Creativity has followed me in any area of study I have shown interest in. From architecture to culinary arts to music, fashion, and photography, I could always see myself expressing my creative talent through a professional career. Losing my aunt and being away from home grounded me to pursue a career in music, fashion, and photography. Last February, I lost my Aunt Linda. She was my spiritual guidance and my best friend. To prepare for her funeral and clear out her apartment, my mother and I traveled to Boston. My older cousins needed a great deal of assistance, physically and emotionally. My mother and I stayed with her dad, my grandfather. My grandfather has always expressed himself through the arts; in music and photography, he has made a name for himself in Boston. While staying with him, he caught on to my lack of energy. I was mentally and emotionally drained; losing someone as close as my aunt and trying to process it while preparing for obligations back at home and remaining in good academic standing was no easy task. In an effort to make me feel better, he would make small talk about music. He knew I was passionate about music and the business behind it. Those small conversations turned into hour-long discussions about the industry then and today, progression in music production, sampling, and my aspirations in the industry. This helped distract me from my constant worries; we were also able to grow closer. I found interest in photography again after being disconnected from it for so long. My mother proposed the idea of doing a scenic walk through Boston. Me and my grandfather both liked the idea and planned a day to go out. My grandfather brought his camera in case he found good views or people to shoot. As soon as we hit downtown, he started taking pictures. He offered his camera to me and asked me to shoot away. Little by little, we went through the city; I couldn't put the camera down. I had a newfound interest anytime we went out. We would do this three more times, with my interest growing more each time. I could put together a mini-portfolio by the time I returned home. I appreciate my grandfather for being kind and helping us connect through forms of art, this has helped me grow closer to my passion in the arts.

Creativity has always directed my life; it has shown itself in different forms, though. I remember being interested in architecture and car design at a young age. I believe interest in these topics came as a result of my love for Legos. Engineering and technology have also been a part of my life, because of my interest and talent in building projects with Legos, I joined a Lego Robotics team. I was able to express my creativity through bot design and skills in engineering and technology by formulating bot paths and very basic programming. In middle school, while taking part in Lego Robotics, I found an interest in culinary arts. My mother and my older sister have always shown a great love for cooking; for my mother, it was important as she was raising six children, and my sister found it to be an enjoyable pastime. I was and still am a fan of cooking shows. I have expressed my interest in cooking by developing a few recipes myself that are low-cost and time-efficient for my family, such as chickpea and kale stew and a wide range of pasta dishes. My creative outlet would completely pivot in the early months of my high school year. Music would completely take over my life and eventually become my top career choice. I first found interest in music because this song I heard in a game; it had sampled a popular 70's song, one that I liked. Later that day, I looked up the song, and I was amazed at the concept of taking a few elements of one song and creating them into another. From there, I went down a rabbit hole of sample identification. You might be wondering though, what is a sample? Defined musically, a sample is a clip of one song mixed in to form a new song. Because of sampling, I became engrossed in the world of music production and music business. I have produced works with samples and I am currently working on original compositions that reflect R&B, New Jack Swing, and Hip-Hop from the 1980s to early 2000s. Through music, I also found an interest in fashion. Because the music I enjoyed listening to was from a different period, the fashion was drastically different. As someone who believes visual elements leave lasting impressions, I was instantly fascinated by the new era of fashion that spawned in the eighties. I have started my collection of vintage clothing and any chance I get to thrift for new pieces I do. From vintage Coogi to Warner Brothers memorabilia jackets, I collect it all. One day, I aspire to own a boutique that specializes in vintage, luxury, and ​​couture second-hand pieces. Due to my current financial situation, I am not attending school for audio technology and/or music production, but I am majoring in entertainment management with a concentration in music. I am blessed to be studying something adjacent to my passion for music. When I sit back and think about my passion, I have stayed true to my creative spirit while incorporating technology to bring my artistic talents to life.

