When I was 19 years old, I was asked to leave my mom's home. While figuring out how to navigate this new normal, I couchsurfed with friends and family until I landed in Birmingham, Alabama, with my Godmother. My Godmother didn't just house me; she housed others, too. So for the majority of the time, it was 7 of us in a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment living in West Ensley. In Ensley, poverty and dilapidated buildings are a regular occurrence, but at night, I would find myself walking to just feel a sense of calm and look at the stars. Nevertheless, I would also take time to dream about how I would improve this community. This experience was the driving force behind my purpose, which is to help revitalize marginalized areas through community-improving developments and urban sustainability. With that experience and this purpose, I am now led to pursue a degree in civil engineering. Before pursuing my civil engineering degree, I tried to accomplish my purpose as a community advocate and collaborator. I've met with religious leaders and entrepreneurs. I've devised strategies and presented proposals regarding my findings and the potential impact of proposed solutions, but I got a lot of nos. But, it wasn't the nos that bothered me. It was the dismissive behavior that really ticked me off. Have you ever felt like people were brushing you off when you were really passionate about something? Did they ever make you feel like they thought you couldn't make it happen? If so, you should know how I felt, and you know my response. My mindset instantly became, "if you won't help me, I will help myself". Which is why I am presently completing my core classes at Portland Community College before transferring to Portland State University in Spring 2027. Thus far, I have maintained a 3.67 GPA. I've also achieved the President's List, Dean's List, and Honor's List. I've been invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa organization for my grades, and I've gained favor with my teachers. But more than this, I've gained the confidence to endure the hard things even when faced with challenging assignments. Pursuing a civil engineering degree is no easy feat. I'm taking Calculus 2 now, and sometimes, I feel like why am I doing this? I say to myself, "If I were pursuing construction engineering management, which is also a great career, my hard period would start to lighten up a bit". However, I also feel like this degree is like the time I hiked Mt. Rainier; I stopped every few steps, but I didn't give up. At the top, the view was worth the journey. I stood on a glacier, ate lunch, and I sat looking at a load of amazingness. I expect this will be my same experience when I complete my civil engineering degree.

I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in September of 2024, and it was one of the most challenging periods of my life. I was homeless at the time, and I felt so dejected. During the early stages, I felt so hopeful because I had faith that all would be well. But I was also disappointed because I found myself looking at my life and reflecting on "what did I have to show for myself?" I had no money squirreled away to protect me during this period of tragedy. I had a few people to show up, but I felt the realities of being a burden and ultimately alone in my own healing journey. In the midst of my journey, I started to look around more intentionally. I realized how much we all have main character syndrome, and while navigating our own lives, it's very easy to not consider what's taking place in other people's lives. One time, I found myself in the elevator heading to chemotherapy, and I was arrested by the fact that people aren't going to hospitals because they want to be there. I was driving the car in traffic, and I thought about the times when I would blow the horn at people because I was having road rage. The fragility of life made me realize that I didn't always know what was going on in other people's lives. It made me realize I needed to be more aware of how I showed up. So, I made up my mind while I was going through this process that I was going to go back to college. Between being aware that I wasn't doing enough to seize the moment and that I still had time to live with intentionality, it felt like it was the only thing that I had going for myself. In my mind, if these were my final days, even though I had hope it wouldn't be, I could at least pursue something greater. I've always believed in the quote "shoot for the moon, but even if you can't reach the moon, at least you can land on the stars." And overcoming cancer made me determined to go to the grave fully exhausted of all that's within me. I realized that the only thing that was holding me back from implementing the vision I've seen for myself and others is my lack of a civil engineering degree. So while going through breast cancer treatment, I went all in on myself. With a foggy head, nauseous body, and reminders of being a burden, I decided I would show up to win this moment, and I did. I'm now cancer-free, and during the most challenging period of my life, I maintained honors in my classes.

