1. Please tell us a bit about yourself and what specifically motivates you. If you could do anything with your life, what do you imagine you’d do? As a senior mechanical engineering major at Howard University hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, my journey is driven by an unyielding passion for creation and innovation. Growing up in a low-income household, I learned early on that resources and opportunities are not evenly distributed. This financial reality deeply shaped my worldview and my philosophy as a creator. I firmly believe that technology and humanity must go hand in hand. The fundamental purpose of an engineer is to innovate solutions that directly assist people and protect our environment, especially for underserved communities. However, as society has rapidly progressed, I feel we have frequently lost that vital, human connection. Engineering has sometimes become more about unchecked advancement than about community well-being, and I want to help change that narrative. My motivation during tough times comes entirely from my "village." My family, my mentors, and my community kept me grounded and supported me when financial barriers threatened to derail my education. Their support has taught me the invaluable lessons of compassion and resilience. If I could do anything with my life, I would merge my analytical engineering background with my deep love for creative avenues. I have always been passionate about design and apparel, and I imagine a career where I can bridge art and fashion with technology. Whether this means developing sustainable textiles or creating functional, affordable wearable technology that assists individuals with physical disabilities, my long-term mission is clear. I want to assist people through creative, beautifully designed inventions that make a tangible, positive impact on the world, ensuring that these innovations are financially accessible to the communities that need them most. 2. What excites you about STEM? How do you feel you could make a positive impact on the world through a job in information technology? What excites me most about STEM is its unparalleled power to turn abstract physical principles into tangible solutions that improve lives. Throughout my mechanical engineering studies, I have explored complex subjects like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and finite element analysis. I have used computational tools to optimize physical designs, such as evaluating the airflow, pressure distribution, and structural stress on an aerodynamic vehicle spoiler. There is a distinct thrill in taking a mathematical concept and using it to solve a real physical problem. While my roots are firmly planted in mechanical design, I recognize that information technology is the critical engine driving modern engineering forward. Software platforms like MATLAB, Fusion 360, and SimScale are exactly what allow us to simulate complex environments and iterate solutions long before a physical prototype is built. I feel I could make a profound positive impact through a job in information technology by developing and optimizing the digital tools that creators rely on. Furthermore, coming from a low-income background, I understand exactly what it means to lack access to premium educational resources. IT provides the vital infrastructure needed to democratize education. Through my work mentoring youth in robotics, I have seen the digital divide firsthand. By leveraging information technology, I can help build accessible virtual platforms and open-source software tools that expand the reach of STEM outreach programs. I want to ensure the next generation, regardless of their financial background, has the resources they need to innovate. 3. Please describe the greatest challenge you’ve had to overcome and how you managed to get past it. The greatest challenge I have had to overcome occurred very recently, teaching me a profound lesson about limits, balance, and resilience. As a dedicated senior engineering student, I am accustomed to operating at a rigorous, demanding pace. Between balancing complex technical projects, leading youth mentorship programs, and developing creative fashion design concepts, my life was in constant motion. However, in November, I began experiencing a severe health scare that brought my academic and personal life to an abrupt halt. This physical toll was incredibly daunting, but it was compounded by my reality as a low-income student. Taking a semester off is a massive financial and academic risk when you rely heavily on financial aid, scholarships, and emergency grants to fund an out-of-state education. The stress of navigating my medical recovery while simultaneously worrying about how I would eventually fund my return to Washington, D.C., was overwhelming. I struggled immensely with the fear of losing my momentum and jeopardizing my degree. To overcome this, I had to make the incredibly difficult decision to prioritize my long-term health over my immediate productivity. Returning home to Georgia and leaning heavily on my village gave me the safe space I needed to slow down. Taking a step back allowed me to focus entirely on my recovery and carefully research alternative funding solutions for my eventual return. This period of rest taught me vital lessons in granting myself grace. By allowing myself the time to heal, I have gained a renewed, healthier perspective on life. I am now preparing to return to my academic and professional pursuits with a stronger foundation, deeply understanding that true success requires maintaining harmony between ambition and personal well-being.

