When I left Western Australia in 2024 to attend college in the United States, I thought I knew exactly what I was trying to accomplish. My goal was to play football, earn a degree, and take advantage of athletic opportunities that were not available to me at home. What I did not realize was that college would completely change the direction of my life. For me, college has come to represent growth, discovery, and the willingness to step beyond what feels familiar. It is where I learned that some of the most important opportunities are the ones you never planned for. Growing up, I was a shy kid from a small coastal town in Western Australia. Football gave me confidence, discipline, and a sense of belonging. When I moved to the United States, I expected it to remain the centre of my college experience. Instead, a single acting class introduced me to something I had never seriously considered before. That class challenged me in ways football never had. It required vulnerability, creativity, and the willingness to be seen. The more I learned, the more I realized that acting was not just something I enjoyed, but something I wanted to pursue seriously. College gave me the space to discover that and the freedom to follow it. Once I committed to becoming an actor, I approached my education with the same discipline I had developed in sport. In May 2026, I graduated with High Honors from Ventura College with an Associate of Arts degree in Arts and Humanities. I then auditioned for six BFA Acting programs and was accepted into all six. After careful consideration, I chose Missouri State University because of its strong training in both stage and screen acting, its emphasis on physical performance, and the opportunities it provides to work in a professional theatre environment while earning a fine arts degree. What I am trying to accomplish goes beyond just earning a degree. My goal is to build a professional acting career while continuing to grow as a person, artist, and contributor to my community. I want to tell stories that help people feel seen and connected. I want to keep developing the discipline, empathy, and resilience that both sport and theatre have taught me. I also hope to support and mentor others in the way coaches, teachers, directors, and family members have supported me. College has given me far more than an education. It has challenged what I thought I knew about myself, introduced me to perspectives I had never considered, and opened doors I did not even know existed. Most importantly, it has shown me that growth often happens when you step into uncertainty and stay there long enough to learn from it. I’m fully committed to maintaining my standards and achieving continuing academic and artistic success at the next level. For me, college was not just preparation for university; it was where I discovered who I want to become, and where I began building the discipline and relationships to get there. I used to think college football was the destination. Now I understand it was actually the starting point

I’ve always been a bit different in the way I experience and approach things. Growing up, I struggled socially and academically, and I was often seen as the quiet or awkward kid. I also dealt with challenges like anxiety, ADHD, being overweight, and not always knowing how to connect with other people. I was teased for those differences, and I didn’t always feel like I fit in. At the time, those things felt like disadvantages. I struggled with focus in school, I found social situations difficult, and I often felt like I was trying to figure things out on my own. But looking back, I can see that those experiences shaped how I think and how I respond to challenges. I became more observant, more reflective, and more aware of people and situations. I learned early that I had to build confidence through effort rather than expecting it to come naturally. As I got older, I found structure through sport and discipline as a student athlete. That gave me consistency and helped me turn a lot of that early uncertainty into responsibility. Later, moving from Australia to the United States added another layer of adjustment. I had to adapt to a new country, a new academic system, and a completely different level of independence. That experience forced me to grow quickly and take ownership of my direction. One of the biggest influences on how I think is chess. Chess reflects the way my mind works. It is about patience, patterns, and thinking ahead while adjusting to what is happening in front of me. It helped me turn what used to feel like overthinking into something structured. I learned how to plan, adapt, and stay calm under pressure. Over time, I have grown into a much more confident version of myself. The things that once made me feel awkward or out of place have become part of how I engage with the world in a positive way. I enjoy meeting new people now, and I have become comfortable speaking in front of others, both in academic settings and through performance. Theatre has played a big role in that, especially because I am now pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre. Performing as both myself and as characters has helped me understand that expression is something I can actively step into, not something I have to avoid. I still think differently from others, and I would still describe myself as a bit quirky, but I see that as a strength. It helps me observe more closely and understand people in a deeper way. What makes me stand out is not one single trait, but the way these experiences have shaped how I think. I have learned how to adapt, reflect, and improve over time instead of being discouraged by setbacks. I do not see myself as someone who naturally fit into a clear category growing up. I had to build confidence, structure, and identity through experience rather than expectation. That process is what makes me different from many other applicants. I have not only dealt with challenges, I have had to adjust and grow through them in real time, and that has shaped both my academic performance and my creative direction. Ultimately, my “awkward” thing is that I didn't naturally fit in easily, but that is exactly what forced me to develop awareness, resilience, and creativity. What once made me feel different is now what helps me think differently, learn deeply, and approach both life and theatre with purpose.

