For over eight years, I was the starting center back on every travel soccer team I played on. Center backs are the leaders of the defense and they are expected to have good communication skills to make sure that their teammates are in the right positions on the field. I was constantly told by my coaches that I was the leader on the field, but in every individualized development plan (IDP) feedback from coaches at the midpoint and end of seasons, I was given the same critique: “Be more vocal.” I really struggled with the expectation that I tell my teammates what to do. I honestly was uncomfortable with shouting instructions to my teammates about where they should be on the field and what they were doing wrong. I was more comfortable being a leader by example—playing with discipline, showing bravery on the ball, and staying composed under pressure. But to my coaches, I wasn’t being the leader of the defense unless I projected a commanding voice. I really did try to be more vocal during the years I played travel soccer. I would yell certain things I saw to teammates, but it felt so unnatural. And I really don’t think teammates were listening. So my being vocal didn’t really last very long when I tried it. Even though I was doing everything else right, I just couldn’t ever get over the hump of being the leader my coaches expected me to be. I couldn’t be a traditional leader, and I really resented the constant push to be someone I wasn’t. As I got older and matured, I realized that like everything else, leadership doesn’t have to look the same for me as it does for everyone else. And I realized that all of the things I did well as a center back - reading the game, going after every ball that came my way, bravely heading the ball, and maintaining focus during high-pressure situations - was me leading my team in the best way that I could. I was leading my team by quietly and confidently doing everything I could to help my team win games. By my quiet leadership, I was earning my teammates trust and respect more than I would have if I spent to entire game barking orders at them. My experience in learning how to be a leader in my own way is probably the most important lesson I learned from my time playing soccer. Being a leader isn’t about meeting anyone else’s expectations of me but instead is about knowing what I am good at and doing it proudly and consistently. I know that I have the ability to lead by example by pursuing a career in public service as a crime scene photographer. As a crime scene crime scene photographer, I will document crime scenes, collect video evidence, and analyze footage for investigations. The pictures and video I take will be objective records of crime scenes that will help investigators solve crimes and bring justice to crime victims. This scholarship will help me finance the high cost of attending the University of Oregon as a non-resident student, where I will major in crime, law, and society and minor in forensic anthropology, so that I can obtain the skills and knowledge I need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer. I can't think of a better way to be a leader than helping crime victims and their families obtain justice.

For over eight years, I was the starting center back on every travel soccer team I played on. Center backs are the leaders of the defense and they are expected to have good communication skills to make sure that their teammates are in the right positions on the field. I was constantly told by my coaches that I was the leader on the field, but in every individualized development plan (IDP) feedback from coaches at the midpoint and end of seasons, I was given the same critique: “Be more vocal.” I really struggled with the expectation that I tell my teammates what to do. I honestly was uncomfortable with shouting instructions to my teammates about where they should be on the field and what they were doing wrong. I was more comfortable being a leader by example—playing with discipline, showing bravery on the ball, and staying composed under pressure. But to my coaches, I wasn’t being the leader of the defense unless I projected a commanding voice. I really did try to be more vocal during the years I played travel soccer. I would yell certain things I saw to teammates, but it felt so unnatural. And I really don’t think teammates were listening. So my being vocal didn’t really last very long when I tried it. Even though I was doing everything else right, I just couldn’t ever get over the hump of being the leader my coaches expected me to be. I couldn’t be a traditional leader, and I really resented the constant push to be someone I wasn’t. As I got older and matured, I realized that like everything else, leadership doesn’t have to look the same for me as it does for everyone else. And I realized that all of the things I did well as a center back - reading the game, going after every ball that came my way, bravely heading the ball, and maintaining focus during high-pressure situations - was me leading my team in the best way that I could. I was leading my team by quietly and confidently doing everything I could to help my team win games. By my quiet leadership, I was earning my teammates trust and respect more than I would have if I spent to entire game barking orders at them. My experience in learning how to be a leader in my own way is probably the most important lesson I learned from my time playing soccer. Being a leader isn’t about meeting anyone else’s expectations of me but instead is about knowing what I am good at and doing it proudly and consistently. I know that I have the ability to lead by example by pursuing a career in public service as a crime scene photographer. As a crime scene crime scene photographer, I will document crime scenes, collect video evidence, and analyze footage for investigations. The pictures and video I take will be objective records of crime scenes that will help investigators solve crimes and bring justice to crime victims. This scholarship will help me finance the high cost of attending the University of Oregon as a non-resident student so that I can obtain the skills and knowledge I need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer. I can't think of a better way to be a leader than helping crime victims and their families obtain justice.

