Christian E. Vines Scholarship

During my junior year, I had gone through a difficult time dealing with a lot of drama and issues that had a grave effect on my mental health. Never before did I ever have to deal with anxiety disorder or depression. But when I found myself in bad situations one after the other, trying to ignore the impact it was having, the worse I got. My mental health began to deteriorate; I gradually started struggling with depression and anxiety. These issues made it hard for me to attend school, socialize, and find joy in activities I once did. It had gotten so bad that it jeopardised my relationship, causing a breakup between me and my now ex-girlfriend. Pretty soon I found myself at a wall between my sense of peace and my anxiety, I had felt alone and isolated. I tried talking to my parents about it but found it challenging to explain how I felt. In a house where we don't talk about our emotions and mental health, my parents and family couldn't be of any help. To get better, I had to choose to want to get better. I began to pray, read my bible, and grow a connection to God. It helped me slowly get back to the person I used to be. I saw improvements in my mood and sleeping. But it isn't just enough to feel better for a moment; when you're dealing with anxiety the way that I do, it is a fight every day to overcome it and choose to be the very best version of yourself. After seeing how hard it was for me to deal with anxiety on my own, I began researching ways to fight back and overcome it. I soon found myself growing an interest in Psychiatry and Psychology. Knowing that there is a career in the world that works to help people with the same mental health issues, I inspired myself. I was determined to follow this path to help someone like me. Not everyone can do it on their own like I was; I want to be able to aid in that fight against anxiety and its hold on people's minds. Especially kids like me who have families that can't understand what they are going through. I told myself that if I could help them like I wished someone would help me, that is precisely what I would do. Anxiety, depression, and any other mental health issue that is out there are ruthless and eat away at a person's life. It's because of this that I've chosen to become a Psychiatrist who can help ease that pain and help anyone going through a similar battle. If I could save one person from the turmoil that comes with the anxiety that I had gone through during my junior year of high school, it would be enough for me to know that I took something unfortunate for myself and turned it into something good for someone else.

I'm pursuing a career in the field of Technology with a keen interest in cybersecurity because I'm passionate about protecting people and organizations from digital threats to keep a company's assets safe. I figured that I wanted to enter this field through a program called Cyberpatriot hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association. This is a competition where you showcase your skills like analytical thinking and understanding of how machines work to secure them better and get rid of any malicious activity. I was motivated to learn more about the field of cybersecurity so I took courses to enhance my skill set and reinforce my knowledge. Now becoming eager to choose a job title for myself to see the niche in the field of Cybersecurity that I could pursue I decided I would start as a Security Operation Center analyst to monitor a company activity ensuring that their confidently, integrity, and availability are all in check and after spending time in that area of cybersecurity I would ideally like to pivot into a governance risk consultant to help companies have the best security they could possible get. The difference I aim to make is more than reacting to cyber threats; I want to actively shape the way people, organizations, and society approach the world of Cybersecurity. This would include working with others to develop ways to prevent breaches, identity theft, and online fraud before they occur. This means I must have the skills to counteract evolving tactics by focusing on building security systems that are resilient and adaptive. I hope to reduce the damage and costs associated with cyberattacks. My ultimate goal is to foster an environment where people can feel safe sharing their data and using technology allowing for innovations to continue without constant security threats. I would also like to educate people on cybersecurity awareness because many people are unaware of ways they could secure their devices digitally to protect themselves online, education is essential as technology expands. By empowering people with knowledge, I hope to reduce the human errors that often contribute to vulnerabilities in the security field of information technology. I am committing to a path that aims to make the digital world safer and more trustworthy for everyone. By focusing both on proactive security solutions and education, I hope to leave a lasting impact in the field of cybersecurity and help create a resilient digital ecosystem that fosters innovation. I want to ensure that technology continues to serve as a positive force, free from threats and open to possibilities.

First, I would like to comment on the death of Christian, even though I don’t know much about him. I know he was an amazing person and, if given more time, would amount to the world in many ways as he followed his dreams. Like Christian, I also have high ambitions for myself and believe my raison d'être lies in the Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics career path, and through the many technologies I will come to create, I will make the digital world a safer place. I have always been fascinated by the pieces of technology we use, the websites we continuously access daily, and how massive databases filled with lines of personal information are truly protected from outside threats. The last thing anyone would want to experience is their personal/financial data being accessed just because a corporation was the slightest bit vulnerable. I believe in never allowing such information to be easily accessible and minimizing every vulnerability imaginable to ensure company integrity. Especially because early on, I gained exposure to the technological world through many online games I’ve played, social media platforms I got introduced to, and navigation of the internet. As time passed, I always questioned how all these things implemented digital security into their foundation. As a senior in high school, I have truly made it apparent where my life is heading, and I do not doubt that I will continue to progress my technical toolbox as I transition into college. Even though I know college will be a rollercoaster of events, I’m not worried, as I won’t stop until I take the skills I learned and truly make an impact on the world. Using the skills gained, I want to put my time into developing new technologies that will enhance security and others to counter evolving threats. As the world of computers expands, implementations will need to be put in place to protect newly evolving technologies, and I want to dedicate my life to this. Especially as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, these innovative concepts will have repercussions, introducing new security challenges, which, in time, I will be prepared to address. Now, I’m not saying that I will be able to prevent every virtual attack, and they will undoubtedly happen. Still, through my services and developed technologies, many fellow cybersecurity specialists can use them to aid in the issues they encounter, gradually improving global security. In conclusion, my journey of early exposure to technology has given me a clear sense of purpose. As I offer my condolences for the loss of Christian, a fellow Black/African American student with his dreams unrealized, I reflect on my aspirations in turn, keeping his legacy alive. With my chosen path of Cybersecurity and Computer Forensics, I will put my plans into action and contribute to making the digital world a safer place, even if it seems impossible.