My purpose is rooted in a commitment to expanding access to opportunities that transform lives. I grew up in Cleveland with a mother who sacrificed daily to make sure I could pursue every interest that sparked my curiosity. She drove me to professional theater rehearsals, signed me up for summer programs like Roller Coaster Physics, and never missed a track practice. At the time, it felt normal, but now I realize how extraordinary it was. The exposure I had to education, athletics, and the arts was a privilege not afforded to many children who grow up in communities like mine. A visit to Notre Dame with my stepfather, a landscaper, reinforced this realization. While admiring the beauty of the campus, he said, “If kids could see how green this grass is, they’d have something to dream about.” His words revealed how access and exposure can ignite ambition. That moment taught me that creating opportunity is often about more than talent—it is about showing people what is possible. I also experienced firsthand how systemic barriers can limit potential. In high school, my guidance counselor encouraged me to “settle” for any college that would take me, despite my academic and athletic achievements. A close friend, with limited support at home, received similar advice and was told to apply only to local schools. It was only because a professor stepped in to advocate for her that she was admitted to a top-20 university. These moments showed me how easily ambition can be stifled without mentorship, advocacy, and access to resources. These experiences have fueled my drive to create pathways for others. In high school, I founded a Women in STEM Club after realizing I was the only African American woman in my AP Calculus and Physics classes. I wanted young women to have a safe space to ask questions and feel confident pursuing fields where they were underrepresented. At the University of Pennsylvania, I launched a chapter of the Minorities in Sports Business Network so that student-athletes could see themselves represented on the business side of the sports industry. Today, I lead student programming and partnerships at Make A Play Foundation, connecting underrepresented student-athletes with Fortune 500 companies and building initiatives like Women PITCH Too, which has already expanded internship opportunities for young women in finance. Looking ahead, I will begin my MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. My aspiration is to redefine sports agency management by building organizations that support athletes not only during their playing careers but also in their lives beyond the game. By leveraging venture capital and entrepreneurship, I want to create programs and companies that provide resources, mentorship, and long-term opportunities for underrepresented communities. The Doc & Glo Scholarship would allow me to continue pursuing my education while staying rooted in my purpose. My story has been shaped by the people who exposed me to new possibilities, and I want to carry that forward by ensuring that others have the access and support they need to dream big and achieve more.

Pursuing my MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business is more than an academic step; it is a launchpad for the vision I have been building over the past decade. My journey in business began in spaces where I was often the only one who looked like me, whether as the sole African American woman in my AP Physics class or one of the few Black women in sports business rooms early in my career. Those experiences taught me two things: representation matters, and business can be a powerful tool for creating inclusive opportunities. My career has been dedicated to building those opportunities. At the Make A Play Foundation, where I serve as Head of Student Programming and Partnerships, I have led initiatives that connect underrepresented student-athletes to corporate careers. This has meant negotiating partnerships with organizations like the NFL, Barclays, and Morgan Stanley, and developing Women PITCH Too, a four-week training and mentorship initiative with Bank of America to address the underrepresentation of women in sales and trading. The result was multiple participants securing internships in a traditionally male-dominated field and the program’s expansion to new partners. While these accomplishments are meaningful, I know that to scale my impact I need deeper expertise in entrepreneurship, finance, and strategy. My MBA will give me the tools to turn ideas into scalable business models, the network to connect with decision-makers and investors, and the credibility to lead at the highest levels of business. Courses in entrepreneurial finance and venture capital will equip me to navigate deal-making from both an operator and investor perspective, while Fuqua’s Center for Social Entrepreneurship will sharpen my ability to align profitability with purpose. My long-term vision is to redefine the role of sports agencies, moving beyond transactional representation to a model that prioritizes comprehensive player development, financial literacy, and post-career entrepreneurship. I want to build a firm that not only negotiates contracts but also helps athletes become investors, founders, and community builders. The sports industry is evolving rapidly, with name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals and private equity investment reshaping the landscape. Higher education will ensure I can navigate and shape these changes with strategies that drive both business growth and social good. Ambition and drive have fueled my journey, but it is impact that guides my next steps. My MBA will allow me to expand beyond one organization and one initiative to influence the broader sports and business ecosystem. Marilynn Walker’s legacy as a trailblazer resonates deeply with me because I am committed to opening doors for the women coming behind me. By expanding my skills, network, and influence, I can multiply opportunities for others and ensure that representation in leadership is no longer the exception but the norm. Higher education is not the end goal; it is the engine. It will power the strategies, relationships, and vision I need to lead businesses that deliver both profit and purpose, honoring the legacy of trailblazers like Marilynn Walker by becoming one myself.

At the height of my post-grad career, I was balancing a demanding partnerships role at a nonprofit, managing multiple national corporate relationships, and advising over 200 student-athletes navigating life after college. On paper, I was thriving. But privately, I was grieving the sudden loss of my father. For months, I buried my emotions under to-do lists and deadlines, thinking that if I just kept going, I could outrun the pain. Eventually, it caught up with me. I was exhausted, disconnected, and burnt out. That was the turning point when I finally gave myself permission to slow down. I took a leave from work for the first time, sought grief counseling, and built in space to process the weight of my loss. Saying, “I’m not okay right now,” felt uncomfortable at first, but it was also liberating. Through this experience, I learned that healing isn’t linear, and strength doesn’t always look like pushing through. Sometimes, it means stepping back. It means being honest with yourself and those around you about your needs. This shift taught me how to create boundaries, ask for support, and prioritize rest without guilt. It also reshaped how I approach leadership. I now recognize that modeling wellness is just as important as modeling performance. As I prepare to begin my MBA at Duke, I’m entering this next chapter with more intention. I’m building routines that protect my peace, whether that’s morning walks, journaling, or unplugging after a certain hour. I’m also choosing to be more open about the highs and lows, especially with peers who may feel like they have to carry it all alone. In business, we often celebrate hustle and productivity, but rarely talk about sustainability in the context of our own health. I’ve realized that burnout isn’t a badge of honor, and that taking care of my mental and emotional well-being is essential if I want to lead with clarity, creativity, and compassion. Losing my father was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced, but it gave me a deep sense of perspective and clarity. I no longer equate my worth with productivity. I now see success not as a finish line, but as a balance between ambition and alignment, drive and rest, giving and receiving. Moving forward, I’m committed to creating environments in school, work, or community, where people feel seen, supported, and encouraged to care for themselves. Because the truth is, we can’t pour into others from an empty cup. And I’ve learned that the strongest thing you can do sometimes is pause, breathe, and choose yourself.

