I was first introduced to thrifting in elementary school whenever I volunteered with my church at our local thrift store. I was fascinated by the array of clothing and housewares at such discounted prices. Between then and my sixteenth birthday, I would drag either my mom or older sister to take me to thrift stores around town. I eventually got my first job at a thrift store, of course to learn important life skills like responsibility and time management, and totally not for the 50% off employee discount. During the fourteen months I worked there, I met many amazing people who I still keep in contact with to this day. I was also able to save up for my first car. This meant I could go to as many thrift stores as my heart desired without having to bug any of my family members for a ride.  Thrifting has also played a major role in my personal style and self-confidence. Being able to walk into a thrift store and come out with a one-of-a-kind accessory or article of clothing at a fraction of the price of retail is why I estimate at least 95% of my wardrobe is secondhand. Thrifting became my outlet for self-expression, boosted my confidence, and also allowed me to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Not only is secondhand shopping a cost-effective way to revamp your wardrobe, but it is also less detrimental to our planet compared to other alternatives. Over the past decade, fast fashion has taken the clothing industry by storm. According to plasticcollective.co, the mass production of cheaply made and often low-quality, trendy clothing items and accessories is responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of total waste water. In the next ten years, I will have finished both my undergraduate and graduate degrees and will have begun my career as an environmental chemist. This branch of chemistry focuses on the research and mitigation of various pollutants in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil we grow our food in.  As a chemistry major, I have learned to enjoy problem-solving and analytical thinking. Even though I have spent countless hours frustrated at my desk, the satisfaction of finally understanding abstract topics drives me. I embrace daunting obstacles, even when the odds seem stacked against me. Whether it is difficult assignments or the foreboding imposter syndrome, my effort, coupled with my fascination with chemistry, allows me to face adversity and not let doubt get the best of me. One of the classes that I am most excited to take this semester is Organic Chemistry I. Organic chemistry is commonly known as a “weed-out” course for many aspiring healthcare professionals and scientists. In this course, I will learn the naming, synthesis, and reactions of organic molecules (molecules that contain carbon). Carbon is one of the most important elements, as it is the building block of all life on Earth. Despite being regarded as extremely difficult, I look forward to taking organic chemistry. Not only will I be progressing through my degree, but I will also be learning fundamental concepts and techniques that will help me in my anticipated career as an environmental chemist. I see myself continuing to thrift throughout my academic journey and even after I join the workforce, as it is a way to sustainably participate in fashion as I take on more responsibilities in life and inevitably become busier. Whether it is thrifting for my ever-changing taste in fashion or decor for my first apartment, I will continue to make time for the hobby I love.

Advocating for not only myself but for those who are underserved has always been something I strive to do. Especially nowadays, individualism is incredibly prevalent; it is easy to shut out the world around us and to solely care about things that affect you. Although it is not the only way, I believe pursuing higher education would give me the skills to achieve my goal. So, during my senior year of high school, I began my college education at Maple Woods Metropolitan Community College. As a chemistry major, I’ve learned to love problem-solving and analytical thinking. Even though I have spent countless hours frustrated at my desk, the satisfaction of finally understanding abstract topics drives me. I embrace daunting obstacles even when the odds seem to be stacked against me. Whether it's difficult assignments or the foreboding imposter syndrome, my effort, coupled with my passion for chemistry, allows me to face adversity and not let doubt get the best of me. I have continuously learned that failure doesn’t mean to quit and give up, but to self-assess and try again. Last school year, I also became an active member of Maple Woods’ Phi Theta Kappa chapter and in my local community. Joining confirmed my beliefs in the importance of service and gave me hands-on experience helping those in need. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honors society for two-year colleges that was built on the following four hallmarks: leadership, scholarship, fellowship, and service. As my chapter’s Officer of Service, I oversaw aspects of potential volunteer opportunities, attended service projects like the highway cleanup and retirement home visits, and worked alongside my fellow members in running our student-led campus food pantry. Our fall 2023 college improvement project was restocking, beautifying, and reorganizing our campus food pantry to create a welcoming environment to serve those who may be food insecure. By collecting donations from community members, staff, faculty, and students from various campus events, we were able to replenish our pantry with desirable food items and household and hygiene essentials. When deciding what career path to pursue upon graduation, I wanted to choose one that would make a significant, positive impact on people and the Earth. As someone who believes STEM is an integral part of not only environmental conservation but also social justice, environmental injustice quickly became my focus. This disparity occurs when marginalized communities experience higher levels of pollution due to resource extraction and inadequate environmental services, increasing their risk of disease and illness. After completing both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I intend to pursue a career as either a water or environmental chemist to help combat this ecological and humanitarian crisis. Even though my experience at Metropolitan Community College was full of academic rigor and community engagement, I am excited to continue my education. I will be transferring to Fayetteville State University this upcoming fall semester, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Their motto, “Deeds, Not Words,” resonates with me deeply, as it proves their dedication to action through service. I will not only leave Fayetteville State University with a degree but also with lifelong skills that will help build and strengthen communities. Thank you for your consideration.

