What drew me to finance in the first place was my love of numbers. My interest is using quantitative analysis to comprehend financial markets, assess opportunities, and assist people and corporations in making wise financial choices. What has sustained my interest, however, is realizing how those figures can impact actual lives. Beneath every calculation lies a choice: whether or not to invest, how to manage risk, where to invest funds, or how to arrange for the future. My dream job is one in which I utilize the analytical part of me as a catalyst for more than just personal success, but also a pathway into providing others with security. Though I know becoming a Black woman in a quantitative field may not be easy where Black and Brown faces like mine rarely grace office corridors I refuse to allow it to be a stopping block. Instead, I choose to let it serve as a fuel source. As a strong woman who looks and experiences much of life like those like me, when Black and Brown faces, and frankly female faces are at the table, something as inaccessible as opportunity is something more within grasp. I want my job to serve as one of those instances for another young woman. The most significant step I have taken toward achieving my aspirations is to enter college to study finance and to commit to the mathematical and analytical training required by this profession. Through my research, I’ve built skills in problem-solving, data analysis, financial analysis, and understanding financial decision-making. College has provided me the opportunity to enhance my leadership and communication skills. I feel more independent as a student than I did when I started, which has also provided me lessons on the long process involved in achieving a long-term goal that often results from numerous small decisions. I’ve tried to enhance my skills outside of academics. My work has improved my communication, teamwork, and accountability skills. As an after-school instructor, I’ve had the chance to engage my young pupils and witnessed the effect of mentorship on personal confidence. I discovered that knowledge becomes valuable only if it is shared. That principle has aided in the formation of my long-term professional aspirations. Although there are gaps in the knowledge of personal finances among many of the young people I have taught, I want my future career as a financier to eventually fill them. I hope to one day share my financial expertise and the experience I gained throughout my work by making topics like budgeting, the credit system, the wealth building, and investing more understandable. I discovered how essential mentorship and education are. I want to create a world where every youthful person, regardless of their social circumstances, has a better understanding of personal finances. My current purpose is not to enter the financial sector and establish myself. My ultimate goal is to become a distinguished professional who teaches other young minority groups that lack the same access and opportunities in the quantitative sector as Caucasian groups, on how to excel and break barriers, just as I am endeavoring to do.

