The field of study I am choosing to pursue is Automotive/ Heavy Medium Diesel Technology also known as Diesel Mechanics at the University of Northwestern Ohio. Afterward, I will be taking their High-Performance Technology courses as well. I have always had a passion for all things automotive from a young age. When I was younger it was mostly street vehicles and high-performance cars such as NHRA and other similar organizations. My interest in diesel didn't start until I was exposed to and around them. This was a truck-pulling event I was invited to by a friend of mine, that already had knowledge of them. Due to attending this event, I gained an interest in the field of diesel. I am passionate about Diesel Mechanics because it is a topic that is a mystery to me. I don't know very much about diesel-powered engines in general nor how they work. I only truly know a few things about them. This includes the use of glow plugs in place of your typical spark plug like you would on a gasoline engine. Along with this you also use different fuels, colored cans, and use of multiple batteries instead of just one. With this being said my lack of knowledge only makes me want to learn about it more. In addition to my willingness to learn the idea of being able to work on something that is bigger in comparison to myself. Diesel engines can be absolutely enormous almost four times the size of a human being, especially with the big truck engines. I find it almost captivating to get to have the opportunity to work on something so large in scale. Being able to begin my career in the diesel field would absolutely be a jump start into future success and countless hours of hard work. This is the critical first of the many stepping stones needed to have a successful career. Along with having a successful career, I would have the opportunity to have an extremely fulfilling work life. This field is not very common for young people to be entering into and is essentially a dying field. In correlation to the lack of people entering, these people are very few and far between will be women making representation in this field even less. However, due to this, the opportunities will be more abundant, and more options along with multiple different pathways for work.

In seventh grade, I became immersed in the drag racing scene. I was able to first get a taste for mechanics working on engines, getting vehicles ready for races, maintaining the vehicles, and so much more. By doing these different tasks, I started to develop a passion for cars and the automotive industry. I even gained a mentor, who has become a father figure to me. Even after the passing of this role model, I still have a passion for racing and the automotive industry itself. However, during my time in the world of drag racing and spending more and more time at the different tracks and shops, one thing became apparent to me: Not many women went to the races, whether it be a Friday night or a weekend race. The same thing went for the people in the shop, there weren't many women there either. This was especially noticeable when it came to who raced the cars. Most of the drivers were men no matter the class,certian requirement a vehicle must have to keep it fair for everyone, racing at the time. Whether this was Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro stock or even Pro Stock Motorcycle. This eye opening experience led me to look further into the automotive industry and the many avenues it has to offer. Along with these experiences, the challenge of the field itself pushed me to pursue it. I understand that a career in the automotive field is male-dominated and has been for years. Knowing this only makes me want to work harder to push myself more in the industry. As a female in an auto shop class currently, I am constantly surrounded by men in a man-dominated area making me often feel out of place, which no woman should ever have to feel in any line of work whether it is dominated by men or not. This experience makes me want to be a role model for other women who have a similar interests in the automotive industry, making sure they don't feel intimidated. Along with this, I want to shed a light on the automotive industry in order to educate more women about the many avenues of an automotive career and what they have to offer. By shedding this light, women will be more inclined to be interested in this line of work therefore bringing more gender diversity into the industry. By making this change in the field, I'll then be able to change the stigma that women can’t work with cars, to work in repair shops, as mechanics, or work for big organizations in the industry like HNRA or NASCAR. With this progress, I will be opening doors and creating available opportunities for women that would otherwise not be attainable or even remotely an option.