Why not live your life with the intention of bettering people and the world around you? Famous actor Will Smith lives by a similar sentiment: “If you're not making someone else's life better, then you're wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better.” What could go wrong when you dedicate yourself to improving not only yourself but other people’s circumstances? Well, I am still learning. Although I don’t think anything will necessarily go “wrong,” I have definitely experienced ups and downs while trying to live by the words above. Advocating for not only myself but for those who are underserved has always been something I strive to do. Especially nowadays, individualism is incredibly prevalent; it is easy to shut out the world around us and only care about things that immediately affect you. Although it is not the only way, I believe pursuing higher education would give me the skills to achieve my goal. Ever since elementary school, science has been my favorite subject. I always wanted to know how and why things behaved the way they did, even at a subatomic level. So, during my senior year of high school, I began my college education at Maple Woods Community College. As a chemistry major, I’ve learned to enjoy problem-solving and analytical thinking. Even though I have spent countless hours frustrated at my desk, the satisfaction of finally understanding abstract topics drives me. I embrace daunting obstacles even when the odds seem to be stacked against me. Whether it's difficult assignments or the foreboding imposter syndrome, my effort, coupled with my passion for chemistry, allows me to face adversity and not let doubt get the best of me. I have continuously learned that failure doesn’t mean to quit and give up, but to self-assess and try again. This past school year, I became an active member of Maple Woods’ Phi Theta Kappa chapter and in my local community. Joining confirmed my beliefs in the importance of service and gave me hands-on experience helping those in need. Phi Theta Kappa is an international honors society for two-year colleges that was built on the following four hallmarks: leadership, scholarship, fellowship, and service. As my chapter’s Officer of Service, I oversaw aspects of potential volunteer opportunities, attended service projects like the highway cleanup, and worked alongside my fellow members in running our student-led campus food pantry. When deciding what career path to pursue upon graduation, I wanted to choose one that would make a lasting, significant, and positive impact on people and the Earth. As someone who believes STEM is an integral part of not only environmental conservation but also social justice, environmental injustice quickly became my main focus. This disparity occurs when marginalized communities experience higher levels of pollution due to resource extraction and inadequate environmental services, increasing their risk of disease and illness. After completing both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I intend to pursue a career as either a water or environmental chemist to help combat this ecological and humanitarian crisis. With this scholarship, I will be able to pursue my undergraduate degree and fulfill my goal without the burden of financial stress. As you probably know, the fear of student debt can be a discouraging factor for those considering higher education. I will be transferring to Fayetteville State University this upcoming fall semester, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Their motto, “Deeds, Not Words,” resonates with me deeply, as it demonstrates their dedication to action through service. I will not only leave Fayetteville State University with a degree but also with lifelong skills that will help build and strengthen communities. Thank you for your consideration

Advocating for not only myself but for those who are underserved has always been something I strive to do. Especially nowadays, individualism is incredibly prevalent; it is easy to shut out the world around us and to solely care about things that immediately affect you. I believe community is about going through life together. Although it is not the only way, I believe pursuing higher education would give me the skills to achieve my goal. So, during my senior year of high school, I began my college education at Maple Woods Metropolitan Community College.  Community colleges often have the connotation that they are academic dead ends, that they are no one's first choice, and that no one genuinely wants to be there. After completing my first week of class at Maple Woods, I realized that this was exactly where I needed to be. Over the past two years, classmates turned into friends and instructors into mentors.  