The Truman Show is one of my all time favorite movies. There is tragic beauty in the lie Truman Burbank lives - he accepts the reality of the world he is presented with because he does not know any different. Everything he experiences is controlled by a seemingly omnipotent being (the producer of the show, Christof) disguised as fate or destiny. The final scene where Truman chooses to be free of his controlled bubble is a testament to the deepest desire for truth in all of mankind. I think all people can resonate with this search for something beyond what we can perceive. Things are not always as they seem, but our deep integration into the culture we live in makes it nearly impossible to tell the difference between truth and falsehoods. Fake news bombards our vision, pessimistic news stories make us cynical, and social media perfection causes self-loathing. We are led to believe that there is nothing beyond our personal problems of boredom in a daily 9-5 or vague dissatisfaction in our marriages. “What is true is what you see,” we are told. Or, as Christof says in The Truman Show, “There’s no more truth out there than there is in the world created for you.” It is all about what YOU believe, and no one ought to tell you otherwise. All that matters is that you feel comfortable in your made-for-TV life. I am a firm believer that there is something beyond me. The predictable bubble of my life has been permanently altered due to this discovery. I didn’t discover this alone, however - I was saved by a man who died to set me free from my constraints. Jesus Christ opened my eyes to the lies I consumed daily and showed me how to exit my selfish bubble. Until I realized that my life should be dedicated to serving others and making disciples who make disciples, I could have never escaped my self-centered way of living. All of this is to say that my goal in life is to find truth and share it. I attend a Christian university in accordance with this pursuit, and now I am left wondering how ought I share the truth once I know it fully. I am double majoring in graphic design and vocational ministries, and fortunately my dream career utilizes both. I want to create clothing that conveys a message relating to my discovery of freedom in Christ, and brings to life biblical principles, themes, and verses. I want to invoke a sense of curiosity that is rarely experienced in clothing and convicts wearers to take to heart its message. I strive to buy things that are encouraging, uplifting, and truthful. By extension, anything I produce ought to do the same for others. This is the impact I hope to have - to help people unite their values with what they’re showing to the world. I am a firm believer in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and I want everyone around me to know that from the way I act and talk to the way I dress and carry myself. The fruits of my faith should be not only present, but overflowing. Even if my dream job never comes to fruition, I can rest assured that I have stayed authentic to my convictions and passions and let the light of Jesus Christ guide my life. I want to be someone remembered not by my achievements, but by my steadfast, persistent dedication to discovering truth - whether it impacts the lives of ten thousand people or just one.

Howdy from Texas! My name is Riley, and I’m a freshman at Oklahoma Christian University. I’m an art and design aficionado, recreational sports lover, and the most extroverted introvert you’ll ever meet. I love understanding people and how they operate, which I definitely attribute to having a largely humanities-oriented family growing up. Between my four theater-kid siblings, a mom with a sociology degree, and a dad with a masters in biblical theology and self-taught graphic design skills, I don’t think there was really any other way I could have turned out. I'm currently pursuing a double major in graphic design and vocational ministries (taking after my dad!) and a minor in marketing, which I believe to be well suited to my interests and passions. Some might say that I’ll regret my self-inflicted workload, but I like to maintain high standards of excellence and dedication in everything that I do. Fortunately enough, my dream career actually involves all three of my educational pursuits. After college, I’m excited to enter the design world as an entrepreneur/small business owner. My dream career lies in the intersection between graphic design and apparel - I want to create unique designs (and in the future, possibly clothing silhouettes) that conveys a story or message relating to my own experiences and brings to life biblical principles, themes, and verses. I want to invoke a sense of curiosity that is rarely experienced in clothing, and convicts wearers to take to heart its message. My goal is to merge outer beauty (ie. aesthetically designed clothing) with the discovery of inner beauty (ie. finding Christ and learning about the Gospel). I want to own things - whether it’s books, food, movies, or clothes - that are encouraging, uplifting, and truthful. By extension, anything I produce ought to do the same for others. This is the legacy I hope to leave - to help people unite their values with what they’re showing to the world. I am a firm believer in the saving power of Jesus Christ, and I want everyone around me to know that from the way I act and talk to the way I dress and carry myself. The fruits of my faith should be not only present, but overflowing. If and when my clothing brand becomes successful, I hope to pursue the volunteer/fundraiser/nonprofit route. I have been given the gifts of freedom, security, a supportive family, and a creative mind to improve the lives of people who do not have these things. I have done volunteer work in the past, and feel the most drawn towards service work. I’ve painted houses and worked in soup kitchens and played with kids for hours at a time, and I hope to fund a volunteer organization based on the premise of loving unceasingly and without restraints that provides for the needs of those whom society might deem “unworthy” of the gifts of service. I want to develop places where they feel safe, served, and loved without judgment. I feel the most humbled when I am physically serving another person, and I think that is a beautiful feeling. Even if none of these (perhaps lofty) goals come to fruition, I can rest assured that I have stayed authentic to my convictions and passions and let the light of Jesus Christ guide my life. I want to be someone remembered not by my achievements, but by my steadfast, persistent dedication to a cause, whether it impacts the lives of ten thousand people or just one.

