Stomach pain has been a part of my life ever since I could remember. Because I was so used to being in pain after eating, my symptoms were often pushed to the side and misdiagnosed for many years. It wasn’t until late 2020 that I was given my life-changing diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. Not long after, my life took a complete turn. My sophomore year of high school turned into doctor appointments, hospital stays, and infusion centers, leaving me home-bound from school for most of the year. I had finally accomplished making our school’s Varsity Dance Team and I couldn’t even stand up long enough to complete a routine because of how low my iron was—my days at home consisted of watching movies in bed and my parents trying to force-feed me Kate-Farms Shakes. Medications began to fail, food options became limited and my life began to get dimmer and dimmer. During one of my longest hospital stays, my medical team decided that it was time to “press the emergency button” and begin a 3-part process to remove my colon and create a functioning JPouch. Two days later, my entire large intestine was removed from my body. My mom can attest, that as soon as the anesthesia wore off, I was rejoicing in the fact that my stomach pain was gone…Of course, that didn’t last long, as abdominal surgery is tough to recover from. My recovery journey and coping from not just 1 surgery but 3 was the hardest thing I have ever done and managing school work on top of it, made the process even harder. Battling my illness as well as maintaining my ambition to pursue architecture as a career can be tough. There are days when I question if I can even complete college or successfully learn how to be an architect on top of my many symptoms. What pushes me through these negative thoughts is the root of why I am pursuing my chosen major. What most people don't know is that my love for architecture stemmed from my many experiences in hospitals and places of medicine. As everyone can relate, when you step into a building, its atmosphere is going to suit your mood and outlook on what you're there to do. The many different atmospheres, both good and bad, inspired me to want to create more inviting and welcoming hospitals/labs/infusion centers where people aren't automatically placed into fight-or-flight when entering the building. It is very important to me that this project is carried out by someone with first-hand experience of negative history with medical buildings. It is a real and valid issue that can easily be solved with a change in architecture. With additional funds to help put my education in drive, I will be able to not only focus on my work and projects but continue to act on my dream of evolving medical facilities. Additional funds will also contribute to the lost funds that have gone into my health and well-being during my high school years, ultimately lifting a weight off my parent's shoulders. Thank you for your time and I hope you consider me for your scholarship!

Throughout my life, it's been instilled in me to be a leader and not a follower. Every morning before school, my dad would remind me and my little sister to lead the way and not follow the wrong path. Of course, being young, these words went in one ear and out the other but now, being a senior in high school, I appreciate his words more than ever. High School has had many ups and downs. From COVID-19 to hospitalizations and surgeries to losing my passion for the sport I love most, I have remained on my path to do good. In late 2020, I was given my life-changing diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. Not long after, my life took a complete turn. My sophomore year of high school turned into doctor appointments, hospital stays, and infusion centers, leaving me home-bound from school for most of the year. I had finally accomplished making our school’s Varsity Dance Team and I couldn’t even stand up long enough to complete a routine because of how low my iron was. My days at home consisted of watching movies in bed and my parents trying to force-feed me so I wouldn't pass out. Medications began to fail, food options became limited and my life began to get dimmer and dimmer. During one of my longest hospital stays, my medical team decided that it was time to “press the emergency button” and begin a 3-part process to remove my colon. Two days later, my entire large intestine was removed from my body. This setback was the hardest thing I have had to go through. Sometimes, I was tempted to give up my goal of remaining on the right path and leading others to go down that path with me. It was during my recovery from these surgeries where with the help of my family, I ignited the spark to constantly strive for better, despite the cards I was dealt. Soon after, I began to help other kids and teens who were in the same shoes as I was. From giving advice, tips, and tricks, or even sending medical supplies, helping others has become a true passion of mine that I plan on continuing in the future. This new aspect of being a leader, not a follower, has truly changed my life for the better. Fast forward to 2024, I am healthier than ever and of course, planning for the future. I will attend Mississippi State University in the Fall with a major in Architecture. On top of architecture school, I plan to continue my outreach to others, possibly even expanding on it. This scholarship would help both me and my family as my high school setback has cost us quite more than expected. On top of the cost, this scholarship would allow me to devote time to the kids and teens in need, as I will not have to worry about financials as much. Overall, I would be honored to receive this scholarship because I know it will push me to remain a leader, not a follower, on the path to doing good. Thank You For Your Time!

