I chose to attend an HBCU because I wanted to be surrounded by a diverse community of students who share similar experiences and cultural backgrounds as myself. As a black student, I felt that attending an HBCU would provide me with a sense of belonging and support that may not have been present at a predominantly white institution. Furthermore, I was attracted to the strong sense of history and pride that HBCUs have. Many HBCUs were founded during a time when black people were not allowed to attend mainstream universities, and their existence is a testament to the resilience and determination of the black community. Being able to attend an institution with such a rich history and sense of purpose was very appealing to me. Additionally, I wanted to take advantage of the unique opportunities and resources that HBCUs offer. Many HBCUs have strong relationships with businesses and organizations in the black community, which can provide students with valuable networking and career opportunities. I also appreciated the emphasis on cultural awareness and social justice that is often found at HBCUs, as these values align with my personal beliefs and goals. Overall, attending an HBCU felt like the right fit for me both academically and personally.

I am currently pursuing a business degree at Alcorn State University. As long as I can remember, I have been interested in business and have always had a natural inclination toward entrepreneurial endeavors. Growing up, I was the kid, who loved organizing bake sales, garage sales, and other small ventures in my community. This natural curiosity and drive for success eventually led me to pursue a business degree in college. I have always been a hard worker and am extremely dedicated to achieving my goals. Throughout my academic career, I have consistently earned high grades and have participated in numerous extracurricular activities, such as the business club and internship opportunities. These experiences have not only helped me develop valuable skills but have also allowed me to network with professionals in the field and gain a deeper understanding of the business world. One of the main reasons I am pursuing a business degree is that I want to be my own boss. I am independent and have always had a strong desire to create and run my own business. I believe that a business degree will provide me with the necessary skills and knowledge to do so. I am also passionate about using my business skills to make a positive impact in my community and the world. I believe that businesses have the power to create change and make a difference, and I want to use my skills to contribute to that. In addition to my desire to be an entrepreneur, I am also interested in working in corporate environments. I am drawn to the challenge of solving problems and finding solutions, and I believe that a business degree will give me the tools to do so in a corporate setting. I am also interested in the opportunity to work with and learn from experienced professionals, and I believe that a business degree will give me the knowledge and skills to succeed in these environments. Throughout my academic career, I have learned a lot about myself and my strengths. I'm a strong leader and can effectively communicate and work with others. I am also analytical and strategic and can think critically and solve problems. These skills, along with my dedication and hard work, make me confident that I will excel in a business degree program and my future career. In conclusion, I am currently pursuing a business degree because of my passion for entrepreneurship and my desire to make a positive impact in the world. I believe that a business degree will provide me with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in my future career, whether that be as an entrepreneur or in a corporate setting. I am excited to continue my academic journey and am confident that it will lead me to a fulfilling and successful career.

Education is vital for many reasons, but perhaps the most significant reason is that it is the foundation for personal and societal growth and development. Education provides individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the world and make informed decisions about their lives. It also helps individuals understand and appreciate different cultures, histories, and viewpoints, leading to more empathy and understanding within society. For me, education has brought a great deal of value. It has allowed me to pursue my passions and dreams and has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and skills that I would not have been able to acquire without it. One of the most significant ways in which education has brought value to me is through the development of my critical thinking skills. Throughout my academic career, I have been challenged to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information, which has helped me to become a more informed and thoughtful person. This has not only helped in my academic pursuits but also my personal life and my career. Education has also provided me with a sense of purpose and direction. By pursuing my education, I have been able to discover my passions and interests and have been able to shape my career goals around them. This has given me a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that I believe would have been more difficult to achieve without the knowledge and skills that education has provided me with. Another way in which education has brought value to me is through the development of my communication skills. Through writing papers, participating in class discussions, and presenting in front of my peers, I have learned to articulate my thoughts and ideas effectively. This has been especially important in my professional career, where strong communication skills are essential for success. In addition to the personal benefits of education, it is also important for the overall growth and development of society. Education enables individuals to contribute to the betterment of their communities and the world at large. It helps to create a more informed and engaged citizenry, which is essential for a healthy democracy. Education also promotes economic growth and development, as it helps individuals to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to be productive members of society. Overall, education has brought a great deal of value to me personally and to society as a whole. It has provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue my passions and goals and has enabled me to contribute to the betterment of my community and the world. I believe that education is essential for personal and societal growth and development, and I am grateful for the opportunities it has provided me with.

“That will be two dollars please”, I said as I handed the woman in my neighborhood a piece of the World’s Finest Chocolate. Since I could remember I was intrigued with business, starting off with the typical door to door chocolate bar sales. My father taught me about the importance of net profit, and how to use my math skills on how much money I was earning from each chocolate bar. I always looked for ways to make money. I would sell handmade bracelets at school for seven dollars each, and ten dollars for the ones with dangling charms. A sense of joy always filled my body after watching how satisfied every customer was after their purchase. I vividly remember having a job fair at my middle school, and walking up to the law firm booth, then seeing how everyone was so dressed up professionally, and how I thought it was so cool. Later that evening, before my mother came home from work I went into her closet and put on her black blazers and heels, which were too big for me at the time, and I would sing and dance around in front of her mirror inside the bedroom. I feel that entrepreneurship is in my blood, since my older brothers are businessmen who own a clothing line, and a house cleaning business. My siblings would always inform me about how life is as a business owner, as well as the knowledge they acquired over the past 4 years, that helps keep them motivated to expand their brand internationally. This has impacted me in various ways just by seeing that anything is possible as long as I put my hard word and dedication into my dreams. My dream is to become a successful business woman, who is familiar with the types of networking, knowing how to use them, and having other businesses benefit from my knowledge. I plan to give a helping hand to communities by being a role model for the younger generation, encouraging others to volunteer in every way they can, also bringing new talent along with money flow back into our communities. I refuse to see another sad statistic of a minority from a single-parent home, who never finished school or thought to further their education after school. If I can do it, so can you! My purpose on this earth is to help everyone no matter their situation, and I will do that by teaching, directing and fostering. I am currently entering my second year of college at Alcorn State University in Lorman, MS, where I am pursuing my major in Business Administration and minor in Entrepreneurship. I am extremely honored to attend this HBCU college, due to its generation of successful alumni in the business field, its beautiful diverse environment, being in the top 20 of the most innovative regional universities in the south, and also having the opportunity to further expand my education that my parents or ancestors did not have. I plan to be more involved in campus leadership programs at ASU, on top of that I hope to take the role of a mentor to guide freshman and sophomore, business scholars. I have big aspirations, but I know that through my strong work ethic and determination, I will be successful!