Growing up in a household with two parents who always did well in school, who both went to law school, and in which both parents have successful careers, I have always felt a lot of pressure to be a straight-A student. Up until freshman year of high school, I always did well in school and almost always got As in math, my best subject. That all changed during Advanced Geometry in ninth grade. Despite doing all of the assigned homework and working with a tutor once per week, I was lost most of the time. But I was too embarrassed to admit I was struggling, especially to my brilliant parents who expected me to bring home nothing less than the best grades. At the halfway point of the first grading period, I had a D- in the class. I knew I could do well in the class, but I had to face the fact that I had a real problem and had to ask for the help that I knew was available to me. I decided that I would benefit from meeting with my tutor twice a week until I got back on track. I came prepared to every session with questions and problems to work through. I focused on breaking down the advanced concepts step-by-step. When I didn't understand something, I asked my tutor to pause so that we could work through more problems until I grasped the concept. And in the classroom, I asked my teacher questions and became a more active participant in my learning. I also met with my teacher before or after school if I needed clarification of a concept. After a few weeks, I was more confident and was able to complete problems more quickly and more accurately. My quiz and test scores began to improve and I finished that grading period with a C. And I wasn't done there. I continued to work hard in class and with my tutor and I finished the school year with a B in Advanced Geometry. Although it wasn’t the best grade, it was a grade that I earned through a lot of hard work. By taking responsibility for my success and putting a plan into action, I was able to turn my first real struggle in school into a real success, and in doing so, I now have a great roadmap for any academic struggles I may face in college.

From age 8 until 16, I was the starting center back on every travel soccer team I played on. Center backs are the leaders of the defense and they are expected to have good communication skills to make sure that their teammates are in the right positions on the field. I was constantly told by my coaches that I was the leader on the field, but in every individualized development plan (IDP) feedback from coaches at the midpoint and end of seasons, I was given the same critique: “Be more vocal.” I really struggled with the expectation that I tell my teammates what to do. I honestly was uncomfortable with shouting instructions to my teammates about where they should be on the field and what they were doing wrong. I was more comfortable being a leader by example—playing with discipline, showing bravery on the call, and staying composed under pressure. But to my coaches, I wasn’t being the leader of the defense unless I projected a commanding voice. I tried to be more vocal during the years I played travel soccer. I would yell certain things I saw to teammates, but it felt so unnatural. And I really don’t think teammates were listening. So my being vocal didn’t really last very long when I tried it. Even though I was doing everything else right, I just couldn’t ever get over the hum pf being the leader my coaches expected me to be. I couldn’t be the traditional leader, and I really resented the constant push to be someone I wasn’t. As I got older and matured, I realized that like everything else, leadership doesn’t have to look the same for me as it does for everyone else. And I realized that all of the things I did well as a center back - reading the game, going after every ball that came my way, bravely heading the ball, and maintaining focus during high-pressure situations - was me leading my team in the best way I could. I was leading my team I by quietly yet confidently doing everything I could to help my team win games. I by my quiet leadership, I was earning my teammates trust and respect more than I would have if I spent to entire game barking order at them. My experience in learning how to be a leader on my own terms and in my own way is probably the most important lesson I learned from my time playing soccer. Being a leader isn’t about meeting anyone else’s expectations of me but instead is about knowing what I am good at and doing it proudly and consistently. Although I stopped playing travel soccer last year, as I move on to college and face times where my leadership may be needed, I know that I don’t always have to use my voice - I can lead by example just as I did as a soccer player.

