earned a spot on the Dean's List. I would have stopped trying in February 2022, when I fell ill due to the negligence of a doctor I trusted, and I would have stopped in August when I was told I had a chronic autoimmune illness. I suffered a great deal to overcome the worst parts of both of these, and continued to advocate for myself until I found some sort of help. I got just enough relief from my symptoms to work towards my goals, but even in the throws of illness, I still made a point to go to class each day and do the work expected of me so that I could stay caught up in my coursework. I got out of bed and went to work at the job that I had worked so hard to earn with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. At the end of each day, I know that I still have a very long way to go. I know that I will more likely than not go through more things that will try to stop my progress, but I will continue to persevere through them. There is no road block that I will let stand in the way of the career I have wanted as long as I can remember. I have lofty goals, and people to prove wrong. I have a dream, and I want to change the world, educate others, prove that women are capable, and show everyone around me that if you can set your mind to a goal, you can accomplish it. Si. Se. Puede.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Wildlife Management with a focus on conservation. I have faced a good deal of adversity in my life that impacted my ability to complete the steps I needed to take to get closer to my dream career. I want to work in the outdoors, and it is something that has always been a passion of mine and something close to my heart. When I told people in my family, as well as my friends, about the career path I had chosen, they encouraged me to choose a different one. I was hurt, because I had absolutely no support, except for my father. He was the only person I could turn to when I was worried I wasn't going to do well, because when I went to anyone else the answer they provided seemed to be to give up. This was not the only thing that stood in my way, however. In February of 2022, I fell ill with a mystery illness. I had chest pain, hypertension, trouble breathing, tachycardia, insomnia, fatigue, and was covered in rashes every day. This lasted for nearly six months before we were able to find a doctor that could provide any sort of diagnosis. Finally, we found that I had been prescribed a medication that was extremely harmful to me, due to the negligence of my provider. With discontinuation, I was finally able to find some relief. At this time, I also found that I now had a chronic autoimmune disease. I was scared that I would not be able to continue my work that I had dreamed of, and my internship at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, where I was expected to be capable of physical activity. I was devestated. I took every step I could and worked to find how to alleviate my symptoms to the point of some level of comfort. I just wanted to be able to go to work and complete the job I had always dreamed of. I endured a great deal to be able to show up to work with a smile on my face each day, and I am so proud of what I have overcome to gain the experience that I now have. I have worked harder than I ever thought possible, and I am just thankful to be alive each day.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management with a focus in conservation. Being involved in my community means more than just showing up to events and knowing people in town. I want to work to ensure that my community is the best it can be, and I hope to use my career in that endeavor as well. I live in a slightly rural area, and we have a lot of wildlife and state land nearby. These play a major role in the shape of our community. I want to work to educate others on the importance of conservation, especially land conservation, so that there can be a habitat for the wildlife we love so much for years to come. I hope to bring about change in the natural ecosystem in a positive way, and I want people to know that they can start helping from their own backyards. This summer, I worked in a state park where we had a few particularly difficult wildlife management issues, along with issues involving humans in the park. I personally ensured that over one thousand aluminum and glass drink containers were recycled, rather than being thrown in the dumpster, because I wanted to make sure that the materials did not go to waste. I was able to form many connections with people because of what I was doing, and I met a lot of amazing people that came through the park. It is lasting relationships that come from simple conservations and meetings that build a community. I loved seeing how people treated one another when they were camping. The community there was amazing. People from all over the country and even the world can ensure that no one goes hungry, everyone has a flashlight or towel when they need one, and the like. People are so generous and genuine that it gave me confidence in the world again. I want to keep the environment clean and safe so that community can continue to grow and foster curiosity about the natural world and all it has to offer. It has given me so much. It has given me a career, and I want to give back for all I have been given. I want to give future generations a chance to grow up outside like I did, and make the world a better place.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Fishery and Wildlife Managment. I love the outdoors more than anywhere else, and in my free time I enjoy hiking, fishing, painting, working on my neighbor's farm, reading, hammocking, and working on my truck. I am passionate about wildlife conservation, species like black bears and white-tailed deer, education, the environment, and the health of ecosystems in my local area. It is my dream to have a career in which I can fulfill my interest in all of these things and combine them into one job. I want to work to help with resource management, collection, and allocation locally, as well as working directly in and with the ecosystems and habitats to create a more environmentally friendly future for the species that call the area home. Implementing more educational opportunities into parks and schools could make a huge difference in exposing the next generation to wildlife and the outdoors. I want to educate others on the importance of wildlife conservation and teach people how they can contribute to the environment starting in their own backyard. I hope to create a future where there isn't so much concern about habitat loss, and I want to see to it that every species has a guaranteed home to enjoy for years to come. Humans have already created such a negative trend in ecosystem and habitat loss due to urbanization, so it feels as though it is my personal duty to make a change for the better. There is so much that has to be done, and I want to get to work as soon as possible. I want to see these dreams through because I only had one person that encouraged me through all of it, and I want to show him that his faith in me wasn't worthless. My father stuck by me and told me over and over that I could do whatever made me happy. I was told by numerous people, even in my own family, that I was making a stupid decision and that it wasn't worth my time, energy, or dedication. I wanted to show those people that at the end of the day, money is not my end goal. I want to show more younger people that following a job should never be for the money you will make, but the happiness and satisfaction you will gain at the end of each day.

I work very hard to educate myself on financial literacy. In high school, I realized I knew next to nothing about financial matters when I took my first personal finance class. We covered many topics, but not one of us took anything away from it except even more confusion and stress about the future. I realized that personal finance is one of the most important concepts that should be taught, as no matter what you do in life, you will always need to know how to wisely use your money and save for important life events. It is important to know how to do taxes, save money, and invest. I am currently trying to encourage both of my younger siblings to do their research and pick colleges that are within a certain price range, so that they do not have to go through the financial issues that I do. I chose a cheaper in-state school and am still struggling to make tuition payments, even after saving for years to have a small safety net. I encourage both of them to save money from their after school jobs so that they can do the same. Along with all of this, I work to encourage others to create a budget they can stick to because most of us are currently living paycheck to paycheck. When I create my budget after getting paid each week, I deposit money into a variety of categories. First, I put money towards my truck payment, which helps me to build credit. I like to add extra so that I can be at least a month ahead in case there are unforeseen circumstances that conflict with my ability to meet my payment. Next, I put money towards my college tuition payment. Then, I put money towards my emergency fund. Then, I separate money into categories such as gas, food, and vacation savings so that I can try to stay within my financial threshold. This helps me to keep an eye on how much I am spending so that I don't waste money on unnecessary purchases. I have helped many of my friends create budgets that work for them, and this also helps them to stop living paycheck to paycheck. I love helping others manage their money, which I get from my father. He taught me how to save when I was young, and all I can do now is try to give back in the way that he did for me.