What bothers me most about the conversation surrounding conservation and sustainability is marginalized communities remaining left out of the discussion. Many with social and financial capital are protected from the effects of environmental change because they are aware and have access to resources to prepare. However, marginalized individuals are forced to experience and adapt alternatively leaving many ill prepared. This is the main reason I am pursuing a civil engineering degree with a minor in urban sustainability. The main objective of an engineer is identifying problems and developing solutions. I’ve always been a problem-solver, but a missing piece of my puzzle prohibited me from fully serving as a solutionist which is my civil engineering degree. With my degree, I desire for the world and work to brings conversation about conservation and sustainability to marginalized communities. Furthermore, I hope that my work shows marginalized individuals the true cost benefits of living a sustainable life. I hope to create spaces that are zero-waste both residentially and commercially. I hope to create fully sustainable eco-communities that are fully power by renewable energy. I hope to combat food deserts by creating urban food forests. I hope my work aligns with my purpose and passion.

Have you ever felt like you’re tired of hearing no? If so, you’ll relate to my experience because that’s what motivated me to go to school to pursue my degree in civil engineering. I’m a community advocate and collaborator, and the work I’ve done has been focused with the hopes of helping to revitalize marginalized communities. Furthermore, the biggest way I’ve desired to make an impact is by making green energy easily accessible to low-to-middle income families. Throughout this process, I’ve done research about the financial peril specifically Black Americans may face if not remedied. I’ve collected data through community outreach to better communicate what this community needs. What’s more, I’ve met with several community leaders to collaborate in addressing said needs, but it didn’t result in the action desired. So, I decided that if I can’t get anyone to help me do it, I’ll learn what I need to know to do it myself. I’m presently attending Portland Community College to complete all transfer credit requirements to attend Portland State University in the Fall of 2027. At this juncture of my educational journey, I’m faced with the challenge of being an older student, attending school full-time, and working full-time. But these challenges are minimal compared to the mental battle I undergo to refine myself to become worthy of being a civil engineer. Every day I fight the “inner-me” which are the parts of me that are self-sabotaging, self-loathing and also ambitious. However, no matter the battle, they are menial compared to millions of Black Americans experiencing the relief of reduced overhead expenses. With my career, the impact I intend to make is to create energy efficient and affordable homes. I intend to revitalize communities impacted by poverty and climate change. I intend to make sure homes are built with emergency preparedness factored into its infrastructure. I also will use my influence and resources to advocate for women and black people to pursue careers in STEM. The engineering world is so fascinating and necessary. Building the world around us should be done with intuition and intentionality. When more women and BIPOC people learn in these areas, we gain the tools to not only advocate for the needs of our communities, but we can also present the solutions with a plan and its cost. I suppose this is why it was important for me to hear “no”. I wasn’t yet qualified to hear “yes”, but I had to tell myself “yes” first to this educational journey. Thank you for your time, consideration, and investment in my future.

The reason I'm pursuing a civil engineering degree is because I want to make life more affordable for low- and middle-income individuals who are living in marginalized spaces. Furthermore, I want the work I do to revitalize these spaces. As a result, I wake up every day with this mission and desire within me to excel in every class and every assignment, so that this vision can come to fruition. There is a quote that says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," and for me, it's easy to get caught in the 1,000 miles part because I'm always visualizing what the end will look like for me. However, the single steps all look different. For one period of my life, the single step looked like overcoming breast cancer. In another period of my life, the single step looked like overcoming the fear of failure by going to college. Another single step looked like overcoming homelessness, and now this single step looks like getting in the habit of working full-time while going to school full-time to pay rent. The steps in my journey are ever evolving. I expect victories along the way, but I'm also prepared for the lessons because nothing worth doing will ever come easy. Especially when it comes to pursuing a degree in civil engineering, a career that is white and male-dominated. Nonetheless, I push forward despite the adversity because more than anything, I want to die empty by doing the work to improve the lives of others. This is what we have in common because of your active decision to award a scholarship to mission-driven students. Without your help, many wouldn't be able to pay rent, go to school, or focus because of financial pressures. As a result, you can be assured that I will use the awarding of this scholarship to pay rent and do some maintenance work on my car so I can reliably go to class. With the financial pressure taken off of me, I will be able to focus on maintaining my 3.8 GPA and draw closer to completing my civil engineering degree. In conclusion, filling out a scholarship isn't easy, especially when having to take time out of the busy week to meet deadlines. Consequently, I can imagine that for you, reading through so many scholarships isn't easy either. As a result, I want to thank you for even considering me by reading this essay.

