I have a vivid memory of when, at 14 years old, my little sisters and I were placed in foster care and separated from our parents. Finding out about my fathers incarceration not only made me feel guilt but also relieved from being taken from that toxic environment. The frequent relocations made it difficult for me to form lasting friendships, and I often felt isolated. Despite this, I turned to therapy and forgiveness, which marked the beginning of my journey to find inner peace. After aging out of the system I went back to my birth mother’s home and fully forgave and understood some of the sacrifices she had to make in order to keep us safe. At 17, I became a mother and was determined not to repeat the cycle of hardship that my own mother had experienced. Choosing to be a single mother, I set out to create a different path for myself and my child. As a young mother who aged out of the system, I faced financial challenges and had to choose between work and education. My main goal is to earn an associate's degree in business administration and pursue a bachelor's in accounting at Cal State University Fullerton. This path will help me create a better life for myself and my son, securing a promising future. This scholarship would greatly support my educational goals in many ways. It's challenging for me to work full time as I'm in school full time and need to be on campus twice a week; therefore, I don't earn as much money as I need to save for school. Everyone says school comes first and work comes second, but I need to work to continue attending school. I am fortunate to have a job where they can be flexible with me and accommodate my school schedule, but I do feel disheartened at times. This scholarship will assist me with spring, summer, and fall tuition next year. Knowing that I can prioritize school 100% would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. This semester was my first at CSUF, and I can honestly say I loved it. This school offers numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge of what I want to do. I even applied for a finance minor that I didn't know existed there until one of my professors encouraged me to take that extra step and fill my brain with even more knowledge. This scholarship will enable me to add more courses to my schedule to graduate with my bachelor's in accounting and business analytics. I am a junior and expected to graduate in 2025. I need an internship to graduate, and I want it to be something I am passionate about. Most internships require you to go to them a few days a week. I want to find the right internship that reflects what I want to do after college to become a public accountant. I don't just want to find one to meet the graduation requirement or one that doesn't interfere with my work schedule. I earned my Associate's in Arts degree last December but aim to further my education. I always knew I wanted to take the next step and learn even more. This scholarship will help me further my education to reach my highest potential and stand out in the professional world. In the future, I envision myself actively working in the Santa Ana county ensuring a better future for the people in my community. I will use my skills and knowledge to advocate for policies prioritizing affordable housing and promoting sustainability.

I have a vivid memory of when, at 14 years old, my little sisters and I were placed in foster care and separated from our parents. Finding out about my fathers incarceration not only made me feel guilt but also relieved from being taken from that toxic environment. The frequent relocations made it difficult for me to form lasting friendships, and I often felt isolated. Despite this, I turned to therapy and forgiveness, which marked the beginning of my journey to find inner peace. After aging out of the system I went back to my birth mother’s home and fully forgave and understood some of the sacrifices she had to make in order to keep us safe. At 17, I became a mother and was determined not to repeat the cycle of hardship that my own mother had experienced. Choosing to be a single mother, I set out to create a different path for myself and my child. As a young mother who aged out of the system, I faced financial challenges and had to choose between work and education. My main goal is to earn an associate's degree in business administration and pursue a bachelor's in accounting at Cal State University Fullerton. This path will help me create a better life for myself and my son, securing a promising future. This scholarship would greatly support my educational goals in many ways. It's challenging for me to work full time as I'm in school full time and need to be on campus twice a week; therefore, I don't earn as much money as I need to save for school. Everyone says school comes first and work comes second, but I need to work to continue attending school. I am fortunate to have a job where they can be flexible with me and accommodate my school schedule, but I do feel disheartened at times. This scholarship will assist me with spring, summer, and fall tuition next year. Knowing that I can prioritize school 100% would lift a huge weight off my shoulders. This semester was my first at CSUF, and I can honestly say I loved it. This school offers numerous opportunities to expand my knowledge of what I want to do. I even applied for a finance minor that I didn't know existed there until one of my professors encouraged me to take that extra step and fill my brain with even more knowledge. This scholarship will enable me to add more courses to my schedule to graduate with my bachelor's in accounting and business analytics. I am a junior and expected to graduate in 2025. I need an internship to graduate, and I want it to be something I am passionate about. Most internships require you to go to them a few days a week. I want to find the right internship that reflects what I want to do after college to become a public accountant. I don't just want to find one to meet the graduation requirement or one that doesn't interfere with my work schedule. I earned my Associate's in Arts degree last December but aim to further my education. I always knew I wanted to take the next step and learn even more. This scholarship will help me further my education to reach my highest potential and stand out in the professional world. In the future, I envision myself actively working in the Santa Ana county ensuring a better future for the people in my community. I will use my skills and knowledge to advocate for policies prioritizing affordable housing and promoting sustainability.