My career goal is to become a forensic examiner for a law enforcement agency. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back to my community than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a forensic examiner, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to communicate essential information and how to develop a factual record that will be used in legal proceedings. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to major in biological anthropology (focusing on forensic anthropology). A degree in biological anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. By pursing a degree in biological anthropology, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a forensic examiner, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending the University of Oregon, the cost of attending college outside of my home state of Virginia presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 13, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully completing a bachelor of science degree from the University of Oregon. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point, but also honor the sacrifices and service Janet and Jim Boettcher made as career civil servants.

My career goal is to become a forensic examiner for a law enforcement agency. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back to my community than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a forensic examiner, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to communicate essential information and how to develop a factual record that will be used in legal proceedings. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to major in biological anthropology (focusing on forensic anthropology). A degree in biological anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. By pursing a degree in biological anthropology, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a forensic examiner, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending the University of Oregon, the cost of attending college outside of my home state of Virginia presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 13, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully completing a bachelor of science degree from the University of Oregon. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point, but also honor the sacrifices and service Darran Cherep made as a law enforcement officer.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back to the community I live in than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film and television at Arizona. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film and television will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film and television at Arizona, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer. My parents fully support my preference to attend Arizona. But even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending Arizona, the cost of attendance as an out of state student presents a significant financial burden to my parents. I am lucky that my parents, despite having law school loans to pay off, have been saving money for me and my siblings to attend college since we were born. But, given the rising costs of tuition what they have saved will not finance all 4 years of tuition unless I stay in my home state (Virginia). Even though my parents just finished paying off their law school loans, they will be funding college for 4 children, starting with me, every year between 2025 and 2036. That means that even accounting for the money they saved for each of us, they will be paying for at least one child in college every year from 2025-2036; some years they will be paying for two children in college at the same time. This scholarship will help ease the financial burden on my hard working parents, and will allow me to focus on my studies rather than working throughout college. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to honor the donors whose generosity helped make my attending Arizona possible.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film, television, and media will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, television, and media, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college out of state, the cost of attending college as an out of state student presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point by pursuing a career in public service.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film, television, and media will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, television, and media, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college out of state, the cost of attending college as an out of state student presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point by pursuing a career in public service.

Star Wars is my favorite movie.  Star Wars is a story of condemnation, overcoming impossible odds, and redemption.  It’s true that I have lived in gated communities my whole life, where I have been sheltered from the real world, have never faced condemnation or impossible odds, and never had to be redeemed.  But I have always related to the character motivations of two of the main protagonists of the story – Princess Leia Organa and her twin brother Luke Skywalker.     When Star Wars begins, Princess Leia is a kidnapped senator who represents her home world of Alderaan.  After Alderaan is destroyed by the Empire, Princess Leia begins her path from being an orphan without a home to becoming General of the Rebellion.  Princess Leia and I both had comfortable and privileged upbringings but were outsiders who wanted to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  For me, there aren't many feelings worse than feeling you don’t belong anywhere.  There were multiple times during elementary school and middle school when I wasn’t picked for group projects or teams and was made to feel like an “other”.  Having experienced the feelings of being left out and being an outsider looking in, as I move forward in life, I want to join something bigger than myself, whether it be a school club, team, or organization, where, like Leia, I can be more than what I am today.    When we meet Luke in Star Wars, he is just a moisture farmer on Tatooine who lives with his aunt and uncle, Owen and Beru.  More than anything, Luke wants to leave the barren deserts of Tatooine and see and experience what else the vast galaxy has to offer.  After his aunt and uncle die at the hands of the Empire, he finds the courage to leave home and join the Rebellion against the Empire that killed his family.  Just like Luke, I want to leave the comfort of the only home I’ve known and see the stars, so to speak.  But living away from home is a start.     There will be challenges when I leave the gates of my community, such as thinking for myself, managing my time better, and learning to be more confident.  And I know that being out in the real world without my family to cling to will be tough.  But I can't help but feel excited at the thought of getting a chance to forge my path out in the world as Luke did and to accomplish big things just like Princess Leia.  As I go out in the world like Luke and Princess Leia, I will try my best to educate myself and get started on what will eventually be the rest of my life.    While I haven’t experienced the challenges and successes that Luke and Princess Leia did in Star Wars, I am ready to experience the journey of venturing through the unknown and seeking my purpose.  While I enter this next part of my life, I hope to discover my own path, face any obstacles that come my way head-on, and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film, television, and media will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, television, and media, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college out of state, the cost of attending college as an out of state student presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point by pursuing a career in public service.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film, television, and media studies. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film, television, and media will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, television, and media, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college, the cost of attending college as an out of state student presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film, television, and media. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made by pursuing a career in public service.

