Skylar Webb University of Missouri-Kansas City English BA: Emphasis in classical, medieval, and early modern literature Email: slp58@umsystem.edu I have a chronic disease called Endometriosis. It is a full body disease where the cells similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. I have endometriosis on my rectouterine pouch and my bladder wall. I have been in constant 24/7 pain, since I was 14 years old. I am now 22 years old and still fight to get endometriosis talked about more. Unfortunately, endometriosis research is underfunded and not widely talked about. We don’t know what it actually is, where it truly comes from, how to cure it, how to treat it, and whether or not it’s genetic. I never thought I would go to college because of my chronic disease. I was fortunate enough to be accepted to a university that is working with me. My advisor is helping me complete my bachelor’s degree 100% online. Having endometriosis doesn’t define who I am. I am so much more than my diagnosis. Resilient doesn’t even begin to describe women who have endometriosis. We are the strongest people I know, we go through so much—surgeries, failed treatments, lab work, years of medical gaslighting, misogyny, etc—and yet we continue on. We fight for ourselves and for other women. We fight for us to have the rights we deserve, the medical information we deserve. We will never stop fighting for endometriosis awareness. And neither should you. It is so incredibly important that we know more about endometriosis, we could save so many women’s lives every year. We could do so much good. Spread the awareness! Endometriosis is incredibly common: 6-10 million women have endometriosis. On average it takes 7-10 years to get an endometriosis diagnosis. This is because symptoms are often misdiagnosed as other conditions. I was falsely diagnosed with IBS three times, by three different primary care physicians before I got a laparoscopic surgery from my gynecologist and she found endometriosis. Endometriosis is more than just a “bad period”. It’s extreme bloating, chronic fatigue, digestive issues, painful bowel movements, painful urination, fertility struggles, intense uterine cramps, and more. Endometriosis can cause anxiety and depression. Endometriosis has been found on EVERY major organ in a woman’s body. Yes, even their eyes. Endometriosis is a very serious disease, it should be taken more seriously.

Skylar Webb University of Missouri-Kansas City English BA: Emphasis in classical, medieval, and early modern literature. Email: slp58@umsystem.edu Being a first generation student means more to me than a lot of people know. My father isn’t really in my life and my mother wanted to go to college, but ultimately ended up pregnant with me at 18. I am the first person in my family to be working towards getting a bachelor’s degree. It feels wonderful and scary at the same time. I can’t ask anyone about college experiences, I have to figure it all out myself. Growing up, my family didn’t have much. My mom took care of me and scraped by the best she could. Her ex-husband was an alcoholic, my biological father is an alcoholic and a drug addict. I had a rough childhood. I dreamed about growing up and leaving the negativity behind. I never thought I would go to college, or have the money to go. I am 22 years old now, about to start my bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in English with an emphasis in classical, medieval, and early modern literature. My goal is to graduate with my bachelor’s degree, get accepted to MU to do their Master’s in library and information science with an emphasis in archival work, graduate with my master’s and become an archivist at a library. I want to preserve works of literature so future generations can discover them and enjoy reading them. I am so grateful for all of the archivists throughout time, they have been the sole reason why we have old literature at our disposal. Just because I came from a rough background and don’t have a lot of money, I am still incredibly independent. I have a chronic disease called Endometriosis. I don’t let that stop me from going to college and chasing my dreams. There are days where I can’t get out of bed due to my pain, but I’m still on my computer, researching about being an archivist, writing my own short stories, and poems. I won’t give up on my dream, no matter what. This scholarship would take care of more than half of my tuition for the full 4 years of college. I could really focus on my classes, studying, saving money to buy my own house, save money to get my Master’s degree. This scholarship would be a life saver. Right now I am riding a thin line of financial aid and any scholarships coming through, or else I will have student loan debts the size of Mount Everest. I appreciate even the opportunity to be able to apply for this scholarship. With my whole heart, thank you for reading.