As a chemistry major, I have taken many rigorous courses. Getting to know my classmates and instructors made me a better student, and attending class was more enjoyable. This past year, I completed general chemistry I and II with the same instructor and roughly the same group of students. This made understanding challenging concepts and completing lab assignments less difficult. When my chemistry instructor found out I was a chemistry major, he gave me many tips and an idea of what to expect throughout my degree. In our class-wide group chat, if you expressed that you were having difficulty with a homework problem or missed a lecture, no one hesitated to help you. I attribute my success in both semesters to my personal effort and my peers' generosity. When deciding what career path to pursue upon graduation, I wanted to choose one that would make a significant, positive impact on people and the Earth. As someone who believes STEM is an integral part of not only environmental conservation but also social justice, environmental injustice quickly became my focus. This disparity is described as occurring when marginalized communities experience higher levels of pollution due to resource extraction and inadequate environmental services, increasing their risk of disease and illness. After completing both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I intend to pursue a career as either a water or environmental chemist to help combat this ecological and humanitarian crisis. With this scholarship, I will be able to pursue my undergraduate degree and fulfill my goal without the burden of financial stress. As you know, the fear of student debt can be a discouraging factor for those considering higher education. I will be transferring to Fayetteville State University in the fall 2024 semester, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. Their motto, “Deeds, Not Words,” resonates with me deeply, as it proves their dedication to action through service. I will not only leave Fayetteville State University with a degree but also with lifelong skills that will help build and strengthen communities. Thank you for your consideration.

For as long as I could remember, science has been my favorite subject in school. I always wanted to know how and why things behaved the way they did, even at a subatomic level. So, during my senior year of high school, I began my college education at Metropolitan Community College through my school’s early college program. As a chemistry major, I’ve learned to enjoy problem-solving and analytical thinking. The satisfaction of finally understanding abstract topics continues to drive me. I embrace challenging obstacles even when the odds seem to be stacked against me. Whether that be difficult assignments or the foreboding imposter syndrome, my effort, coupled with my drive and passion for chemistry, allows me to face adversity and not let doubt get the best of me. At my current community college, I am an active member of my college's Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter and in my community. Joining PTK helped to confirm my beliefs in the importance of service and gave me hands-on experience in helping those in need. PTK's four hallmark principles include: leadership, scholarship, fellowship, and service. As my chapter’s Officer of Service, I oversee aspects of potential volunteer opportunities and work alongside fellow members in running our campus food pantry. Throughout the year, I accumulated over fifty volunteer hours, ensuring a welcoming environment to serve those who may be food insecure. When deciding what career path to pursue, I wanted to choose one that would make a positive, lasting impact on people and the Earth. As someone who believes STEM is an integral part of social justice and environmental sustainability, environmental injustice was just one inequality that I wanted to tackle. This disparity is described as occurring when marginalized communities experience higher levels of pollution due to resource extraction and inadequate environmental services, in turn increasing their risk of disease and illness. After completing both my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I intend to pursue a career as either a water or environmental chemist to help combat this ecological and humanitarian crisis. With this scholarship, I will be able to pursue my undergraduate degree without the burden of financial stress. As you probably know, the fear of student debt can be a discouraging factor for those considering higher education. Currently, I am scheduled to transfer to Fayetteville State University (FSU) in fall 2024, where I will pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. FSU’s motto, “Deeds, Not Words,” resonates with me as it demonstrates their dedication to action through service. I will not only leave Fayetteville State University with a degree but also with lifelong skills that will help build and strengthen communities. Thank you for your consideration.