If you asked any of my friends or family to list 3 things about me, I guarantee you one of them would be “her stomach always hurts.” Not only has this quality become known to those around me but Ulcerative Colitis impacts my life on a daily basis. Ever since I was little, I have always had food sensitivity issues that were misdiagnosed until my freshman year of highschool. After constant blood transfusions, hospital visits and nights lying awake asking why, my colon was completely removed. I was left with a temporary ostomy bag to give my body time to reset and heal before my next 2 surgeries. Although body image and looks are such a huge topic of discussion with high school girls, my sensitivity to the way I looked went out the window. I embraced my ostomy bag and wore it with pride. Yes, sometimes I missed wearing crop tops and shorts but that ostomy bag truly saved my life. I was able to travel with my dance team and fully participate in our routines, go out to eat with my friends, and explore the world without thoughts of “where’s the nearest bathroom?” This era of my chronic illness gave me the gift of exploration. I now live life watching out for the tiny little details that make me happy. I live by “it takes a bad day to make the great ones greater” and that truly defines how it is dealing with a chronic illness. I treasure the days that my stomach is killing me because I just know that the next day is going to be a gift. Fast Forward 2 surgeries, I now have a fully functioning JPouch, (internal pouch made from my small intestine) and am living my life to the fullest. Being only 15-16 at the time, 2022 was the most traumatic year of my life but it forced me to mature a lot faster than my peers. Teens with chronic illnesses can agree, it is not easy to have to manage an illness as well as go through stereotypical high school events. It requires a lot of resilience to pick yourself back up when you've been down for a period of time. Completing school work, going to sports events, dancing in pep rallies, you name it, I’ve been able to do it. What most people don’t realize is I may have been feeling my absolute worst but I was there with a smile on my face. Realizing how hard it can be sometimes, I began to help other teens who have gone through or are going through the JPouch surgeries. From suggesting ostomy supplies to sending jpouch friendly meals, I strive to be the person I need when I was going through such a rough time. This year, I decided to take it up a notch when I was given the opportunity to be the 2024 Alabama/NW Florida Take Steps Ambassador for the VChrons and Colitis Foundation. My story is now being shared state-wide ion hopes of showing people that it does get better. This is why I consider my chronic illness a super power. I am able to take a terrible situation, learn from it, and inspire others. Now, as a senior, I am eternally grateful for all the lessons I have learned through my disease. Resilience, empathy and perseverance are few of the many characteristics I have picked up along the way. My surgeries gave me a second chance at life and best believe, I am going to take it and live my life to the fullest.

