My older brother joined the U.S. Army in 2001, right after 9/11. I was younger then, but I still remember the feeling in our home and in our community. Everything changed overnight. Fear was everywhere, but so was unity. When my brother decided to enlist, it was not because he wanted attention or praise. It was simple. He felt called to serve, and he acted on it. One of my strongest memories is the day he left. He did not make it dramatic. He packed what he needed, hugged us, and told us to take care of our family. What stuck with me most was how calm he was. I expected speeches, but instead he focused on small, practical things. He reminded me to stay out of trouble, help around the house, and keep my head up. At the time, I did not fully understand it, but looking back I realize he was teaching me what real courage looks like. It is not loud. It is steady. It shows up even when it is hard. After he joined, our relationship changed in a good way. He became someone I could call when I needed direction. He never tried to impress me with stories. When I asked him what the Army was like, he always came back to the same themes: discipline, responsibility, and taking care of the people to your left and right. He would tell me that the uniform meant something, but it did not make you better than anyone else. It made you accountable. That lesson stayed with me. Years later, in 2014, I followed in his footsteps and joined the Army. I did not do it because I wanted to copy him. I did it because I had watched what service did to him. It shaped him into a man who stood for something. He showed me that you can come from an ordinary background and still live with purpose. When I became a Soldier, I finally understood what he meant about taking care of others. I carried his advice with me through training and through the difficult days when quitting would have been easier. Today, I am grateful for the example my brother set. He taught me that patriotism is not just a feeling. It is a decision, followed by action. He also taught me that leadership is not about being the loudest person in the room. It is about being reliable, doing the right thing when no one is watching, and putting the mission and the people first. His choice to serve after 9/11 planted a seed in me that grew into my own service, and that impact will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I became interested in computer science because I wanted a skill that could turn curiosity into real solutions. After serving in the U.S. Army from 2014 to 2017, I transitioned back to civilian life and realized I needed a new mission and a new career path. I was disciplined and motivated, but I did not yet have a technical skillset that translated clearly into the jobs I wanted. While living in Seattle, I was surrounded by innovation and encouraged by my Omega Psi Phi Fraternity brothers to pursue technology. I started teaching myself the basics of coding, and I quickly realized I enjoyed the process. Computer science made sense to me because it is structured, but creative. You break a problem down, test ideas, learn from mistakes, and improve the system until it works. That mindset felt familiar to me from the military. It also gave me something I was looking for: a way to build tools that help people. My interest also connects to geography because so many real world problems depend on location, access, and logistics. Where someone lives can affect their access to jobs, healthcare, education, transportation, and even reliable internet. As a veteran, I have seen how planning and coordination matter, and geography is at the center of that. Whether it is emergency response, supply chains, or transportation, understanding location and movement helps leaders make better decisions. I am especially interested in how computer science and geography can work together through data and mapping. When data is accurate and easy to understand, people can see patterns, identify gaps, and make improvements faster. For example, mapping can show where communities lack resources, where public services are failing, or where small changes could have a big impact. I want to use technology to help build systems that are more efficient, more accessible, and more fair, especially for communities that are often overlooked. My connection to the military is personal and lasting. My service taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to perform under pressure. It also taught me humble leadership, meaning you focus on the mission and the people, not recognition. Those lessons still guide how I study and how I work. I want to keep growing in computer science and apply it to real world challenges that matter, including access, infrastructure, and community support. This scholarship would support my continued education and help me stay focused on building skills that create real impact. I am proud of my service, and I am equally committed to what comes next: using technology and data to solve problems and expand opportunity for others.