At first glance or listen, my background may seem traditional to some. My parents love each other, and we have always lived together in the same Christian home. However, our "traditions" are not accepted or condoned by all. I was born out of wedlock to a teenage diabetic mother and a teenage father. Whereas they once hoped to get married, my mother's medical conditions got in the way of their legal union. Hence, they have never married. My mother has been on disability and Social Security for my entire life, and she insists that marriage would interfere with her healthcare and insurance. They have accepted and grown comfortable with their common law marriage, although our church does not agree. Still, my family overflows with love and other traditions. My best recollections involve Sundays at my grandfather's house with my boisterous family grilling out after church while we huddle up in front of the television to watch our favorite football teams. Faith, family, football, and food brought us together. For this one day of the week, we didn't fret over finances, petty arguments, or the everchanging world around us. We just came together for these common goods, and that was enough to satisfy us all. These "Sports Sundays" laid the groundwork for my own entrance into the athletic world. After spending years of watching football and baseball on television with my father, grandfather, cousins, and uncles, I decided to try out for my high school softball team. The field itself overwhelmed me on my first day--I was used to the abandoned field my church played on, overgrown with make-shift bleachers and bases. The school's field was decorated with staunch white lines and gleaming green grass. To say the least, I was intimidated. Thankfully, I was welcomed before I even made the team. The veteran players were excited to have me try out and encouraged my success. They did not judge my family situation, as others had in the past. The two coaches seemed impressed with the talent that I didn't even know I possessed. It seemed that I had found an additional "sports family". Although we were not huddled up on a couch in front of a television, and we were not the product of the forever-judged wedlock, we still shared the same excitement and competitive nature that I appreciated with my own family. The Lady Trojans Softball Team reminded me of that lesson's importance and applicability. What matters most with any sport--or church, classroom, club, or clique--is the company you keep. That group should bring out the best in you far beyond the scoreboard. Sports are not just about your own achievements--they are about working together for common values and goals. My family does not need a marriage certificate to have a tradition; our tradition is love, and that works well for us.

My best recollections involve Sundays at my grandfather's house with my boisterous family grilling out after church while we huddle up in front of the television to watch our favorite football teams. Faith, family, football, and food brought us together. For this one day of the week, we didn't fret over finances, petty arguments, or the everchanging world around us. We just came together for these common goods, and that was enough to satisfy us all. Strangely, the lesson that sports taught me isn't directly about sports at all. Sports taught me that your company and environment matter more than money, winning, or losing. Sports showed me the value of a supportive "fanbase". In other words, people play better, learn better, love better, and perform better when they know they are not alone. These "Sports Sundays" laid the groundwork for my own entrance into the athletic world. After spending years of watching football and baseball on television with my father, grandfather, cousins, and uncles, I decided to try out for my high school softball team. The field itself overwhelmed me on my first day--I was used to the abandoned field my church played on, overgrown with make-shift bleachers and bases. The school's field was decorated with staunch white lines and gleaming green grass. To say the least, I was intimidated. Thankfully, I was welcomed before I even made the team. The veteran players were excited to have me try out and encouraged my success. The two coaches seemed impressed with the talent that I didn't even know I possessed. It seemed that I had found an additional "sports family". Although we were not huddled up on a couch in front of a television, we still shared the same excitement and competitive nature that I appreciated with my own family. The Lady Trojans Softball Team reminded me of that lesson's importance and applicability. What matters most with any sport--or church, classroom, club, or clique--is the company you keep. That group should bring out the best in you far beyond the scoreboard. Sports are not just about your own achievements--they are about working together for common values and goals. My faith has been strengthened by these lessons, and my ultimate goal is to share and serve others. With all of the political strife and division in society, we need forerunners who plan to bring others together and set positive examples. As a minority female who plans to break barriers in sports broadcasting and journalism, I can only hope to serve as an inspiration and conduit to carry others to success.