I have always been captivated by how things work. As a child taking apart household gadgets on the living room floor, I was endlessly captivated by the hidden mechanics. By age nine, that curiosity had evolved into a full fasination with robotics. But as a first-generation and low-income student, I didn’t have a generational blueprint for navigating higher education or the engineering field. For me, college isn't just an expected milestone. It is the vital bridge between my childhood curiosity and the opportunity to build a career that actively reshapes my community. Over time, my perspective on engineering has shifted. It is no longer just about gears and circuits in a vacuum; it is about the undeniable tie between machines and people. My time at Howard University has given me the rigorous technical foundation to make that connection a reality. Through coursework and projects, I have immersed myself in computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis, using tools like SimScale and Fusion 360 to test how complex structures hold up under real-world stress. As I complete my mechanical engineering degree, my focus is locked on materials engineering and sustainable energy. I want to innovate solutions that meet our everyday needs while protecting both the environment and the people inhabiting it. Specifically, I am using my education to explore how we can develop accessible technologies for communities like mine. Often, advancements in clean energy or materials are priced out of reach for low-income neighborhoods, leaving vulnerable populations to face the worst of environmental decay. My goal is to research sustainable energy systems that can be easily integrated into affordable housing projects. I also want to develop cost-effective, biodegradable composites to replace harmful plastics in everyday manufacturing. College provides the advanced computational labs and expert guidance necessary to take these concepts out of my imagination and turn them into tangible, scalable impact. Beyond technical proficiency, my college experience is about paying this opportunity forward tenfold. I view my education as a direct tool for collective empowerment. Because I know how rare it can be for students from my background to enter this field, I am determined to keep the door open behind me. Through my youth STEM mentorship with EVE Robotics, I have seen firsthand how technical education transforms a student’s trajectory. When you teach a young student how to build and program a robot, you aren't just teaching them to code. You are showing them they have the agency and the intellect to design their own future. Ultimately, pursuing my degree is important to me because it is where my technical ambitions and my commitment to others seamlessly intersect. I want to graduate fully equipped with the expertise to design sustainable, human-centered engineering solutions. At the same time, I will leave with the unwavering dedication to pull the next generation of innovators up alongside me.

"The choice to love is a choice to connect, to find ourselves in the other." When bell hooks wrote those words, she defined what it means to live by a love ethic. For me, selflessness isn’t about grand, heroic sacrifices; it is simply love in action. It is the intentional, daily practice of actively showing up for people with an open heart and mind. I see this most clearly when mentoring young students from underserved neighborhoods. Often, they are not just struggling with a complex STEM project—they are struggling to believe that they truly belong in the room at all. I’ll never forget one student who, completely overwhelmed, was ready to walk away and give up. Instead of taking the tools from their hands or giving them the answers, we simply paused. We worked through the problem together, one tiny step at a time. Seeing their frustration melt into a proud smile reminded me that giving isn't always about fixing things; it’s about holding space for someone until they find their own footing. Growing up in a low-income household, I know the quiet stress of trying to make ends meet and worrying about the basics. That shared experience is exactly what draws me to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and local food pantries here in Atlanta. Rather than viewing this work as charity, I am there to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my neighbors and find myself in the other. Working alongside my community to address these essential needs is simply a tangible way to offer the same support and solidarity my family once relied on. It keeps me connected to my roots and reminds me of the profound power of community. As I prepare to graduate and step into my career, this love ethic will remain my anchor. Society often pushes us to chase individual milestones and personal accolades, but everything I’ve experienced has shown me that true success means very little if you leave others behind. No matter what I am building, we are at our best when we lift as we climb. Ultimately, selflessness isn’t a box to check or a score to keep. In my community, in the classroom, and eventually in my professional career, my daily purpose remains simple: I want to keep choosing to connect, to lead with a love ethic, and to make sure the people around me know they are never navigating their challenges alone.