She could make you laugh, cry, and pray in just one conversation. Because of her involvement with my family and my life, she was more than just an aunt to me; she was my best friend, my spiritual guidance, and my inspiration to keep pushing. Losing my Aunt Linda shattered my heart. This experience taught me to never wait until the last minute. My biggest mistake in life was waiting until the last minute; sometimes, if I waited too long, I’d be too late. Whether it’s been with schoolwork, tasks at my old job, or even my college application process, I would wait until the last minute to tackle the task at hand. I always believed that a time crunch would help me operate faster, knowing that I had a deadline quickly approaching. For schoolwork, I know when assignments are due, but someone’s life? I will never know the day or the hour or the minute until it happens. The night I found out that she had passed, I did not sleep, and the day following I was on a flight out to Boston to visit my cousins to plan her funeral and clean out her apartment. On the flight there, I thought about the time I spent with her, the gifts she would give me and my siblings, and how she would spread the gospel just by speaking. One of the gifts she gave me was a letter; she was blind, so my cousin wrote out her words for her. We would write back and forth until I eventually started to get busy and delay writing back. The last letter I received from her was on my birthday last year, telling me how proud she was of me making it to 18 and that she loved me so dearly, little did I know this would be the last letter I would ever receive from her. I think about how my poor mindset of putting things off did not allow me to write back to her and express my deepest gratitude for her love and support ever since I was born. If only I could tell her how much I loved her and that I would see her soon. I eventually did see her, but in a casket was the last place I would have expected to say my goodbyes to her. I felt so guilty for not writing back. I waited until the last minute; I was too late. Her passing felt so sudden to me, and it has taught me to never wait until the last minute, whether in my educational ventures or my personal life, waiting or putting off tasks until the last minute can make way for unfortunate outcomes. In my case, the outcome was heartbreak which I still feel today.

In early February 2024, my Aunt, who was like my best friend, passed away. She was an older woman, and she was in poor health, but this completely shattered my heart. Never would I imagine I would lose someone I was so close to. Her passing would cause me and my mother to return to her hometown of Boston to help my cousins prepare for her funeral. I only expected to stay for 3 days as I had other prior obligations, but I stayed for the entire month. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, being away from home, unprepared, and dealing with the loss of someone close exhausted me. The only way I overcame this overwhelming situation was by making the best of it. Despite only bringing two outfits, my laptop, a wallet with $6, a half-full bottle of cologne, and my school materials, I somehow made it work. I had visited Boston quite a few times, so when I was not working, I explored the city; I was able to clear my mind by focusing on the beautiful cityscapes of the historic city. I was also able to spend time with my grandfather. In between the busyness of planning for the funeral, doing schoolwork, and preparing for my role as a Beau for the Kappa League Beautillion, my grandfather and I were able to go out and expand on our photography portfolios. We also discussed music and sampling; he's been my biggest inspiration to continue my passion for the arts. Because of him, I was able to focus on what brings me joy and peace. I allowed my focus to shift, and instead of worrying about any work or any other pressing issues, I focused on finding tranquility. This experience allowed me to understand how to take my time. My biggest mistake during my time in Boston was that I was trying to process death and also maintain my wonderful academic performance. While doing those two things, I was simultaneously preparing for the Beautillion and a brunch at my current school, Coppin State University. Instead of taking my time, I hastily processed and prepared myself for everything. I would ultimately crash and burn upon arriving home in March, I was drained in all aspects and extremely unmotivated to participate in anything. My time in Boston taught me that to work through difficult times in my life, being surrounded by people who care about me in times of trouble is necessary. Friends and family love, support, and bring peace into your life when you are faced with hardships. Not only did my grandfather provide me with a source of happiness and distraction from the unfortunate situation, but I was also able to communicate with my close friends and express that I was struggling. They provided words of encouragement, tips on how to process the death of a loved one, and they would check in on me and my mother. I also learned to take time to process and prepare myself for any of my current obligations. Prioritizing your mental, physical, and emotional health is more important than any responsibility. Facing adversity is never easy, but with friends and family to bring you comfort and with your well-being as your number one priority, processing tragedy in difficult situations becomes easier.