Selected Passage — Plato, The Republic, Book VII “And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened:—Behold! human beings living in an underground den, which has a mouth open towards the light and reaching all along the den; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads.” The human beings chained in Plato's underground den are ultimately a critique of ignorance, which is not merely the lack of knowledge but is ignorance that has become so familiar as to be confused for reality. Plato's careful contrasts between confinement and movement, darkness and light, and seeing and understanding point to the need for more than information to be delivered to students in education. This is a hard thing to do – questioning the way we know the world. The first major decision that Plato has to make is to speak of the people living “underground.” He could just get them into a dark room, but the difference between underground and above-ground is even greater. They are living in another reality but are not conscious of the fullness of it. The nature of the physical environment is thus an intellectual state. Ignorance does not imply lack of sight, but that the individual may see something but may lack the perspective needed to understand it. It is important to note that the distinction is particularly significant in the light of Plato's description of the den as having “a mouth open towards the light.” During the time that the prisoners are in darkness, there is the light. Knowledge is not being purposefully withheld from them by an impenetrable wall, therefore. There's a space. The image of Plato conveys the idea that there is a truth that is close at hand and yet out of reach of the one who is closed to it. The word “towards” also has significance. The opening is oriented towards the light, creating an opening direction. Light doesn't just adorn Plato's image, it's a destination. The way to it is to give up the place from which the prisoners have seen reality. Education in this respect is directional. It invites one to engage in the movement of the mind from what is known, into what is more complex to see. Then there's perhaps the most disturbing aspect: the prisoners are there “from their childhood.” They don't recall being locked up. It is all they know. This alters the meaning of the chains. If someone recalls freedom, chains are of course restraints. If a person is chained up since his childhood, limitation can be normal. Here the metaphor of Plato comes in very handy. People have pre-existing modes of world-understanding before they can investigate them. Assumptions are taken on board from family, community, culture, institutions and experiences. Some of the lessons are useful, some may be unfinished. However, familiarity can be confused with truth, as it will seem obvious to us. Plato poses the question of whether some of our most cherished convictions are so obviously true because we've thought about them or because we've been holding them in our heads for a long time. Another intentional detail is the chaining of the prisoners' “legs and necks.” They can't move to other places because of their legs, but they can't even turn their heads simply because of their necks. In the case of Plato, he is actually telling what they can only see in the future. They don't have the problem of being blind. They can see. They have a problem seeing in one direction only. It's in that difference that the heart of the passage is. It's important to note that “seeing” is not “understanding”. Evidence can be observed and interpreted from a narrow viewpoint. Plato is creating a physical exercise that symbolizes intellectual development, because it keeps the prisoners from “turning.” Learning is in part being able to turn, to look at something from a different point of view, to question an assumption, to discover that what we knew before is not necessarily what it is. The chains are thus more than ignorance. They are whatever hinders examination. Fear can be a chain reaction. Pride can be a roller coaster. When it is not allowed to question tradition, it becomes a chain. Surety itself can be a chain if we feel we are certain about an idea so we don't need to look at it again. It is also this interpretation that accounts for the beginning of Plato's work on human nature as “enlightened” or “unenlightened.” It's not about smart & dumb. Rather, the language is about exposure to light. For Enlightenment, one must change one's attitude towards knowledge. The educated person is not just the one who has more facts, but the one who is open to thinking, is open to their own limitations, and desires to learn. That changes my concept of education. The standard way of measuring the level of education is when it is measured by grades, degrees, examinations and credentials. Those results are important, but Plato's words indicate that education is a failure if it merely teaches us to think. Good learning should enable us to think, 'Why do I think this?', 'Why has it got to be this way?', and 'Why can I never see this from my level of understanding?'. In Plato's metaphor, too, there's a modesty. If they don't see the chains, then no one should think that they are free of their own. The passage offers an invitation to the reader not to take the place of the enlightened observer who looks down at the ignorant prisoners, but to imagine that we are one of them. What things have I taken for granted that I never really thought of? What do I believe, but it is not necessarily right? If I would be ready to turn what might be visible to me? But Plato's message in all this is not just that knowledge is worth something, it's also that knowledge is important. It is this knowledge that requires mobility. The most pernicious ignorance is the ignorance of those who have seen only one side of the things and think there is nothing else. The prisoners' tragedy is that it is not easy. What it is, is that their chains have created one way so that it feels like everything in the world. The reason Plato's image has so much longevity is because of the potential in the term "Turning". It may appear to be a small turn, but an empty tummy can be a big problem down the road. To turn means to acknowledge that there could be another way of viewing. To take the chance of finding out that an old ideology is not complete. It is to give up certainty for uncertainty. That is what I believe Plato ultimately asks of the reader. Education should not simply fill our minds while leaving us facing the same direction. It should give us the courage and ability to turn. The purpose of learning is not merely to see more clearly what has always been in front of us, but to recognize that there may be an entire world beyond the boundaries of our present view.

Attending college opens the door to making dreams a reality. A college degree to me is an investment in myself that shouldn't just be tacked onto a résumé. It's about sovereignty, understanding, giving up and making something happen that I am starting from nothing. As I am doing more and more of each class, I get closer to the career goals that I want and closer to the person that I want to be. I selected finance as the career path because I have realized that our knowledge of finance is deeply rooted in just about every aspect of life. Money can make the difference to whether a person goes to college, buys a house, opens a business, makes it through a tough time or leaves a legacy to the next generation. However, there is not equal access to financial knowledge and resources. In numerous minority communities, individuals are expected to take financial decisions that impact their lives without having received instruction on credit, investing, retirement, or owning money. I want my learning to make me part of that change in reality. At college, I am learning about the systems that affect financial security and I am getting experience using maths, analysis, problem-solving and decision making. My aim is to create a successful career in finance and create financial stability for myself, but my goals go beyond my own success. I want what I learn to become knowledge that I can share. I want to have my education to help people understand that financial education is not only for the rich. The skills of budgeting, building credit, investing and sound financial decision making could change a person's life. If that knowledge is passed on in families, it's passed on across generations. I want to be a part of a world where young people from underrepresented communities feel empowered that they can build wealth, be financially independent and pursue careers in the financial industry. What my education means to me has also been influenced by my experiences of serving and working with others. In the role of an after-school teacher I learned about the effectiveness of encouragement for a young person. I got the idea that sometimes you can have a child's confidence by just saying to them, “You can do this.” I thought of the example I want to set, as a result of that experience. I want younger students to see my story and to know that there is another way they could live.If younger students don't typically encounter other people who look like them, in some professions, I want them to see my path and know that they have one, too. Ultimately, I am trying to accomplish more than graduating from college. I am trying to come to a place of freedom: freedom to create a career I am proud of, that I can make decisions on, that will provide for the people I love, and that will go beyond me. One day, I want to see my degree and recall all that I had to do to get it. Most important of all I wanted to be able to tell afterwords about the people I helped. To me, that will be the true measure of what my college education has accomplished.

