Brandon Repola Memorial Scholarship Sophia Kitchen Grand Canyon University Marketing Major From Wanderlust to Wisdom I am a fourth generation Arizonan. I come from a family of cattle ranchers and entrepreneurs that helped to lay the foundation for this beautiful state. The second of five children, I learned responsibility early on. But, it wasn’t until graduating that I found my true passion: travel. In the past three years, I embarked on a solo journey across seventeen countries, recording my adventures along the way. Although often portrayed as glamorous by social media, travel can be dangerous. With a degree in marketing my goal is to highlight exotic locations and to bring safety awareness to fellow travelers. I like to feel that I am carrying on a family tradition of pioneering and adventure. With my collected experiences, both marvelous and miserable, I’ve developed a personal mission to shed light on the unrealistic standards shown by social media. As an avid solo traveler, I've fallen victim to the dangers of unrealistic expectations pushed by other travel influencers. I've dedicated myself to creating my own online presence in order to advocate for responsible travel. With hundreds of hours, my content is entertaining and informative. Check it out! My handle is @Podper. Self-funded, each step has been a testament to resilience and growth. I am currently working on a novelization of my trip to London. At one point I was stranded and had to become extremely resourceful to get by. This experience was an inspiration for a cautionary tale to other dreamy-eyed travelers. With an entertaining story line, I want to encourage people to explore the world, but with eyes wide open. I'm close to the editing phase of my book, and I hope to self publish my work within the year, and of course use my online presence to market it. Recognizing the power of the media to shape thought, I've embarked on a marketing degree. I am an innovative thinker and am drawn to the ever-evolving nature of advertising. It’s exciting to keep up with current trends, especially in the sphere of social media and digital marketing. It's the perfect medium for me to make a living while doing something I am passionate about. I’m excited to continue my education and apply what I’ve learned to make real change. Arizona will always be my home, but traveling has afforded me a widening perspective and a greater empathy for others. My journey from wanderlust to wisdom is proof of the transformative power that comes from seeking independence in a part of the world that is unfamiliar. As I continue to collect experiences and contacts abroad, I will eventually plan, market, and lead unforgettable trips. I'm committed to empowering fellow travelers to navigate the globe with awareness, authenticity, and a deep appreciation for differing cultures and landscapes.

Since the age of eighteen, I have embarked on an extraordinary journey to travel the world with nothing but determination and resourcefulness. Self-funded, each step has been a testament to resilience and growth. Traveling has afforded me a widening perspective and a greater empathy. It has shifted my worldview making me appreciate my own culture while enjoying the uniqueness of others. Unfortunately, travel is not always as glamorous as it is portrayed in the media. I am currently working on a novelization of one of my experiences. London, a city I thought would be safe, is where I experienced the worst of solo travel. In exchange for bed and dinner, I volunteered for a month in a youth hostel. We volunteers worked through illness and lack of food and rest. Our schedule would consist of overnight duties immediately followed by a late morning shift. We were too exhausted to explore London, part of the purpose for volunteering there. Eventually, I advocated for better working conditions, and as a result, was immediately asked to leave with no notice and little money. In a city of strangers, I had to become extremely resourceful to get by. A few months later I learned that the hostel had closed. This experience was an inspiration for a cautionary tale to other dreamy-eyed girls. I'm close to the editing phase of my book, and I hope to self publish my work within the year. With my collected experiences, both marvelous and miserable, I’ve developed a personal mission to shed light on the unrealistic standards shown by social media. As an avid solo traveler, I've fallen victim to the dangers of unrealistic expectations pushed by other travel influencers. I've dedicated myself to creating my own online presence in order to advocate for responsible travel. With hundreds of hours, my content is entertaining and informative. Recognizing the power of the media to shape thought, I've embarked on a marketing degree. My ultimate goal is to educate regarding safe travel. I am an innovative thinker and am drawn to the ever-evolving nature of advertising. It’s exciting to keep up with current marketing trends, especially in the sphere of social media. It's the perfect medium for me to make a living while doing something I am passionate about. My journey from wanderlust to wisdom is proof of the transformative power that comes from seeking independence in a part of the world that is unfamiliar. I'm committed to empowering fellow travelers, especially young women, to navigate the globe with awareness, authenticity, and a deep appreciation for differing cultures and landscapes.