Growing up in a household with two parents who always did well in school, who both went to law school, and in which both parents have successful careers, I have always felt a lot of pressure to be a straight-A student. Up until freshman year of high school, I always did well in school and almost always got As in math, my best subject. That all changed during Advanced Geometry in ninth grade. Despite doing all of the assigned homework and working with a tutor once per week, I was lost most of the time. I didn't understand a lot of what was covered in class and the teacher was teaching everything way too fast for me. But I was too embarrassed to admit I was struggling, especially to my brilliant parents who expected me to bring home nothing less than the best grades. At the halfway point of the first grading period, I had a D- in the class. I knew I could do well in the class, but I had to face the fact that I had a real problem and had to ask for the help that I knew was available to me. I decided that I would benefit from meeting with my tutor twice a week until I got back on track. I came prepared to every session with questions and problems to work through. I focused on breaking down the advanced concepts step-by-step. When I didn't understand something, I asked my tutor to pause so that we could work through more problems until I grasped the concept. And in the classroom, I asked my teacher questions and became a more active participant in my learning. I also met with my teacher before or after school if I needed clarification of a concept. After a few weeks, I was more confident and was able to complete problems more quickly and more accurately. My quiz and test scores began to improve and I finished that grading period with a C. And I wasn't done there. I continued to work hard in class and with my tutor and I finished the school year with a B in Advanced Geometry. Although it wasn’t the best grade that I could earn, it was a grade that I truly earned through a lot of hard work. By taking responsibility for my success and putting a plan into action, I was able to turn my first real struggle in school into a real success.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college, the cost of attending college outside of my home state of Virginia presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point.

My career goal is to become a crime scene photographer or videographer, specializing in homicide crime scenes. I have been interested in true crime documentaries and criminal investigations since the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was home all day, every day for months, and ended up glued to Netflix watching documentaries. The more I learned about crime scenes and criminal investigations, the more I wanted to pursue a career in which I am directly involved in investigating and solving crimes. I can’t think of a better way to give back than to help bring justice to crime victims and their families. As a crime scene photographer or videographer, I will need to have a good understanding of forensic investigation techniques and procedures, human skeletal remains, trauma to the human body, and how to determine the time of death. I will also need to have a solid understanding of how to operate film equipment, how to communicate essential information, and how to develop a factual record through film. These skills are essential to taking objective and accurate photographs and videos of crime scenes, which will help determine how and when a victim died. In order to reach my career goal, I plan to double major in anthropology (focusing on biological anthropology) and film. A degree in anthropology will provide me with a background in scientific observation and observation of human behavior and activity. I’ll also learn about the human body and human condition. And a degree in film will provide me with a strong background in how film can be used to communicate information objectively. By pursing a double major in anthropology and film, I will gain many of the skills and qualifications that I will need to pursue a career as a crime scene photographer or videographer, which will get me one step closer to accomplishing my career goal. Even though my family does not face extreme financial hardship that would prevent me from attending college, the cost of attending college outside of my home state of Virginia presents a significant financial burden to my parents, who will also pay for college for my three younger siblings, ages 15, 12, and 10. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some of that financial burden on my parents and will minimize my need to work during the school year. This would allow me to focus more fully on successfully pursuing a double major in anthropology and film. If I am chosen to receive this generous scholarship, I will work hard every day to not only honor the hard work and sacrifices my parents have made in getting me to this point.