I'm a Black American, Lesbian Woman, and I was homeless for 16 years before going back to college in 2024. I was kicked out of my mom's home at 18 because of my sexuality, and although I've worked several jobs, I could never get to a place of stability until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2024. Before then, I worked dead-end jobs. I couch-surfed. I even travelled with the fair so I could feel a period of safety. But nothing could mentally prepare me for the battle I would face when I fought cancer. When I first found a lump in my breast, I was already going through the feelings of uncertainty because I didn't have a home of my own. I was travelling with the fair, living in a sleeping quarters that could be no larger than 60 square feet. I was experiencing silent emotional battles with being in a place of discomfort. While working a job that was physically taxing on my body, I was feeling like a social pariah amongst friends and family because I was in this place of lack. So you can imagine when I found a lump on my chest, I lost it. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed, the only thing that can give me peace is going for a walk and praying. The first thing that came out was a wail of tears. I cried, "Another silent battle! I keep trying to move forward. I came to the fair with the hope of being able to become stable and get on my feet, but now, there is a lump in my breast." I couldn't hold back the tears. I felt so defeated. I felt broken, and I had to release all these emotions a couple of hours before work so I could put on a brave face and not let my present circumstances get to me. And it helped for a minute until it didn't. I left the fair early because I was overwhelmed, and I needed to go to the doctor immediately to see what was going on with my body. Working at the fair was all for nought. I had nothing saved when leaving despite my best efforts. I had to go back to couch surfing among people who visibly showed their discontent, and even worse, this time around, I was battling an illness. However, I navigated this adversity in the same way I had other challenges. I do so with prayer and hope for the better. I decided that if these were my last days, the least I could do was try to obtain a degree while enduring the task. Not that I expected in the event of my demise a postpartum degree, but I wanted to prove to myself that my life had meaning. The thoughts that regularly went through my mind while going through my treatment plan were how disappointed I was in myself for not having a rainy day fund. I thought about how much of a bad steward I was with my time. I thought about how I didn't have anybody to count on to support me throughout the whole ordeal, and how the only person who was there really didn't want to be. School was my only outlet, and I've always been passionate about helping to revitalize marginalized communities. This is what drove me to pursue the civil engineering degree program. While being homeless and couch-surfing, I was also carless. Which meant I walked everywhere, even if I just needed time to think and pray. During that time, I saw rundown houses, buildings, and communities. More specifically, the communities were filled with Black people. I've always felt like Black people deserve more. Black people deserve better, and I also feel that revitalizing what is seen and how people live in these communities is a means to accomplish this great goal. The impact I hope to achieve with my civil engineering degree is to make affordable housing sustainable with renewable energy. Black America's overall wealth is trending to $0 by 2053, and this will ultimately mean the loss of this community's middle class. This is a huge problem for me because my family and friends are Black Americans. Furthermore, I'm not the type to see a crash about to happen and not do something about it. This is why I think creating sustainably sourced, affordable housing is a means to accomplish this goal. Between inflation and the cost of living steadily rising, offering this community solar-powered homes is a means to alleviate some of the pressure associated with overhead expenses. I believe that if we have more access to our household income, it can be used alternatively for investment. In conclusion, I want to thank you for presenting this opportunity for me to share my experience with you. I am very grateful to be considered for this opportunity, and I applaud you for choosing to expand the memory of Mr. Eric R. Lawson in this manner. I wish you all the best.

