My name is Taylor Foshee, I am currently pursuing a career as a medical doctor for the U.S. Army. This decision was made for several reasons, some of which include my previous exposure to service from my stepfather, my natural interest in healthcare, and both the rigorous sports and courses I have taken to prepare me for a challenging career. These aspects have guided me towards the pursuit of medicine due to the fact that I have become acquainted with a structured schedule to manage time and resources to ensure success in a realistic manner. To start, my stepfather, a LTC in the Army, has exposed me to what the military consists of and also what the military is in need of. After serving for over 20 years his body has taken a toll, however, even though the army offers medical assistance my stepfather has received less than adequate treatment for the many injuries he acquired through the years. This has led me to a self realization that our service members deserve the utmost care they are indebted to for their sacrifices. And it is for this reason I am pursuing the career to be a doctor for the army, to ensure proper care for all of our veterans and active duty alike. Also, my natural interest in healthcare along with the rigorous courses I have taken fall hand in hand on how I will accomplish this aspiration. Early in my academic career, more specifically my freshman year, I exposed myself to challenges many of my peers would not even consider by dual enrolling in college in addition to taking AP courses. I continued AP classes through junior year until I completely dual enrolled my senior year, essentially having my associates degree before graduating high school. As far as the healthcare aspect, I was fortunate enough to have designated healthcare classes that I completed through my high school career. These classes along with shadowing opportunities with E.R. Doctors exposed me to healthcare to ensure that the medical field is truly my passion. In addition, like all goals and ambitions there are certain aspects in which some thrive while others struggle. An example of where I have thrived would most noticeably be my academic workload along with constructing timely schedules for adequate execution of assignments and jumpstarting my intended career. However, one of the struggles I have faced would include balancing schoolwork with sports, more specifically wrestling. This sport is more physically demanding than many other sports due to the fact that practice takes place every weekday for 3 hours with tournaments every weekend. Needless to say, balancing an already heavy workload with this sport brought forth my utmost effort in ensuring not only academic success but success on the mat as well. Lastly, as I have found, success is not a sudden accomplishment that occurs from luck. Success is found through continuous effort and grit that sharpens a person until all that breeds is success. It is for this reason I have challenged myself throughout my life, to refine my skills for perfection and execute with precision every time. With this scholarship I will continue to develop my skillset through college and achieve my life long goal of healing others in the medical aspect and serving our nation to the best of my ability.

My stepfather, a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, has made a huge impact on my life when it comes to my education and what career I want to pursue in the near future. He owns Dynamic Innovative Solutions LLC, a land-clearing business where I was employed for a period of time. Seeing him handle both the military and the business has taught me several core values, such as being disciplined, being a leader for others, and determination. To start, what really grabbed my attention was how he built his business from the ground up. Running a land-clearing business is tough. It takes a lot of work, planning, and problem-solving. I saw how he had to make decisions, manage equipment and money, and deal with unexpected problems on the job. This showed me that to be successful, you have to be able to adapt and learn things all the time. Because of this, I have become more interested in learning skills that I can actually use. One of these skills I have already come to develop is taking on leadership positions to guide others towards a common goal. Also, having a structured environment and learning the skills that I have, both God and my nature have guided me towards my career path in the medical field. Already having a caring nature towards others and the discipline I have learned over time, the medical field, more specifically an ER doctor has been my goal for the past four years. During those four years, I have taken both dual-enrollment courses and AP classes to prepare myself for the many challenging years to come. Additionally, my stepfather's time in the military taught me a lot about how to approach my schoolwork. To become a Lieutenant Colonel, you have to be committed, disciplined, and responsible for a time. Growing up around this environment taught me to stay organized, meet deadlines, and most importantly perseverance. I have used these lessons to help me stay on top of my schoolwork and take responsibility for successes and failures. In conjunction, some challenges came with my stepfather's service that affected my education. Our household was often run like a barrack, which could be tough at times, but it ultimately helped me build good habits. I also learned to be more independent and take my responsibilities seriously. These experiences have helped me get ready for the work of college and to keep working towards my goals. Overall, my stepfather has been a major influence on me. Seeing him balance his service with running a business has shown me that I can pursue multiple goals if I have the right mindset. Because of him, I have a stronger work ethic, and I am more disciplined. I have a clearer idea of what I want to do in the future. These lessons will keep guiding me as I continue my education and start my career.