Star Wars, the story of condemnation, overcoming impossible odds, and redemption, has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember. From the first moment I saw “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….” followed by the opening crawl credits, I was hooked on the magic of film and storytelling. I was probably 5 or 6 years old and didn’t even know what a galaxy was, or how far away this galaxy was, but I knew right then that I wanted to pursue a career in filmmaking. That passion for film only increased freshman year of high school when I took one of my favorite classes to date - film studies. Movies make me feel all of the emotions that can sometimes feel too embarrassing to feel in my daily life. Movies provide a way to learn new things, explore my creativity, and share my perspective with people with similar interests. Other interests I’ve had for a long time are forensics and true crime. I really enjoy watching true crime documentaries and figuring out “who did it”. I think I have watched almost every crime documentary available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video since the COVID-19 pandemic. While these documentaries can be heartbreaking and depressing, they also provide hope that crime victims will have their justice. I really would love to work in a field where I can help solve crimes and bring justice to crime victims and their families. It is for these reasons that I have chosen film and media studies as my major, where I can turn my passion for film and true crime into a career that matters. While I enjoy watching films and true crime documentaries, I am excited to learn about the background that goes into making films and documentaries, such as editing, cinematography, and screenwriting. I’ll learn about literature, history, psychology, and art, which will deepen my understanding of the world and my place in it. The classes I take will give me hands-on experience with using equipment and software, from cameras and lighting to editing and special effects tools. And I look forward to having faculty that will work closely with me to build relationships with peers and professionals that can help launch my career. Majoring in film and media studies will help me get me closer to what I hope to be my eventual career – as a crime scene photographer and videographer. As a crime scene crime scene photographer and videographer, I will document crime scenes, collect video evidence, and analyze footage for investigations. The pictures and video I take will be objective records of crime scenes that will help investigators solve crimes and bring justice to crime victims. I am excited to gain the skills and knowledge I need, which will provide me with a great way combine my interests in a way that will help people.

I started playing soccer when I was three years old.  When I was eight, I made the travel soccer team.  There were three teams – the best was the “A team” and the worst was the “C team”. Unfortunately, I was on the C team for two years and the B team for another two years.  I was finally moved up to the A team when I was 12, where I played for three years.  By my sophomore year of high school, I had moved on to a national-level team and was starting to get noticed by college coaches.  But even playing at that level and working so hard, my interest in the sport faded over time.  Last summer, I made the tough decision to stop playing the sport that had been everything to me for 12 years. When I played soccer, I had to follow a strict schedule and juggled soccer, extra training, school, and my friends.   But when I stopped playing, I suddenly could do the things I never had time to do.  I started playing golf and football with my friends and had a lot of fun.  I also learned how to fish.  I started taking harder classes at school.  I now have a job and a social life.  Quitting soccer was a difficult but necessary step in moving forward in my life.  I learned I could have a full life without soccer.  I had to lose soccer to find myself. Once I allowed myself to be more than just a soccer player, I found that I could be a real leader. During my junior year, I created a volunteer club at my high school, called the BEST Club, and served as co-president.  The BEST Club members met every two weeks and we helped teachers in our school's IT program disassemble old computers and other IT equipment and performed special projects to assist the IT program.  I also volunteered at the Running Club at my former elementary school during junior year, where I helped third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students learn proper running techniques and helped them develop their stamina so that they would eventually complete a 5K. Volunteering exposed me to people I would have otherwise never met. This exposure changed how I see the world and made me more aware of the importance of helping others. Through community service, I took on tasks that required dedication and reliability. These experiences built up my sense of responsibility and showed me the value of challenging work. Working with others toward a common goal is a huge part of community service. I learned to collaborate effectively, share ideas, and take initiative. These skills are important to every aspect of life, from school to work environments. Helping others brought a sense of fulfillment and purpose. As I continue on this journey to finding my place in the world, I know that there will be challenges and opportunities for growth. This scholarship will help me as I enter this next part of my life, where I hope to discover my own path, face any obstacles that come my way head-on, and overcome the challenges that lie ahead.