I decided to take the path to finance because I am very interested in how people, communities, and businesses are impacted by financial decisions. Finance is not just about numbers and spreadsheets, it's about problem-solving, opportunity-building and helping people reach their objectives. My journey of trying to understand the field during my studies, led me to believe that Finance was a field that would allow me to make a difference with my analytical thinking. As a child I learned the value of hard work and having money stability in a family. I'm fascinated with the mechanics of money, business growth, and the power of smart financial planning for creating long-term success. This curiosity inspired me to study finance so as to become an academically challenged individual. I have acquired a number of useful skills in the analysis of financial information, budgeting, problem solving and communication throughout my time at college. Overall, these experiences have reinforced my self-confidence, and have solidified my career trajectory. With a finance degree, I think it will definitely make a huge difference to my life because it will bring opportunities to me that will help me grow both in my career and as a person. It will give me knowledge and qualifications for jobs in financial analysis, corporate finance, investment management or financial planning. Perhaps most importantly, it will enable me to create a career path which will be stable and lucrative, and which will be able to assist others in making informed financial decisions. It's a degree that I've worked hard for and I didn't expect to get to this point this quickly. College has been a challenge, and it has taken a lot of hard work, sacrifice and persistence. As other students have, I have had to make compromises between work, money and social life and study. Every challenge has helped to build strength, learn to manage time and prioritize long-term objectives. These lessons will stay with me throughout the day, every day until I am no longer in the working world. My future aims are to develop a career in finance and advance in my profession. I hope to have the opportunity to make impactful financial decisions, to provide solutions to complex problems, and to add value to organisations and those for whom they exist. I also wish to use the knowledge I will acquire to support my family and future generations in making informed financial decisions and ultimately being more financially secure. When I first went to university, I didn't just have to make a choice between a few disciplines, I had to make a choice about my life in the future that matched my interests, my abilities and my aspirations. A degree in this area will give me the basis for success in life and enable me to be a positive influence in my own life and the lives of others. I will work hard, be determined, and keep learning in order to make the most of this opportunity for a successful and valuable career.

As a teacher assistant (after-school), I quickly discovered that not everything you do has to be extraordinary and large-scale to make a difference in someone's life. It can sometimes be as easy as explaining something challenging to a student, supporting them if they are feeling down, or being a good role model. When students improved their confidence, and some reached goals they had previously believed were unattainable, I realized the power of support and opportunity. That helped me develop my perspective on success and ignited my ambition to build a career centered on helping others. My current major at Penn State University is Finance, and I have a 3.59 GPA. The opportunities for people, enterprises, and communities that finance provides are my passion. Strategic financial moves have the power to drive organizational growth, job creation, and life enhancement, which fascinates me. My experiences in business analytics and front desk coordination have helped me gain excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which in turn have given me a keen interest in the business. I also belong to the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers, where I have developed as a leader and have been able to connect with others from all walks of life. They have helped me to develop my belief in leadership as service, integrity, and the development of others. Financial education and access to resources, I think, is one area that can be improved. Many people are expected to make financial decisions without proper guidance and/or education. This can cause hindrances to people achieving their objectives. I hope to be a part of the solution by helping to educate people, open doors, and offer resources to help them create a more secure future through my education and future career in business. My future vision is to have a business that will have a long-term positive impact on people. I want to create something that's going to bring success and, at the same time, empower people, provide opportunities, and build better communities. I want to be someone who has a positive example, someone who will encourage others to try and achieve what they want to do, push through difficulties, maybe, to believe in themselves. Success for me doesn't just mean personal success or monetary rewards. It's based on the lives that I have the opportunity to touch, to see the opportunities that I can help provide, and to leave a positive impact. Thanks to this scholarship, I will be closer to turning this dream into reality and to making a difference in the world with my education.

