As a student currently pursuing a degree in Homeland Security, my academic journey is defined by both a commitment to understanding national security issues and overcoming the unique challenges posed by my hearing impairment. This experience has been shaped by a combination of personal determination and the support of modern technology, allowing me to engage deeply with my field of study while addressing the obstacles associated with my hearing loss. My academic focus on Homeland Security stems from a strong interest in understanding and addressing the complexities of national and global security. The field encompasses a range of critical areas, including emergency management, counterterrorism, and cybersecurity. My goal is to contribute to the development of strategies and policies that enhance the safety and resilience of communities and protect against various threats. The interdisciplinary nature of Homeland Security allows me to explore issues from multiple perspectives, which is both intellectually stimulating and professionally rewarding. Navigating this academic path as a student who is hard of hearing has presented its own set of challenges. One of the primary obstacles has been ensuring effective communication during lectures and group activities. The need to absorb information from spoken presentations and participate in discussions requires adaptations and support to ensure that I can fully engage with the course material and collaborate with my peers. To address these challenges, I rely on a variety of assistive devices and accommodations. My primary tool is a set of advanced hearing aids, which help amplify sounds and improve my ability to hear speech in various settings. In addition to these aids, I make use of real-time captioning services that provide live transcriptions of spoken content during lectures. This technology is crucial for ensuring that I can follow along with complex discussions and grasp essential concepts that might otherwise be difficult to capture. Moreover, I utilize FM systems in some of my classes, where a microphone worn by the instructor transmits their voice directly to my hearing aids. This setup reduces background noise and enhances the clarity of the instructor’s speech, allowing me to focus on the lecture without straining to hear. Lecture notes and recorded sessions provided by my professors are also vital resources, enabling me to review and reinforce the material outside of class. Despite these supports, there are still challenges related to my hearing impairment that require ongoing adaptation. Spontaneous discussions and group work can be particularly challenging, as real-time communication is essential. I have developed strategies to manage these situations, such as requesting additional time for responses and seeking clarification when necessary. These approaches not only help me overcome communication barriers but also foster a more inclusive learning environment. Looking towards the future, my plans upon completing my degree in Homeland Security are focused on contributing to the field in a meaningful way. I aspire to work with government agencies or private organizations dedicated to enhancing national security and emergency preparedness. My goal is to be involved in the development and implementation of policies and programs that address current and emerging threats, ensuring the safety and resilience of communities. In conclusion, my academic journey in Homeland Security has been shaped by a blend of passion for the field and the need to navigate the challenges of hearing impairment. As I look to the future, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to national security and advocate for greater inclusivity, driven by the lessons learned and the resilience developed throughout my academic path.

I have always known that I wanted to join the military. I grew up in post-9/11 America and grew up in a world where my country was always at war. My family has a long-standing history in the military and I know that it was more than just a desire to join, it was a feeling of familial pride, moreover, it was the desire to protect my loved ones by being willing to make the sacrifice for my nation. It wasn't until I was in 8th grade that I found out about the JROTC program at my local high school and how I could turn it into an entryway into a military career and go on to do great things from there. The senior instructor was a retired Chief Warrant Officer III in the US Army, who had some of the best and most inspiring stories from his time in the military. Chief Ford was more than just an instructor, he felt like another family member who was there to look after your well-being and not just at school. Chief Ford was the man who sat me down during my sophomore year and spoke to me about what I wanted to do with my future. I had concluded at this point that I wanted to enlist in the military. His exact words to me were as follows: "Son, you will be wasting that amazing brain of yours as a grunt." From that moment on, I decided to pursue an officer route and attempt to secure an Army ROTC scholarship at the best program in the south, that program being at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am very proud to report that I was able to get that scholarship and have been pursuing a degree at ERAU in Homeland Security & Intelligence. I have had one full year of training thus far and have enjoyed every moment of it all. All of my cadre are some of the best instructors and teachers I could ask for. Once I stepped foot at the first PT of my freshman year, I was hooked on all of it. My motivation to protect my closest friends, family, and nation has only grown since then. I cannot wait to begin my career in the military after graduation. I feel as if everything has been coming together in the best way possible up until this point, and I enjoy seeing what my future holds in the US Army.

As an Army ROTC student, I regularly strive to be the best person I can be for the people I surround myself with and those I oversee as an MS2. I show leadership skills in my daily life as a student who takes charge during class projects and group discussions in class, I strive to be a resilient speaker and work hard to have a good work ethic in my classes. I try to remain as unselfish as possible in my daily life, it is pertinent to my goals in life and also my morals as a Christian man. I have remained focused on becoming an officer, as I obtained a 4.0 GPA in my first two semesters of school. Ever since I could remember I have always known I wanted to serve my community in some way, whether it was starting a toy drive at my school, volunteering at Fellowship of Christian Athletes events in middle school, or working JROTC community service events in high school I was always trying to better my community by any means possible. I have always felt a strong sense of community in every decision I have made in life. Even though being in college ROTC sets me up for success in life, I still would have enlisted if I didn't get the opportunity I got. There is an old photo of me in a camo shirt and an ACU camo backpack from when I was in 1st grade. My mom likes to joke that ever since that day she knew I'd join the military. When I was a freshman, I still had some friends back home who were trying to win an ROTC scholarship like I had and wanted to come to the same school as me. I still remember late nights in the first semester talking to the two of them about their essays and what they listed as extracurriculars. I spoke to them often about the important things to mention in their scholarship interview, and encouraged one of my friends to keep trying to get his SAT score up, I knew he would be able to if he continued to push himself and studied hard. I am very proud to say that both of them are now on 3-year scholarships and enrolled at the same University as me. Even with all of this going on my goals remained honed in on becoming an officer. For the past year, my goal has been to get a Lieutenant shadow internship and to go to airborne school. Two of the hardest things to qualify for in ROTC. I have worked on my PT scores and kept my grades in excellent shape to qualify. Overall, I strive to be the best version of myself at the start of every day, because I feel like if I am not grounded in my goals, or pursuing some crazy dream that I had since I was 8 years old, I am not sure what I would do with my life.