If you asked any of my friends or family to list 3 things about me, I guarantee you one of them would be “her stomach always hurts.” Not only has this quality become known to those around me but Ulcerative Colitis impacts my life on a daily basis. Ever since I was little, I have always had food sensitivity issues that were misdiagnosed until my freshman year of highschool. After constant blood transfusions, hospital visits and nights lying awake asking why, my colon was completely removed. I was left with a temporary ostomy bag to give my body time to reset and heal before my next 2 surgeries. Although body image and looks are such a huge topic of discussion with high school girls, my sensitivity to the way I looked went out the window. I embraced my ostomy bag and wore it with pride. Yes, sometimes I missed wearing crop tops and shorts but that ostomy bag truly saved my life. I was able to travel with my dance team and fully participate in our routines, go out to eat with my friends, and explore the world without thoughts of “where’s the nearest bathroom?” This era of my chronic illness gave me the gift of exploration. I now live life watching out for the tiny little details that make me happy. I live by “it takes a bad day to make the great ones greater” and that truly defines how it is dealing with a chronic illness. I treasure the days that my stomach is killing me because I just know that the next day is going to be a gift. Fast Forward 2 surgeries, I now have a fully functioning JPouch, (internal pouch made from my small intestine) and am living my life to the fullest. Being only 15-16 at the time, 2022 was the most traumatic year of my life but it forced me to mature a lot faster than my peers. Teens with chronic illnesses can agree, it is not easy to have to manage an illness as well as go through stereotypical high school events. It requires a lot of resilience to pick yourself back up when you've been down for a period of time. Completing school work, going to sports events, dancing in pep rallies, you name it, I’ve been able to do it. What most people don’t realize is I may have been feeling my absolute worst but I was there with a smile on my face. Realizing how hard it can be sometimes, I began to help other teens who have gone through or are going through the JPouch surgeries. From suggesting ostomy supplies to sending jpouch friendly meals, I strive to be the person I need when I was going through such a rough time. This year, I decided to take it up a notch when I was given the opportunity to be the 2024 Alabama/NW Florida Take Steps Ambassador for the VChrons and Colitis Foundation. My story is now being shared state-wide ion hopes of showing people that it does get better. This is why I consider my chronic illness a super power. I am able to take a terrible situation, learn from it, and inspire others. Now, as a senior, I am eternally grateful for all the lessons I have learned through my disease. Resilience, empathy and perseverance are few of the many characteristics I have picked up along the way. My surgeries gave me a second chance at life and best believe, I am going to take it and live my life to the fullest.

Ever since I was young, I have always admired the way a building can make you feel. From fancy restaurants and high end stores to a cozy living room, I believe the authenticity of an establishment has the power to lift your spirits as well as the people around you. This is very important to me as I am always spending time with family and friends in a variety of places. Furthermore, I would love to be able to create different atmospheres where people can spend time with the people they care about most and I believe I can learn this best at Mississippi State University. It fasc inates me how architects are able to see the impact their work has on the surrounding community it as well as the connections made with those involved with the project. There are many needs to be fulfilled in the world, especially in our day and age. I believe that many of these needs fall into the hands of architects and their teams. Community centers, homeless shelters, and schools for underserved children are just some of the few designs that could alter a group of people’s lives completely. Projects that are created remain there for decades to come, almost like the architect’s footprint is left in that specific community forever. Being able to design structurally sound buildings to bring families and groups together would make all the hard work and sacrifice worth every second. The role of an architect requires loads of creativity. From decorating for parties and addressing my family’s Christmas cards to something as simple as coming up with an instagram caption, I have always been told that my creative side tends to take over whenever I am assigned to a certain project or idea. Combining both creativity and architecture as well as having the ability to let your imagination take control as you design a variety of projects, to me, sounds like a dream. Not only the layout and look of the building, but the atmosphere and aura that the structure gives off is left completely up to the architect. Therefore, learning the proper way to design a structurally safe building on top of having the freedom to design every inch of it, has always sparked an interest in me. Given the resources, I think I have the ability to develop into a strong architect, able to contribute