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Bold Joy Scholarship

Funded by
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Bold.org
$500
1 winner$500
Awarded
Application Deadline
May 16, 2022
Winners Announced
Jun 16, 2022
Education Level
Any

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort,” -Franklin D. Roosevelt.

It’s no secret that joy and happiness can be difficult to maintain at times. The stress and difficulty of daily life can make it easy to focus on the negatives. Changing your mindset and seeking out joy whenever possible can make all the difference.

This scholarship seeks to encourage students to find joy in their lives and appreciate the little things. 

Any high school, undergraduate, or graduate student may apply for this scholarship opportunity.

To apply, tell us what joy means to you and how you try to find joy in your life.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Need, Boldest Bold.org Profile
Essay Scholarships
Published February 15, 2022
Essay Topic

Tell us about what joy means to you and how you seek out joy in your life.

150–300 words

Winners and Finalists

Winning Application

Collin Fletcher
New York UniversitySan Ramon, CA
As a person on the autism spectrum, I’ve always experienced emotions a little differently. As a kid, I was never quite sure how to tell how I was feeling. I understood the textbook definition of most emotions (happy feels good, sad makes you feel like crying), but identifying them in real life was more difficult. I had one emotion that felt like standing on my tippy toes and looking straight down with my arms extended at my sides and all of my fingers outstretched. I now know that that is how I experience the feeling of joy. In my daily life, I feel as though I have an invisible compass inside guiding me toward the “right” thing: whatever will bring me the most joy during or after completing it. That doesn’t mean I’ll always choose fun over work; I make an effort to manage my time efficiently. But it does mean that I’ll be able to pick out which of my to-do list tasks should come first, middle, and last, according to how I’ll feel after completing them. So even if I’m working on something seemingly boring, I know I’m going to get joy out of doing it a particular way. When I don’t have chores or work tasks to get done, I often find joy just by sitting on the landing of the staircase in my house. I like to watch the peaceful stillness that happens in the empty room below. The light dances on the rug, and sneaky little particles of dust pirouette through the air, illuminated by sunbeams. Sure, doing bigger things like playing a game or going to the movies can be fun. But more often than not, I find more joy in the smallest and quietest of moments. I can always find joy in peace.
Ayodele Aina
Texas A & M University-College StationAtascocita, TX
I have a unique relationship with this word as it is the meaning of my name. My first name, Ayodele, which originates from the Yoruba people of Southern Nigeria, translates into English from the Yoruba language as meaning "joy has come home." Because of this aspect of myself, I have always had a calling to live up to the meaning of my name and spread positivity in my life as best as I can to everyone I interact with. Indeed, I do think that positivity has a lot to do with joy and being in a joyous state of mind. Joy for me is much deeper than the traditional stereotype just a feeling of elation or excitement. For me, it means engaging with people and concepts that help bring out something you are passionate about, something you enjoy doing, something that does not feel like work. In this regard, the ways I bring joy to my life can be found in a multitude of avenues, primarily in engineering, which helps bring out my passion for innovation, a process which I have had an affinity for since I was just a young boy. Career-wise, this passion is one that brings me joy as I feel like I am (or will be) making a difference with any of my innovations. For example, I will use this to propel my post-college career forward and then be able to serve as an example for my younger peers in my hometown, particularly African-Americans whose goals are to work in my field of study. This important aspect of my life and my character is what will truly make me live up to the meaning of my name, as once I gain the ability to change lives for the better, then joy will truly be coming home.

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FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is May 16, 2022. Winners will be announced on Jun 16, 2022.