I want to see the people of my community be more open to wildlife conservation. So many species locally and nationally are threatened, and many people seem to not notice or care. I work with multiple organizations in my community to raise money for habitat restoration and preservation, something I am passionate about and hope to work for in my career. I want to make sure that species have a home for generations to come, and I want to share my love for animals and wildlife with others. There is so much that still needs to be done, and I want to be an advocate for the creatures that don't have a voice.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore studying Fishery and Wildlife Management at Northern Michigan University. I came from a home where I, along with my two younger siblings, were emotionally and verbally abused as children and into adolescence. This was something I was wholly unaware of and even considered normal for many years until I began therapy and began to share my story with my peers. I was told by my own mother, someone that most would trust to support their dreams, that my selected major would not get me anywhere in life, and that I would be better off deciding on something different. She told me that I should enter a different field where I would make more money. As a child and young adult, I was cussed out and I was called awful names that I prefer to leave out of this application, as I don't feel they are appropriate to share. At a young age, I became a parental figure to both of my younger siblings at crucial points in their life. I selected two examples of this to share. When my younger sister came to me with an eating disorder, and when my younger brother came to me with the fact that he wanted to transition into a woman, they selected me instead of my parents because they were concerned of the reactions and backlash that they would face. It broke my heart to think that neither of them felt comfortable telling our parents, because they didn't have the support that they needed. It was then that I knew I had to rise above the hardships that were inflicted upon us and become something better. I worked to become as close to financially independent as I could be at nineteen years old and to make my own dreams come true, and encouraged both of my younger siblings to do the same. I wanted better for both of them, and I wanted them to know that I would always encourage their dreams no matter what. Even if they chose lifestyles that were not traditional or the norm, I wanted to be the person they could count on and the one they could share things with. I continue to do so, even being 450 miles from them at college. I want to prove that no matter what anyone says, I can do amazing things and give others the opportunities and support I didn't have.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am studying Fishery and Wildlife Management. As someone of hispanic descent, I am familiar with adversity. I am especially familiar with people telling me that I am not what they picture someone of hispanic descent looking like. I have to explain that not everyone looks the same, regardless of what they assume, and how even my grandfather, a Mexican born first generation immigrant, does not look like the typical hispanic. I usually explain that his name is Gabriel Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Michel, and that tends to be enough of an answer. I find that often, I must "prove" that I am really hispanic, and aside from providing them my grandfather's birth certificate, I find it difficult. I have had adversity in a few things, such as applying to certain jobs. My experience is usually that the interviewer is surprised that I "don't look more Hispanic", or that they are concerned that I am lying about my ethnicity (something that I am very proud of). My siblings have had issues with people not believing that they are hispanic when they receive academic awards, and my father has had issues with people assuming things about his cultural identity even while living in Mexico and being a fluent Spanish speaker. I find it hard to accept this part of myself, even though I love it, when I am constantly told that I do not live up to a stereotype that people have created. It is hurtful, and makes me feel as though I am not enough. I want to prove that even if someone does not meet a stereotype, they are still a member of a community. My father has showed me the importance of living my heritage, and he makes sure that we are able to explain the hardships my family went through to be able to live in the United States. My grandfather escaped a war in the 1920s to come to this country, and made a living from nothing. He encouraged my father to do the same, and my father expected the same from me. I am proud of my culture, and I want to share it with others. I am proud of my family, and I am proud of what we have gone through. I am not what some may expect, but I am what I am. There is nothing I would ever change.

I value my work ethic the very most. This quality has gotten me where I am in life, and I have my father to thank for it. From a young age, he encouraged me to earn as much money as I could so that I could pay for college, and this meant getting some sort of paying job. When I was just twelve years old, I chose to work on a local farm, something I still do every summer and now winter break as well. When I turned fourteen, I took a job as a nursery assistant at my church. Neither of these jobs paid very much, but the work I did meant something, and that was the best part of every day. As I got older, I got better and more consistent jobs, such as a clerk at the grocery store near my house, a cashier at the local hardware store, a teacher at a local preschool, a worker for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at a campground, and a cashier at the auto parts store here at college. I put half of my earnings from every paycheck towards my college savings and it has created a bit of a safety net for me to continue my education. These jobs provided amazing references and experience that have given me so much in my life that I believe have helped me farther than most other students my age. I have been able to work hard at my studies and then go to work at night to be able to continue paying for my education and work towards near complete financial independence. I am proud to say that I pay my own truck payment every month, pay for my groceries, and pay for all of the necessities that I buy every week. I am grateful for the opportunities that I was given from day one, and like I said before, I have my father to thank for giving them to me. He taught me how to apply for jobs, how to work hard, how to never give up, and how to be independent from a young age. At nineteen years old, I have a better resume than some people in their twenties. This may sound like bragging, but I am incredibly proud of the work I have done throughout my life. It is something that has given me so much more than I could ever ask for.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore Fishery and Wildlife Management student at Northern Michigan University. Animals have been a major part of my life for the entirety of my life and I have loved all sorts of species of animals and wildlife since before I can remember. My father used to bring me out to our property to hike and do all sorts of activites in the outdoors. He taught me how to be independent and remain safe in the wild. His own father infused a passion for animals in him, and he took the opportunity to do the same for me. My love blossomed into a near obsession, and I asked question after question about everything that we saw. He never tired of answering my questions, and taught me everything that he knew about the outdoors and how we as humans have a responsibility to leave the outdoors as pure as possible. He was a firm believer in leaving things how we found them, and ensured that we never disturbed the environment in forms of pollution or littering. He took us on walks to clean up litter off the side of the road, something that I began doing on my own later in my life. My father was the only person in my life who encouraged me to pursue my dreams and work in my desired field. I took a job with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources this last summer, and it only solidified my love for working in the outdoors. I came to the conclusion that I want to work to educate others about everything outdoors, and I wish to work in Wildlife Research, primarily working with large predatory mammals and whitetail deer to see how the recent impacts of urbanization have affected their behavior and evolutionary adaptions. I want to work to provide resources so that the protected areas they call home are available for generations to come. It is my dream to give others an insight into the love that has taken over my heart, and get people excited about conservation. There is so much left to be done to make sure that so many species remain healthy and stay within proper population limits, and I want to be a part of it. I want to make a change in the world, and this is just the beginning of the rest of my life.

My experience in athletics started at a very young age. I was active in dance at a studio in my small town. I grew to love acrobatics after attempting jazz, tap, ballet, and more. Acrobatics was my speciality, and I felt confident in my unique talents. I discovered that I am much more flexible in my back than most other people, and loved to showcase this talent whenever an opportunity presented itself. It made me confident and gave me the ability to perform in front of people with less anxiety. With this background, I decided to join the dance team at my small high school, where I helped pioneer it the very first year we began. I was the only junior on my team, and loved participating. It gave me the ability to take rejection well, something I had never had to do until I began on the team. I realized I had to work harder than I ever had before to make something of myself, and I put a piece of my heart into performing. My coach showed us how to create a tight team dynamic, something I was also not so familiar with. We became very close and were able to critique one another in ways I did not have the ability to do before. I became better and better at the sport, and at the end of my senior year, as the only senior on the team, I was honored by my teammates at a final performance on the soccer field. It felt amazing to have the crowd so impressed by our teamwork, and it was incredible to be able to walk onto the field with my mother and father. They were the most proud of my efforts, and could see how hard I had worked to get onto the field that day. I went through it all with my younger sister by my side, and it was so touching to be able to watch her grow into such an amazing dancer and an incredible woman. I think that all students should try to participate in at least one sport if they are physically able, and gain the leadership and teamwork skills that come along with it. I never realized how much I could take into the real world from just being in sports, but I am grateful for all of the amazing experiences that I got to take from it.