a new and creative perspective when working with a team. Throughout my life, the aspect of having a good circle of people around has always remained important. Although there are many good people in the world, I believe that working in a cubicle or desk all day would make it difficult to connect with those around you. Therefore, the way architects are able to roam about and interact with different specialists each day is truly admirable. This past year, I was able to shadow an architect and speak to some of his interns to see what they do on a day to day schedule. From the moment I walked into the firm, I was in complete awe of the space, conversations being had and projects displayed among the walls and tables. Hearing how obsessed the interns were with their new jobs made me realize that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

To say I have overcome obstacles is an understatement. In late 2021, my entire large intestine was removed. 2 following surgeries were performed in the following months to create an entirely new digestive system. All of these surgeries and hospitalizations took place during my sophomore year of high school which happened to be my first year on our Varsity Dance Team. Overcoming these procedures and my chronic illness has taught me how to persevere even when times are tough. Having a chronic illness is far from easy. Doctors' visits, medicines, procedures, hospitalizations and the daily symptoms faced can be quite bothersome to someone's everyday life, let alone, a teenager. Not only have these experiences shaped me into a young woman but taught me how to advocate for myself and others. Black women are wildly unrepresented and cared for when it comes to medicine. Our symptoms and pain are often glazed over and "dramatized." I was only 15 years old when I was first accused of lying about my symptoms by a white male doctor. The failure to diagnose my chronic illness, ulcerative colitis, further led to my surgeries being so urgent. It is because of that doctor that I make it a priority to teach others how to stand up for themselves, especially young black women. While going through my procedures, I missed a total of 4 months of school. From virtual classes, blended schedules or not even doing work at all, my education was set aside my entire sophomore year of high school. Missing so much school made me realize how important furthering my education is. Since then, I have learned to enjoy the little things even if it's walking the hallways at school or completing an assignment. I now look forward to going to school or even having the opportunity to present a project in class. Overall, my view on furthering my education has completely been altered as it now is my top priority in life. Overall, my setback has shaped me into the young woman I am today. I am glad to be standing here, sharing my story with those with similar aspirations as me. If it weren't for that difficult stage of my life, I am not sure I would be as genuine and passionate about advocating for others and reaching my maximum potential in life. If I could go back and change anything, I surely wouldn't.

To say I have overcome obstacles is an understatement. In late 2021, my entire large intestine was removed. 2 following surgeries were performed in the following months to create an entirely new digestive system. All of these surgeries and hospitalizations took place during my sophomore year of high school which happened to be my first year on our Varsity Dance Team. Overcoming these procedures and my chronic illness has taught me how to persevere even when times are tough. Having a chronic illness is far from easy. Doctors' visits, medicines, procedures, hospitalizations and the daily symptoms faced can be quite bothersome to someone's everyday life, let alone, a teenager. Not only have these experiences shaped me into a young woman but taught me how to advocate for myself and others. Black women are wildly unrepresented and cared for when it comes to medicine. Our symptoms and pain are often glazed over and "dramatized." I was only 15 years old when I was first accused of lying about my symptoms by a white male doctor. The failure to diagnose my chronic illness, ulcerative colitis, further led to my surgeries being so urgent. It is because of that doctor that I make it a priority to teach others how to stand up for themselves, especially young black women. While going through my procedures, I missed a total of 4 months of school. From virtual classes, blended schedules or not even doing work at all, my education was set aside my entire sophomore year of high school. Missing so much school made me realize how important furthering my education is. Since then, I have learned to enjoy the little things even if it's walking the hallways at school or completing an assignment. I now look forward to going to school or even having the opportunity to present a project in class. Overall, my view on furthering my education has completely been altered as it now is my top priority in life. Overall, my setback has shaped me into the young woman I am today. I am glad to be standing here, sharing my story with those with similar aspirations as me. If it weren't for that difficult stage of my life, I am not sure I would be as genuine and passionate about advocating for others and reaching my maximum potential in life. If I could go back and change anything, I surely wouldn't.

