My name is Tanasia Nelson. I am a certified educator, nonprofit leader, and youth advocate with over a decade of experience creating spaces for young people to grow, lead, and thrive. My work is deeply rooted in community, faith, and service. I have committed my career to youth development and continue to build platforms that reflect the needs, voices, and brilliance of the next generation. My academic journey includes time at Florida A&M University, where I was shaped by the culture, community, and spirit of excellence that defines my impact, as a black women to my community. Being in that environment helped me discover my voice and deepen my passion for serving Black youth and women. That experience continues to inform the work I do today and fuels my commitment to advancing opportunities for those who share a similar background. I am the founder of Glory Girl Glow, a national Christian girl social club with eight active chapters and more than 400 members. Through weekly Bible studies, quarterly wellness and leadership challenges, and community engagement efforts, we support girls in growing spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. We are currently preparing for our first in-person conference, The Christian Girl Social Experience, which will bring girls together from across the country for a weekend of faith, empowerment, and sisterhood. Becoming a certified educator was an important milestone for me. It formalized what I have been doing for years, educating, mentoring, and guiding young people toward their potential. I have led youth programs, summer camps, after-school initiatives, and empowerment workshops, all with the goal of helping students build confidence and purpose. I believe traditional education often misses opportunities to nurture the whole child, especially those from underserved communities. That is why I am focused on expanding how we approach education and youth development. I am currently pursuing a master's degree in leadership with the goal of opening a lifestyle-based academy. This school will combine academics with faith, life skills, wellness, and cultural enrichment. I want to create learning environments that reflect the full identity of our students and empower them to lead in every area of life. Charlene K. Howard’s legacy as an advisor and mentor at FAMU is deeply inspiring to me. Like her, I am committed to guiding and uplifting students, building systems of support, and ensuring that every child has access to an environment where they are seen and celebrated. This scholarship will help me continue that mission by supporting my graduate education and expanding the reach of my work in the youth space.

My love for Jesus is the foundation of everything I do. It influences how I show up, how I lead, and how I love people. I believe leadership is not about position or power, but about servanthood. Jesus led with humility, compassion, and purpose, and I strive to lead the same way. My faith has taught me that the strongest leaders are those who pour into others, not for attention, but out of obedience to God and genuine care for His people. One of the most impactful ways I have led through faith is by founding Glory Girl Glow, a Christian girl social club dedicated to encouraging and empowering young women through Christ. What began as a simple one-on-one meeting has grown into a national community with eight active chapters and more than 400 members. What started as a conversation turned into a movement. One girl became five. Five became thirty. Then we had seventy women showing up, hungry for connection and truth. The power is not in the number itself, but in what the growth revealed. There is a real and present need for spaces where women can come together in faith, community, and purpose. Creating that space and helping bring girls closer to Jesus has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. At Glory Girl Glow, we lead through love, service, and scripture. We host the She Reads Club, a weekly virtual Bible study and prayer night that gives members a consistent space to study God's Word and connect spiritually. We also run Glow Girl Challenges, quarterly initiatives that focus on personal growth through faith, discipline, self-care, mental health, and wellness. Currently, we are planning our first Christian Girl Social Experience, a live conference that will bring our community together for worship, empowerment, and purpose-driven fellowship. Every aspect of this organization is rooted in community and service. From giving back through outreach to walking alongside women in their spiritual journeys, we are committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus. My leadership style is guided by faith. I lead with prayer, listen with intention, and move with purpose. I do not pretend to have all the answers, but I trust the One who does. Leading this organization has shown me how powerful obedience can be. It has taught me to trust God's timing, to show up even when it is uncomfortable, and to never underestimate what He can do with a willing heart. As I pursue a master's degree in leadership, my goal is to strengthen the infrastructure of Glory Girl Glow and create sustainable faith-based programming for churches, schools, and communities. This scholarship would help support the educational tools and resources I need to grow in this next chapter of my journey. Faith has not only shaped how I lead, it has shaped how I live. Through this organization, I have seen firsthand how Jesus can transform hearts, build community, and call ordinary people into extraordinary purpose. I plan to keep leading with that truth for the rest of my life.