My goal is to build a successful career in theatre and entertainment, using creativity, leadership, and collaboration to bring stories to life. Managing the moving parts of a theatrical production or a complex chess position depends on preparation and adaptability. I am about to begin a Theatre BFA, and I know success will require far more than talent alone. It will require resilience, strategic thinking, and the ability to make good decisions under pressure. Many of these skills have come from an unlikely source: chess. Chess is one of the oldest games in the world. For over five centuries, people from different cultures and generations have sat across from one another and competed using the same sixty-four squares and thirty-two pieces. Few games have stood the test of time like chess because it is more than a game. It is a test of strategy, patience, and decision-making. What makes chess so fascinating is its complexity. Although the rules are relatively simple, the number of possible games is often said to exceed the number of atoms in the observable universe. There are openings, principles, and general strategies, but no two games are ever alike because every move depends on another person. You cannot script an entire game of chess in your mind because your opponent is not following your script. They are thinking, adapting, and trying to disrupt your plans. Does this sound familiar? Because that is exactly what life is. We can create plans and goals perfect on paper, but those plans rarely account for changing circumstances or opportunities. Much like your opponent's next move, life is unpredictable. A plan can only take you so far before you must rely on your ability to adapt and respond. In that sense, the formula of chess is the formula of life. This lesson relates to my personal story. I came to the US as a student athlete, and despite careful planning, things did not unfold as expected. There were financial, academic, and logistical challenges that could not have been predicted. Like a chess game, my success depended not on following a perfect script, but on adapting to the position in front of me and continuing forward despite uncertainty. Chess has also taught me the value of calculated risk. A player may sacrifice a rook to expose weaknesses in an opponent's position, creating an opportunity for a knight fork on the king and queen. However, strong players know even a clever tactic may conceal another layer of strategy. The opponent may have anticipated the sacrifice and prepared a counterattack. Chess rewards those who balance planning with adaptability because a single move rarely decides the game. Success often belongs to the player who can evaluate change, adjust strategy, and remain calm under pressure. The most valuable lesson chess has taught me is resilience. Every chess player loses. The question is not whether you will fail, but how you respond. You may defeat an opponent seven times, yet they still return determined to play again. That persistence speaks to character. The players who improve learn from defeat, study mistakes, and continue playing. That mindset has guided me throughout my journey. Chess has the ability to bring people together. I could sit down and play against an 89-year-old man from India or a six-year-old child from China, and despite differences in age, culture, or language, we could compete on equal terms. The board doesn't care where you come from. Success depends on decisions, preparation, and adaptability. We all begin from different positions, but our choices, perseverance, and responses ultimately determine how we play our game.

I have always looked for ways to make a positive impact on the communities I am part of. Until recently, I did that primarily through sport. Growing up, I was shy, overweight, and often felt like I did not belong. Because of those experiences, I find myself drawn to helping create environments where people feel supported, and encouraged to get involved, regardless of their background or ability. Throughout high school, I found opportunities to do this through mentoring and coaching. I refereed junior football matches, volunteered with primary school students during phys ed programs, and helped run training sessions for young athletes at community American football clubs. What I enjoyed most was watching young people gain confidence and discover they were capable of more than they believed. I often think of a young student was too nervous to join a relay race and chose to sit out. After some encouragement, she joined in. By the end of the race, she was cheering on her teammates and enjoying herself. It was a small moment, but it showed me how powerful support and encouragement can be. Those experiences have shaped how I view my role as an artist. As I pursue a career in acting, I hope to make a positive impact by telling stories that allow people to feel seen, and understood. Some of the most meaningful performances I have experienced didn't just entertain me. They challenged my perspective, and helped me understand someone else's experiences, they reminded me that people often have more in common than they realise. My multicultural upbringing has reinforced that belief. Being part Jamaican and part Welsh, growing up in Australia, I was surrounded by people with diverse viewpoints. I learned empathy and the importance of listening to others, qualities that I believe are at the heart of great storytelling. Through my art, I hope to contribute to stories that create conversation, and help audiences see the world through someone else's eyes. I am particularly drawn to stories about belonging, and personal growth because those themes have shaped my own journey. If a performance I am part of helps even one person feel encouraged or less alone, that is meaningful success. The greatest power of art is its ability to bring people together. Through my work as an actor, I hope to create the same sense of connection, and belonging that others once created for me.