As a territory sales manager for a corporate company my goal was to generate sales for the 8 stores I oversaw, and bend to the needs of my customer in any situation. I chose not to do that when a customer that my team delivered to asked me to not send a specific driver anymore, then listed off the drivers they were comfortable with. When I asked if that driver did something that made them feel uncomfortable, they answered that he did not, but they just didn’t want him around. Realizing they had singled out the only African American driver, I asked if that was the reason, and was met with an answer that wasn’t yes, but it most certainly wasn’t no. It was the first time in my career that I had someone so boldly inform me they didn’t like one of my employees for no reason other than the color of his skin. I made it clear that I understood what they were saying, and that I wouldn’t even try to change their mind. I explained that he was one of the best employees I had, and that if they were going to refuse to allow him to deliver, then they wouldn’t get any deliveries from us. I told them I wouldn’t send any other drivers to their location, and I certainly wouldn’t send this driver because I felt that HE shouldn’t have to deal with THEM. I told them their money was no longer welcome to us, and if they wished to call my corporate office to complain that I would happily explain to corporate why. I then called the employee in question and told him that I was sorry for the actions of this customer and that I hoped he knew that it was never tolerated in a store that I oversaw. I told him that if he experienced racism from any other customer that he could tell me, and I would take care of it without question. He was quiet in that exchange, but I found out from store team that he appreciated the support and wasn’t expecting it, which is what really impacted me the most. To think that someone could be so open about their hatred and this person, this human being, didn’t think he would have support because they were a customer, just broke my heart. I want to live my life in a way that others know, without question, that I will not stand for hatred in the slightest. I want to live in a way that those being discriminated against feel comfortable coming to me. If the customer hadn’t been so bold as to tell me not to send this driver, I might not have gotten involved, and they might have abused their privilege as a customer to make comments or make him feel threatened. If he didn’t feel as though he had support, he may have not told anyone, and dealt with it in silence. This can’t be expected, or even tolerated. We must do better.

When I arrived in Alaska in 2018 I was married to a soldier, working a stable job, and went about my daily life without taking many risks. After leaving a domestic violence situation, I found a love of hiking and backpacking in the Alaskan wilderness, fishing chest-deep in the rivers, then quitting my job to pursue my dream of attending law school with no certainty of actually making it work. I’ve come to realize that bravery is doing whatever gets you out of your comfort zone physically and mentally regardless of how scared you are. I was scared I wouldn’t be able to make it on my own, but I did it anyway. I was scared I would encounter a bear if I hiked alone, but I did it anyway. I’m scared that something will happen that will end my law school career, but I’m doing it anyway. If I’ve learned anything over the previous 4 years, it’s that even if there is a chance of failure, even if you’re scared, the more you step outside of your comfort zone and do the brave thing the more confidence you have. With more confidence comes more success.

My name is Amanda Burton, and I am a 32-year-old non-traditional college student studying law at The University of Akron School of Law. I am a spring start, so Fall 2022 will be the end of my 1L year. I have an AAS in Criminal Justice Technology and a BS in Political Science, both from The University of Akron. After receiving my undergraduate career, I had a successful career in sales working as a Territory Sales Manager for AutoZone, and even won the 2020 TSM of the Year award. What I discovered working in sales was that I am passionate about working with people, love to negotiate, and I have a passion for community service. Unfortunately, I didn’t get nearly as many opportunities to do all of those at the same time in my sales position, and I felt like something was missing. I began to realize I was lacking purpose. Not long after moving to Alaska with my Army husband I had to move into my own house to escape domestic violence. I had just been offered my TSM position and was navigating the training process while also navigating divorce. Being new to Alaska I didn’t have a support system, so I took it one day at a time. Though it seemed as though I was breaking at the time, the experiences I’ve had since then have been the most liberating and healing moments I could have asked for. I spent my time working and improving the stores I managed, hiking tall mountains, fishing for salmon, and walking on glaciers. I made new friends who encouraged me and treated me like family. I invested in myself and began to explore my own goals and dreams for the first time in my life. During this time, a lawyer I had met asked me if I had ever considered going to law school. After some convincing on her part, I took the LSAT’s and applied to school. I’ve been working with the same lawyer this summer as an intern, and it’s wonderful watching a successful working mother who is an incredible mother, but also does a lot to give back to her community with pro bono work and other volunteer work. I realized being a lawyer is my purpose, and I want to use my JD to help the community around me. Being a divorced, non-traditional student is difficult financially. I attend school full-time, and during the first year of law school working is strongly discouraged and working any more than 20 hours per week is prohibited. I have been using my savings and the 401k I had built working for AutoZone to pay for school and living expenses, but without much of a financial support system, I am piecing together the finances for each semester until I am finished. I know with my work-ethic and determination I will not only succeed at the financial aspect of going to school but do so while being top in my class. Any amount of financial assistance provided is greatly appreciated, and I would be honored if chosen for this scholarship.