My daily choices impact the environment in more ways than I can even count or imagine. Whether or not I choose to use single use plastics, whether or not I recycle packaging materials and papers, and whether or not I choose to car pool or drive myself to work, among dozens of other things are all choices that directly impact the environment of the area I live in. I choose to recycle the boxes that many of my foods come in, like cereal boxes and granola bar boxes. When possible, I try to recycle the milk cartons I get and the cans from my pop and other soft drinks. I try to carpool with my boyfriend to work when we are able to, saving not only gas but also reducing emissions that are produced. I like to make sure that I am not producing extra waste when it is not unneccessary. I try to turn off the faucet when I am brushing my teeth, therefore saving water. It may be a small amount, but the small amounts can add up over time. I try to grow some of my own plants in my dorm, which is obviously still small amounts, but cuts down on the emissions produced by transporting produce to grocery stores. I like to shop small to maintain that same idea, which means that less transportation cost is created overall, and these shops are usually much more sustainable. Shops like these tend to use paper bags and packaging if any, and generally don't use nearly as much single use plastic in their products. In fact, many use recycled materials! I like to use reusable bags when shopping, and when it is not possible, I reuse plastic grocery bags as garbage bags so that they can get another life before being discarded. I try to stay away from buying clothes that are not made using responsible production processes and I like to reuse my items until I simply cannot anymore. I buy larger quantities of hygiene products so that I am not using as much single use plastic, and I reuse medicine bottles for my vitamins so that the single use plastic is not entering the landfills. I also worked with a group recently to survey university students on recycling practices so that our university could work to create better recycling statistics on campus. There is still so much more that I could be doing, but I am proud of the work I have done.

For me, managing my finances means the difference between eating dinner and starving. I am an incredibly independent person, and I do not want to have to ask my parents for assistance because they are currently responsible for my two younger siblings. In order to manage my finances, I put together a complex budget that includes everything necessary. I make sure that I am able to complete my monthly truck payment, and try to pay it at least a few months ahead in case there is an instance where I am unable to make my payment one month. This also allows me to build credit, because I do not like to use credit cards. I also make sure to put money away in an emergency savings fund, in case there is an issue with my truck or I cannot meet my monthly payment. I put money in categories each paycheck, like money for gas, food, tuition, and personal care products. I try to stay within the allotted budget amount and this keeps me within my spending limit. I like to try and put money away for rent and vacations as well. Even with all of these practices, it can still be difficult to afford everything necessary to live comfortably. On top of being a full time student, I also work at the local Advance Auto parts, which gives me a discounted price for parts and other items for my truck. This is a financial decision in my opinion, because not only do I make money, but I get to save a little extra. I also make sure I use coupons and rewards programs because often I am able to save quite a bit of money on things I was going to buy anyways. I have been able to save hundreds of dollars just using this in my life. I like to ensure that I have money at all times, even if it means not getting everything I want. It can be difficult, but it is worth it to me to be able to do the things I want to later in life. I have a 401K as well, which ensures I will be able to retire happily and comfortably. I have made a lot of sacrifices in my life, but I can't wait to see it all pay off in the future. Money isn't everything, but it helps to be financially sound.

My name is Margaret Michel and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University. I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management. I chose this major because it is something I am truly passionate about. I have loved wildlife and the outdoors since I can remember, and my father made sure that I was given every opportunity to explore, learn, and grow in the best environment possible. He often took me up to our hunting camp to hike, teach me firearm safety, teach me about outdoor safety, and give me the resources to be self-sufficient in the wild. I would ask question after question about different things that I saw, and I learned more than I could ask for about beavers, deer, coyotes, black bears, and others. I learned how to track animals the "old-fashioned" way, and followed my father's footsteps both literally and figuratively to become an expert in all things outside. I want to share my passion and love with others and educate people on the importance of wilderness safety, hunting safety, and wildlife conservation efforts. I would love to be able to work in wildlife research and impact the world around me in a positive way that gives back to the environment that taught and gave me so much as a young child. I want to ensure that the generations after me have the opportunities that I did. I want to get others as excited as I get to go out and explore and learn. There is so much more to this world than anyone gives it credit for, and there is so much more that we still have to learn. I want to be a part of the growing levels of resources available, and I want to contribute to the millions of databases of species and facts. With everything going on in our world, it is sometimes the most beautiful thing to have a career that takes you away from all of the stresses of politics, fighting, arguments, and upset. I have worked in many jobs that have taken me outdoors, such as working on a farm from the age of twelve, working for the Michigan Department of Natural resources this past summer, and working for my parents doing simple chores around our property. I want nothing more than to be able to complete my degree and make my father and my family proud, and prove everyone who told me I couldn't make this a career wrong. Thank you for your consideration of my application.

My experience with mental health has shaped my life in many ways. Some of these strengthened me, and some of these hurt me along the line. When I was young, I showed quite obvious signs of mental illness that would be diagnosed quite later in my life. These included ADHD, OCD, ODD, and anxiety, resulting partially from emotional neglect and abuse from both of my parents. I knew nothing about mental illness, as my incredibly strict religious father did not believe in mental illness, and I began to believe that something was wrong with me, and that there was nothing I could do. This belief was only furthered by my equally strict religious school, which, rather than seeking to figure out why I had behavioral issues, labelled me as far too talkative, bad at following directions, and disruptive to others. I was told that I needed to work on the virtues more and pray for the graces I needed, but as much as I tried, I couldn't seem to find what they told me I would. I spent much of my childhood in mental agony, frustrated, angry, and upset. Worry was the main thing in my mind, and several of my OCD tendencies began to control more and more parts of my life. No one seemed to pay it any attention, and labelled me and the effects of my various mental illness with terms like, "angry", "uptight", "too worrisome", and "anal". I hated myself and felt that there was no one on my side. Finally, when I got to college, I was able to seek true mental health resources. I was medicated, saw a psychiatrist, and now see a therapist weekly. I am able to find why I feel the way that I do and find ways to cope with the issues I had for most of my life. I now try to help others become advocates for themselves, and have been able to help my younger siblings with their mental health struggles as well. The struggles I faced influenced my views on family life, and the more I learned about my emotional neglect and abuse, the less I felt I could trust my own parents. I find it difficult to talk about family life, and get scared that people will stop talking to me if I frustrate them. My mental health has influenced my career aspirations in what I think is a unique way. I want to work with my ADHD and work in the outdoors, something that has always been of interest to me. I would be more dedicated to it than I would anything else, and it would be something that I would be able to educate others about in my free time. I think that there is so much that can be taken from my struggles, and over the past year, I have found much. Patience with others, inner peace, a brighter outlook on life away from the home I left, and more independence and self-respect. I don't believe that what I went through is right, but I do believe that it gave me the life I have today, and for that I am grateful. Thank you for your consideration of my application to this scholarship.

I am a nineteen year old sophomore at Northern Michigan University and I am studying Fishery and Wildlife Management. I believe that I have a lot of goals I wish to accomplish in life, and many of them fall into the categories of academic and professional. I have already taken steps toward achieving some of these goals, such as working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to put me one step closer to obtaining a career in the outdoors. One of my goals that is both academic and professional is that I hope to become a wildlife researcher, and would love to work with and study predatory animals in North American and figure out how they have been affected behaviorally and physically by the rapid urbanization across the country within recent years. In correlation with that goal, I have the goal of obtaining my graduate degree in Wildlife management, and I would love to be able to educate others about the importance of wildlife conservation, something that is incredibly near and dear to my heart. My love for teaching others comes from work I did in Detroit, where I helped mothers in need with access to services and items that they needed to sustain their young families. I was able to help with free childcare while the mothers spent time learning about important topics that could better their lives. This led to me going into preschool education for a span of time while I was in high school, where I worked with young children and worked specifically with one young autistic boy who needed extra love and attention due to a rough home situation. I was able to use what I learned from working with both of these very different groups to find a special love for helping others and giving them the key to unlocking knowledge they otherwise may not have proper access to. My largest goal is that I want to be able to use my knowledge to show others how they can safely enjoy the outdoors and respect wildlife, while also helping wildlife conservation efforts in their day to day lives. Many people don't realize just how dire the current situation is, and there is so much that can still to be done to save the habitats of many species. Without the assistance of generous benefactors, I may not be able to obtain my degree. Thank you so much for you consideration of my application.

