My name is Mekhia Baker, and I am a senior studying finance at Kean University with a minor in Africana Studies. My involvement at Kean University includes Student Government Association, the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., the Leadership Institute, the President of Kean University's Student Council, and various other organizations. My academia is critical, so I pride myself on keeping a high GPA. My goal is to continue inspiring young boys and girls who look like me to show them that they can achieve despite the obstacles put against them. Finance is a male-dominated field, and boundaries are put up against me as a black woman. Pursuing a finance degree allows me to dive into the principles of finance, corporate financial management, macroeconomics, microeconomics, banking, investments, international business, and managerial accounting. This allows me to have multiple realms of finance to pursue. I hope to branch off from the company I will be working for and contribute to the company's success. After making a solid contribution to a company, I aspire to create my own company, take my knowledge, and contribute to my own company. I would like to own various businesses in the entertainment industry, health, and Philanthropy. Specifically, I long to hold a streaming service within the music industry. Music is my passion, and I would love to impact that. Giving back to the community is extremely important to me. I want to create a health clinic specifically in poverty areas because health is a massive issue in low-income neighborhoods. Black and brown people face an enormous disparity economically within America. This should not be an issue, but unfortunately, it is the reality we face. My goal is to put some action on this issue by building homeless shelters, hosting re-occurring feedings, and creating clubs for boys and girls. When people reach a certain level in life, they tend to forget where they came from and keep their money to themselves. Instead, when you achieve a certain level of success, you should give back to those in need. Along with giving back to those in need, it is essential to pass on the knowledge you have learned to others. What good is knowledge if you only hold it to yourself? I am a big advocate for grooming future leaders and passing on the knowledge you have learned to others. A true leader allows others to lead and display what they can do. I am thankful for the opportunities that I have obtained that allowed me to express what I am capable of and have shaped me into the person I am today. Giving someone a chance is the first step in achieving their full potential.

Music truly is the key to my heart, and many songs have pushed me through various challenges I have faced. One song that inspires me the most is "Love Yourz" by J Cole. This song paints a story of how J Cole first aspired to have fame and fortune at a young age to emulate what the celebrities he looked up to had. Once he achieved this success, he realized that it was not what seemed at the top. Once you get there, you keep trying to obtain many things that you think will fulfill your happiness, but you soon realize these things can never complete your satisfaction. You can have all the money in the world and still be a lonely soul. It is essential to appreciate what we have around us rather than constantly thinking about the next thing we want to fulfill. Success is beautiful, but it can lead you down a dark road when you allow it to dictate your happiness. Appreciating the people around you and thanking God for what he has blessed you with is imperative. Social media causes many to compare themselves to others rather than appreciating what they have. J Cole stated in the second verse, "Always gon' be a whip that's better than the one you got. Always gon' be some clothes that's fresher than the ones you rock". This quote depicted that you can keep trying to compare yourself, but there will always be something better than that material thing. Life is so precious, and it is vital to enjoy the loved ones in your life rather than praising material things. I am so appreciative of the people I have in life, and this song taught me to be thankful for every moment in life.