The summer before 6th grade was my long-awaited era for change. I was headed to a strange new school full of strange new people with only my wits and a few colored pens to aid my journey. I was a shy kid - so I drew the hours away. I befriended girls by hand lettering their names at the top of their assignments. I took precise notes to share with classmates in need. I brought my whole collection of markers to lunch so my table could help me create beautiful color palettes for my next project. I grew up in 6th grade, and it all started with a pencil. In the years following, I attempted to cultivate my skills (or what some people unfairly called “talent”) in art and design. I took an art class in 8th grade and designed shirts for my whole school in 9th. In 10th and 11th I took to doodling all over papers and took the liberty to create art projects based on the things I learned in class. While reading Frankenstein, I watercolored huge icebergs surrounding a tiny ship lost at sea. When writing gothic short stories, I illustrated a decrepit church steeple bleeding into blackness. These projects were intermittent rays of sunshine in my otherwise bleak art-life. There was no specific personal style quite yet - just an apparent love for the beautiful things in the world. My style developed as I discovered the kind of person I wanted to be - but 6th grade me was just happy to have a hobby that other people could appreciate alongside me. I am passionate about design because it has been the source of so much of my growth, expression, and connections with people. It communicates for me in times when I simply cannot find the words (even though I love writing almost as much). It bridges gaps between worlds and allows for people to know the truest version of who I am. I do not hide behind my art, but am amplified through it. I love to create beautifully meaningful things that will last a lifetime, whether that is in the physical world or in the memories of those who experience it. When college decision time came around the middle of my senior year, I knew I wanted to pursue something art related. My only question was how? I bounced between architecture, interior design, and fine art, but ultimately landed on graphic design. My dad is a self taught graphic designer, and was positively ecstatic when he discovered my chosen career path. I’m one year in and I can safely say that it was the best decision of my life. I feel at home, but still challenged to always give my best work. After college, I’m excited to enter the design world as an entrepreneur/small business owner. My dream career lies in the intersection between graphic design and apparel - I want to create unique designs (and in the future, possibly clothing silhouettes) that conveys a story or message relating to my own experiences. I want to invoke a sense of curiosity that is rarely experienced in clothing, and convicts wearers to take to heart its message. I strive to buy things - whether it’s books, food, movies, or clothes - that are encouraging and uplifting. By extension, anything I produce ought to do the same for others. This is the impact I hope to make on the design world - to unite your values with what you’re wearing.

Howdy from North Texas (Fort Worth, to be exact)! My name is Riley, and I’m a first year college student at Oklahoma Christian University. I’m an art and design aficionado, recreational sports lover, and the most extroverted introvert you’ll ever meet. I love deciphering how people operate and why they make the decisions that they do, which I definitely attribute to having a largely humanities-oriented family growing up. Between my four theater-kid siblings, a mom with a sociology degree, and a dad with a masters in biblical theology and self-taught graphic design skills, I don’t think there was really any other way I could have turned out. I'm currently pursuing a double major in graphic design and vocational ministries (taking after my dad!) and a minor in marketing, which I believe to be well suited to my interests and passions. Some might say that I’ll regret my self-inflicted workload, but I like to maintain high standards of excellence and dedication in everything that I do. Fortunately enough, my dream career actually involves all three of my educational pursuits. I plan to run a small business that creates clothing and accessories based on biblical principles, themes, and verses. My goal is to merge outer beauty (ie. aesthetically designed clothing) with the discovery of inner beauty (ie. finding Christ and learning about the Gospel). I believe that anything beautiful is of the Lord - why shouldn’t things I create reflect that? Even to people from other religious backgrounds, the morals associated with my clothing brand (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc) can be appreciated all the same. I want to change the world by inciting a revolution, but not to break away or secede from something. I want to start a revolution of unity and mutual respect for all. If and when my clothing brand becomes successful, I hope to pursue the volunteer/fundraiser/nonprofit route. I have been given the gifts of freedom, security, a supportive family, and a creative mind to improve the lives of people who do not have these things. I have done volunteer work in the past, and feel the most drawn towards service work. I’ve painted houses and worked in soup kitchens and watched kids for hours at a time, and you cannot help but feel immense joy in knowing that you will not get something in return. And as I grow old and have children of my own, I will teach the younger generations to do the same in the name of Love. Even if none of these (perhaps lofty) goals come to fruition, I can rest assured that I have stayed authentic to my convictions and passions. I want to be someone remembered not by my achievements, but by my steadfast, persistent dedication to a cause, whether it impacts the lives of ten thousand people or just one.