Sustainability must be a priority in business not only because the planet demands it, but because the future of every industry depends on it. As someone pursuing an MBA with a focus on venture capital and strategic partnerships, I believe that the business decisions we make today shape the environmental outcomes of tomorrow. Business leaders have the unique ability to influence supply chains, capital allocation, and innovation at scale. But too often, sustainability is treated as a buzzword rather than a guiding principle. I want to change that by ensuring the companies and initiatives I support are not only profitable, but also environmentally responsible. My long-term goal is to work at the intersection of sports, business, and impact. Sports franchises and brands wield enormous cultural and economic power. Yet, few use that platform to champion sustainable innovation, whether that’s rethinking the materials in athletic apparel, reducing waste in stadium operations, or investing in green tech startups. I want to help lead that shift. Already, I’ve seen the power of strategic partnerships to drive change. At Make A Play Foundation, I created a program for underrepresented student-athletes that emphasized values-driven leadership. The program matched students with mentors and career pathways aligned with industries that are often closed off to them. It reminded me that when you design for equity and sustainability at the same time, you create lasting solutions. Sustainability, to me, isn’t a checkbox, it’s a mindset. Growing up in a city like Cleveland, where industrial legacy meets economic disparity, I’ve seen firsthand how environmental degradation and social inequity often go hand in hand. Communities like mine don’t just need cleaner air and water; they need inclusive innovation that centers sustainability as a path to long-term well-being and opportunity. As I begin my MBA journey at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, I plan to deepen my commitment to sustainability through involvement in the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment (EDGE), and by joining clubs like Net Impact and the Impact Investing Group. These communities will help me sharpen the tools I need to build businesses that prioritize environmental resilience and social responsibility from the ground up. I also hope to lead projects that explore sustainable investment strategies and engage with founders developing climate-focused solutions. In the future, I see myself helping founders and companies ask better questions: How are we minimizing environmental harm? Are we holding ourselves accountable to real sustainability metrics, not just marketing slogans? Are we embedding eco-consciousness into our operations and culture early on? I don’t want to be a passive participant in climate progress. I want to be the investor, strategist, or operator who makes environmental responsibility a non-negotiable part of doing business.

The impact I hope to make in the sports industry is to create a more inclusive, empowered, and sustainable ecosystem. One where no woman of color feels like the “only one” in the room and where athletes are supported far beyond their playing days. I intend to achieve this by building access pipelines, launching athlete-driven ventures, and reshaping how capital flows through the sports industry. I’ve lived that feeling of being the only one. In high school, I was the only Black girl in my AP Calculus and Physics classes. So I created a club for girls in STEM, a space where young women could ask their “sciencey” questions without fear. That same drive to build access and belonging is what fuels me today in the sports industry. At the University of Pennsylvania, I carried that mindset with me by founding the first collegiate chapter of the Minorities in Sports Business Network at UPenn. As president for three years, I led student visits to Nike, Roc Nation, the MLB, the NBA, and more. These experiences helped students of color see themselves in roles across the industry. That work led to my internship at Excel Sports Management, where I gained hands-on experience in corporate and property sales. When my collegiate track career ended early due to COVID, I made the difficult choice to step away from competition. But I knew my impact in sports was just beginning. During my junior year, I became a fellow in the Make A Play Foundation. Each year after, I returned in a greater capacity; from fellow to mentor, then to executive assistant, and most recently as Head of Student Programming and Partnerships. In that role, I led initiatives to help underrepresented student-athletes transition into careers at Fortune 500 companies. Through partnerships with firms like Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and the NFL, I have helped thousands of athletes access career pathways and build confidence beyond the game. Still, I know I can do more. This fall, I’ll begin my MBA at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, where I plan to concentrate in social entrepreneurship. I am especially excited to propose an independent study with Duke Athletics that helps student-athletes use their NIL earnings to launch entrepreneurial ventures or philanthropic initiatives. In today’s evolving college sports landscape, with NIL, revenue-sharing, and conference realignments reshaping the space, athletes have more power than ever to shape their futures. That is why I am also focused on the investment side of the industry. I hope to work with a venture capital firm that targets sports tech startups or supports athlete-led businesses. On the other side, as private equity firms look to invest in collegiate athletics, I want to be at the table. I plan to help ensure that these investments maintain the integrity of college sports while creating value for athletes and institutions. Whether I am backing new ventures or influencing where capital flows, I’ll bring the perspective of a former athlete, a strategic partner, and someone deeply committed to preserving the authenticity and community that make sports so impactful. Like Kristen Miles, I want to leave a legacy that is rooted in inclusion, equity, and community. Through education, athlete-focused programming, and intentional investment, I plan to help redefine what success looks like in sports. Not just for athletes, but for the future builders of the industry. My goal is not only to break barriers, but to create systems that make sure others do not have to face them in the first place.