One thing I have learned in my education is that success is not always on the direct path. It's constructed out of perseverance, adaptability, and the ability to carry on despite misfortunes. During my studies at Penn State University to become a Finance major, I have realized that to attain my objectives, I need to work hard in class but also outside of the classroom. As a college student, I've had to juggle schoolwork, work responsibilities, leadership, and the financial demands of college. These challenges have been tough at times, but they have also taught me to be disciplined, to manage my time well, and to be resilient. The most enriching thing in my life was being a teacher's assistant for after-school sessions. In that capacity, I got to coach students who were struggling with their own learning and life obstacles. I knew that sometimes you have to persevere through and find confidence when you find things difficult, and that's what I did with them. It motivated me to take a positive attitude and a challenging spirit toward my own problems. In addition to my studies, I have also had experience working in Business Analytics and Front Desk coordination, and have a 3.59 GPA. I am also actively involved in the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers. Such experiences have helped me to grow as a leader, gain insight into meaningful relationships, and learn about myself and my career. They've taught me how much community matters and how much it means to be successful and use that to help others. My vision for the future is what keeps me going. I would like to own a business that will provide opportunities for others and will be a model of what can be done with hard work, integrity, and perseverance. I am looking to create something that will help people's lives for the better, whether it's job creation, mentorship, financial education, or community involvement. I'm one step closer to making this vision a reality because of every challenge I overcome today. This scholarship would be beneficial for me because I would not have to worry as much about paying for school, and I would be able to dedicate more of my time to studying and pursuing my career. It will not only be an investment in my education, but also an investment in the impact I hope I make as a future individual. I am proud of where I'm at, but I'm beyond excited about where I'm going. Through this journey, I have learned that what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, what I learn from it makes me better, and what I come out with makes me stronger. I am dedicated to applying my education resources to build my future and the futures of others and communities in a way that will provide benefits.

One thing I have learned in my education is that success is not always on the direct path. It's constructed out of perseverance, adaptability, and the ability to carry on despite misfortunes. During my studies at Penn State University to become a Finance major, I have realized that to attain my objectives, I need to work hard in class but also outside of the classroom. As a college student, I've had to juggle schoolwork, work responsibilities, leadership, and the financial demands of college. These challenges have been tough at times, but they have also taught me to be disciplined, to manage my time well, and to be resilient. The most enriching thing in my life was being a teacher's assistant for after-school sessions. In that capacity, I got to coach students who were struggling with their own learning and life obstacles. I knew that sometimes you have to persevere through and find confidence when you find things difficult, and that's what I did with them. It motivated me to take a positive attitude and a challenging spirit toward my own problems. In addition to my studies, I have also had experience working in Business Analytics and Front Desk coordination, and have a 3.59 GPA. I am also actively involved in the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers. Such experiences have helped me to grow as a leader, gain insight into meaningful relationships, and learn about myself and my career. They've taught me how much community matters and how much it means to be successful and use that to help others. My vision for the future is what keeps me going. I would like to own a business that will provide opportunities for others and will be a model of what can be done with hard work, integrity, and perseverance. I am looking to create something that will help people's lives for the better, whether it's job creation, mentorship, financial education, or community involvement. I'm one step closer to making this vision a reality because of every challenge I overcome today. This scholarship would be beneficial for me because I would not have to worry as much about paying for school, and I would be able to dedicate more of my time to studying and pursuing my career. It will not only be an investment in my education, but also an investment in the impact I hope I make as a future individual. I am proud of where I'm at, but I'm beyond excited about where I'm going. Through this journey, I have learned that what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, what I learn from it makes me better, and what I come out with makes me stronger. I am dedicated to applying my education resources to build my future and the futures of others and communities in a way that will provide benefits.

As a teacher assistant (after-school), I quickly discovered that not everything you do has to be extraordinary and large-scale to make a difference in someone's life. It can sometimes be as easy as explaining something challenging to a student, supporting them if they are feeling down, or being a good role model. When students improved their confidence, and some reached goals they had previously believed were unattainable, I realized the power of support and opportunity. That helped me develop my perspective on success and ignited my ambition to build a career centered on helping others. My current major at Penn State University is Finance, and I have a 3.59 GPA. The opportunities for people, enterprises, and communities that finance provides are my passion. Strategic financial moves have the power to drive organizational growth, job creation, and life enhancement, which fascinates me. My experiences in business analytics and front desk coordination have helped me gain excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which in turn have given me a keen interest in the business. I also belong to the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers, where I have developed as a leader and have been able to connect with others from all walks of life. They have helped me to develop my belief in leadership as service, integrity, and the development of others. Financial education and access to resources, I think, is one area that can be improved. Many people are expected to make financial decisions without proper guidance and/or education. This can cause hindrances to people achieving their objectives. I hope to be a part of the solution by helping to educate people, open doors, and offer resources to help them create a more secure future through my education and future career in business. My future vision is to have a business that will have a long-term positive impact on people. I want to create something that's going to bring success and, at the same time, empower people, provide opportunities, and build better communities. I want to be someone who has a positive example, someone who will encourage others to try and achieve what they want to do, push through difficulties, maybe, to believe in themselves. Success for me doesn't just mean personal success or monetary rewards. It's based on the lives that I have the opportunity to touch, to see the opportunities that I can help provide, and to leave a positive impact. Thanks to this scholarship, I will be closer to turning this dream into reality and to making a difference in the world with my education.