My best recollections involve Sundays at my grandfather's house with my boisterous family grilling out after church while we huddle up in front of the television to watch our favorite football teams. Faith, family, football, and food brought us together. For this one day of the week, we didn't fret over finances, petty arguments, or the everchanging world around us. We just came together for these common goods, and that was enough to satisfy us all. Strangely, the lesson that sports taught me isn't directly about sports at all. Sports taught me that your company and environment matter more than money, winning, or losing. Sports showed me the value of a supportive "fanbase". In other words, people play better, learn better, love better, and perform better when they know they are not alone. These "Sports Sundays" laid the groundwork for my own entrance into the athletic world. After spending years of watching football and baseball on television with my father, grandfather, cousins, and uncles, I decided to try out for my high school softball team. The field itself overwhelmed me on my first day--I was used to the abandoned field my church played on, overgrown with make-shift bleachers and bases. The school's field was decorated with staunch white lines and gleaming green grass. To say the least, I was intimidated. Thankfully, I was welcomed before I even made the team. The veteran players were excited to have me try out and encouraged my success. The two coaches seemed impressed with the talent that I didn't even know I possessed. It seemed that I had found an additional "sports family". Although we were not huddled up on a couch in front of a television, we still shared the same excitement and competitive nature that I appreciated with my own family. The Lady Trojans Softball Team reminded me of that lesson's importance and applicability. What matters most with any sport--or church, classroom, club, or clique--is the company you keep. That group should bring out the best in you far beyond the scoreboard. Sports are not just about your own achievements--they are about working together for common values and goals.

My life in athletics started before I even played, which must sound confusing. Nonetheless, it is true. My best memories of sports are not when I caught game-winning outs in softball, nor do they relish in the satisfying slides into home plate. Rather, my best recollections involve Sundays at my grandfather's house with my boisterous family grilling out after church while we huddle up in front of the television to watch our favorite football teams. Faith, family, football, and food brought us together. For this one day of the week, we didn't fret over finances, petty arguments, or the everchanging world around us. We just came together for these common goods, and that was enough to satisfy us all. Strangely, the lesson that sports taught me isn't directly about sports at all. Sports taught me that your company and environment matter more than money, winning, or losing. Sports showed me the value of a supportive "fanbase". In other words, people play better, learn better, love better, and perform better when they know they are not alone. These "Sports Sundays" laid the groundwork for my own entrance into the athletic world. After spending years of watching football and baseball on television with my father, grandfather, cousins, and uncles, I decided to try out for my high school softball team. The field itself overwhelmed me on my first day--I was used to the abandoned field my church played on, overgrown with make-shift bleachers and bases. The school's field was decorated with staunch white lines and gleaming green grass. To say the least, I was intimidated. Thankfully, I was welcomed before I even made the team. The veteran players were excited to have me try out and encouraged my success. The two coaches seemed impressed with the talent that I didn't even know I possessed. It seemed that I had found an additional "sports family". Although we were not huddled up on a couch in front of a television, we still shared the same excitement and competitive nature that I appreciated with my own family. The Lady Trojans Softball Team reminded me of that lesson's importance and applicability. What matters most with any sport--or church, classroom, club, or clique--is the company you keep. That group should bring out the best in you far beyond the scoreboard. Sports are not just about your own achievements--they are about working together for common values and goals.

I plan to live up to my name. Neveah--"Heaven" spelled backwards--was gifted to me by my loving, God-fearing parents. Although this special title reads in the opposite direction, it has encouraged and driven me towards my goals. These goals start with my faith. In whatever I do, I plan to serve and stay thankful. Hence, Mercer University--a traditionally Christian university--is the perfect place to pursue my education. Upon receiving the acceptance letter from Mercer, I knew I had found my next home. Most importantly, I have entered a new Christian family to share faith and values. Furthermore, this fine institution is within driving distance to my home and family. This is a necessity, as my mother has been a lifelong diabetic who has survived dozens of surgeries and procedures; she now awaits a kidney donor. As the only child, I have taken the responsibility, along with my father, to care for my loving matriarch. Still, she refuses to hold me back from achieving success, which makes me all the more thankful for her. I will be close enough to help but far enough to grow. This is the best of both worlds for my family and me. With the love of my God and my family, I will give back to the community that has helped raise me. I have always attending a Title 1 school; we have oftentimes needed government assistance to survive. In truth, people in my neighborhood rarely finish high school, much less continue to college. Still, we are a community of love and history. I hope that my own success--gifted to me by Mercer University and your funding--will inspire and even relieve people with similar backgrounds. My dream has always been to serve as a sports broadcaster. While this may seem childlike or self-serving to some, African-American women are the overshadowed minority in this field. Sports surrounded me, enticed me, and finally welcomed me through my life. I want to share this interest with others who may not feel invited in this field. I may even set a precedent for some--the young girls who fight to stand out on the sidelines; the women of color who bring it all to the forefront; the nonbelievers who look for inspiration and examples of what God can do. Sports broadcasting and journalism need the diversity and change I plan to bring. Now, I ask for your assistance to make these dreams and goals a reality for me. I assure you that your funding will be put to great use. Consider it the gift that keeps giving, as this success and positive example will not stop with me.