The definition of dynamic is a person with a positive attitude, full of energy and new ideas. Therefore, I would consider myself a very dynamic woman with a lot to offer in the field of STEM. My name is Sydney Anderson, and I am an upcoming freshman majoring in engineering. My initial major is in power engineering technology (PET). I am unsure as to whether my focus will be on wind, solar, hydro, or nuclear, but I am open-minded and eager to learn about each. I live in Tennessee and have grown up around the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). They have utilized multiple types of power engineering in order to supply ten million people with electricity. TVA is the largest public power company in the United States and supplies Tennessee along with six surrounding states. Because there is a steam plant in Cumberland City which is near my home, I have always been fascinated by TVA and what they do. My grandfather also worked as an electrician at multiple nuclear power stations during shutdowns. His stories fascinated me regarding nuclear energy and all that it entails. Because I have been so immersed in an awareness of the creation and technology surrounding electricity, it seems only natural that my career would involve power engineering technology. As a dynamic woman of the millennial generation, I am acutely aware of our planet and all of the demands we are putting on it as a civilization. I feel driven to contribute to society and my fellow man through my career. I am eager to learn more about all of the options and help to develop optimal ways to achieve energy while leaving a minimal footprint. I realize that I am idealistic and driven, which I feel are positive and necessary attributes to achieve my maximum potential. I am leaving the comfort of my home state to pursue my education at Maine Maritime Academy. I have chosen to do this due to their impeccable reputation in the field of engineering. I feel my willingness to continue my education so far from home is evidence of my passion for my chosen field of study. I am not intimidated by the fact that I am a woman in a predominantly male profession. I am confident in my intellect and abilities and do not feel that being a female is a disadvantage. I believe that I will bring to the table a background of dedication and commitment. Being an athlete as well as a student has contributed to my well-rounded perspective. I thank you for considering me for this scholarship, which would help enable me to pursue my goals.

The definition of dynamic is a person with a positive attitude, full of energy and new ideas. Therefore, I would consider myself a very dynamic woman with a lot to offer in the field of STEM. My name is Sydney Anderson, and I am an upcoming freshman majoring in engineering. My initial major is in power engineering technology (PET). I am unsure as to whether my focus will be on wind, solar, hydro, or nuclear, but I am open-minded and eager to learn about each. I live in Tennessee and have grown up around the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). They have utilized multiple types of power engineering in order to supply ten million people with electricity. TVA is the largest public power company in the United States and supplies Tennessee along with six surrounding states. Because there is a steam plant in Cumberland City which is near my home, I have always been fascinated by TVA and what they do. My grandfather also worked as an electrician at multiple nuclear power stations during shutdowns. His stories fascinated me regarding nuclear energy and all that it entails. Because I have been so immersed in an awareness of the creation and technology surrounding electricity, it seems only natural that my career would involve power engineering technology. As a dynamic woman of the millennial generation, I am acutely aware of our planet and all of the demands we are putting on it as a civilization. I feel driven to contribute to society and my fellow man through my career. I am eager to learn more about all of the options and help to develop optimal ways to achieve energy while leaving a minimal footprint. I realize that I am idealistic and driven, which I feel are positive and necessary attributes to achieve my maximum potential. I am leaving the comfort of my home state to pursue my education at Maine Maritime Academy. I have chosen to do this due to their impeccable reputation in the field of engineering. I feel my willingness to continue my education so far from home is evidence of my passion for my chosen field of study. I am not intimidated by the fact that I am a woman in a predominantly male profession. I am confident in my intellect and abilities and do not feel that being a female is a disadvantage. I believe that I will bring to the table a background of dedication and commitment. Being an athlete as well as a student has contributed to my well-rounded perspective. I thank you for considering me for this scholarship, which would help enable me to pursue my goals.

