As a 33 year old black woman it's easy to think of several reasons why many would think that shooting for my Masters degree would be out of the question and that a Bachelors degree is "good enough" However, after giving birth to my son in February 2020, and wrestling with what seems to be a never-ending pandemic, I decided that I would take advantage of the opportunities in front of me. I would no longer put my educational advancement on hold, I have to set a positive example for my and aside from that, the fact that history has not always favored people of color in learning institutions, I plan to make my family proud and go as far as I can. Knowledge is truly power, and though it may prove to be difficult and challenging, now is the time for me to succeed and become the best version of myself that I can be. My career focus in Marketing is Brand Management and Strategic Analysis, my goal is to lead a creative services team by providing direction for successful campaigns and advertising. There are so many small businesses and entrepreneurs that have innovative ideas; however they end up losing due to the lack of proper exposure. I plan to strategically analyze companies strong suits and areas of improvement by performing an observatory audit, I would then assist in increasing sales by not only gaining new customers but by retention and loyalty. My experience in the Hospitality field will play a great role in this, because it is primarily about service and what you can offer when things go unexpectedly, it’s swift and forces you to think on your feet. I’ve learned so much while in Hospitality that can apply to the world of Marketing, I’m excited to make a difference. My most recent experience with this has been with my church, I performed a quality assurance audit for my church focusing on member retention. My observations specifically focused on new marketing schemes that could be beneficial for visitors to convert into members. This audit completely reignited my love for Marketing and Hospitality, I’m excited to continue my education by receiving my MBA and applying my learnings to the real world!