My name is Margaret Michel, and I am a sophomore at Northern Michigan University studying Fishery and Wildlife Management. I am nineteen years old and have two younger siblings. I enjoy the outdoors and all activities that I can do in that environment. I love fishing, hiking, reading, hammocking, camping, etc. I love wildlife and all animals as I find them absolutely fascinating, and recently took on a pet snake named Mabel to care for after finding she had been neglected by her previous owner. Along with all of this, I also suffer from diagnosed mental illness. I struggle with anxiety, ADHD, ODD, and OCD. These, for the most part, were caused by trauma from emotional neglect and abuse as a child. The effects of my mental illness were apparent but were ignored by those who were supposed to find me ways to feel better. There was a lack of education in my parents about mental illness, and until I was 16 years old, I was brushed off as just overdramatic, angry, too attentive to detail, and attention-seeking. In reality, my mind was constantly spinning into a wreck, creating turmoil within my own mind. I was stuck in my own head, often alone with my own thoughts because I had no way to express them to anyone. When I left for college, I sought therapy, a psychiatrist, and an ADHD specialist. I found that there was so much more to life than my mental illness was giving me, and I have never felt more excited to be experiencing the world in my entire life. I have gained a good deal of strength from fighting my mental illness and have gained the necessary resources to help others advocate for themselves. I have been able to support my younger brother and sister through their mental illness battles through my own gained experience. I wish that there was a better way to see the world through clear eyes, and I wish I didn't have to go through what I have, but I am so very grateful that I have the experience I do. I am grateful for the beautiful life that I have now, and I am grateful that I have been able to help others. Without the generous help of others, I may not be able to graduate. Thank you so very much for your consideration of my application to this scholarship.

I spent a fair majority of my childhood struggling to learn. I was told that I just wasn't applying myself, or that I just wasn't trying hard enough. I would sit at my desk in class and try to focus, but my brain simply would not allow me to. I tried to study, but I couldn't focus on the work in front of me, and brought home more than a few poor exam grades. When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I was a freshman in college, and had realized that not everyone had spent over eight hours trying to write one page of notes. I was so close to leaving my university before I received my diagnosis, as I thought that it was just me and that I would never be able to put my mind to my work and focus long enough to be productive. Having a name for my mental disease made a major difference. After receiving medication and putting in hours and hours of work, I was able to make Dean's List, and realized that I had it in me all along. I was able to become productive, do my work on time and well, and focus. My grades improved and so did my attitude towards my education. I began college at a seventh grade math level, and had never been able to figure out my math work, which frustrated me to no end. Second semester of my freshman year, I was able to complete my math exams with no grade below an 80, and homework submitted even before the due date. It was a major accomplishment for me. I chose to pursue higher education because I wanted to work in the outdoors and make a difference. I am currently a student at Northern Michigan University and I study Fishery and Wildlife Management. I love what I am able to do, have worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources during my summer break while also completing college courses, and enjoy the research that I do for my projects. I feel that I am a good candidate for this scholarship because I have struggled with my learning disability for years, and though it is still a constant in my life, I have taken much strength from it. I have put a good deal of work into my college education and hope to be able to give back to others when I graduate. Without financial help, I may be unable to finish my degree. I appreciate your consideration of my application to this scholarship.

I was diagnosed with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria due to a prescription medication given to me by a formerly trusted physician that devastated the natural functioning of my entire body. I spent months searching for reasons as to why I was suffering so much, never thinking that it could be the medication that we initially thought was harmless. I learned through this desperate seeking how to be my own advocate, and how to trust myself. I wound up in emergency rooms more than a few times, spent hours in specialist doctor's offices, and looked up my symptoms dozens of times, just trying to find out why I was struggling. Becoming my own advocate helped shape me as a person, and I firmly believe that. I learned what it meant to stick up for myself, and gained more confidence than I knew possible. When I finally received the diagnosis, it was like a sigh of relief. My struggles were long from gone, but I had an answer and a name for the illness, and would not simply be brushed off as overdramatic any longer. I still suffer daily from the effects of this illness, and my specialist predicts that it will be a long road to recovery, if that's even possible. C.I.U. tends to be rather uncommon, and people make assumptions when they see the bright pink splotches that tend to cover my body. They may assume that I am contagious, or that I am dirty because of what is on my skin. I have learned through my illness to be more accepting of other conditions instead of jumping to conclusions, and I have learned how to be supportive of others that are struggling from similar issues. I have been able to give others advice when they have hives from a regular allergy, and it makes me feel better to give others solutions to issues, even if I cannot cure my own. I have learned about doing my own research on any medication I am prescribed, and have learned that there are fantastic doctors (like my specialist that diagnosed me and created my treatment plan to ease symptoms), and negligent doctors (such as the one that prescribed me my medication and ignored my pleas for answers when I began to get sick, a doctor I had seen since birth). I learned more about the medical system than I thought, and I thank my lucky stars that I was able to persevere through what I categorized as the worst time in my life. Constant illness creates a newfound appreciation for health, and I have been able to encourage many people to be their own advocate to seek answers in the way that I had to. It takes a strong mind to get through something like an autoimmune illness, and I am so glad that I was able to create one to push me forward. Thank you for your consideration of my application to this scholarship.

I feel that I have grown in incredible ways in the last year. Some of the things I have grown from are hard for me to admit. To me, there is nothing more important than ensuring that my little brother and sister are safe and happy, as well as feel loved and accepted. Our parents have been emotionally abusive and sometimes emotionally negligent for the majority of our childhood. I became a parent figure for both siblings at a young age, someone that they could come to and see when they were having a hard time or needed help. For a very long time, coming out of a predominately unaccepting area, I was very unknowledgeable about the LGBTQ+ community, and not accepting whatsoever. I was angry toward the community and did not feel that there was a reason for me not to be. I am ashamed of the way I felt about the individuals who identify in this group. That all changed when my younger brother came to me and explained that he felt it would be right to begin transitioning into a woman, and asked how our family's medical insurance would provide help for him. From here on out, I will refer to him with the pronouns she/they, the requested pronouns I was told. She was scared to tell our parents, and I knew that I had to change my mindset toward the community that she was a part of. I had to relearn all of my opinions and become more open to a different way of thinking. I find myself to be quite obstinate, so this was not an easy task. I worked to make sure that I was referring to her by her preferred pronouns, gave her my old clothing when she asked for some hand me downs, and bought her makeup and what not for Christmas so that she could feel more comfortable while waiting to begin her estrogen treatments. I have spent a lot of time working to ensure that my new sister knows that even if my parents do not approve of her choice, I do, and I want her to do what she feels is right to feel comfortable and happy in the skin she is in. I want to help her grow and thrive as a beautiful woman that she is, and make her life as good as it can be. To me, this was a large change, and I feel so much more love in my heart than before. I want to become an advocate for others in the future, but for now, my attention is on both of my younger sisters and making their lives amazing.