For me, deciding to pursue a professional career as a civil engineer wasn't made on whimsical instinct. I began this journey with the intention of empowering marginalized communities through the development of community-improving projects. With this aim in my sights, I sought to collaborate, connect, and invest so that I may bring this vision to life. Yet despite my best efforts, I ran into roadblock after roadblock. Despite the no's I received, I still decided to forge forward and become who I need to be, so I can add value to my community. Statistically, women make up only 16 to 17% of civil engineers, and Black females make up only 6%. For me, this means that a career in STEM will be one of my greatest feats. When I think about this journey, I think about all the classes that I'm required to take. I think about the days, months, and years that are required to accomplish this piece of paper. And, I have to remind myself that I am my only enemy. The only thing that can stop me from obtaining this amazing opportunity is self-sabotage. I can achieve anything with enough consistency, no matter how great the task. I remember the first time I hiked Mt. Rainier in Washington state. It was challenging. I stopped every few steps to take a break. For a moment, it felt like I would never make it, but eventually, I found myself standing on a glacier. Furthermore, this is the mindset I will carry when faced with other challenges that I will face and overcome. I welcome the growth opportunities that adversity will present as I pursue further in my career. Upon completion of this degree, I intend to obtain my FE, PE, and PMP certifications. I know I will have to pay rent to ensure I can study safely and not be concerned about being homeless. I will also have to buy groceries and purchase gas so I can get back and forth to school. Eventually, I have to pay the fees necessary so can obtain the certifications I need, and I'll have to purchase the study material for these programs. I have to accomplish these things all while going to school full-time, which also presents the challenge of working while pursuing my degree. With your help, I won't have to worry about how I'm going to pay these expenses. I'll be able to focus on my school work and meet the challenges I face, feeling supported. I want to thank you for taking the time to consider me for this opportunity.

About this time in 2024, I was going through a series of tests to determine if I had breast cancer or not. In September, my doctor confirmed that I indeed did have breast cancer. To many informed of this devastating news, it is considered a death sentence, but to me, I thought it was an opportunity to grow in faith. As a result, I returned to college, and, as a 35-year-old freshman, I didn't realize how much my mindset had evolved compared to my youth as a student. When I was younger, I was afraid to raise my hand, ask questions, and sit up front. As an adult, I no longer worry about the social anxieties that had plagued me as a teenager. I had both the determination and drive to be successful, and I was willing to do whatever was necessary. I suppose I felt as if these were my final days, I intended to push my body to the max while I could. No different than a car running out of gas. Some try to drive slowly and hope they make it to the gas station before they run out, and some push the accelerator to the floor and push to make it to their destination before running out. When you ask me to tell you a bit about myself, only one word comes to mind. I am resilient. To me, adversities are opportunities. This is one of the core reasons I chose to pursue a degree in civil engineering. For the past ten years, I've been driven by this mission to help revitalize marginalized communities. My way of executing this mission has evolved from hosting conversations surrounded by healing to engaging in opportunities for community outreach. However, my latest project has been to make renewable energy accessible to all. Throughout my journey to bring this vision to fruition, I've faced many roadblocks when it comes to accreditation. So, I decided I'm going to take away those excuses by getting what I need through education. In the US, only 3.8% of civil engineers are black. As one of these, I will represent to the next generation the importance of obtaining greater means for the benefit of one's own community. I truly believe that much of the work we do here is for the benefit of others, and I hope that when the next generation comes along, they see work in STEM fields as an opportunity to not only improve the lives of themselves, but others. Thank you for presenting this opportunity to tell you my story and be considered for this scholarship.

"You have stage 2 breast cancer," were the words I heard ringing in my ears in September 2024. Before this day, I still felt childlike. I felt like I had more time to figure life out. I felt like I still had time to become the version of me I wanted to see. But in September, those childlike feelings came to an end, and my desire to have something to show for my life grew greater. Growing up, my favorite parable was the parable of stewardship. You might know the story. A master was going out of town, and he had three servants. One servant he gave five talents, another servant he gave two talents, and the last servant he gave one talent. While their master was out of town, all of them doubled their talents except for the servant with only one. When the master returned, his response to the two servants who doubled their talents, he said, "well done, my good and faithful servant." But, his response to the servant with the one talent who buried it, he called the servant a "sluggard". This story has always captivated me because when my life is complete, I want to be told "well done, my good and faithful servant". This is why I considered the challenge of overcoming Breast Cancer a battle of faith. I decided that I would adopt the pattern of Jesus when He was on His Journey carrying the cross. The Bible said He didn't murmur. I, too, wanted to be one who didn't murmur. I wanted to be one who saw this adversity as an opportunity to grow in faith and courage. Because of this adversity, I believe my faith has emboldened me to see obstacles as opportunities. My faith during this fight gave me the courage to go back to school. So I started my freshman year in college at the same time I was going through chemotherapy. I was experiencing brain fog and fatigue while also pushing to achieve all A's as a full-time student. I did accomplish this great feat, and in March of 2025, I was told I was cancer-free. With faith, I've realized that impossible doesn't exist. I've also learned that fear is having faith that a negative outcome will come to pass. Due to the new awareness I've gained from my experience, I now find myself pursuing a degree program that I thought before was impossible for me to achieve. I'm going to school to become a civil engineer, and with faith, I believe I will lower overhead expenses for low- and middle-income individuals.