“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.” -  Brian Tracy Education has always been important in my life. Both of my parents pursued higher education at Howard University, and I am continuing the legacy by seeking postsecondary education at a historically black university, Coppin State University. In pursuit of creating a life better than their own for their children, my parents have pushed for advanced educational outlets. By placing us in numerous programs for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (S.T.E.A.M) related activities such as Lego Robotics. I have been privileged to be homeschooled and focus on my academics at my own pace instead of in a general schooling setting where I would naturally excel in areas such as Math and Science but struggle greatly in English and History. Because my father worked and my mother had to pay attention to my younger siblings, I was held accountable for the quality of my work. Being homeschooled requires a great deal of responsibility, as no one can tell you when to work. Through the homeschooling community I have built around me, not only have I been able to volunteer with multiple homeschool co-ops, but I have also been able to expand my career opportunities with the access to time I had. When I was not focused on academics, I took part in musical research, took classes related to my ideal career as a music producer, and I also took part in a certification class at Cornell University for Data Analysis. I have also had a chance to join Kappa League, an extension of the Divine Nine fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi. All of these opportunities have been presented to me simply because I am in the constant pursuit of learning. Education has shown me that when I apply myself to the best of my ability, I not only achieve my goals but also set an example for those following behind me. Education is not limited to the classroom either. Work experience, volunteer and community service, and simply remaining informed about the world today are all outlets for education. Skills acquired in the workplace and volunteer and community service will help me in future professional settings. In any capacity where you can fail, try again, and succeed are places of learning. Education has brought me where I am today, a double major student who participates in the Honors program. Beyond my achievements, though, education brings me joy. Knowing that my constant pursuit of learning will not only professionally serve me, I am more confident in myself knowing that I am always open to learning. I am privileged enough to continue my education and I want to inspire others to pursue higher education.

"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?" - Indiana Jones You either love or hate reading, and I love it. Reading makes way for imagination beyond words on paper, and that imagination can make way for TV and film adaptation. Great examples include the Hunger Games series, Percy Jackson & the Olympians, and a lesser-known series that was outperformed by the movie and early game adaptations: Indiana Jones. Campbell Black wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark, which was published in April 1981, two months before the film's release. The novel is noted as the first piece of Indiana Jones media in history, but the development of the character started with George Lucas as Indiana Smith. The surname was later changed after discussing the idea with filmmaker and producer Steven Spielberg. The following novel, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was authored by James Kahn and released in May 1984. Since then, many variations and continuations of Indiana Jones have been adapted into literature by different authors such as Max McCoy and R.L. Stine. The film adaptations of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull were well-received because these were Steven Spielberg-directed films. Spielberg has a unique ability to bring out-of-the-box imagination to film. Upon watching the first movie, I was unaware it was a book, but after reading it, I can assure you the creativity your mind brings about while reading Raiders of the Lost Ark will be represented well in the film. All of the Spielberg-directed films for the franchise work so well because he understands how to adapt literature pieces into coherent films while maintaining the integrity of the original works. The case of Indiana Jones is a bit different, though, as both the first film and book were in the making around the same time. From George Lucas's character, we are allowed to see two differing perspectives of Indiana Jones, one through the lens of author Campbell Black and the other through Spielberg. While the book and film are supposed to represent each other, they work together like lyrics in a song. Without each other, our imagination is limited to either only the film or the book. I would also like to mention that the Lego video game adaptations are a wonderful reflection of the movies. Both Lego Indiana Jones games work as interactive pieces that are not only fun but reflect aspects of both the books and movies. The Indiana Jones franchise has been so successful because of the many different forms of media which fans can interact with: movies, TV shows, books, video games, and even board game adaptations. From a single idea to commercial success across many media forms, the Indiana Jones franchise makes way for imagination beyond the story.