Social issues are far too prevalent in today's society. It can become hard to pick one to discuss. In order to decide which one I would discuss, I thought about my volunteer experience, which can often show the passions of those who spend time on such projects. I have volunteered in a variety of environments, but the one I love most is the one that often goes unrecognized as service work. I love to spend time in the outdoors, cleaning up the litter from others and making spaces beautiful for animals and humans alike to thrive in. Cleaning litter from the ground is barely a grain of salt compared to the mountain of steps that need to be taken in order to provide this world with an environmentally sound status. Environmental issues are an increasing threat to wildlife, something that has always been incredibly near and dear to my heart. It is so dear that it caused me to pursue a degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management, so that instead of just wanting to help, I can actively make a difference in the environmental impacts facing many areas across the United States, and maybe even the world. My passion is in large predatory mammals, which are commonly threatened by urbanization and trophy hunting. I have spent a good deal of time researching ways to remedy this problem in the future, and hope to be able to put fresh and unique data and laboratory science to the test to assist my research. In order to make the future of conservation a sure one, it will take a great deal of work from a great deal of people. I want to be one of those people, and I want to ensure that populations of all animals are healthy and secure for years to come, and it breaks my heart to see the spread of urbanization ruin habitat after habitat of species, taking away vital ecosystems that provide wildlife, and in turn us, with so much. I would use this scholarship to continue my pursuit in the biology field, and perhaps earn my Master's degree so that I can obtain a career in wildlife research. I want to be able to provide insight and funding to organizations that work to create safer areas for wildlife to flourish and grow and recover the devastation that urbanization, pollution, and global-warming have caused them. Thank you for your consideration of my application!

The pandemic has not only created substantially more need for SUD treatment, but taken away common avenues of in-person SUD treatment and lessened the availability of help that many need as well. With this two headed beast, it can be daunting to try and attempt to fix the issue plaguing those suffering most. Online treatment can often be ineffective and not as personal as in person treatment, and may be rather unhelpful or perhaps even a waste of resources if the recipient of treatment is not interested in receiving it. However, there are ways to make it work for those who are open to the possibility. The first step would be providing some sort of at home package, which would include the materials necessary to engage the recipient of treatment. Perhaps some pointed reading materials, some form of guided notes or journaling prompts, and some other helpful activities that can be done on one's own. This would ensure that there isn't just one-sided monologues, there would be discussion and out of treatment resources. It would also take up potentially otherwise idle time that may lead the participant back to the substance they are trying to let go of. Secondly, therapy three or more times per week via Zoom or Telehealth would be ideal to ensure that the treatment recipient is getting what they need to out of the treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, dependent on situation of course, could be useful on days when there is off time from therapy meetings. These could also introduce other support systems into the life of the recovering addict as well. Having other people in the same situation, especially during such a stressfully unique time as the pandemic, can mean a world of difference in combatting the issues. Along with all of these items, there may also be considered a separate group that could consist of 2-3 people, and those people could all rely on one another in their steps to sobriety. The simple fact of having people that know what one is enduring can make the treatment feel less isolating in a time where everything seems to put one on their own. Those in these situations need every last morsel of support that they can be given, and sometimes it still isn't enough. Continuing the idea of the small group, there is a lot of benefit that can be derived. Theoretically, all group participants would be members of the same treatment program, and circumstantially could meet in person with proper precautions or via Zoom, depending on how comfortable they are with the pandemic restrictions occurring at a certain time/place. They could discuss how treatment is working, and perhaps the at-home material package could include some group materials as well. These could be guided discussions, questions, group activities, etc. In closing, there is a lot of progress that still needs to occur in order to ensure that SUD treatment can be successful when not in person. There is a lot of potential, and modern technology provides a great deal of help in that. There needs to be a better solution, because we are now living in a time no one saw possible. There has to be a way to help those in need when there is no way to even leave home.

Writing has more intricate components than most people know what to do with. There is a reason that most people in a creative writing class are simply uninterested and bored. Creative writing cannot be taught. English can be taught. Grammar can be taught. Even the components of a good essay can be taught. Creative writing cannot be taught. Beautiful words can be thrown onto paper, but it takes a special sort of person to put them in the order necessary to create something that someone can feel in their soul. If one has the ideas of creative writing inside of their head, they are prepared with what they need to create something truly wonderful. Writing opens the doors to so much more than just a few words on a page. It can weave stories, create a way to persuade someone, argue without a voice, educate, and incalculable more items. Writing is a way for me to express myself and use the words that I can think over, editing until I decide that my sentences sound just right. It's something that I can't do in real life, and it helps me to feel like I am effectively getting my words across to my audiences. It is a way for me to express my interests, and I found that writing research papers on whitetail deer and how different environmental changes impact them was a passion of mine. I enjoyed writing papers about numerous species really because it was a way to use my words in a new way that led to constructive evidence being combined into one large collective that could be used for benefit. Because of writing these types of papers, I decided that I wanted to go into wildlife research. I am currently pursuing a degree in fishery and wildlife management, hopefully, my Master's degree, so that I can write for the rest of my life, and help one of my favorite species remain healthy for years to come. I love to combine interests, and this is one of the best combinations I could have created, in my opinion. Writing has taken me incredible places in my life, especially the writings of others. I have been inspired to be able to move forward in my life, and writing has been the driving force. Every day that I sit down at my laptop and write an essay, an email, a letter, a scholarship application, I open a door. Large or small, those words make my world a little bit wider.

Our oceans provide us with more than we could ever need to survive. The first thought of anyone when I say that may be, "We cannot drink the water found in the oceans." One may suggest that the salty nature of the water means that the water itself cannot sustain the life of a human, but it could not be further from the truth. There is so much more within the waters that can be utilized, infinite usages for the water, and with the future of environmental sustainability, there is so much that can be found to desalinate water and provide clean drinking water for billions of people across the globe. As an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Fishery and Wildlife Management, our oceans fall into my career spectrum. I want to ensure that the populations of all areas of the world (including those that are deep within the darkness of the waters of the ocean) are within the parameters necessary for them to thrive. Many people can look at an ocean and see the large animals, the well known, that suffer the catastrophic effects of pollution and climate change. A classic example is a Loggerhead Sea Turtle getting a plastic straw stuck in its nostril, something that sparked a movement towards reusable straws in the last few years. What many people don't realize is that with pollution harming the larger animals and species, the smaller ones and the oceanic ecosystems are at a greater risk of alarming population decline or worse; extinction. The oceans are in place for us to enjoy, not to overutilize, over fish, over pollute, or anything else. They are an ecosystem, an environment, and a home for many. In ways that humans can never fully understand, these species rely on the smallest factors in the ocean for long-term survival. I hope that I can study the populations of many of these species to see what I can do to help the species that need it most, and so that I can prevent the extinction of any species teetering on the brink due to human activities that have a trickle down or direct effect on wildlife. If we want to continue living in harmony with the species that provide incalculable benefit to Earth, we as humans need to do our part to provide them the resources they need. These resources would assist in reverting the effects of humans that have destroyed aspects of the ocean's natural beauty.