Looking back, it's shocking knowing that when I started my first semester of college, I was also undergoing treatment for breast cancer. It was the end of September in 2024, and I felt like going back to school was the only thing I had going for myself, considering I was also experiencing houselessness. I was scared about the prognosis I was given. I had faith that I would be healed, but I also felt the emotions of feeling disappointed in myself and my life. Then I had a lot of time to look back on my life, and I would often shed a tear because I felt like I had nothing to show for all the work I'd done. I had chosen for years to live low because I felt that if I lived below my means, I could use my dreams to plateau me to the place I wanted to be. However, it never happened. I had some triumphs, but nothing had entirely panned out the way I had hoped for myself. Then, to find myself on the battlefield with cancer, I had already felt so fatigued. But when I went back to school, I started to see small victories in myself. For so long, I didn't go back to school because I was afraid. I didn't do well the first few times, so I thought it wasn't for me. I thought I was incapable of actually earning a degree. But, as I went through, I learned that my problem before was that when things were challenging, I didn't seek help. I guess pride and my desire to explore the world were so great that I didn't take full advantage of the resources that were available to me, but now I don't have that problem. Now, I gladly go to tutoring, sit in front of the class, ask questions, and visit office hours. With this scholarship, I hope to be able to continue to focus on going to school full-time. I work as a delivery driver when I'm not in class, but sometimes, the assignments take more time and take away from the work I need to do to pay rent and household needs. I hope that this contribution will help me to remain focused. Right now, I'm on the president's list with a 4.0 GPA. I'm also a part of the honor society. I would like to maintain excellent grades and not run the risk of them dropping due to my inability to focus solely on my work. With your contribution to my education, I'll consider it an investment in my future. I will properly steward what I'm given and do all necessary to make you proud.

Black Americans are losing their middle class. It is projected that by 2053, my community's wealth may decline to $0, which is what motivated me to pursue a career in civil engineering. With a career in civil engineering, I aim to revitalize marginalized communities and help reduce overhead expenses for low- to middle-income individuals. Furthermore, I expect to execute this mission by developing affordable housing that uses renewable energy. I've always had an affinity for solving problems. For years, I would look at a situation and devise a strategy to solve it through a project of some sort. I did this with no degree, but eventually I ran into roadblocks. I found myself wanting to execute projects that required faith and investment from people. However, I didn't get the faith and investment I was seeking. It offended me that I couldn't convince people to support the massive visions that I was desiring for my community. So, I decided to enact my revenge. I felt my greatest revenge would be to become so knowledgeable in the area I desired to work that no one could tell me no. This is why I am pursuing a career in civil engineering. I want to be able to execute projects I find meaningful and positively impactful to communities. I don't want people to question my expertise when I present opportunities to advance communities. I also want to tangibly see what I've been visualizing in my head for all these years. Going back to school is an adversity in itself, but my greatest adversity has been overcoming myself. I'm 35, and I feel like I'm working daily to refine myself. I work to refine myself by being on time with assignment deadlines. I refine myself by going to the gym consistently. I refine myself by fighting the parts of me that want to be lazy or go into a social media scrolling frenzy. There's nothing about this journey to greatness that has been easy. The first semester going back to school, I was undergoing breast cancer treatment. Now that I am cancer-free, I'm fighting the desires to self-sabotage. It's always a challenge, but I overcome these challenges through faith, self-talk, and persistence. I'm motivated by the fact that I've yet to complete all I've set out to do. I tell myself there's nothing I can't learn, and that I am in training for the career I intend to work in. I convince myself that there is nothing impossible if I believe, and I count the victories.