My name is Mekhia Baker, and I am a senior studying finance at Kean University with a minor in Africana Studies. My involvement at Kean University includes Student Government Association, the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., the Leadership Institute, the President of Kean University's Student Council, and various other organizations. My academia is critical, so I pride myself on keeping a high GPA. My goal is to continue inspiring young boys and girls who look like me to show them that they can achieve despite the obstacles put against them. Finance is a male-dominated field, and boundaries are put up against me as a black woman. Pursuing a finance degree allows me to dive into the principles of finance, corporate financial management, macroeconomics, microeconomics, banking, investments, international business, and managerial accounting. This allows me to have multiple realms of finance to pursue. I hope to branch off from the company I will be working for and contribute to the company's success. After making a solid contribution to a company, I aspire to create my own company, take my knowledge, and contribute to my own company. I would like to own various businesses in the entertainment industry, health, and Philanthropy. Specifically, I long to hold a streaming service within the music industry. Music is my passion, and I would love to impact that. Giving back to the community is extremely important to me. I want to create a health clinic specifically in poverty areas because health is a massive issue in low-income neighborhoods. Black and brown people face an enormous disparity economically within America. This should not be an issue, but unfortunately, it is the reality we face. My goal is to put some action on this issue by building homeless shelters, hosting re-occurring feedings, and creating clubs for boys and girls. When people reach a certain level in life, they tend to forget where they came from and keep their money to themselves. Instead, when you achieve a certain level of success, you should give back to those in need. Along with giving back to those in need, it is essential to pass on the knowledge you have learned to others. What good is knowledge if you only hold it to yourself? I am a big advocate for grooming future leaders and passing on the knowledge you have learned to others. A true leader allows others to lead and display what they can do. I am thankful for the opportunities that I have obtained that allowed me to express what I am capable of and have shaped me into the person I am today. Giving someone a chance is the first step in achieving their full potential. The Focus Forward Scholarship would allow me to do precisely what the title states, focusing forward on my future. The stress of student loans can hinder goals an individual may have and refrain someone from taking on opportunities. If granted the opportunity to receive this scholarship, this would be a stress relief on my student loans and allow me to push forward to a bright future.

My name is Mekhia Baker, and I am a senior studying finance at Kean University with a minor in Africana Studies. My involvement at Kean University includes Student Government Association, the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., the Leadership Institute, the President of Kean University's Student Council, and various other organizations. My academia is critical, so I pride myself on keeping a high GPA. My goal is to continue inspiring young boys and girls who look like me to show them that they can achieve despite the obstacles put against them. Finance is a male-dominated field, and boundaries are put up against me as a black woman. Pursuing a finance degree allows me to dive into the principles of finance, corporate financial management, macroeconomics, microeconomics, banking, investments, international business, and managerial accounting. This allows me to have multiple realms of finance to pursue. I hope to branch off from the company I will be working for and contribute to the company's success. After making a solid contribution to a company, I aspire to create my own company, take the knowledge I have learned, and contribute to my own company. I would like to own various businesses in the entertainment industry, health, and Philanthropy. Specifically, I long to hold a streaming service within the music industry. Music is my passion, and I would love to impact that. Giving back to the community is extremely important to me. I want to create a health clinic specifically in poverty areas because health is a massive issue in low-income neighborhoods. Black and brown people face an enormous disparity economically within America. This should not be an issue, but unfortunately, it is the reality we face. My goal is to put some action on this issue by building homeless shelters, hosting re-occurring feedings, and creating clubs for boys and girls. When people reach a certain level in life, they tend to forget where they came from and keep their money to themselves. Instead, when you achieve a certain level of success, you should give back to those in need. Along with giving back to those in need, it is essential to pass on the knowledge you have learned to others. What good is knowledge if you only hold it to yourself? I am a big advocate for grooming future leaders and passing on the knowledge you have learned to others. A true leader allows others to lead and display what they can do. I am thankful for the opportunities that I have obtained that allowed me to express what I am capable of and have shaped me into the person I am today. Giving someone a chance is the first step in achieving their full potential.

The meaning of life can be so complex that there is not just one explanation of what the meaning of life is. Life is far from simple and can take us through different loops. I genuinely believe that we will have constant struggles in life, but it is essential to learn from those struggles and have the right people around you when battling through life. Life involves seeking opportunities and seeking risk. If you do not go after what you want, you will never know the outcome of taking that risk. Many people waste years becoming what someone else wants to be or upholding society's expectations, but I believe in living in your truth and doing what you want to do because we only have one life. Everyone has their depiction of what life looks like, and that should not be looked at as less than or more than because we all have our destiny. I genuinely move through life being a good person and doing on to others what I want to be done to me. Spreading love and light is the best way to put that energy out into the world. Of course, we all have our good and bad days and make mistakes, but the goal is to spread love. We are all God's people, so it is important to give others grace. My ultimate goal is to achieve true peace and look back with no regrets. There are many regret-filled coffins, and God willing, I will not be one of them. I still have more to learn, and I will forever be thankful for my success and struggles because they shape me into the person I am today.