By the age of 18, many students raised by single parents have already navigated obstacles that leave lasting impacts on their academic and personal development. Studies show that children from single-parent households are significantly more likely to experience poverty and limited access to enrichment opportunities. Though I was raised in one of those households, my mother’s resilience, provided me a life filled with service, education, and leadership. My mother raised me on her own and worked tirelessly to provide me with the best life she could. She leaned on her village to ensure I had access to meaningful experiences. From ballet and cheer to cotillion and church activities, she broadened my world. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the weight of her sacrifices. As I’ve grown older, I now recognize how much she gave up to create a better life for me. Her example instilled in me the values of selflessness, integrity, and determination. Watching her consistently choose my future over her comfort has fueled my commitment to excellence. For over a decade, I have mentored young girls with similar backgrounds, launched empowerment initiatives, and created spaces centered around confidence, identity, and leadership development. I am now pursuing a master's degree in leadership to scale my impact and design programs that serve underrepresented communities more effectively. This scholarship would help accomplish this goal of mine towards continuing my education. Growing up in a single-parent household did not hinder my ambition. It shaped my identity and clarified my purpose. It taught me the importance of showing up, creating opportunities, and using what you’ve learned to lift others. With your support, I will continue transforming the lessons of my upbringing into tools that empower the next generation to lead, grow, and thrive, no matter where they start.

I remember sitting in my high school economics class, staring at a worksheet about supply and demand, wondering how any of it would help me when I eventually ended up in the real world. I could recite vocabulary words for my AP Psychology class. I could write a five-paragraph essay. I had taken more standardized tests than I could count. But I didn’t know how to open a bank account, file taxes, or introduce myself in a room full of professionals. I didn’t know how to budget, build credit, or confidently express who I was and what I believed in. And I wasn’t alone, my friends shared the same sentiments. Most of the people I grew up with didn’t experience their first flight, their first professional email, or their first conversation about career goals until they left for college, if they made it that far. We were good at passing tests. But we weren’t being prepared for life. That’s the part of education I would change. If I could reimagine school, it would look nothing like the rows of desks and color-coded testing prep anchor charts I grew up with. It would be strategically designed to prepare a student for a lifestyle they dream of. Many times in primary school, students are asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?", many of those answers are based on what they see on tv or out in the world. So why not implement this in their daily activities, so that they can actually answer that question based on experience? In my ideal world, I would open an academy where the curriculum is rooted not just in academics but in lifestyle. A place where children, from as early as kindergarten, are taught not only how to read and multiply, but how to express themselves, manage emotions, build healthy habits, explore the world, and understand who they are and what they like. In this school, mornings wouldn’t start with "Do Nows" or busy work. They would begin with intention, perhaps a wellness check-in, a stretch session, or a journaling prompt to help students center themselves for the day. From there, math wouldn’t be confined to a workbook. It would show up in real-world applications like managing a classroom café, planning a trip abroad, or building a tiny home model. Reading and writing would be more than comprehension scores. Students would write business pitches, screenplays, podcast scripts, and letters to local leaders. Literature would reflect cultures around the globe and the voices of students in the room. The classics would still have their place, but so would hip hop, spoken word, and oral storytelling. But academics wouldn’t be the only focus. Our students would learn financial literacy as a core subject. They would understand budgeting, investing, credit, and entrepreneurship. Generational wealth would not be a foreign concept. They would also develop etiquette and soft skills, not in a stuffy, outdated way, but as practical tools for confidence. They would learn how to shake a hand, hold a conversation, ask questions in a meeting, and write a thank-you note that leaves a lasting impression. Fashion and art would be part of self-discovery, not just electives to fill a schedule. Students would design collections based on identity and heritage. They would explore the connection between style and confidence, between creativity and self-worth. They would be introduced to culinary, learning how to safely prepare a meal and learning about what they put in their body. And perhaps most importantly, they would be exposed to the world beyond their neighborhood. Cultural fluency and global travel would be built into the curriculum. By middle school, students would be learning a second or third language, not for a grade but to connect with people across borders. They would travel, even internationally, through study abroad programs and cultural exchanges. I believe deeply that exposure breeds possibility. A student who has walked the streets of Paris, volunteered in a