I believe technology and community go hand in hand. Sure, I can design and build a great robot, but I hope to contribute to building great humans too. Women are not strangers in the STEM fields. Historically, women have been successful scientists, engineers and innovators. We are natural problem solvers. For example, when faced with safety concerns in her own house due to high crime rates, Marie Van Brittan Brown combined a system of four peep holes, a movable camera and a two way microphone to invent a video home security system. This also included buttons that could sound an alarm or remotely unlock the door. Her invention opened the gateway for many of the modern home security systems we use today.When Valerie Thomas wasn't busy working as a NASA data analyst and managing their Landsat program, she was experimenting with how she could visually transmit the 3D illusion. Her research and invention of the illusion transmitter brought about the well known 3D movie technology. She now uses her knowledge to teach young students STEM. Women always manage to forge a way when faced with adversity. To that end, It is safe to say when granted more accessibility to resources, women can thrive in STEM and plug the holes in the pipeline. Studies have shown that early exposure is key to retention and success. It is critical that we invest in young girls to insure our representation for the future. I spent my entire high school career curating resources to advance my community in STEM. I personally reached 5,000 girls in my hometown when I created a robotics program for girls ages 9-18. EVE Robotics is now the go to, all-girl program in Atlanta, Georgia. I hope to recreate the success I had in Atlanta while in college as I develop my personal STEM Advocacy initiative: She Thinks Equity Matters. Lego bricks, aluminum channel, 3D Printers. Drill press, bandsaw, lathe. Boolean, variables, integers. Robotics competitions, STEM Camp Counselor, Girls in STEM advocate. My experience and knowledge has grown exponentially over the years. Admittedly, learning about tools, parts and programming has been arduous, yet fun. The knowledge I obtained while learning to navigate through these challenges is most rewarding. The fidelity I have towards my community has been cemented. Not even a global pandemic can deter me. A college degree will grant me credentials to pursue my passion of helping marginalized factions of the community. I aim to expand the scope of my non profit. Moreover, my long term goal is to lower the negative impact of environmental racism. My major is Mechanical Engineering and I plan to apply my degree to green-manufacturing and sustainability. STEM has shaped my worldview. No other set of subjects has captivated me quite as much. I have been on a robotics team roster for more than half of my life. I am certain that I have spent more hours in the robotics lab than at home. Dare I say: it completes me — and provides the tools with which to chase all my dreams simultaneously. I hope to be the Valerie Thomas of my generation. Upon graduation, I will uplift those most in need. One cannot rest when the peak is reached. The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. I am striving to be the continuation of those who have come before me while serving those around me. With local and global STEM programs, I will teach students like me to become the next thinkers, doers, innovators, and leaders in their own communities.

I believe technology and community go hand in hand. Sure, I can fabricate a great robot, but I hope to contribute to building great humans too. Historically, the Black community has never lacked scientists, engineers and innovators. We are natural problem solvers. For example, when Frederick McKinley Jones was faced with the obstacle of preserving blood, food and supplies during World War II, he created refrigerated trucks, which became crucial during the war and contributed to the modern day refrigeration systems. Lonnie Johnson became a NASA engineer where he worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This led to his accidental invention of the mechanism used in the number one selling toy, the Super Soaker water gun, in which he prototyped using scrap materials. Black people have always managed to forge a way when faced with adversity. To that end, It is safe to say when granted more accessibility to resources, the Black community can thrive in STEM and plug the holes in the pipeline. Studies have shown that early exposure is key to retention and success. It is critical that we invest in Black youth to insure our representation for the future. I spent my entire high school career curating resources to advance my community in STEM. I reached 5,000 girls in my hometown when I created a robotics program for girls ages 9-18. EVE Robotics is now the go to, all-girl program in Atlanta, Georgia. I hope to recreate the success I had in Atlanta while in college as I develop my personal STEM Advocacy initiative: She Thinks Equity Matters. Lego bricks, aluminum channel, 3D Printers. Drill press, bandsaw, lathe. Boolean, variables, integers. Robotics competitions, STEM Camp Counselor, Girls in STEM advocate. My experience and knowledge has grown exponentially over the years. Admittedly, learning about tools, parts and programming has been arduous, yet fun. The knowledge I obtained while learning to navigate through these challenges is most rewarding. The fidelity I have towards my community has been cemented. Not even a global pandemic can deter me. A college degree will grant me credentials to pursue my passion of helping marginalized factions of the community. I aim to expand the scope of my non profit. Moreover, my long term goal is to lower the negative impact of environmental racism. My major is Mechanical Engineering however I plan to concentrate on green-manufacturing and sustainability. STEM has shaped my worldview. No other set of subjects has captivated me quite as much. I have been on a robotics team roster for more than half of my life. I may have spent more hours in the robotics lab than at home. Dare I say it completes me — and provides the tools with which to chase all my dreams simultaneously. I hope to be the Lonnie Johnson of my generation. Upon graduation, I will uplift those most in need. One cannot rest when the peak is reached. The top of one mountain is the bottom of the next. I am striving to be the continuation of those who have come before me while serving those around me. With local and global STEM programs, I will teach students like me to become the next thinkers, doers, innovators, and leaders in their own communities.