Since the age of eighteen, I have embarked on an extraordinary journey to travel the world with nothing but my determination and resourcefulness. Self-funded and devoid of parental guidance, each step of my journey has been a testament to resilience and survival. But past the exotic locales and cultural immersion, I've encountered the harsh realities of life and what it means to become an adult. I have experienced homelessness, work exploitation, and life-threatening illnesses in foreign countries, and survived harsh living conditions. However, each challenge became a moment for personal growth, fortifying my resolve and opening my worldview. Central to my travels has been a mission to shed light on the unrealistic standards shown by social media. As an avid solo traveler, I've witnessed firsthand the dangers of unrealistic expectations pushed by influencers. I've dedicated myself to creating an online presence of my own in order to advocate responsible travel. I am currently working on a novelization of one of my experiences. In London, a city I thought would be safe, is where I experienced the worst of solo travel. In a hostel, I volunteered for a month to the point of exhaustion. I often worked through illnesses (scarlett fever at one point) and lack of food and rest. Volunteers would work for eighteen hours straight, several days in a row. It wasn’t until I advocated for better working conditions that I was kicked out and left homeless with little money. In a city of strangers, I had to find courage and resolve. I'm close to the editing phase, and I hope to self publish my work within the year. Recognizing the power of education, I've embarked on a marketing degree. My goal is to amplify my advocacy efforts, reaching a broader audience and effecting real change into the realm of safe travel awareness. I am an innovative thinker and am drawn to the ever-evolving nature of marketing. It’s exciting to keep up with current marketing trends, especially through social media. It's the perfect medium for me to make a living while doing something I'm passionate about. My journey from wanderlust to wisdom is proof of the transformative power that comes from seeking independence in a part of the world that is unfamiliar. I'm committed to empowering fellow travelers, especially young women, to navigate the world with honest awareness, authenticity, and a deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity it holds. I know I can make a difference. I get limited parental support and this scholarship would help me get one step closer to realizing my dream.

Since the age of eighteen, I have embarked on an extraordinary journey to travel the world with nothing but my determination and resourcefulness. Self-funded and devoid of parental guidance, each step of my journey has been a testament to resilience and survival. But past the exotic locales and cultural immersion, I've encountered the harsh realities of life and what it means to become an adult. I have experienced homelessness, work exploitation, and life-threatening illnesses in foreign countries, and survived harsh living conditions. However, each challenge became a moment for personal growth, fortifying my resolve and opening my worldview. Central to my travels has been a mission to shed light on the unrealistic standards shown by social media. As an avid solo traveler, I've witnessed firsthand the dangers of unrealistic expectations pushed by influencers. I've dedicated myself to creating an online presence of my own in order to advocate responsible travel. I am currently working on a novelization of one of my experiences. In London, a city I thought would be safe, is where I experienced the worst of solo travel. In a hostel, I volunteered for a month to the point of exhaustion. I often worked through illnesses (scarlett fever at one point) and lack of food and rest. Volunteers would work for eighteen hours straight, several days in a row. It wasn’t until I advocated for better working conditions that I was kicked out and left homeless with little money. In a city of strangers, I had to find courage and resolve. I'm close to the editing phase, and I hope to self publish my work within the year. Recognizing the power of education, I've embarked on a marketing degree. My goal is to amplify my advocacy efforts, reaching a broader audience and effecting real change into the realm of safe travel awareness. I am an innovative thinker and am drawn to the ever-evolving nature of marketing. It’s exciting to keep up with current marketing trends, especially through social media. It's the perfect medium for me to make a living while doing something I'm passionate about. My journey from wanderlust to wisdom is proof of the transformative power that comes from seeking independence in a part of the world that is unfamiliar. I'm committed to empowering fellow travelers, especially young women, to navigate the world with honest awareness, authenticity, and a deep appreciation for the beauty and complexity it holds. I know I can make a difference. I get limited parental support and this scholarship would help me get one step closer to realizing my dream.