Ghanaian village, or presented a business pitch in front of local leaders comes back forever changed. By the time they reached graduation, our students wouldn’t just be prepared for college. They would be prepared for life. They would know how to lead, how to listen, how to pivot, how to present themselves in any room, and how to build a life they’re proud of. This idea isn’t just a dream. It is a response to a deep and growing need. The world is evolving faster than our school systems. We have children preparing for jobs that don’t even exist anymore, yet we’re still measuring their worth by multiple-choice tests. We have students with talents in entrepreneurship, fashion, culinary arts, coding, and activism, but they don’t always see those gifts reflected in their school day. We cannot continue preparing children for a world that no longer exists. We must teach them how to think, not what to think. How to create, not just comply. How to lead, not just follow. And while I may not have had this type of education growing up, I am committed to creating it for others. Through my work mentoring girls, leading empowerment programs, and now stepping into the classroom myself, I am doing more than teaching. I am reimagining. I am planting seeds of possibility in every child I encounter. I want them to know they matter beyond a test score. That their gifts have value. That there is a place for them in this world, and that school can help them find it. I don’t want this school to be one of a kind. I want it to be the prototype. A new standard. A blueprint that other educators, school leaders, and districts can study and adapt. I want this model to reach communities that are often overlooked, particularly underserved communities where resources are few and students are too often taught to survive school instead of thrive within it. Children who aren’t reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, and dropouts face a much higher risk of incarceration. The school-to-prison pipeline is real, but it doesn't have to be. A lifestyle-based curriculum gives students multiple pathways to thrive, not just one. By equipping them with practical skills, creative outlets, and global awareness early on, we empower them to pivot, adapt, and choose a different future, no matter what challenges they face. I believe we can do better, it's never too late. If I could change anything in education, I would build a system where creativity is celebrated. Where culture is honored. Where real-world skills are prioritized. Where every child leaves with not just knowledge, but empowered. And one day, I will.

When I first left home to attend college, I became the first in my family to go away to school and attend an HBCU. It was a proud moment for me and for everyone who had poured into my journey. I saw it as my opportunity to step into something bigger, to make my family proud, and to become the leader I had always dreamed of being. But while I carried the excitement of a new beginning, I was unprepared for what that experience would actually require from me. The transition into college life was overwhelming. I lacked discipline and struggled to manage my time, balance academic expectations, and stay focused. I made poor choices, not because I lacked support, but because I lacked structure and the maturity to navigate freedom responsibly. I watched my grades slip and my motivation fade. Eventually, my GPA fell below a 2.0, and I had no choice but to leave school. It felt like the end. I believed I had let everyone down, especially myself. After leaving school, I made the decision to move back home to regroup and refocus. I got a job with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County and began working directly with youth. That experience changed everything. I began to find purpose in helping others, especially young people who needed guidance and encouragement. It reminded me of my own potential. I worked in youth programs, poured into my community, and slowly began to rebuild my confidence. Every day I spent mentoring children reminded me that my story was not over. It was just beginning again. Eventually, I made the decision to return to school through the University of Phoenix. I started with a GPA under 2.0 but approached this second chance with intention and focus. I was no longer trying to prove anything to others. I was working to become the version of myself I always knew I could be. I completed my bachelor’s degree with a 3.4 GPA. That accomplishment meant more to me than words could explain because I knew what it had taken to get there. Now, I am pursuing a graduate degree in leadership while working full time in the field of youth and community development. I approach every opportunity with deeper purpose and greater clarity. My experiences have made me more empathetic, more driven, and more committed to using my journey to uplift others. To someone facing the same circumstances I once did, I would say this: You are not disqualified. A bad chapter does not mean the book is over. You can begin again, and you are still worthy of success. Take your time. Learn from your past. When you are ready, get back up and try again. One of my biggest goals is to launch a foundation called Glowcademy, a sister organization to a faith-based social club I currently lead. Glowcademy will serve women who have experienced setbacks or interruptions in their educational journeys. It will offer scholarships, mentorship, and resources to help them restart and succeed. I want to help women who, like me, needed a second chance and used it to change their lives. Receiving the Simon M. Humphrey Memorial Scholarship would support my continued education and help me keep building the future I once thought I had lost. I now know that failure does not define me. My comeback does.