As a teacher assistant (after-school), I quickly discovered that not everything you do has to be extraordinary and large-scale to make a difference in someone's life. It can sometimes be as easy as explaining something challenging to a student, supporting them if they are feeling down, or being a good role model. When students improved their confidence, and some reached goals they had previously believed were unattainable, I realized the power of support and opportunity. That helped me develop my perspective on success and ignited my ambition to build a career centered on helping others. My current major at Penn State University is Finance, and I have a 3.59 GPA. The opportunities for people, enterprises, and communities that finance provides are my passion. Strategic financial moves have the power to drive organizational growth, job creation, and life enhancement, which fascinates me. My experiences in business analytics and front desk coordination have helped me gain excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills, which in turn have given me a keen interest in the business. I also belong to the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers, where I have developed as a leader and have been able to connect with others from all walks of life. They have helped me to develop my belief in leadership as service, integrity, and the development of others. Financial education and access to resources, I think, is one area that can be improved. Many people are expected to make financial decisions without proper guidance and/or education. This can cause hindrances to people achieving their objectives. I hope to be a part of the solution by helping to educate people, open doors, and offer resources to help them create a more secure future through my education and future career in business. My future vision is to have a business that will have a long-term positive impact on people. I want to create something that's going to bring success and, at the same time, empower people, provide opportunities, and build better communities. I want to be someone who has a positive example, someone who will encourage others to try and achieve what they want to do, push through difficulties, maybe, to believe in themselves. Success for me doesn't just mean personal success or monetary rewards. It's based on the lives that I have the opportunity to touch, to see the opportunities that I can help provide, and to leave a positive impact. Thanks to this scholarship, I will be closer to turning this dream into reality and to making a difference in the world with my education.

As an after-school teacher assistant, I soon learned that sometimes it's not a large action, but the little thing you do that makes a difference in the life of someone else. It can be as easy as helping a student grasp a challenging task, supporting and encouraging a student when they are feeling down, or serving as a positive role model. The progress of students to self-confidence and success in things they had never imagined gave me a great insight into the power of support and opportunity. The experience gave me a different perspective on success and my motivation to pursue a career that would benefit others. Today, I am a Finance major at Penn State University with a 3.59 GPA. My love affair with finance is that it can make things happen for people, businesses, and communities. I am captivated by the potential of smart investments to drive organizational growth, job creation, and improved lives. My experience in business analytics and front desk coordination has developed communication skills, problem-solving skills, and analytical skills, which have enhanced my passion for the business environment. I also currently lead in the Black Student Union and DiscipleMakers, which have proven to be ideal ways to develop as a leader and to meet with people of all backgrounds. The experiences have given me the confidence that leadership is a role of service, integrity, and helping people fulfill their potential. I think one aspect that could be enhanced is financial education and resources. There will be a large group of people for whom important financial choices will be made without sound information and advice. This can lead to obstacles that may inhibit others from achieving their goals. My education and future career in business will bring me the opportunity to make a difference by making education more accessible, including financial education, and to help others create a more secure future. My ultimate objective is to have a business that will have a long-term positive impact on people. I want to create something that's going to bring success and, at the same time, empower people, provide opportunities, and build better communities. I want to be someone who has a positive example, someone who will encourage others to try and achieve what they want to do, push through difficulties, maybe, to believe in themselves. Success for me doesn't just mean personal success or monetary rewards. It's based on the lives that I have the opportunity to touch, to see the opportunities that I can help provide, and to leave a positive impact. Thanks to this scholarship, I will be closer to turning this dream into reality and to making a difference in the world with my education.