The definition of dynamic is a person with a positive attitude, full of energy and new ideas. Therefore, I would consider myself a very dynamic woman with a lot to offer in the field of STEM. My name is Sydney Anderson, and I am an upcoming freshman majoring in engineering. My initial major is in power engineering technology (PET). I am unsure as to whether my focus will be on wind, solar, hydro, or nuclear, but I am open-minded and eager to learn about each. I live in Tennessee and have grown up around the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). They have utilized multiple types of power engineering in order to supply ten million people with electricity. TVA is the largest public power company in the United States and supplies Tennessee along with six surrounding states. Because there is a steam plant in Cumberland City which is near my home, I have always been fascinated by TVA and what they do. My grandfather also worked as an electrician at multiple nuclear power stations during shutdowns. His stories fascinated me regarding nuclear energy and all that it entails. Because I have been so immersed in an awareness of the creation and technology surrounding electricity, it seems only natural that my career would involve power engineering technology. As a dynamic woman of the millennial generation, I am acutely aware of our planet and all of the demands we are putting on it as a civilization. I feel driven to contribute to society and my fellow man through my career. I am eager to learn more about all of the options and help to develop optimal ways to achieve energy while leaving a minimal footprint. I realize that I am idealistic and driven, which I feel are positive and necessary attributes to achieve my maximum potential. I am leaving the comfort of my home state to pursue my education at Maine Maritime Academy. I have chosen to do this due to their impeccable reputation in the field of engineering. I feel my willingness to continue my education so far from home is evidence of my passion for my chosen field of study. I am not intimidated by the fact that I am a woman in a predominantly male profession. I am confident in my intellect and abilities and do not feel that being a female is a disadvantage. I believe that I will bring to the table a background of dedication and commitment. Being an athlete as well as a student has contributed to my well-rounded perspective. I thank you for considering me for this scholarship, which would help enable me to pursue my goals.

The definition of dynamic is a person with a positive attitude, full of energy and new ideas. Therefore, I would consider myself a very dynamic woman with a lot to offer in the field of STEM. My name is Sydney Anderson, and I am an upcoming freshman majoring in engineering. My initial major is in power engineering technology (PET). I am unsure as to whether my focus will be on wind, solar, hydro, or nuclear, but I am open-minded and eager to learn about each. I live in Tennessee and have grown up around the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). They have utilized multiple types of power engineering in order to supply ten million people with electricity. TVA is the largest public power company in the United States and supplies Tennessee along with six surrounding states. Because there is a steam plant in Cumberland City which is near my home, I have always been fascinated by TVA and what they do. My grandfather also worked as an electrician at multiple nuclear power stations during shutdowns. His stories fascinated me regarding nuclear energy and all that it entails. Because I have been so immersed in an awareness of the creation and technology surrounding electricity, it seems only natural that my career would involve power engineering technology. As a dynamic woman of the millennial generation, I am acutely aware of our planet and all of the demands we are putting on it as a civilization. I feel driven to contribute to society and my fellow man through my career. I am eager to learn more about all of the options and help to develop optimal ways to achieve energy while leaving a minimal footprint. I realize that I am idealistic and driven, which I feel are positive and necessary attributes to achieve my maximum potential. I am leaving the comfort of my home state to pursue my education at Maine Maritime Academy. I have chosen to do this due to their impeccable reputation in the field of engineering. I feel my willingness to continue my education so far from home is evidence of my passion for my chosen field of study. I am not intimidated by the fact that I am a woman in a predominantly male profession. I am confident in my intellect and abilities and do not feel that being a female is a disadvantage. I believe that I will bring to the table a background of dedication and commitment. Being an athlete as well as a student has contributed to my well-rounded perspective. I thank you for considering me for this scholarship, which would help enable me to pursue my goals.

My greatest hardship in life was during my freshman year of high school. I was playing basketball and enduring tremendous peer pressure from my teammates. They were pressuring me to drink alcohol and I felt strongly about not doing that. My mother and grandfather are both alcoholics in recovery and I have witnessed and learned a lot about that disease. I tried to explain to my friends/teammates that I could not put myself at risk and they weren't sympathetic. These were the friends that I had grown up with and played basketball with since third grade. I was firmly established in my friend group but felt that it was no longer unconditional acceptance. I spoke to my parents and explained the situation which I had tried to deal with for months and wasn't getting any relief. I told them I would like to change schools because I was suffering from stress and could not find a solution. Even after talking and trying to educate my teammates and friends, there was no relief. I was being ostracized and excluded from all activities. I was even facing problems on the basketball court from my teammates. My parents told me I could switch to a school but it would require us to move. My family was firmly established in our community but my parents understood the situation and could see the magnitude of what was going on. I told them it would be worth it to me to change schools and take a chance if they would be willing, so we moved thirty minutes away and I started a new school. What an amazing decision that was! I was accepted into a team that was supportive and kind. The community we moved to was smaller, but the friend group I established was full of love and integrity. I am so thankful that I was able to make that move and had parents who so fully supported my decision. It was very difficult to make the change at the beginning of my sophomore year, but I am so thankful that I was able to face the fear of the unknown and take the chance. I wasn't sure if I would even be able to play basketball at the new school, but I felt that I had to make the change to be true to myself and maintain my integrity. Luckily, I made the team and was surrounded by girls as dedicated to the sport as I had been since third grade. I was also able to assert my boundaries without fear of retribution. Peer pressure is a very real and significant thing. Being bullied and discriminated against can happen to a variety of people for a variety of reasons and it is always wrong and hurtful. I am just so thankful that I was able to stand for my beliefs and that I have a family that was able to support my decisions. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship. If I win, I will use it to continue my education and hopefully be able to help a student in the future to pursue their educational goals and dreams.