From the start of my professional journey, I have been devoted to giving back through youth development and community service. I believe that when young people are given tools, trust, and time, they flourish. That belief has guided every job I have held, every community I have served, and every initiative I have supported. My passion for youth empowerment began with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. There, I gained hands-on experience leading programs that nurtured children academically, emotionally, and socially. I later joined Wings for Kids in Atlanta, an organization that supports social emotional learning for elementary-aged youth. In both roles, I worked closely with children from under-resourced communities, helping to design and implement engaging programming that met their needs. Whether we were working on homework, learning conflict resolution, or celebrating personal growth, I witnessed how consistent care can change the course of a child’s life. Beyond my full-time work, I have always found ways to remain active in volunteer service. I serve on the board of Whoamentoring Works, a nonprofit dedicated to building confidence and leadership in girls. Through this organization, I help guide programming and support mentorship experiences that empower girls to develop strong voices and a deep sense of self-worth. I also work with a group called the Delta Violets, where we lead enrichment sessions for girls in grades K through 5. In these sessions, we focus on life skills that are often overlooked in traditional school settings. We teach gardening, baking, etiquette, and more. Through this work, I see the potential in every girl who shows up, even when they arrive with walls built from difficult life experiences. Every job I have taken and every program I have created or supported has served one mission: to help youth see themselves as valuable, powerful, and capable of creating change. This calling is what fuels my current pursuit of a master’s degree in leadership. I am working full time while completing graduate school because I believe deeply in expanding my capacity to lead well and serve better. In the future, I plan to launch a foundation called Glowcademy, a sister organization to a faith-based women social club I founded called Glory Girl Glow. Glowcademy will focus on equipping youth through hands-on programming, mentorship, skill-building workshops, and scholarship opportunities. It will be a place where young people feel safe to explore their interests, grow in their confidence, and access resources that help them build a bright future. My goal is not to create something temporary, but to build a long-term structure of support that continues to pour into youth for generations to come. Receiving the Priscilla Shireen Luke Memorial Scholarship would be more than financial help. It would be a reflection of the very values I strive to pursue; compassion, selflessness, and lasting impact through service. It would support me in continuing this important work while I pursue my degree, and it would allow me to move forward with less financial strain and more focus. I am honored to carry a vision for service that aligns with Priscilla Shireen Luke’s legacy. Through my work with youth and my commitment to empowering the next generation, I hope to continue creating spaces where every child can be seen, supported, and prepared to lead.