As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, "Music is the universal language of mankind." I've chosen entertainment management with a concentration in music and sports management to break through the racial barriers of the entertainment industry. Because the industry is white-dominated, I would like to set an example for Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC / POC) to strive for greatness in the industries they strive to be in. I aspire to be a talent manager & music producer working for Def Jam Recordings or Virgin Records. I come from a family of creatives, with both my grandfather and great-uncle working in musical spaces, my older sister, who showcases her talents through playing the flute and drums, and my younger sister, who is a skilled digital artist. Growing up, I have always been reminded that I represent greatness, whether by showcasing my leadership to younger individuals who look up to me or giving back to my community by participating in local and international service events. I have left an impact on my community at home, and I plan to continue that in school by volunteering in events that benefit the younger generation at neighboring educational institutions. I will also have the chance to promote college education to middle and high schoolers while serving as a teacher's assistant through an opportunity provided by the Honors program at my university. Being able to stand out and showcase my abilities in a business manner and creative manner is something I can do well. In the early months of high school, I was involved in Model United Nations. For the country I represented, I was tasked with a side project to advertise my country as a possible vacation destination and a profitable ally for Middle Eastern and Western European countries. My real passion is in music production, and that is what I was originally going to attend college for, it was my calling. After feeling lost about my future, not knowing if I'd do something I didn't love just to make my family proud, I found something I could fall back on, something I could study and love simultaneously: music. I partake in sampled music production and sample searching to stay true to my interest while studying entertainment management. I have also been working towards my entrepreneurial goal while in school. I found an interest in vintage and luxury fashion from what I believe is the golden age of music and fashion, the 1980s to the early 2000s. My ideal field of study would have been audio technology at Bowie State University or American University. Due to my own and my parents' financial situation, I did not have the funds to attend either school. When one door closes, another opens, and now I am currently attending a school with an environment I enjoy and majoring in something I find to be a point of interest in music, the business behind the sound.

I have chosen to double major and study entertainment management with a concentration in music and sports management. I am working towards a degree in something adjacent to music and entertainment. I am passionate about music and expressing myself through many forms of art. My interest in music has also led to my interest in vintage luxury and couture fashion. The music I enjoy listening to is from a different period, and the fashion was drastically different. As someone who believes visual elements leave lasting impressions, I was instantly fascinated by the new era of fashion that spawned in the eighties. The eighties were about bold glamour and more formal than the seventies. The post-punk revolution of the early 1980s also brought about the subculture of Goth. By broadening my horizons in music through the late nineties and early 2000s, I was also made aware of the fashion of each era. Hints of bold glamour lived on in the nineties in makeup, but the new look was a more sleek and minimal look with darker colors, streetwear became increasingly popular with the mainstream rise of hip-hop. The early 2000s saw a rise in athleisure looks and a return of bold glamour and daring fashion pieces, streetwear stayed relatively the same but included layering. I mention all of this to say that my interest in pieces from these eras fascinates me. I have started my collection, and any chance I get to thrift for new pieces, I do. From vintage Coogi to Warner Brothers memorabilia jackets, I collect it all. I would ideally sell jackets, jeans, suits, and even shoes from each era. I have planned to sell pieces from the 80s and early 2000s because I rarely see pieces sold from these decades without a hefty price tag attached, my goal is to break the barrier of high-cost vintage pieces for low-cost prices that won't break the bank. I believe this will bring forth success compared to other endeavors because I aim to operate on donation alone for inventory. Similar to the thrifting experience and the services Goodwill provides, I will give back to my community by providing job opportunities for those who are seeking economic stability and those with disabilities. A successful life for me looks like a life of giving. I know I do not require much, and with a heart of service, success to me is the ability to give back to the community. Success not only means to be financially sound, I believe it also means to have time. With the time I have, I want to serve my community by hosting and sponsoring clothing drives during pivotal points in the year, such as the start of the school year and the start of summer and winter. I aspire to be more than just a businessman; I want to be someone who gives back.