One of my biggest challenges with substance abuse is cannabis dependence. People don't think cannabis dependence is a problem because cannabis is so socially accepted, but it's an issue for me. When I decided to stop consuming cannabis, I experienced withdrawals, shakes, and mood swings. But after I got past these feelings, I realized that recovery for me means never going back to the things that didn't serve me. Recovery is saying no to the things that hinder me from showing up as the best version of myself. Recovery is the freedom to accept the version of me that I cultivate every day with my actions. Recovery is an opportunity to live fully without being controlled by substance abuse.

The first time I started serving at Church, I was a teenager and on the usher board. I couldn't have been no more than 13 or 14 years old, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was wearing a white button down shirt with black slacks, and I stood at the front door greeting every member and guest with a smile as they walked in. I did it for a few years until I graduated to an armor bearer. As an armor bearer, my duties included carrying the Pastor's Bible, purse, sweat towel, a beverage and helping her get dressed in her preaching robe before she spoke to the congregation. During these moments, I learned patience. I learned to take criticism, and I developed a love for serving others. The values alongside the teachings from scripture taught me that I don't need a special occasion to serve others. One of the things I often heard Pastors speak about was those who serve for recognition and how it was frowned upon. In these foundational moments, I learned that we don't serve others to be known. This thought construct taught me that every interaction is an opportunity to be of service to others. For me, sometimes this shows up in the way I engage with my fellow man whether that's holding the door open when someone is coming behind me or letting them go through the door before me. I serve others while driving in traffic and cars are bumper to bumper by letting someone in who needs to get over. I serve others when I want to be enraged when done wrong and I decide to be quick to forgive. I also serve others when I'm doing delivery services. As a delivery driver for Door Dash, I consider myself to be a personal assistant to all. Sometimes that looks like picking up groceries for a family, but sometimes that looks like grabbing medicine for someone who isn't feeling well. Sometimes serving others in this lane looks like getting food and diapers for a new mother who can't get out of the house. I also serve others when I get the opportunity to deliver food boxes to families in need. But this service isn't limited to these spaces alone, I also serve when I show up to class and do the work to become a civil engineer. When I become a civil engineer, I expect to serve my community more by creating affordable sustainable housing. Then, I will help to alleviate the pressure of overhead expenses one household at a time.

In September 2024, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, and in September 2024, I went back to school. After hearing the diagnosis, I had faith that things would get better. I also had hope that this wouldn’t be the end of my life, but I really had to take a personal account for my life. I was 35 years old, and it bothered me that I wasn’t prepared for this life crisis. I had no funds for emergency. I was homeless, couch surfing, and I was about to be dependent on people who had their own responsibilities. I felt so ashamed. I couldn’t count on any family, and it also made me feel like if I were to tell anyone their response would’ve been that’s what you get. I know no one deserves Breast Cancer. Yet, this was one of my psychological battles because I grew up in the South with traditional Black Parents, and being a lesbian in my family is frowned upon. I struggled many days, and cried a lot. Honestly, it makes me cry now because even though I’m now breast cancer free after months of chemotherapy I still have to undergo radiation starting May 27. But, what I can say about this whole ordeal is my experience with the Breast Cancer diagnosis made me better. I was adamant about not growing bitter nor angry with myself or the people around me. It made me take account for the people I had wronged. It made me pay closer attention to the fact that when I was going to the hospital everyday for chemotherapy that there were other people visiting the hospital for possibly the same or similar reasons. As I was getting on and off the elevators for appointments, I then realized we weren’t all there at the hospital because we wanted to be. For this reason, I started to grow in giving grace to others. I learned about myself that I was so egotistical, and probably a little piece of me still is. But this experience made me realize too often I was the hero in my own story and a villain in someone else’s. This realization made me want to love as much as I possibly can. It made me want to apologize for the role I played in being destructive in relationships and interactions. It made me want to listen more than I spoke. This Breast Cancer diagnosis taught me that we’re all just people on a journey, and a lot of kindness goes a long way to positively impacting others. For this reasoning, I try to be more patient. Granted I am not perfect. I can grow upset for being mishandled, but I can admit my wrongdoings in how I’ve mishandled others.