Earning this scholarship would quite honestly change my life. Every single day, I struggle with the concern of how I will pay for college the next credit, the next semester, the next year, and so forth. It is a stressful issue that rests heavy on my shoulders, and something I do not want to burden my parents with. To try and offset some of this stress and to keep more of my loans at bay, I currently work many hours a week on top of being a full time student to support myself and put at least something towards my higher education. I have worked since I was twelve and saved money since I was even younger than that, just to put funds towards tuition. Even so, I have quickly run out of these funds and am beginning to have issues with how I will pay for all of it. Along with that, I am also trying to figure out how to afford housing and the ability to even pay for food. To take any amount off of my tuition would be a blessing in more ways than I can count. I would be able to further my education with incredibly less concern about the financial aspect of it, and I could follow my dreams of obtaining a degree in Wildlife management. With this degree, I hope to work in wildlife research with a focus on how urbanization has affected the behavioral patterns of predatory mammal species of North America. This is an issue close to my heart, and I want to be able to educate others and help them understand how we can help change the environment for the better in the future. With this scholarship, I could show everyone what the environment has done for them and educate them on the furtherment of the American ecosystems that support us every day. I have worked toward my goals with an immense fervor for the majority of my life, and most in my family will say that I have shown a deep love for wildlife since I was a child. It is my life's work to enhance the lives of the wild things that cannot defend themselves, and I truly need any assistance I can get to continue this work. I want to make a difference, and that difference is just beginning. Thank you for your consideration of my essay.

My experience with mental health has changed and influenced almost every aspect of my life. I have experienced significant symptoms of severe mental illness since I was a child, and have specific, somewhat traumatic, memories that help me to prove this. When I began to tell my therapist about what I had endured since about the age of 4, she was shocked that no one had previously sought out mental health services for me due to the severity of what I was experiencing. As I got older, these issues only seemed to worsen and make my life much more difficult. I was having challenges with work, school, personal life, religion, family, and friendships due to a host of undiagnosed mental illnesses that seemed to make my brain a maze that I couldn't escape from. I was having semi-weekly outbursts that could turn quite violent, and during high school, I was experiencing substance abuse and dependence that led to a strain on family and friend relationships. After months of battling, my mother finally got me to see a psychiatrist. When I was finally diagnosed, I was given names as to why I felt the way I did. My psychiatrist told me that I had Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and anxiety. Putting a name to the feelings changed a lot of things. I began to feel more compassion for others struggling with what I was, and I wanted to make a positive change in my life. I began taking the prescribed medications and making a conscious effort to be less negative about certain things. I still have a lot of work ahead of me to maintain a healthy mindset, but I am much better off than I was even just a year ago. I have been able to better handle my emotions and control myself, which gives me the added ability to help others. I can be an advocate for people who are scared to get mental health help or need resources for substance abuse. I can provide a shoulder to cry on and someone to talk to, and my family relationships have improved and strengthened. I have centered my career around my specific interests because I know that my ADHD improves when I am working on something that I truly love. It also helps me to have hands-on learning experiences and hands-on work time, both of which I have found work very well with my ADHD to provide the adequate information I need to succeed. Working with your mental health issues can improve your quality of life so much. Rather than trying to place myself in a cookie-cutter box, I work with what I know will help me succeed, even if it is a bit out of the norm. This works better to ensure that I get the grades that I need to get into the graduate program of my interest, and it works to make me feel much more fulfilled in my day-to-day life.

Mental health is the cornerstone of human functioning. Without it, one becomes unable to do the simplest things. These could include hygiene tasks such as brushing one's teeth or cleaning their room. They may become unable to work, which could result in job loss, and of course, worsening of mental health. They may avoid classrooms, which quickly can take a toll on education. There are dozens of examples of why we need to work to maintain mental wellness. I have been working very hard on mental health over the last year. I began by seeking a psychiatrist, who was able to tell me what was wrong, so I could begin working on correcting those illnesses. Through that, I was able to seek a therapist. Talking with someone each week helps me to clear my brain of all the thoughts I am concerned or confused about. Another thing that is incredibly useful for maintaining mental health in college is getting out of your dorm. The act of sitting in the same room day in and day out can become incredibly tasking and destructive to the brain, something that I experienced and tried to warn others about so that they do not have to deal with what I did. I like to go to the indoor gym at my school, walk to class, and try and just do things out of the room, even if I am not leaving my building. Doing homework in a place other than the dorm room can also be very helpful. Even if it's just the dining hall or library, it increases motivation and productivity to be somewhere else. I also like to take vitamin D to combat the seasonal depression that many of us here in the Upper Peninsula are far too familiar with. It increases my mood and helps me to feel a little better when I am down. The best thing I have found that helps is to make sure I follow a routine. Going to class, eating all three meals, hanging out with my pet snake, keeping up with my homework, practicing proper hygiene, and making my bed are all things that keep me in a good mood and mindset. I like to try and recommend these practices to others that haven't experienced a U.P. winter before, because it can be very hard to work through it without the proper resources. Finally, no matter where you are, being social and with friends is the number one way to ensure better mental wellness. I love seeing my friends, and I feel like I always leave in a good mood after seeing them.

Understanding the nature of our universe is key to understanding the tiny details that blanket our Earth. I love learning to understand all of the unique details of nature, as it seems never-ending. There is no absence of new information springing up all the time, and it all seems to make more questions of how and why. I love the behavioral and social aspects of different species, I find it truly fascinating. This detail of the nature of the universe may seem small to some, but to me it is a bit of what holds species in existence. It is intricate, everchanging, and unique to each species. There is so much that we do not know about the behaviors of many animals, but they have been doing it consistently for decades, centuries, and in some cases, millennia. There is so much that has changed, however, and the animals continue to face it with new adaptations and evolutions. It is remarkable that there can be so much diversity in the face of adversity, but then again, humans have been doing it for years as well. The behavioral aspects that I wish to study could help me to understand the impacts of certain things that humans do, even if we may not think that they even affect animals. Every action has a positive or negative consequence, and there needs to be a better understanding of which actions produce what. For example, some might understand the general effects of urbanization, but not the long-term and diversity impacts. If a city expands into the historical range of a species, the species cannot really compete with other populations of the same species for their area. That species is pushed into the new area, creating a population that adapts to city life (i.e., coyotes of Chicago). Without that population to hunt small creatures, the populations of those may balloon out of control. These new, large populations could destroy local flora and fauna with excessive browsing. This would in turn lead to erosion, lack of diversity, population decline at dangerous levels, etc. And that is just one potential example of what could happen! There are so many consequences that move smaller and smaller in scale, but larger and larger on how much the end result could affect an ecosystem. Understanding these things is integral to understanding the universe, and I want to begin understanding as well as I can so that I can make a change in the ecological welfare of millions of species.

My education excites me the most. I love learning about wildlife and using it to further the information I have and teach others about all of my interests. It makes me happy to learn about ecology, biology, and everything that ties all science disciplines together. It is so fascinating, and each detail is important to understand how it all works together. There is an endless pool of knowledge to discover, which is what I find so interesting. There is always new information coming to light, new things to study, new problems to solve, and so much more. The ever-changing field holds my attention fast because I want to be up to date and involved in what is happening. I go to school in the cold, cold, cold Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It can very quickly become difficult to maintain health in the harsh weather conditions that we as students face. Often, we find ourselves cooped up in dorms for the majority of the 5-month winter, trying our best to keep out the near constantly negative temperatures and 25+ mile per hour winds. This results in boredom, lack of productivity, very common seasonal depression, and anxiety. To combat this, I have a few things that I like to do to maintain as good of health as I can. I like to go to the indoor gym on campus because moving around and exercising can increase your mood and help you get into a good, productive mindset. I also like to take Vitamin D supplements to combat aforementioned seasonal depression, something far too common here with the lack of sun and warmth. I also like to do some kind of outdoor activity, weather permitting, because the outdoors are just so good for mental and spiritual health, as well as physical. Making healthy meals can also help with all of these because if there is access to fruit and vegetables, vitamins and minerals are an irreplaceable asset of health here. A lot of us here also like to use special lights to combat seasonal depression. There are even a few in the library because it is THAT common here. Most of all, being with friends and staying social is the best thing one can do to maintain good mental and spiritual health. Staying alone in my room was my biggest mistake freshman year, and I refuse to dip into that level of depression again. I like working towards a better state of mental health!

