How do you rebuild a life when the foundation you were given was fractured from the start? Abandoned by my biological father and adopted at age two into an environment filled with neglect, rape, and abuse, I entered adulthood carrying a lifetime of unhealed trauma. Without the tools to process this deep depression, I turned to substances to numb the agony, eventually falling into a severe drug addiction. The absolute lowest point came when my addiction cost me what mattered most: custody of my children. In that devastating moment, I knew the cycle of trauma had to stop with me. I chose to fight for my life, my healing, and my family. By the grace of God and sheer determination, I got clean, did the hard work to heal, and successfully brought my three children back home. Today, I stand proudly as a Black woman who has been completely sober for over six years. Overcoming addiction completely transformed my perspective on what I am capable of achieving. Once I stabilized my life and secured my family, I chose to channel my hard-earned resilience into the electrical trade. For the past four years, I have worked with my hands in this male-dominated industry. I fell in love with the trade—the complex problem-solving, the focus required, and the tangible sense of accomplishment that comes from bringing power and light to a space. However, despite my extensive hands-on experience, I have frequently faced skepticism and hit a glass ceiling simply due to a lack of formal credentials. I made the decision to go to college to solidify how serious I am about going far in the electrical field. I am not just looking for a job; I am building a career and an eventual business that will provide generational wealth for my three children. This formal education is the final piece of the puzzle, validating my hard work and giving me the technical certifications needed to command the professional respect I have rightfully earned in the field. Moving forward, my goals extend far beyond my own financial independence. I want my life to be a living blueprint for my children and for anyone still trapped in the darkness of substance abuse. Addiction does not define who we are—it is a chapter of our lives, not the final destination. Receiving the Max Bungard Memorial Scholarship would provide critical financial relief as I balance the demands of technical school, work, and raising three children as a single mother. Ultimately, I plan to use my platform as a business owner to mentor, hire, and uplift other underrepresented women and individuals working hard to turn a new leaf after recovery. I have the drive, I have the sobriety, and with this scholarship, I will have the education to light the way for others

True power isn’t just about the electricity that runs through a building; it is about the resilience required to rebuild a life from the ground up. My journey began on a fractured foundation. Abandoned by my biological father and adopted at age two into an abusive, neglectful environment, I entered adulthood carrying a heavy burden of unhealed trauma and depression. To numb the pain, I fell into a severe drug addiction that eventually cost me custody of my children. That devastating rock bottom became my turning point. I chose to fight for my life, my healing, and my family. Today, I am proud to say I have been completely sober for over six years, have long since reunited with my three beautiful children, and am actively rewriting our family's legacy. Navigating higher education as a minority single mother while working in a male-dominated trade has been a journey defined by distinct challenges and profound fulfillment. For the past four years, I have worked with my hands in the electrical field. The most persistent challenge hasn’t been the physical labor or the intricate problem-solving—it has been fighting the skepticism of an industry where very few people look like me. Despite having years of hands-on experience, I have frequently hit a glass ceiling and been underestimated simply due to a lack of formal credentials. Balancing the demanding hours of this trade, the rigorous coursework of college, and the solo responsibilities of raising three children is an immense daily sacrifice. Yet, the fulfillment I find in this journey far outweighs the struggle. There is an incredible sense of pride in mastering a complex trade and knowing that my hands keep the world running. Even more fulfilling is the living example I am setting for my children. Every night that they see me balancing the checkbook, studying electrical blueprints, and maintaining my sobriety, I am teaching them that our past does not dictate our destination. I am showing them that cycles of trauma can be broken, and that a black woman can command space and authority in any field she chooses. Ultimately, I am pursuing my degree at Lincoln Tech to uplift my family and secure our financial independence. This formal certification is the vehicle that will allow me to scale my business, bid on major contracts, and earn the professional respect I have rightfully worked for. Receiving the Minority Single Mother Scholarship would provide the critical financial relief needed to ease the burden on my household, allowing me to focus entirely on my technical training. With this education, my goal is to build a thriving business that generates generational wealth for my three children, while creating a safe haven to mentor and hire other underrepresented women and individuals overcoming addiction. I am not just earning a degree; I am engineering a brighter, more powerful future for my family.