The Luminaut values are great to apply in not only a career, but in life. As they align with my own values, I believe that being a successful architect/ interior design requires thanking these values into account to grow not only as a designer but as a person. In the field of design as a whole, there are so many people involved who seek the same thing, making it hard to stand out project wise. What can make someone stand out is their values and a designer. Embracing these Luminaut values would help tremendously while beginning a career in the field of Architecture or Interior Design. Humility is important to have in this field that requires putting others needs before your own. When designing the interior or exterior of a house, you must keep in mind the needs of other without implementing your own above theirs. Not only will humility be important in the work industry but in college as well. When learning how to design buildings and structures, it is important to humble yourself so you can learn from others. If you’re constantly absorbed by your own designs and projects, you’ll never he able to look up and see the amazing things your peers are learning and designing. While remaining humble, you must also be self sustaining, hungry for your next challenge whether it’s completing a hard design or making a client’s wants work in a difficult situation. Being such a challenging field of work, it may be easy to slack and not take your work as seriously as you should. This hunger will drive you to succeed as you’re always bettering yourself and reaching for more. In order to display the hunger and want to succeed, you must focus. You must learn how to put your tasks ahead of less important things and finding a balance between work and private life. There are many distractions in the real world and especially college that may interfere with your work ethic. Finding a balance between your private life and work will allow you to both focus and have fun while accomplishing everything you have planned. Lastly, you must strive to be super but acknowledge your mistakes because at the end of the day, you’re human. Everyone strives to be super in their occupation whether it’s a super teacher, plumber or President. While it’s great to BE great, you must be able to realize when you are wrong and grow from it. Whether it’s messing up a project or getting the incorrect measurement, an incident is a learning lesson that you will grow from and become even better from. Mistakes can be the dividing factor from the good and the great because the great have had the mistakes to learn from. When combining all the Luminaut values and applying them to your daily life, you’re guaranteed to be a great architect or interior designer. I will definitely keep this values close to my heart while I pursue a career in this field.

When I think of my dream house, I think PURPLE! Yes, Barbie means pink but in my dream house, there is every shade of purple you can imagine. This “Purple Paradise” is located off the shores of Bora Bora. A hidden oasis some would call it. When you approach this paradise (accessed only by aviation) you see the flashing barbie signal illuminating in the sky. Once the plane lands on the house’s private landing pad, you are escorted by a service man/woman on a purple shuttle bus. Now, for the actual house. This Barbie Dream-house is made entirely by recycled elements such as micro fibers and cardboard…but dyed purple. The front door is entirely purple stained glass, making the inside of this mansion visible. Once you open the door, you’re greeted by my pet elephant, Tula. Tula will take your suitcases and coats while you tour this beautiful home. The floors are coated entirely with marble, perfect to hear your heels click on the ground. To your left is the kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is FULLY stocked with every food or snack you can imagine. Simply picture a food and it appears on the counter. The dining space includes a levitating glass table with cloud like chairs to relax on. Hanging from the ceiling is a giant chandelier with ice crystals. Exiting the kitchen, you enter the living room. This living room is open with windows reaching into the backyard. Birds fly in and out making you feel as if you’re outside. The furniture is all (fake) animal skins. Zebra, cheetah, lion, anything you could imagine. The walls are pure while with purple accents. In this living room, you see pictures of some of the most iconic Barbie outfits…but purple. Once you leave the living room, you enter the backyard. The first thing you notice is the giant infinity pool. This pool is right along the ocean so you can see every sea creature imaginable. Thirsty? Don’t worry, there is a purple paradise bar where Tula will serve you any (virgin) drink you’d like. The pool is also controlled by your body heat. If you’re too hot, it cools down and visa versa. Along with the pool, there is a zipline leadin from the backyard to the outdoor patio. This zipline is about a mile long, leading you to the middle of the jungle where your dinner awaits. An underground kitchen makes your 3 course meal while you relax and watch TV on the fully air conditioned villa. Once you’re done, zipline back to the house and relax in your master bedroom. This bedroom, being the only one in the house- is huge! A bed the size of 2 kings takes up the middle of the room while 5 TV’s rotate around it. This way you can watch multiple things at once. Heated floors occupy the entire room so your feet are never cold. In the master bath, there is a bathtub that can convert into a jacuzzi with the touch of a button. Behind this tub is a door leading you to an outdoor shower. While showering, our paradise birds bring you your soap, shampoo, and conditioner, making your shower hastle free. This concludes my Purple Paradise Barbie Dreamhouse. Hope you come back soon!