To begin, my mother and father have never attended college nor followed through with any sort of college education. Seeing the present repercussions has me longing for an enriched education to benefit my future. Today, it is hard for both my parents to secure reliable jobs that provide basic benefits such as health care. Growing up, I have almost never had health insurance. Therefore, I don't go to the doctor regularly, and when I am sick, I am forced to pay high fees that are out of pocket. My mom and dad both work long hours and don't obtain the pay they each deserve due to their lack of a college education. Seeing them both struggle to provide basic needs for my family has made me determined to become financially safe in the future. Attending college has opened up a multitude of opportunities to further my education. I enjoy going to class every day and learning new things. I am a curious individual who constantly puts effort into whatever I may be doing. I've earned Dean's List and Presidents List for multiple semesters while at Elon University. Elon University is a private university that is known for have small individualized classes focused on career development. Elon University also provides live Q&A Panels with potential employers that helps increase networking. I have already taken advantaged of many opportunities provided. In fact, last month I attended a networking workshop where I was introduced to hundreds of companies that were looking for students after college. I want to facilitate change in the future with whatever I choose to do, I am passionate for a world filled with love and happiness. I am a full time student at Elon University. I obtain high remarks in addition to working multiple jobs year round. I currently have one on-campus job, two summer jobs and an online job. I work very hard just to pay for my basic needs like shampoo and conditioner. It is hard for my parents to provide for my siblings and I, therefore I have to take matters into my own hands. Having a college education means that I am already doing the hard work in preparing for my future career. Having a college education means that I am a more valuable candidate for any job I apply for. Having a college education means that I will have financial freedom in the future as long as I work hard on achieving my dream of being independently wealthy.

When I was a sophomore in high school, my best friend Ava Halpin committed suicide over winter break just 2 days before Christmas. I was devastated by this news forcing me to go into a state of depression for years. Ava had the most beautiful soul that brightened everyone's day no matter what you were going through at the time. She always put a smile on my face. She is the reason why I have a positive outlook on life despite all my hardships faced. Losing Ava forced me to look at the world through a different lens. This loss caused me to focus on what matters most in my life, and that is family and financial security. Family is everything to me, my parents struggle every day to provide food on the table. We live paycheck, to paycheck. I can only hope that one day I will be able to invest money and become financially safe. I am currently helping provide some funds for my family with my 3 jobs. I have an on-campus job at Elon University where I am a full-time student. I also have 2 summer jobs that help provide my basic needs for myself. In addition to these jobs, I do not have health insurance. Health is very important to me because it's a matter of life or death. One undiagnosed condition can result in life or death in the future if not treated properly.