I am passionate about engineering because it involves the things that I love most in education, math and science. I love how engineering is the creation of things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue engineering in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in power engineering that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!

I am planning to pursue a career in power engineering technology. I am passionate about engineering because it involves the things that I love most in education, math and science. I love how engineering is the creation of things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue engineering in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in power engineering that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!

I am passionate about engineering because it involves the things that I love most in education, math and science. I love how engineering is the creation of things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue engineering in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in power engineering that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!

The technology that most inspires me would have to be cell phones. To think of a small device that can be carried around and not only allow you to "talk on the phone", but to have the entire internet at your fingertips is mind-boggling. My parents were teenagers in the 1980's and love to tell me stories about sitting by the phone waiting to hear from friends or family. They love to to tell me stories about how when they were unable to stay home by the phone they had no way to know where anyone was or what they were doing. It is hard to conceive. The fact that we are completely untethered to a wall by a spiral cord is so liberating. The ability to be out living life and not have to stay home by a stationary phone is the only way I have ever known, and I am sure that I take it for granted. Not only having the capability to talk on the phone essentially whenever and wherever I please is only one facet of the extraordinary invention. My cellular device allows me to get the latest news, see the actual location of loved ones, and even monitor my heart rate. The fact that cell phones allow us to call for help if we are in a wreck or in danger is a very important advantage for me because I commute and live in a rural area. The increased safety that cellular mobility affords, as well as the world of information available in a click and a swipe has made the world a better place. Are there ways that cell phones can be detrimental or even harmful? Absolutely. But the advantages that cell phones afford far outweigh the negatives. I am so thankful that I have grown up with the technology that my parents did not have. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship. Sydney Anderson

I am passionate about technology because it involves the things that I love most in education, math and science. I love how technology is the application of knowledge to create things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of technology and engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in technology that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!

I am passionate about engineering because it involves the things that I love most in education, math and science. I love how engineering is the creation of things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue engineering in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in power engineering that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Being a female in the field of engineering is something that I take great pride in. I believe that women should pursue their interests and strengths and for me, that is engineering. If more women feel accepted and encouraged in the field, there will be more women to become engineers. Having more equal representation in the workplace will foster a more inviting atmosphere for other women. The more diversity we bring to a workplace, the more opportunity there is for success. By bringing together people who have unique qualities and characteristics, every potential problem has a greater potential to be solved. The adage "two heads are better than one" is particularly true when the two heads come at a problem with different experiences and perspectives. Every person is valuable, and recognizing and reinforcing that with a diverse workforce adds value to any workplace. I would be honored to represent women in the field of engineering, and plan to do just that. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!

I am passionate about engineering because it involves the things that I love most in education: math and science. I love how engineering is the creation of things that really make a difference in the world. My grandfather was an electrical engineer and he shared so many of his experiences with me. He worked in nuclear power plants and went on to teach at a local university. He taught me the many facets of engineering and the value of each. He instilled in me a desire to use my brain and capabilities to pursue engineering in order to contribute to society and the real problems that we face in relation to our planet and how we utilize its resources. I am particularly interested in power engineering that studies solar, nuclear and hydro resources. Currently in our country (and world), we are facing a real dilemma of how to live on this planet in comfort while not destroying in the process. The current fuel situation and the debate over how best to power our homes, businesses and vehicles is of crucial importance to me. Not only because I love nature and our planet, but because I want to help to discover the optimal way to achieve a win-win situation for humanity and the planet. I love that through engineering, I can help to make a real difference in this world doing something that is so interesting and important to me. Thank you so much for considering me for this scholarship and supporting the future engineers of this world!