As I get closer to my final year as an undergraduate student at Bennett College, where I am studying Business Administration with a Minor in Entrepreneurship, I feel energized and ready to expand my education after graduation. I aspire to be a CEO and the founder of a nonprofit that teaches financial literacy to our youth, primarily underserved youth. To prepare for this vision and become a leading force, I want to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in finance and social entrepreneurship. The decision to go for an MBA comes from my commitment to service, leadership, and economic empowerment. Thinking back on my development as an undergraduate, I have grown into a purpose-driven leader, and I have a foundational basis in business strategy, finance, and entrepreneurship. With this background, I received experiential learning through internships at Cisco, where I led projects, created playbooks, and conducted process audits. These experiences have provided me with confirmation that I love solving problems, strategic thinking, and trying to improve systems for people, and not only for profit. However, I also recognize that to grow as a leader, I must also grow in my role in the world, which is where further growth through an MBA will allow me the opportunity to build and scale organizations more effectively, manage finances better, lead diverse teams, and develop sustainable and impactful partnerships. I am interested in MBA programs where social entrepreneurship, ethical business, and innovation are emphasized, as this is where I would like to work towards starting a nonprofit that is focused on financial literacy and environmental sustainability. I envision a nonprofit that provides free or low-cost financial literacy educational resources to youth so that our young people are educated about budgeting, saving, investing, and developing generational wealth. Many young people are never taught how to manage money, which leads to poverty cycles and missed opportunities to use their aspirations. My organization would also bridge the gap between financial decisions and environmental impact, encouraging sustainable purchasing habits and investing in green business and approaches. An MBA will increase my knowledge and leadership capacity. It will also provide me access to mentorship, networks that are global in scope, and real world case studies to help me launch and sustain an endeavor that is impactful. The connections I make during graduate school will help facilitate partnerships and funding opportunities that are needed for nonprofits to grow and to reach target audiences and communities. Also, pursuing higher education is personal. I come from a small town in North Carolina where we did not have much access to educational resources and many of my classmates had big dreams with very limited tools. I want to be an example of what is possible when ambition and education are connected. I want young people to see that they do not have to choose purpose over success. They can pursue both. Being funded for my continued education would alleviate the financial burdens of graduate school and allow me to focus on increasing my capacity to serve. My drive, passion, and vision are strong, and I will use everything I learn to develop other people and to create a better, more financially capable population that leaves a legacy.

In the next five years, it is my goal to make an environmentally friendly impact through financial education by developing a nonprofit that helps educate young people about financial literacy, with an emphasis on underserved communities. Many young students and adults are not taught how to appropriately manage their money; so they accrue debt, are financially unstable, and have unsustainable spending habits. My nonprofit will conduct in-person workshops, virtual mentorships, and have accessible digital tools to educate people about budgeting, saving, building credit, and investing, while also teaching participants the link between their financial habits and environmentally friendly living. The impact of financial literacy on younger individuals will showcase that they can do the impossible. A guiding principle of this project is to help young people understand how their money habits affect the environment. For example, I hope to teach young people how to be responsible consumers, whether that means investing in green companies or budgeting practices that promote sustainability. By providing people with the resources to live within their means, connect their financial goals with environmentally-friendly values, we can reduce overconsuming, and be responsible stewards of our community & world. When you become a responsible steward of your finances, you can create a generational impact that can help environmentally and personally. In order for me to be a strong leader of a nonprofit, I plan on pursuing an MBA with a concentration in finance and social innovation. I know an MBA will provide me with the leadership, strategic planning, and financial knowledge needed to successfully grow a nonprofit that pushes these issues forward, partnerships with sustainable nonprofits, sustained accountability, and ultimately measure long-term community impact. MBA training will also give me greater exposure to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices that I can integrate into the nonprofit curriculum, contributing to developing financially empowered and eenvironmentally responsible young citizens. Going into my last year of college, this scholarship will help me considerably. It will help reduce the demand for student loans and leave me feeling more confident and less burdened when focusing on completing school and preparing for graduate school. In terms of my long-term goal, this scholarship will move me one step closer to my nonprofit, creating a lasting impact in my community and beyond. Receiving this scholarship will serve not only as a means to achieve an academic goal, but a method for building the future where finance can be a channel for environmental change and empowerment for generations to come.