How do you rebuild a life when the foundation you were given was fractured from the start? My biological father left before I could walk, and by age two, I was adopted into a home that unfortunately became a place of profound neglect, abuse, and trauma. Growing up with the heavy weight of those experiences, I fell into a deep, dark depression. When I entered adulthood, I carried a lifetime of unhealed trauma and pain. Without the proper tools or support to process what I had endured, I turned to substances to numb the agony, eventually falling into a severe drug addiction. The turning point of my life came when my addiction cost me what mattered most: my children. When DCFS intervened, the wake-up call was deafening. I knew that the cycle of trauma had to stop with me. I chose to fight for my life, my healing, and above all, my three beautiful children. By the grace of God and sheer determination, I got clean, did the hard work required to heal, and successfully brought my children back home. Today, I stand proudly as a Black woman who has been completely sober for over six years. My sobriety gave me a second chance at life, and I chose to channel my resilience into the electrical trade. For the past four years, I have worked with my hands in this male-dominated industry. I fell in love with the trade—the intricate problem-solving, the focus required, and the tangible sense of accomplishment that comes from bringing power and light to a space. However, despite my four years of hands-on experience, I have frequently faced skepticism and hit a glass ceiling due to a lack of formal credentials. I made the decision to go to college to solidify how serious I am about going far in the electrical field. I am not just looking for a job; I am building a lifelong career and a business that can provide generational wealth for my family. This education is the final piece of the puzzle, validating my hard work and giving me the certifications needed to command the professional respect I have earned. Receiving the Trudgers Fund scholarship would provide essential financial support as I balance the demands of college, a rigorous trade, and raising my three children as a single mother. More than that, it would stand as a testament to how far I have come. My ultimate goal is to use my education and my future business to give back, creating an environment where I can mentor other minority women and individuals who have faced addiction. I want my life to be living proof to my children, and to anyone still trapped in the darkness of addiction, that your past does not dictate your destination. You can break the cycle, you can heal, and you can build a brilliant, powerful future.

What does it mean to power a community? For the past four years, I have answered that question with my own two hands, working directly in the male-dominated electrical field. As a Black woman and a mother of three children, my journey into this industry has been defined by resilience, passion, and an unwavering drive to succeed. However, despite my extensive hands-on experience and deep-rooted work ethic, I have frequently run into a glass ceiling. I realized that to be taken seriously, command the respect I deserve, and truly go far in this industry, I needed to back my practical knowledge with formal education. Making the decision to go to college was a massive sacrifice for my family, but it is a necessary step to solidify my future and show my children what is possible when you refuse to let societal barriers hold you back. My interest in the electrical and technology field stems from its power to solve tangible, real-world problems. Electricity is the literal backbone of modern innovation, infrastructure, and technology. Over the last four years, I have fallen in love with the intricate problem-solving required by the trade—from diagnosing complex wiring faults to understanding how electrical systems integrate with evolving smart technologies. I view electrical work not just as a job, but as an essential branch of technology that keeps our world moving forward. My hands-on experience has given me a deep appreciation for the trade, but my collegiate journey is about mastering the underlying theory, engineering, and advanced technical skills that will allow me to innovate within the field. As an underrepresented minority in a field where few people look like me, the journey hasn't always been easy. I have had to work twice as hard to prove my capabilities. Balancing the rigorous demands of field work, the responsibilities of raising three children, and now the dedication required for college takes immense discipline. Yet, every sacrifice is worth it. I am pursuing this degree to transform from an experienced worker into a certified, highly educated leader in the electrical and technology sector. Receiving the Justin Moeller Memorial Scholarship would provide the vital financial support needed to alleviate the strain on my household as I balance school and motherhood. More than that, it would validate the hard work I put into this trade every day. With this education, my ultimate goal is to break barriers, climb to the highest levels of the electrical industry, and eventually build a platform where I can mentor and employ other minority women looking to break into the trades. I have the drive, I have the four years of experience, and now, with the help of this scholarship, I will have the education to take my career to its highest potential.