I know it might be strange to credit a younger sibling as someone who has supported me on my academic journey, but it is completely and entirely accurate. Story is my 17-year-old sister, and is one of the brightest, funniest, and most encouraging people I have ever met. She may be two grades younger, but Story is absolutely brilliant. She has the mind of a philosopher, a writer, a mathematician, and a scientist all rolled into one. She can think critically while also knowing when to use her imagination. With all that being said, I sincerely look up to Story. She always supports my artistic endeavors and prods me to spend the extra 20 minutes on an assignment to make it that much better. She knows how to go the extra mile, and that pays off for her in many ways. I remember writing a paper in my senior year of high school about the nature of modern education, and of course, I let Story read and edit my work before submitting a final copy. We’re used to receiving the paper back from the other person covered in red ink scrawls, but this time it looked a little different. There were some notes and scratches, but in many of the places I expected a critique, all I saw were small stars littering the page. “The stars show every part of your paper that made me smile because it was either clever, funny, or just plain eloquent,” she noted, pointing at each star on the first page. “Mind I read it with you and tell you why I put the stars in the places I did?” So that's what we did. We read all 8 pages of my paper together and she explained all twenty or so of the stars. We laughed and squealed like the teenage girls we are, but instead of fangirling about boy bands or celebrities, we were fangirling about figurative language and metaphors. I felt so incredibly special - empowered even - by her at that moment. Story made me feel like I was talented at something I loved, which I will forever be grateful for. I was not prepared for the feedback that I got, but she’s just that kind of girl. Story finds every opportunity to congratulate or compliment people on what they're proudest of. She has always been my number one fan, and I will always be hers. I got a perfect A on that paper, and it's because Story made me a confident writer. She taught me to trust my instincts and not take to heart every critique given to me. That is something I will never forget, especially coming from such a skilled writer like herself. The woman who inspires me is not your typical mentor figure or accomplished author. She is a high schooler. She has seen my best work and my worst, but pushes me to write and think more critically without losing my flair for the dramatic. I am forever grateful for her impact on my educational journey.

I hate to put people in boxes, but personality quizzes like Meyers-Briggs, enneagram, and Hogwarts Houses are such unique ways to get a glimpse into the minds and behavior patterns of other people. They can't fully describe people with all their quirks and differences, but I love finding out what makes me similar or different from other people. I am a die-hard Harry Potter fan, right down the the nitty-gritty details. I have a wizarding world account and love taking quizzes to determine what house I would be in at Hogwarts. Every time I have taken the quiz, I always end up in Gryffindor. Not that I was mad about it, but being in the most popular house never sat right with me. I never identified myself as one of the cool or athletic kids in school. I liked Ravenclaw for its clever minds and ingenuity. Hufflepuffs are loyal and caring. Even Slytherin House had its perks of being cunning and ambitious. I felt I embodied attributes from every house in one way or another, but then again most people do. We as humans are not easily definable. But when I consider my successes, faults, passions, and convictions, I came to realize that I might be more red and gold than I initially anticipated. When I think of Gryffindor, the first image that comes to mind is a bright fire. Gryffindors are passionate, bold, and do not back down from a fight. They burn fiercely (and sometimes aggressively) and once they've made up their mind, their spirit can never be quelled. They fight for justice and display integrity in any and every situation. They are not easily swayed, but this can sometimes border on stubbornness. When a Gryffindor sees another person struggling, they are quick to sacrifice their time, effort, and personal gain for the sake of that person. We are deeply empathetic people, occasionally feeling more for someone else than we do for ourselves. There's also a rebellious streak running through us, encouraging Gryffindors to swim against the current and to always be unpredictable. We are fierce friends and warriors for noble causes. However, a lot of people tend to forget about the quiet, introspective aspect of being a Gryffindor. At night when we are alone, we look back on the day and consider how we benefitted or ceased to benefit others, then wonder how to do better next time. I have a higher standard for myself than others tend to have for me, and my own expectations feel almost impossible to reach. But being a Gryffindor means that I will always strive to meet them and be the best person I can be. My middle name is Ember, which I think is fitting for being a Gryffindor. I am a firey person with a heart that bursts with compassion and love for people. I give of myself to people who lack support or love. At the end of the day, I'm thankful and proud to count myself as a Gryffindor - full of love, bravery, courage, and empathy.

