I am currently pursuing a degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. I am 24 years old and started going to college much later that other people my age. I am an avid outdoorswoman and conservationist. I chose this degree because I want to be able to conserve and protect species that can't advocate for themselves. Right out of high school I went straight to working fulltime. This was because I didn't know what degree I wanted to pursue yet. Starting to go for a degree that I would change later down the road would result in money lost from the funds that I already didn't have. I waited so long to go back to school because I didn't think that I would be able to swing it financially. I wanted a degree in something that I loved and to be able to make a difference but I couldn't risk going bankrupt with the bills I already had to pay. I was eventually a bit more financially stable a few years down the road and I applied for my bachelors degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Science through Oregon State University. I was accepted which was amazing because they offer a great program! On the other hand I'm from Michigan which meant I would have to pay out of state tuition. My drive and willpower has definitely pushed me to reach my dreams. I currently work full time, go to online school full time and pay my bills needed to survive as well as any left over tuition. I take out the least amount of financial aid so that I'm not overwhelmed with it after I graduate and I have been paying the rest out of pocket. This has been one of the greatest obstacles that I have encountered so far. I love learning and if I had all of the money that I could wish for, I would still be pursuing an education and going as far as getting my doctorate. Another obstacle that I have encountered first hand has been being a female in a very male dominant world. I know that I have to work harder than males to even be considered for many jobs in this field. This is why I feel the need to learn as much as I can so that my education and knowledge will outweigh the sexism that I may encounter in this field. I want to be an advocate and leader for women wanting to join hunting, fishing and conservation events and careers that may seem intimidating due to the low amount of women currently participating in them. I want to be able to finish my degree to show myself and other women that it is possible, no matter what obstacles may stand in our way!

Adversity is a very broad term. Many people from different ways of life and backgrounds view adversity very differently. For me I have had to overcome adversity in a few ways of my own. I myself am the first person in my family to attend college to try and get my degree. Right out of high school I started working a full time job to provide for myself and I didn't quite think that college was in the stars for me. I had gotten engaged at 19 and moved out on my own while supporting myself. After a couple of years I broke off my engagement and moved back home with my parents. It was at this time when I decided that I needed to do what's best for me and my future, so I decided to go back to school. This was not an easy decision as I had to figure out how I was going to be able to afford to live and pay for my own higher education as my parents aren't able to assist me financially. I truly have to say that going back to school was one of my best decisions so far. I am truly excited about school and getting my degree. Even though I get stressed at times about how I am going to keep pushing and paying for my college I know when it’s all said and done I am going to be so incredibly proud of myself and how far I have come! I will be able to say that I finally chose the path that benefited me and my future and that I did it all on my own. I want to be able to tell my children that even with everything that may be thrown at them, keep on pushing and find a way to make yourself proud! Nothing is impossible if you are passionate enough about it. I refuse to let mine or my parents' financial status determine whether or not I am able to receive a higher education. I will continue to work my tail off at work to ensure that I am able to afford my education. I will continue to work hard at work and in my classes to ensure that I am getting the quality education that I owe to myself. I just have to remind myself that when things get hard to keep pushing and striving for greatness. Everything will work out in the end!

Based off of my personal use of this tech invention and great experiences with it I would have to say that my personal favorite tech invention of the last 10 years is the video doorbell. In 2013 Jamie Siminoff brought his invention, The DoorBot onto the show shark tank. When his invention wasn't offered enough financial help on the show he went on to launch it on his own and eventually changed the name to Ring. This is my favorite tech invention of the last 10 years because I feel like it gives people such a sense of security in their own homes without breaking the bank. The pricing is fairly reasonable and gives people an affordable way to keep their homes and families safe. Through my studies in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences I am hoping to contribute to the world safety and preservation of fish and wildlife species. I want to be a part of developing wildlife policies to protect threatened and endangered animal species. I also want to be able to be a part of calculating wildlife populations to determine sustainable harvest practices for hunters. Being a hunter myself I know first hand how important population numbers can be and how easily some species of animals can become overpopulated and cause problems. I am also hoping to educate communities on topics that relate to humans involving animal species. Some of these topics include animal overpopulation issues in communities which can cause animals to become violent or aggressive because they're fighting over food especially when humans are feeding them or overpopulation of predators which could in turn result in domesticated animals deaths. Another example of educating the communities and preserving wildlife would be helping to relocate nuisance animals to safer homes rather than killing them because they have found there way to populated communities where they are causing trouble. Along with my studies I am hoping to use my educational journey to inspire others wanting to go back to school. I am currently going to school full time while working a full time job and I am trying to pay for my degree with as little student loans as possible. Aside from my degree specialty I also want to be an inspiration to women all over the world. I am currently a full time student and I work a full time job. I personally was not expecting to ever go to college and here I am, the first in my family to attend college! I want to be an inspiration to women that they can do whatever they set their minds to even though it may seem like a possibility at the moment. Overall I feel like this degree that I am trying to pursue offers a lot of opportunities to positively contribute to the world!