Growing up close to my grandparents, one of whom was an attorney, was majorly influential in my academic and professional life, in addition to just a personal closeness to them. My maternal grandfather would often talk about his work around the dinner table weekly when we had family game night starting when I was quite young. In my time during high school, I had to opportunity to live with my maternal grandfather and grandmother, along with my great grandmother. Seeing the intellectual debates my grandfather and great grandmother had, including generational differences, were insight into my future. It was at that time that my grandfather instilled in me, my life motto - "Never settle for mediocre." However, at the time I was just 16, and I, like most teenagers, dismissed this empowering wisdom bestowed upon me by my mentor and one of my best friends. As the years went by, he trained me in various land title industry roles, and while I completed my undergraduate degree, I used such knowledge and training to fund part of my education. It wasn't until the summer of 2019, when I became septic due to a medical procedure that was botched, and I was laying in my "death bed", that I recalled my grandfather's statement along with a profound spiritual experience guiding me to continue my education, particularly into the legal industry. I was lucky enough to survive that experience, however with severe limitations. Because of the complications I continue to live with due to the sepsis and resulting multiple surgeries, I decided to first attempt to do a Master's Degree to make sure I was able to handle to rigors of a professional/graduate program. It was then the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and my MBA was obtained entirely online. I was able to graduate with that degree with honors, in just over a year (4 semesters). Upon completion of that, I decided it was time to prepare for my law school applications, but I was unable to do so immediately as I started to have complications with a high-risk pregnancy. I realized that the postpartum period would be a great time to use for studying for the LSAT and I did precisely that. I completed the LSAT with a score higher than I expected. I then applied to 8 law schools for the 2024 Fall admittance. My first acceptance was to the University of Baltimore (my grandfather's alma mater), after three other acceptances, I decided to stay close to family and attend South Texas College of Law in Houston. As a single mother now, I anticipate many hardships while I attend, including financial difficulties. This scholarship would enable me to attend without taking as many loans out, lessening the burden of student loans upon a single mother trying to follow in her mentors footsteps and better the life for her son.

The short end of the stick; loads of lemons; a new lease – all the things life has given me thus far. But with that stick I’ve made delicious popsicles, lemons into sweet lemonade, and a sunshine filled ownership of my past, eager for tackling my future in the legal profession. Overcoming mental illness challenges throughout my upbringing and adulthood has provided me with unique opportunities to help, mentor, and support others with similar disadvantages. Additionally, during my upbringing, I was a competitive elite gymnast which enacted my tenacity to fight for what I believe in and study or train for. After graduating high school at a young age, I was not prepared to attend university full-time, however, upon completing my training in land title insurance abstracting and examination processes and working professionally in that field for many years, I made the realization that I wanted to further my education. I had completed a few credit hours while in high school, and a handful of other courses throughout that time, and I was finally ready to pursue a 4-year degree. Having a logical mindset, I initially thought to attain a degree with a mathematics or actuarial major. Upon finding a renewed interest in studying the French language, I sought to find an emphasis that encouraged both aspects, which is when I discovered that my university, the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, had one of the premier linguistics programs in the nation. Choosing to study the “logic of language” was one of the best decisions I have made, but I found a lack in anthropological adaptation in the program at that time. I ended up graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Studies. I had three focuses – Linguistics, French, and Anthropology, which enabled an in-depth study in all three fields. After my graduation I felt a sense of accomplishment I had been lacking and used that new-found appreciation as motivation to further my knowledge and career in title examination. I then was faced with several surgeries, including one with life-threatening complications. It wasn’t until my family was being prepared for my death from sepsis, and achieving the rare full recovery from such, that I realized my strength and determination can save and change lives, especially my own. I recognized that these traits, and some would also say stubbornness, could be used to help others in legal situations. My mind was then settled on the fact that I needed to go to law school. During the ensuing battle, I chose to pursue an online MBA program at Texas Woman’s University, also in Denton, Texas. Not only did I thrive in their program, achieving a 3.867/4.0 graduate GPA, I also continued to work full-time as well as prepare myself for starting my family. Graduating in December 2021, I sought to switch careers into management, however I quickly learned that although I enjoy those aspects, my passion really is in the real estate/title insurance industry. I have recognized that now is the perfect time to apply for Fall 2024 admittance into your JD program, with support from those I need most as well as the opportunity to show my young son the importance of following ones’ righteous desires and career goals.

Nearly ten years after graduating high school at the age of sixteen, I finally had the desire to complete my undergraduate education. After going back, I had many changes in my major because I could not decide on which interest to focus on. Eventually, I found a program in which I could have three foci instead of a major and minor. It took a couple years, but I ended up completing my Bachelor's degree, and I felt a sense of accomplishment but was still empty. I entered the business world in an industry that I grew up in, but isn't something that you can go to school for - you learn on the job. However, after a couple years, I then ended up having a botched surgery, which eventually gave me sepsis. While laying on my death bed, a persistent thought came to me - I needed to go back to school and complete a Master's degree. Because I had many months of recovery ahead, IF I survived, I decided to enroll in an online MBA program instead of an in-person program, which would allow me more freedom with doctor's appointments and flexibility with working at the same time to regain lost income. With the miracles performed by the doctors and surgeons, I was able to recover in less than one-fourth the amount of time expected and was able to start my Master's program within a few months. I completed that program in December of 2021 after working full-time and attending the program full-time online. Yet, I still feel the desire to continue my education. As a new, first-time mother, I feel the need to show my newborn son that education shouldn't be just a "piece of paper" or something to check off a list of milestones. My interests for a professional degree include attending law school for a Juris Doctorate or attending a medical school for an Anesthesiologist MD program. These interests were developed during my time recovering, as well as my current time spent in the NICU while my son recovers from a severe intestinal infection. Throughout my adulthood, I've learned that life has some plans for each person that may throw a curveball in our own plans, however, if we continue to learn and grow, it will lead to progress in life, instead of making those incidents setbacks. Being fortunate enough to obtain this scholarship will help me continue learning and teaching my son to love lifelong learning.

My daughter Emmalee was never held but always loved. She was conceived in an abusive marriage and the abuse caused her to stop growing within my womb. She gave me hope for a better future and the courage to leave the abuse and continue on with my life. She would be 10 years old this October 2021, and while I never saw her face in this reality, I've dreamed of her often. She counseled me in those dreams to not let the past define me and to pursue all the greatness I can achieve in this life. Emmalee's angelic support and love for me as her mother, has comforted me in trying times, especially when I was overcoming a severe sepsis infection in my lungs. I knew it was not yet my time to meet her in heaven and I chose to continue to fight for her and her advice. I chose to further my education by getting an MBA degree, starting while I was still recovering from the sepsis infection. I know now, the loss of her precious soul in mortality, only furthered our spiritual connection and I feel her love and support every day of my life. Emmalee will forever be a beautiful daughter of mine, but she is also my guardian angel and she is treasured beyond words. The love I feel from Emmalee drives me towards success and it is because of this that I have decided to pursue a J.D. degree, having applied for a start in the 2022 Fall semester. This scholarship would help cover the expenses I've incurred medically as well as throughout my MBA program and allow me to start the J.D. program without as much debt and financial burden.