I have a heart for service. Knowing I can use my strengths to bring about positive change brings me a level of happiness I cannot describe. Since elementary, I have been involved in community service through my church and Boy Scouts. I am blessed to be in a capacity where I have many opportunities to serve. I am a former member of the Kappa League, an extension of the Divine Nine (D9) fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi. I have been able to see in real-time how brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi give back to the community. I have also been able to give back through the program with events such as a Thanksgiving lunch for veterans, providing toiletries & spending time with elderly youth in a nursing home, and trash cleanups in the Bowie-Mitchellville area. I am the oldest male of 6 children to my parents, and by following in their footsteps of attending a historically black university, I am also finding ways to give back to my community. They both serve in leadership positions that give back to communities, and through their positions, I have also been able to serve. My father is involved with Freemasonry; the teachings of Freemasonry encapsulate charity within other lessons. I have been able to serve underserved individuals in Washington, D.C., and Maryland with food and toiletries. Through my mother, I have been able to assist with her women's group at church; her women's group provides a space for mothers of all ages with faith-based learning and connection. I have been able to serve by assisting with food, child care, and setup/takedown. Through my mother, I have participated in multiple service opportunities for Blessings Beyond Borders with Barrels (BBB), an organization that serves impoverished communities in Jamaica and Kenya. Through the organizer and founder of BBB, I have been able to serve at an art showcase for setup/takedown. The showcase represented local artists in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. My university, Coppin State University, also has a middle to high school I have been offered to serve at via the Honors program. I have also served at multiple events for the College of Business, and I plan to serve whenever possible. I plan to open up a boutique for luxury, second-hand items; I will be able to give back and serve the community with this by hosting clothing drives at pivotal points within the year. I am an advocate for second-hand clothing, and not only do I rely on thrifting services myself, but I have donated to multiple thrifting outlets. After receiving my bachelor's and master's degrees and working in my ideal line of employment, music production, I would love to teach courses on entertainment management/business and music production. I see myself starting a scholarship of my own that awards students for exemplary academic performance, participates in community service, and showcases an interest in any area of entertainment such as music business or performing arts.

My name is Stone Alexander Kingsland, and I am currently a freshman at Coppin State University. By following in the footsteps of my parents, I am pursuing higher education at a historically black university. I have a passion for service and music. I aspire to work in the music industry as a talent manager and producer and own a boutique for luxury vintage clothing. By receiving this scholarship, I can cover the cost of tuition to continue my education. I strive for greatness in academics; I am involved in the freshman class student government association, and I serve as Senator. I am also a double-major honors scholar; I plan to apply for honors at my university's College of Business. This scholarship will assist me in completing my freshman year without the worry of financial hardship. I aspire to work in the music industry as a talent manager and later, a producer. I would also like to serve in an entrepreneurial capacity by running my boutique for second-hand, luxury vintage items. I have always been connected to the arts, my grandfather and his brother both work in musical spaces and my mother has an eye for fashion. I have served my community through volunteer opportunities provided by programs I have attended. With the Bowie-Mitchellville chapter of Kappa League, an extension of the Divine Nine fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, I have participated in trash cleanups and opportunities to serve underrepresented veterans by donating toiletries and hosting a Thanksgiving lunch. I have also participated in volunteer work for Blessings Beyond Borders with Barrels (BBB). BBB serves impoverished communities in countries such as Jamaica and Kenya. Most recently, I failed my college algebra final, but thankfully, I passed the course with a B. The course itself was not particularly difficult, but I had trouble communicating and understanding my professor. His teaching style was not very coherent, and after speaking to a few other students, I knew I was not alone in my struggle. Help was available, not only from tutors but also from friends and peers who had previously taken the course. My failure on the exam is due to my lack of asking for help. I am very self-driven and independent, so asking for help is unusual for me. I have been able to learn that asking for assistance does not compromise independence but instead builds lasting connections with people who will be willing to assist in the future. Determination, dignity, and discipline. I am determined to finish my bachelor's degree and pursue my masters in the following years. I am a leader, and to lead, I must see a project until the end. Also, as a leader, I must showcase responsible and respectable behavior. Participating in positions in student government and giving back to my community helps me connect with others to set an example of dignity and determination. Pushing to complete a degree with honors, showcasing admirable behavior, and setting an example for those who follow requires discipline. If I do not follow my moral code, I lose my ability to practice self-discipline and correction.