Lipstick? Check! Graduation Cap? Check! Face Mask? “Yes Mom!”, I said as I was trotting down the steps heading to the car. It was the 22nd day of May in 2020, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Graduation Day. Arriving at the Veterans Memorial Stadium, I smiled while admiring the big blue helium balloons spelling “ Congratulations Class of 2020”. This wasn’t your typical graduation of having rows of chairs filled with your classmates, families and school staff cheering in the stands after every student’s name was called over the intercom or walking across the stage to receive your diploma before shaking your principal's hand. Due to Covid-19 being at its peak around this time, graduation looked very different this year, yet I was still grateful and optimistic about getting out of the house and getting to see a few family members. Our school’s graduates got the chance to walk across a stage, however with no live audience while being recorded by the local news, on top of this our official diplomas were received via mail a week later. If you told me two years ago that I would be graduating from high school, I would have laughed in your face. Around Labor day weekend of 2018, my family and I lost our home due to a house fire from a mosquito repellent coil being lit while left on top of a plastic bin. We were devastated, also the majority of our clothes were not salvageable. Family pictures, heirlooms as well as my siblings and height marks we made on the wall growing up were gone too. I fell into a deep depression due to this incident, and I was picked on at school because my clothes smelled like smoke, but I knew my mom tried her best to get the smell out so I tried my best to brush the negative comments off. I had to quit the marching band, and along with that my grades dropped tremendously and so did my mental health. During this time, I became depressed on top of having extreme anxiety about life itself. Facing these problems fueled a fire in me to want to make a change for myself and other people just like me. I created a daily journal to help individuals gain confidence, build character, and track their progress and growth, along with exercises to alleviate anxiety. Just taking a few minutes out of your day to write in the journal will help you get those complicated feelings out. I used myself as an example today because scholarships like this give me a way to express my battles with emotions and dream goals. My goal is to be a successful businesswoman, and role model especially in the Black and Brown community. I plan to share the knowledge I have obtained to ignite positive energy and growth in the world. Our mental health is a major factor in our lives. Being healthy emotionally is vital, and is as important as your physical health. Don't forget if you need help do not be afraid to ask someone, because mental health matters!

Gown? Check! Graduation Cap? Check! Face Mask? “Yes Mom!”,I said as I was trotting down the steps rushing to the car. It was May 2020, the moment we’ve all been waiting for, Graduation Day. Arriving at the Veterans Memorial Stadium, I smiled while admiring the big blue helium balloons spelling “ Congratulations Class of 2020”. This wasn’t your typical graduation of having rows of chairs filled with your classmates, families and school staff cheering after every student’s name, or walking across the stage to receive your diploma before shaking your principal's hand.Due to Covid-19 being at its peak around this time graduation looked very different, yet I was still grateful and optimistic about getting out of the house.Our school graduates got the chance to walk across a stage, but with no audience and while being recorded so it could air on the local news and our official diploma was received via mail. If you told me two years ago that I would be graduating from highschool I would have laughed in your face. Around Labor day weekend of 2018, my family and I lost our home due to a house fire from a mosquito repellent coil being lit while left on top of a plastic bin. My family was devastated and the majority of our things were not salvageable. Family pictures, heirlooms as well as my siblings and I height marks we made on the wall growing up were gone too.I fell into a deep depression due to this incident, and I was talked about at school because my clothes smelled like smoke, but I knew my mom tried her best to get the smell out so I brushed it off. I had to quit the hobby I loved the most, marching band, furthermore my grades dropped tremendously and so did my mental health . My whole world flipped upside down in the blink of an eye .We lived out of motels, extended stay hotels and on random family members couches for up to a year. Within that year I listened to old school rhythm and blues music,TED talks on youtube along with taking a break from social media, not only did these things help my mental health, but I gained good habits along the way. In July 2019, my mother bought a place now that we call home. Happy tears, prayers and sighs of relief were made before we adjusted into our new home. I was so joyful because I saw this new house as a new opportunity and another chance at life. In the winter, with the help of my older sister, we both gathered clothes and blankets to help the poor and needy in downtown Jackson,MS. This project really opened my eyes to show how passionate I am at helping others, and I saw this as a perfect opportunity to provide the homeless with basic needs. After High School, I knew that I had to make a difference in my community and give a helping hand to the lives of those around me.So I decided college would be a perfect place to start, after my research I selected a school that was known for giving back to the community as well as encourage others to volunteer.Obtaining a higher education will broaden my horizons, and help me find people who have a passion that is similar to mines.