I joined my high school golf team in my sophomore year, the first year we had enough interest to form a team. I had never played golf before (not on a team, anyway) and I was nervous to play alongside guys and girls who were already experts at the sport - I was one of the 3 people who had never properly swung a club. My coach, Mrs. Thom, was such a blessing in the first few weeks. She knew the struggles of being new and not knowing if you would succeed or not, especially as a woman in sports. All of the guys on my team had played for years and there were very few girls for me to grow in skill with. I didn't grow up looking up to any female golfers, but Mrs. Thom always was a fantastic example of skill and poise on the golf course. She encouraged, critiqued, and advised me every practice without fail. I learned confidence, form, and patience, but most importantly, I learned concentration. Golf is about focusing on the moment. One poor tee-up, one subpar swing, or one misdirected ball could cost you the game. Concentrating on the present circumstances was something that didn't come naturally to me. I like to play for the long game, and while planning ahead is important for any sport, golf requires a different mindset. If you are too preoccupied with wondering how your next stroke will impact your score, you won't have the moment of stillness to perform well where you are. One moment of distraction will cost you greatly. That is what I love about golf. It is about finding serenity and turning inwards to fulfill your potential. You have a moment to dismiss the world and your opponents and just play. And when you finish, you regroup and make a new strategy for the next moment. It taught me discipline and self-reliance, and also how to stay calm under pressure. Golf is a team sport, but not the same way as soccer or basketball (both of which I've played). You can't count on another member to carry your weight. If you don't practice and work hard to do well, you can't hide behind someone more talented than you. At the end of the day, it comes down to each individual swing. At the end of the season award ceremony, I received the "most improved" award. To most people, this would be offensive, but I felt so proud of myself. I went into the season completely ignorant and left knowing strategy and new skills. I would not have succeeded the way I did without Coach Thom acting as my mentor and teacher. She is my role model in an area of life where there arent many women in the limelight. I hope to one day be an example for girls who come after me, and prove to them that they can always succeed as long as you dedicate time and effort to your passion.

My little cousin Julianne was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means the left side of her heart wasn’t able to form properly in the womb and blood flow is restricted in that area. For the first few years of Julianne’s life, her parents thought every surgery would be her last, so they tried to think of a way to celebrate they time they did have together between operation. Thus was born her surprise trip to Disney World. Julianne is always the happiest she’s ever been when she’s inside a disney park. I had the pleasure of going with her a few years back and I am i’m in awe of her constant appreciation for something so familiar. Julianne has probably been 8 or 9 times in her 15 years of life, yet she still adores her trips more than anything. It could be because of the rides, or the food, or the crazy lodgings, but she’s seen all those countless times before. I think the appeal of Disney Parks is that you don’t go alone. Disney unites people. It invites shared memories and time together. No matter who you are, or how old you may be, Disney is still for YOU. No one is too old to watch a movie with your family on the couch. No one is too young to appreciate a Disney Park. And certainly no one is too isolated to enjoy the community Disney brings around you. Never underestimate the power a “kids movie” can have to give you new perspective and make you realize what you take for granted. I love Disney because Julianne loves Disney, and because my family loves Disney. Their love for it makes me all the more excited when Tangled (my all time favorite Disney movie) pops up on TV at home. It makes me want to cry when Riley from Inside Out runs away from home because I’d envision my on family there, wondering where i’ve gone. Of course I love disney by myself, but it’s so much more than a movie or a place when i’m surrounded by people I love. Disney is a memory of happiness, joy, excitement, tears, community, safety, and most of all, love. Disney means family time even when I’m frustrated with my sisters. It means my brothers and I can laugh at the on-screen antics. It means my parents can share knowing looks across the sofa. Disney means family, and I will never grow out of that.