Skylar Webb University of Missouri-Kansas City Shining Star Scholarship Email: slp58@umsystem.edu My experience with substance abuse started in early high school. My father is a drug addict and started giving me Xanax to help with my anxiety. I quickly found out that I had an addictive personality, I became addicted to Xanax and didn’t stop until almost my junior year. Taking drugs made me forget about the life I was living, it made me feel less alone, I felt numb and like nothing mattered. In reality, you are supposed to feel life. The good times, the bad times, the boring times. You are supposed to experience it all. No matter how much it hurts, no matter how difficult things get. When I got sober at almost 17 years old, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I didn’t plan on going to college. Now fast forward, I am 22 years old and in January 2026, I will be starting my bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in classical, medieval, and early modern literature. My goal is to graduate with my bachelor’s degree, go to MU for my masters in library and information science with an emphasis in archival work, then become an archivist. I regret having an addiction as a teenager, but I love that part of me because she was strong enough to get sober all on her own. With no help from anyone. She picked herself back up. I carry that version of me with love and care, always. Staying sober has been challenging at times, but every time I think back to being under the influence, it makes my skin crawl. I felt physically ill being on Xanax, I felt dirty, I felt ashamed. I will never allow myself to feel like that ever again. I have too much to look forward to, I have a husband, I have a cat, I’m about to become a first generation college student. I have achieved everything I have so far, because I made the choice to get sober. I saved my own life, I don’t ever think about what would have happened if I would have continued to use. I choose to think about my future as the sober person that I am now. I am immensely proud of myself, and extremely grateful to everyone who knows about my substance issue. I would not be the person I am today, without having gone through that.

Addiction has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up surrounded by it. My dad is a drug addict and an alcoholic. My mom’s ex-husband was also an alcoholic. My maternal grandmother, who has passed away, spent much of her life battling addiction and was in recovery from both drugs and alcohol. I saw firsthand how addiction affected the people I loved. I saw how it changed them, how it tore apart families, and how hard it was to break free. Even though I told myself I would never follow the same path, I did. I started using Xanax when I was 14 years old. At the time, I was doing online school, which made it incredibly easy to hide what I was going through. I was constantly using during class, but no one could see me. What began as a way to cope quickly turned into something I couldn’t control. I felt like I wasn’t enough, like I couldn’t face life without being numb. Xanax made me feel disconnected, empty, and ashamed. I lost my sense of identity, and mentally and physically, I felt worse than ever. When I was 16, I got sober. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, especially since I was still so young. I had to face the reasons I had started using, confront the pain I had tried to suppress, and find the strength to rebuild myself. Sobriety didn’t fix everything overnight, but it gave me the clarity to begin healing and the courage to believe I could be something more. I never thought that I would see the day where I went to college. I never had plans to go, I let my dreams float away from me. Now that I have been in therapy and have quit any and all substances, I am chasing after those dreams. Now, I’m starting at the University of Missouri–Kansas City in the spring of 2026 to earn my bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on classical, medieval, and early modern literature. My dream is to become a funeral home director and a writer. I want to use my education to support people during the hardest moments of their lives—through grief, loss, and recovery. I want to write stories that speak to those who feel alone in their pain. My past has taught me compassion, resilience, and the importance of being a voice for those who are struggling. I hope to use everything I’ve been through to help others feel seen, understood, and reminded that healing is always possible.

Dealing with mental health has effected my relationships greatly, not knowing how to express or communicate them to family, friends, or your significant other is challenging. Having mental illnesses and trying to start your career is difficult because you second guess yourself to the point where you give up. I am trying to overcome my mental health and start my career as a funeral home director. I want to be able to help families as they go through one of the hardest times that life has to offer.

I believe that women deserve to be treated equally. As a women I would love to see change in our world. We go through many hardships that not a lot of people want to acknowledge. I love going to women rally’s and marches. I think that if we really stood up for ourselves and said how we felt and what we believe is right for us then we would make a dent.