Music has always been a part of my life, dare I say, it's even in my blood. Both my grandfather and great-uncle are producers, and my great-uncle is a radio host; my sister is a talented drummer and flutist. I so happened to catch the music bug, too. I first found interest in music in late 2020. I was fascinated by this song I heard in a game; it had sampled a popular 70's song, one that I liked. Later that day, I looked up the song, and I was amazed at the concept of taking a few elements of one song and creating them into another. From there, I went down a rabbit hole of sample identification. Samples have become my area of interest, and I have been able to use the tools I've learned in sample identification in education fields. It takes a good ear and knowledge of sampling to identify a sample source and adequately credit their work. My distinct ability to hear and identify samples extends beyond the realm of music. This unique gift has aided me as a college student in research and while listening to lectures. Additionally, this good ear will also serve me well in my pursuit to become a music producer. Sampling captivates me because the application of sampling can be applied not only to music but to visual arts, books, scholarly papers, and life in general. The part of sampling that truly alights me is the research portion that comes with finding new samples, learning about new artists, and broadening my knowledge of music of different periods. Sampling is like quoting a book, taking a small portion to rewrite or paraphrase, and using it to your advantage to create a new piece of media. In my last semester of high school, I took an online course titled "Fundamentals of Audio and Music Engineering." That course grounded me and took my knowledge of the engineering aspect of musical technology to the next level. Not only do I understand the technology, but I understand the mathematics and physics behind audio devices and sound. Music is the reason I am currently studying Entertainment Management with a concentration in Music. Without music, I fear I would have majored in something I had little interest in. My ideal major would have been Audio Technology at Bowie State University or American University. Unfortunately, I did not have the funds to attend either school, but I am currently majoring in something adjacent to my ideal career field: music production. I plan to attend American University for my graduate studies and obtain my master of art in Audio Technology. My dream is to work with the label Def Jam Recordings or Virgin Records; both labels with a history of being reputable sources to work for in both management and music production. With my personal passion for sampling coupled with my professional pursuit for a career in music production, I feel as if I can live out my fantasy of being a farmer and producer, making beets and beats.

