My dream for my future is to find my career by following my passion for sports. My goal is to work for a sports organization in the front office or facilities operations and bring my enthusiasm for sport and people. This may sound broad; however, I am certain I will find my niche. I have been involved in playing soccer at an elite level all my life. This has given me experience in many areas from leadership to time management, relationships to problem-solving, and prioritizing to organizing. It has also given me passion. This passion started with soccer but grew to the industry of sports as I grew. Sports fascinate me for what they have in common and how unique they are. People also fascinate me for the same reason. Relationships give life value, both personally and professionally. To be able to have a career that allows me to work in the sports industry and build relationships with people who have the same passion as I do is my dream. A career in the front office of a sports organization would give me both and allow me to share my passion with the community. This would be ideal. I believe it is important to give back and there are many ways a sports organization can give back to the community through programs, activities, and education. A career in facilities operations would give me both as well and allow me to work hands-on with the sport and build relationships with athletes, staff, and the community. I am committed to working toward my goal. Dedication and passion shape success.

Helping others is one way to add value and meaning to one’s life. It makes you appreciate the world around you and the people you are helping. It also makes you appreciate your own life and situation more as well. Being committed to being selfless is a big commitment. It means that you put yourself aside and see the needs of others, whether it is family, friends, or your community. Regardless of who or what you are helping, making the time and effort is something that often sets people apart. I do my best to help others in as many ways as possible. I am here for my family members if they need someone to talk to or a helping hand. I take time to connect with friends so I can be the person they turn to if they need emotional support. As a person with a reading disability, I have had my share of hardships to overcome. I try to be someone who is willing to share knowledge from the successes and failures I have had to pave their path. I also volunteer in the community to help clean up the environment and provide healthy, organic food choices to diverse neighborhoods. My goal is to continue my commitment of selflessness into my future personal and professional life to make my life meaningful and help others.

The meaning of life is not straightforward. Life is made up of many different facets, like a diamond. And each facet is connected and shines on, or affects, all of the others. Life is personal, social, academic, career-related, private, health-related, relationships, and many other internal and external forces that shape our lives and give it meaning. Even things that are not part of our lives affect us and can change the way we feel or see life. “The meaning of life” is a broad term that boils down to a philosophy for most people, such as a religious meaning or a scientific meaning. To me, the meaning of life is more about what makes my life meaningful. It is easy sometimes to become overwhelmed and feel like nothing has meaning. I have recently learned to stop and smell the roses. Find things in life that are valuable to me and do and appreciate those things. When I do, I find that my life has more meaning. Therefore, the more I do this, the more meaning my life has. For me, this is listening and helping others in their times of sadness or need. It is also learning from my mistakes and understanding the path is not always going to be easy or clear. I surround myself with people who appreciate successes who I connect with so we can support each other. Relationships give my life value and helping others shines that meaning on all other facets of my life.

To most people, dyslexia is a neurological disability that makes it tough for people to learn and to read because they cannot easily interpret letters or words. But for me, it means something much different. Ever since kindergarten, I have been slower at reading and writing, and it never got easier. As time went on, things continued in the same way. The older I got; the more dyslexia affected everything. Not being able to read even close to my grade level made not just schoolwork more difficult, but life. Reading is used every day for things most people do not even think about, like billboards, board games, texts, words on television, menus, and much more. When I could not read these things, it made me feel stupid. I learned how to advocate for myself at a young age. One turning point was in fifth grade. My teacher helped me get the confidence to ask her questions if I did not understand or if I needed something read to me without feeling stupid. My parents helped fight for me to receive tools and technology to help me succeed. Along the way, I decided my education mattered and that I wanted to continue it after high school. Knowing this helped me take the next step and focus on doing my best in school. I developed a strong work ethic both in school and out. I worked harder to make up for the fact that things have always been so hard no matter what I did. By working harder, I was able to start seeing progress in areas I had not seen before, and this boosted my confidence. Because of the strengths I have gained from my experiences and the help and support of my friends and family, I am tackling the phase of my life. I am attending college at High Point University in North Carolina to study sports management. This university is a good match for me because they teach to different learning styles and have several hands-on and real-life opportunities, as well as small class sizes. They stay up to date with the technology and have great internship connections. I am also able to be involved in club soccer and a variety of organizations and volunteer work. The cost of High Point is high, but I believe the education and life skills I will learn there will enhance my life. High Point is not known for giving a large amount in financial aid awards and give merit awards based on SAT scores. Because of my low SAT scores due to dyslexia, I did not qualify for much merit scholarship. This leaves a large balance to try to make up for to reach my goal. Therefore, to continue attending High Point University, I must develop a creative financing plan. Since I feel strongly that this is the place for me, applying for outside scholarships is the answer. It will allow me to start my career after college in the right direction with less worry and financial aid loans to pay back. This will open doors so I can find a career I am passionate about that is not just about the money. I have the confidence in my work ethic, my desire for education, and my hard-earned strategies of coping that I will be successful in life. I need to keep striving for excellence, balancing my difficulties with successes, and working hard. For me, my life is a work in progress and scholarships will help me take the next step.

My goal is to work in the sports industry, possibly working in the facility side or sales. I would also like to work in community outreach. I want to help others find a connection with a sport and activities in their communities. Sports is where my passion is and has been most of my life. I have played sports all of my life and have recently started volunteering as an assistant soccer coach. It is very rewarding. I believe sports organizations have a great ability and responsibility to foster good connections and relationships with their community. Whether I end up in the office side or the hands-on side of sports, being a part of the community outreach in my organization will be important to me. Sport is an area where I have always felt successful and I believe this confidence and passion will help me with my future goals.