The life of my dreams is grounded in purpose, balance, and freedom. It is not about perfection or status. It is about wholeness. In this life, I am living boldly, walking fully in my calling, and creating a legacy that uplifts others. I am no longer questioning whether I am enough. I know that I am. I move with confidence, clarity, and deep joy. In the life I envision, I have completed my master’s degree in leadership and used it to build impactful, purpose-driven platforms. I am leading Glory Girl Glow, a faith-based empowerment club that helps girls and young women grow spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. I am also running Sunday Ice Cream, a luxury dessert brand that brings joy to communities through curated experiences and creative expression. These businesses are thriving because they are built on love, intention, and the belief that healing and happiness can go hand in hand. I have also created a nonprofit foundation that provides scholarships and skill-building opportunities for women like me. These are women who have experienced delays or detours and are ready to start again. Through this work, I am helping women return to school, launch careers, and believe in themselves again. I want them to see that it is never too late to grow, to rebuild, or to dream. In the life of my dreams, I am deeply connected to my health and well-being. I nourish my body, protect my peace, and make rest a priority. I have time to travel, to experience beauty around the world, and to celebrate life without guilt or financial stress. I have rich and fulfilling relationships. I am present for my family, a loving daughter, sister, and friend. I have built a circle of support filled with people who inspire me and hold me accountable. I have a strong spiritual life. My faith is not something I squeeze in between tasks, but the foundation that grounds everything I do. Right now, I am still becoming that version of myself. I am a full-time professional and a graduate student. I am working hard to lay the foundation for this future while also managing real responsibilities. It is not easy. There are moments when I feel overwhelmed, stretched thin, or unsure of how I will keep going. But I do keep going. Because this dream is bigger than me. It is tied to the lives I hope to impact and the legacy I want to leave. This scholarship would be more than financial support. It would be a symbol of belief in my potential and my purpose. It would allow me to continue my education with less stress and more focus. It would give me space to pour into my health, deepen my faith, spend more meaningful time with my family, and continue building the life I know I am meant to live. This opportunity is not just helping me reach a goal. It is helping me become the woman I have always dreamed of being. Thank you for considering my application. With your support, I will not only reach my goals, I will create a life that inspires others to reach theirs too.

Pursuing my master’s degree in leadership is more than a personal milestone. It is a step toward fulfilling a vision that has been growing inside of me for years. Receiving this scholarship would not only support my education but would also allow me to expand the reach of my work, deepen my skillset, and move forward with greater confidence and capacity. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. Although I was raised around creativity, ownership, and opportunity, I still spent many years playing it safe. I made choices that prioritized comfort over growth. I doubted myself and delayed many of the ideas that lived in my heart. It was not until the passing of my grandfather, a man who embodied wisdom and purpose, that I realized I could no longer wait to become the person I was called to be. I had to honor his legacy by choosing courage over hesitation. That decision led me to where I am now. I have launched two ventures that reflect my personal mission. One is Glory Girl Glow, a Christian girl social club that helps young women grow in confidence, faith, and sisterhood. The second is Sunday Ice Cream, a luxury dessert brand that creates joyful and elevated experiences through carefully curated products. These businesses are more than creative outlets. They are platforms built to inspire, empower, and bring people together through joy, faith, and intention. My educational goal is to complete a master’s degree in leadership so I can become more effective in building and managing initiatives like these. I want to grow in areas such as organizational strategy, change management, and team development so that I can scale my work in a sustainable and impactful way. I also plan to start a nonprofit that will provide scholarships and practical resources for women who are restarting their lives and need support in advancing their education or professional development. I know what it feels like to begin again, and I want to be part of making that journey easier for others. Financially, navigating graduate school while also building a business and managing everyday responsibilities has presented challenges. This scholarship would ease that burden and allow me to invest more time and energy into both my academic growth and my mission. It would help me focus on completing my program without the constant pressure of how to make it all work. That support would be life-changing. My ultimate goal is to become a leader in both education and entrepreneurship, someone who creates opportunities, builds systems of support, and inspires others to believe in their own potential. I want to be a voice of encouragement for women and girls who are still trying to figure it all out. I want to show that it is possible to start over and to build something beautiful from the pieces of your past. Thank you for considering my application. This scholarship is not just financial support. It is a vote of confidence in my growth, my leadership, and the impact I hope to make in the world.