I come from a lineage of resilient women whose perseverance inspires me everyday. My grandmother, a nurse in Ghana, bravely moved to Liberia with her husband for his job, only to find herself escaping Liberia, widowed and alone, during a civil war. Her resilience enabled her to see her last born, my mother, through undergraduate university in Ghana. My mother pursued an advanced degree in her late forties, juggling work, parenting, and school to earn her master's in public health, and is determined to pursue her PhD in the near future. This determination is reflected in my older sisters and in myself, as we have all at some point, moved away from our home countries to pursue higher education independently. These values of determination, perseverance, and resilience inspire me every day to keep growing and challenging the status quo in our cultural community, which often encourages women to limit their dreams and ambitions. I find great inspiration in Salma Okonkwo’s story. As one of the few female leaders in the energy industry, she founded Blue Power Energy, one of Ghana's largest solar farms, aiming to provide every village with sufficient energy. She also serves as managing director of UBI Petroleum and chairwoman of Puma Energy Ghana, which handle the storage and distribution of petroleum products. Salma's passion for improving the lives of Ghanaians resonates with me. She integrates philanthropic goals with solid business principles and actively encourages women's participation in the traditionally male-dominated industry. I admire her commitment to tackling challenges and recognizing women's strengths. I aim to channel her principles towards supporting financial independence for women in Ghana. With job creation low, I want to support women through financial training and entrepreneurial encouragement, helping them turn their skills into sustainable income sources for themselves and future generations My educational journey led me to Minerva University in San Francisco, California, where the liberal arts style of education intrigued me. Unlike in Ghana, where students must select a specific field immediately, Minerva allows students to explore different disciplines. This flexibility, combined with the opportunity to collaborate with students from over 60 countries, has enriched my worldview. My first year at Minerva has broadened my perspective and deepened my appreciation for cultures across the globe. This drive to overcome challenges has been essential in my academic and personal growth. During my freshman year, I was selected for a summer program by Citadel and Citadel Securities to enhance my coding skills. We used Leetcode, a platform with coding and algorithmic problems ranked by difficulty, to practice. Initially, the 'easy' questions were challenging due to my limited coding experience. In addition to weekly sessions with Citadel’s staff, I watched YouTube videos to learn Python. Through daily practice and workshops, I improved my ability to break down coding problems and understand algorithm requirements. This experience, though challenging, taught me valuable lessons about tackling seemingly impossible tasks through small steps and maintaining a growth mindset. It reinforced that it's okay to be a learner, a lesson I'll carry with me always. Armed with a U.S. education, I am determined to implement transformative financial education and support interventions that empower women to excel financially and in business. By promoting financial independence and nurturing entrepreneurial drive, I hope to help more women in my community reach their full potential, free from the constraints of patriarchal standards. The determination and perseverance of the women in my family, coupled with the inspiration from leaders like Salma Okonkwo, fuel my desire to disrupt the status quo and contribute meaningfully to women becoming financially independent and self-sufficient members of society.

Challenging the status quo has become my mantra. Growing up as a girl in Ghana, going to school and pursuing an education and career meant challenging the societal standards set for me in my culture - a culture that elevates men as breadwinners and women as caretakers. From birth, it is ingrained in us to learn how to be wives and mothers, to support the dreams of our future husbands, and to choose careers or paths that will not overshadow these ultimate goals. Therefore, my hope is to use every opportunity I am given to challenge the limitations placed on women in my culture. Ultimately, I hope to pursue my interests in commerce, business and finance in order to tangibly elevate women in Ghana. Specifically, I plan to provide business and financial expertise and resources, including financial literacy education to low-income women such that they can commercialize their crafts, start their own small businesses and gain greater financial independence and literacy in a patriarchal culture that makes it difficult for us to do so. Currently I am pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Business, as a rising sophomore at Minerva University based in San Francisco, California. This summer, I am participating in a 12 week long program created by Citadel|Citadel Securities to introduce rising sophomores to the skills and concepts needed to pursue a career in Financial Technology (FinTech). Over the course of the program, I have gained knowledge on foundational finance topics such as asset management, capital access, investment growth as well as the role of debt and equity in the finance world. Additionally, I have learned how computer technology and programming have made these actions towards financial growth, development and decision making more accessible to the everyday person. This knowledge translates into everyday decisions through informed budgeting, strategic investing, wise credit use, continual learning, and long-term financial planning to increase wealth and achieve financial security. This program emphasized to me the diverse ways in which capital can be built to support female owned businesses in Ghana, which is one of my long-term goals Inspired by this, I envision creating a program dedicated to helping women raise capital and develop financial management solutions tailored to their skills and efforts. This initiative will focus on providing comprehensive financial education, mentorship, and access to micro loans and investment opportunities. By empowering women in my community, particularly those of lower income, to manage their finances effectively and grow their businesses, the program will work towards the goal of building financial freedom and independence for these women. It will emphasize practical skills in budgeting, saving, and investment, helping women turn their talents and skills into sustainable sources of income that benefit their families and communities. I hope my current path as a computer science and business double major with a concentration in finance will give me the necessary foundations to help direct innovation for women hoping to make use of the skills and resources they have, no matter how small.