I used to believe that death was my only escape from despair. For as long as I can remember, I've felt this indescribable pit of dread. Not only did I not understand why I felt the way I did, I could never express it. Mental health in my household has always been a taboo topic. Being sad or tired has always been viewed as a sign of weakness, and I have to set an example for my younger brothers: I can't be weak. "Men don't cry," my dad would say. I give so much and I always look for an opportunity to assist, but I never assisted myself, I put my mental health on the back burner to appear strong, willing, and helpful. I kept on giving but I never received help. I have put up this facade that everything is perfect and I am content with life, but I never am. I do this so I can appear tough and strong. I started doing this in elementary school while I was bullied; I was short, I had a high-pitched voice, and I was shy; an easy target. I also often prioritized others' needs over my own, digging myself into a deeper hole of depression. I thought if I helped everyone, surely someone would notice that I needed help, right? It's almost funny how much confidence I had in something so incorrect. I never turned to drugs, largely due to my inaccessibility to them, but I did have negative outlets. I often drank alcohol and ate excessive amounts of food. This negatively impacted my academics during high school and my work performance. I also spent a great deal of money on material things. It got to the point where I bought everything I wanted, but I still felt the one emotion I was running from: dread. No matter what I did to distract myself from how I felt, I only ended up feeling worse. I felt lost, I felt like I had everything and nothing. I wanted to end it all. At the height of all of this, I lost my Aunt, who was my best friend, it truly felt like nothing in my life could bring me joy anymore. I've faced alcoholism, compulsive buying disorder, anxiety, and possible judgment from my family to get where I am today. What I have learned is that not only am I not alone, but if I need help, I need to ask. After years of neglecting my mental health and coping with unhealthy mechanisms, I greatly expressed to my parents that I required mental help. I told them what I was doing and what I was feeling. Since then, I have been regularly seeing a therapist and I have surrounded myself with people who have similar experiences and help me through my issues. With a combination of medication, therapy, and care from family and friends that I love the most, I was not only able to graduate high school with a wonderful academic record, but I am also attending one of my top choices for my undergraduate career. During my first semester, I had the opportunity to join the student government association, and I plan to work with my fellow delegates to host mental health events in conjunction with the counseling services offered at the school. Sometimes, I still feel the pit of despair I am working away from, but healthy activities such as going to the gym keep me in good spirits. I am confident that if I keep up these healthy behaviors, I won't fall back into my negative behaviors.

Since birth, God has protected me. Being born into a God-fearing, faith-focused family, I have been protected by prayer from family and friends. Since elementary, God has assisted me with my struggles. I dealt with a plethora of physical, mental, and emotional issues throughout elementary to high school but by reading & following the word, praying daily, and leading my life in a holy way, God has allowed me to study my career of choice at a wonderful university. Now, I am praying for a financial miracle as I need funding. In elementary school, I dealt with an overflow of bullying and emotional trauma. Unfortunately, I was an easy target to be picked on, and without my father being very active in my life due to his pressing work schedule, I felt alone. The one place I felt at peace was in the house of God. I grew up in a Baptist church and one with such a strong and loving community. During this time, I also joined Boy Scouts through my church; there, God provided me with strong male figures who would teach me how to lead godly. I only have a few disjointed and vague memories of middle school. Before I was pulled out of the public school system to focus on my mental and emotional health by my parents, I remember entering sixth grade wanting to fit in. I stopped eating my lunches from home, saying grace before eating at school, and becoming distant from God altogether. Seventh and eighth grades were no better; I grew farther from Christ, and I felt lost. The start of my high school career happened to overlap with the coronavirus outbreak. Unfortunately, I was stuck at home. With nothing to do, I started to read my Bible again. I was still very disconnected from Christ for a while, but I made an effort to become closer to God again. When I was able to attend church again, I made the decision to dedicate my life to Christ and get baptized. I believe, that for myself to be born again, I must be baptized. My non-physical rebirth in Christ felt like another chance in life; another chance to live a God-led life, a chance to change for the better. With my second chance at living my life with God, I have done nothing but my best. My faith has been tested; from an allergic reaction that left me bed-ridden for a week to losing my Aunt, who was like my best friend, I have been able to turn to the Lord and thank him for giving me the ability to persevere and for placing people who have helped me in my times of need. Temptation and forces of evil are prevalent in the university spaces I am in. I must stay true to living in a holy manner. My faith will help me navigate temptation, and negative and positive opportunities throughout the remainder of my college career. My faith brought me to the wonderful university I am at now, Coppin State University, and I am sure it will make way for opportunities that not only benefit my future career but will make way for relationships with like-minded, faith-focused individuals. I am still steady in my faith, and I have been praying for a much-needed financial miracle. I want to work in the entertainment industry, and I am aware that it is comprised of many evils and forms of temptation, but I am sure God will make way for opportunities with people, organizations, and companies that seem fit for me and my faith.