My favorite Disney character is Ariel, also known as the Little Mermaid! Growing up, I had a handful of movies I would watch over and over, mostly because I knew what the DVD and VHS cases looked like and could reach them off the shelf. The Little Mermaid quickly became one of my favorites (next to Cars and Finding Nemo), and my mother was very quickly tired of hearing "Under the Sea" playing over and over as I sat and watched the bright colors dance around the screen. I loved Ariel's vibrant red hair and her purple shell top, and I had my Sebastian the Crab toy in the bathtub every night. I celebrated my fourth birthday with Ariel and Flounder on the cake, and always looked to find her in the book of Disney Princess Seek and Finds my sister and I shared. I just loved that Ariel was the only princess that lived underwater, and wished that I could be her, living with all of the fish and crabs and other animals. Ariel was very bold and went against what everyone told her to do, showing that she was capable of independence. I loved that! I still love Ariel, and I have a keychain on my backpack of Ariel, even at the probably-too-old-for-it age of nineteen years old. I think that having something fun like that makes me happier, and I love remembering how happy the movie made me when I was younger. I think that everyone should be able to enjoy something like that and it makes me happy to know that Disney princesses can still be appreciated in something like a scholarship application. It shows that you don't have to give up the things that you once loved in order to be considered mature and adult. Thank you for your consideration of my application!

1. I must be able to effectively communicate my thoughts daily. Whether that is collaborating on a project with group members, discussing a plan at work with coworkers, delegating end-of-day tasks as assistant manager at my job, or just talking with a professor, I need to be able to use my words and get my thoughts across clearly. 2. I have struggled with mental health for many years. As someone with a diagnosed learning disability, I must be resilient to tackle the assignments I am given in class and keep trying until I understand difficult concepts. I have to keep trying to make my grades better, get promotions at work, and continue my education. 3. I give my time and energy to those around me and that I love. I have spent time volunteering with a charity in Detroit, near my hometown. I would give free child care to mothers in need while they attended a service provided by the organization. I love working with kids, and it was a wonderful use of my time. 4. I am determined to see my goals to the end. As mentioned previously, I have a learning disability. It makes it difficult to do things most people could do easily, such as sitting down at my desk just to take some notes. However, I am determined to finish things, and I am determined to obtain my degree. When I set my mind to something, that thing will be completed. I wanted an old truck with my whole heart and set my mind to saving my money and being able to fix it myself. Now, here I am with my beautiful 27-year-old truck that I rarely have to take to a shop. 5. I have been complimented on my strong work ethic by many of my managers. My current general manager and district manager have told me I am one of the best workers in my store. My father raised me to be able to support myself financially, and that is my goal at the end of the day. I want to work so that I can achieve everything I want in life, and most important are graduating from college with a Master's degree in wildlife management and keeping my truck running so that I can get to and from work. My future goal is to have a career in wildlife research, and I would love to focus on large North American predatory species and their behavioral changes due to the impacts of rapid urbanization in recent years. I am pursuing this degree because I love animals and I want to work in wildlife and/or hunting conservation so that I can ensure the future generations will be able to enjoy the same outdoors that I know and love today. Leadership to me is more than just someone telling everyone what to do. Leadership is standing strong in the face of adversity, providing a shoulder to lean on for those who need it. It is someone who is able to handle conflict and issues with compassion, and who can rally a team of people in any situation. The world needs more confident and capable leaders, and I think that I could be one. I want to make the world better, and it starts from the heart.

Legacy is everything. From the time I was little, I wanted to carry on everything my father taught me in life and listened to every word he said with care and interest. My upbringing has taught me a lot about what I want to continue, and what cycles I need to break. I want to continue my family's love for outdoor sportsmanship and environmental care, as well as the familial love that I was shown growing up. I was taught how the family is the most important aspect of our lives, and we love no matter what, even when it hurts to do so. My family has a long and painful history of alcoholism, going back farther than we know. When I was seven, my father told me that my beloved Tio had passed, which I later found out was a result of his long-term substance abuse. When I was 13, another uncle passed from the same cause, liver failure due to alcoholism. I was heartbroken. I loved them so much and had little clue that they were suffering. My father had struggled with alcoholism, and then I began abusing alcohol in high school. It was then that I realized I needed to break the cycle. I needed to be the one who would show my father that like him, I could become a healthy person who did not need alcohol to get through the day. He had often explained to me how his sobriety had changed his life, and I wanted to continue that legacy, rather than the one of pain and hurting others. I reflected on the prayer he had taught me when I was young, the Serenity Prayer (popular due to its importance in the group Alcoholics Anonymous), which goes "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference". I knew that I could not change how my relatives dealt with alcohol, but I knew that I could change how I did. Following my dad in everything he does, I made sure that I began the road to recovery. My father has always encouraged me, and was the only person in my entire family who not only accepted my career choices, but had my back and was excited for everything I would accomplish in Wildlife Management. He knew that it meant the world to me, as it meant the world to him as well. We share a lot of things in common, but the one I want the world to see is not the negative, but the shared love for something that can bring us up.

We choose how a life challenge will impact us in life. I learned this from my father, a former alcoholic. In the past few years, he has had many discussions with me personally about substance abuse and its effects on both the person suffering from the addiction and those around them. My father decided to become sober when I was very young and has had many years to learn the ins and outs of sobriety and how to help others. He explained to me that alcoholism is not a choice, but rather, a mental illness. The choice in the matter comes when you decide whether or not it is worth it to continue down the path to certain death, something he compares to suicide. He and I have both experienced this, with his brother, my uncle, and his uncle, my great-uncle. Both passed away due to liver failure resulting from long-term alcohol abuse. When I began abusing alcohol in high school to deal with mental illness, my father began explaining in more detail his experience. He tried to help me quit, but after a while began to just back away from it. This was the right thing to do, because as mentioned, it is a choice to stop. He knew from his own experience that I would not stop until I decided I needed to, and there did come a point where I realized what I was doing and worked towards recovery. Living with a parent who suffered from addiction painted a completely different view of the world for me. He often reminds me that he is so grateful he can wake up in the morning without a hangover feeling, without the need for a drink. He tells me that it hurts him to watch his other brothers and sisters drink themselves to death, and how much he wishes he could help them. Most people do not realize the many aspects of alcoholism, the impacts it has on the people who care about them, and the pain it cause spiritually and mentally to both parties involved. At the end of the day, the lesson I take from my father is found in the Serenity Prayer, one of his favorites. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." That has been something I try to carry always, and something that proves that we choose how life impacts us. We can take the pain and turn it positive, a lesson, or we can take the pain and suffer into the end. I have seen both, and I know which path I want to take.

I have always loved learning. There is something about taking a concept I had little to information about, or that I did not understand, and turning it into something I can clearly explain to others. I did not know how much I loved learning, though, until I was allowed to begin researching my specific interests. I am majoring in wildlife management, and thus clearly have a love for animals and wildlife. In my freshman year of college, I began deep and intricate research into topics such as chronic wasting disease (CWD) and predatory behavioral patterns of large mammals in the northern United States. I was able to take much of this knowledge and apply it to my own life, figuring out the best ways to better the ecological standing of my family's hunting land. I had a thirst for more. I wanted to know more about all animals, and I wanted to be able to explain more about the topics I cared about. I would sit in the library for hours, studying documents going back to the 1920s detailing deer checkpoints and different types of mutations found in those areas. I was fascinated by the details of two-headed fetuses found in deceased does, the albinism found more than a few times in illegally harvested white-tails, and all of the other odd things that can happen. I found that the more research I did, the more I wanted to do. Each article brought up a new question, and each one needed an answer. Soon, I was able to explain the intricate facets of CWD to my peers, and was writing the majority of my papers and presentations surrounding wildlife in some way, even if it was not a biology class. I discovered things about wetland ecology and arboreal ecology that I had never even thought of before. During that time, I realized that my one, true love was in research of wild animals, both in the field and in literature. I want to pursue a career in wildlife research through the Department of Natural Resources, and continue my lifelong love of obtaining as much knowledge as possible about the species I love so deeply. With this, I hope to further conservation efforts for years to come, so that the next generation can share my love of wild things and feel the deep connection that I do. I want to learn everything there is to know, and then some.

I have struggled with mental health issues for as long as I can remember. As a young female, most were often overlooked as being dramatic, unfocused, or just silly. In the last few years, my diagnoses have finally come to light. I wasn't just being picky about how things should be and throwing tantrums over menial things, I had severe OCD. I wasn't just lazy, I had ADHD. I wasn't just a worrier, I had severe anxiety. In those diagnoses, I discovered that most aren't taken seriously because mental health issues have become a "trend". I struggle to gain access to the necessary medications, treatment, and education accommodations that I need to be on the same level as my peers, because every diagnosis must be proven legitimate. I have shaped my goals to overcome the stigma of these mental illnesses. I want to obtain my Master's degree, and I want to have a job in wildlife research. I have come to know that many people do not understand mental illness, especially education professionals. In the course of my education, I have had one teacher that made an effort to see me succeed and provided me with the resources necessary to do so through hands-on learning and alternative lesson plans that gave me access to the same material in different forms of education opportunities. One of the things I have struggled with most is relationships. I have found that due to the lack of education and knowledge about certain mental illness, most people cannot fathom what it is like dealing with it. They see me as impatient or emotional, or just plain crazy. I have found few people that truly understand the hardship that must be overcome to function day to day. Those people have become solid foundations on which I base friendships, and have helped me to overcome a variety of challenges. I want to show people that mental illness is not something to be taken lightly, but also not something to be scared of. It is simply an illness like any other, far too common, and misunderstood. There are hurdles to be leapt over in this path, but nothing can stand in the way.

I am pursuing a degree in Wildlife Management, and my final goal is to obtain my graduate degree to begin a career in wildlife research and conservation. I would love to specifically research either: a) The behavioral and habitat changes of large predatory North American mammals in response to increasing impacts of urbanization or b) The behavioral changes of North American ungulates in response to the effects of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) on populations. I have spent a majority of my life interested in wildlife animals, specifically white-tailed deer, black bears, and snakes. I was very blessed to grow up with a father that encouraged me to be outdoors and to continue my love for it in the form of a career. From a young age, I would ask question after question about the animals and ecology of our wooded property, and he was never hesitant to answer those questions and explain things to me as if I were another adult. I learned about the financial impacts that a beaver can have on a property, I learned where leeches are commonly found and how to treat them, the proper way to track a deer through brush and trees, and so much more. I want to bring a lot of this knowledge to the professional area in the form of adding personal experience to in depth literary and field research. I want to work to solve the issues facing wildlife populations, and the best way in my eyes to do that is education of those who were not as blessed as me and did not have the proper avenues to discover the world around them. Conservation efforts begin with education, and without it, greater rates of urbanization and human-led destruction of ecosystems may be our future. I want to change the world, and this is just the start.

I am pursuing a degree in wildlife management, which is a biology degree recognized by the Fish and Wildlife Association. I want to eventually obtain a graduate degree in this field so that I can do extensive research on a few select topics that I am very interested in. Science is important to society for too many reasons to list in this lifetime. Speaking in the sense of the importance in my field, it supports conservation efforts, environmental understanding, ecological understanding, wildlife management, and so much more. All of this is important to obtain even a basic understanding of environmental maintenance. For example, if one is studying the behavioral changes of large predatory mammals in response to urbanization, one must first understand the basic behavioral patterns of the specific species being studied. Next, they must understand the historical range of the species. Then, they must understand what the usual environment and habitat of the species look like. That is simply the beginning. After these basics have been laid out, the scientist may begin data collection either in the field or in literature research. They can see where the species may have moved to, how they are coping with the stressors presented, and how population numbers have changed. This alone would take a great understanding of all of the fields of scientific study listed above, and again, it is just one small facet of the bigger picture of wildlife conservation. Science has made so much possible in healthcare and medicine, sustainability, agriculture, ecosystem recovery, environmental study, and biological advancements, just to name a few. Without science, we would be nowhere, and humanity would have little to no development. The furthering of research could be done for millions of years, and we could only scrape the surface of all there is to know and learn about everything on Earth and beyond. Science has been a pursuit of man for an incredibly long time, even before it was recognized as science. So much already has been discovered, and like I said before, there is still so much information we cannot even begin to discover. Humans by nature want to know more about everything around them, and the sciences ensure that we can continue educating ourselves and those around us in every aspect of life. There are millions and millions of questions left unanswered, and I would love to delve into them and begin the process of answering them.

I am pursuing a career path in wildlife management and research. Through this, I want to research specifically how large North American predatory animals are reacting behaviorally to the increasing effects of urbanization. In addition, I want to research how chronic wasting disease (CWD) has affected the habitat and behavioral patterns of North American ungulates. CWD has been an issue for outdoorsmen for several years now, and the first order of business is simple education on how to prevent its spread and how to recognize early signs of disease in animals. I want to ensure that in the future, these animals and all wildlife will be able to stay in their habitat with minimal impacts on their health and environment. This can be done through conservation efforts and education to the public about how their actions can affect the ecology of various sizes of systems and local/global biodiversity. Humans are a major factor in the systemic health of many populations, and the first step toward change is baseline education on the issues at hand. Without this, there will soon be a mass collapse of ecological systems as urban development encroaches on the land owned by the wild, and disease spread as animals and people are pushed closer and closer to one another. As humans using the earth and its resources, our duty to the earth is to help protect and help wild animals, plants, and all species and keep them wild for years to come. In my opinion, environmental services are some of the most important in this day and age. Without people filling jobs in every area of environmental studies, there cannot be a full collaboration effort of conservation. My goal is to make wildlife and environmental education commonplace. I want to aid those around me in discovering just how much wild areas have to offer them, and not just in the way of resources. Enjoying nature in all of its glory is proven to benefit mental health, and utilizing park services means that there will be a steady flow of income to further research into wildlife and environmental issues and how to best resolve them. There is so much to learn, so much to do, and so much to discover to make sure that this earth is the same earth that we pass down to our children in years to come. I want to make it possible for everyone to enjoy what I have been so blessed to be surrounded by.