My name is Ashlee Maness, and I am a first-generation college student. I have been in college for five years now. I began high school on a community college campus and earned an associate's degree in science before receiving my high school diploma. Currently, I am in my second year at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where I am a junior studying physics with a minor in Math and Computer Science. Physics allows me to understand the world around me in a new light before I pursue Astrophysics. I chose Astrophysics because I want to know how our universe works. The universe is filled with endless beauty, and theoretically, it's still expanding. This gives us an unlimited amount of things to discover. Despite centuries of people looking up at the sky, we still know very little about what is beyond the atmosphere. There has been immense progress toward complete understanding, and I would like to contribute to that goal. My personal goals involve attending graduate school to receive a master's, and then a PhD in astrophysics. I absolutely love science and math, but in my free time, I enjoy painting.  Almost all my paintings are landscapes or objects but my preferred theme is space, and I find it fulfilling to capture the beauty of the universe on canvas. Through STEAM, I can express my creativity by visualizing various aspects of the cosmos. Among all the subjects I could paint, my favorite is nebulae. Their unique and vibrant colors represent different gases, creating a fascinating sight that others can enjoy. I believe it is important for me to share my love for astronomy with others. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher education, and I want to pay it forward by helping others who are working hard to achieve their academic goals. Through my job as a tutor, I can help people understand subjects that I enjoy. In the future, I aim to provide tutoring services to individuals who share my passion but lack access. There are so many people who have a genuine love for learning but are unable to attend traditional classes, and I want to help bridge that gap. I consider myself very lucky to study something I enjoy at a university that suits my needs. Getting to this point took hard work and perseverance, and it would feel right to help others achieve their goals. I would be so thankful for any scholarship that allowed me to reach my goal.

Have you ever stepped outside on a clear night and gazed up at the sky, only to be dazzled by the sight of thousands of twinkling stars? Most people might admire the beauty for a moment, but then go back indoors when the chill sets in. While I certainly appreciate the beauty that our universe has to offer, I can't help but feel a burning curiosity about what lies beyond those stars. I want to grab my telescope and learn everything I can about our universe. My curiosity is what makes me want a career in Astronomy, specifically in Astrophysics. I'm currently studying physics in school, which allows me to understand the world around me in a new light before I pursue astrophysics. I chose Astrophysics because I want to understand how our universe works. The universe is filled with so much beauty, and theoretically it's still expanding. This gives us an unlimited amount of things to discover. Despite centuries of people looking up at the sky, we still know so little about what is beyond the atmosphere. There has been immense progress toward complete understanding, and I would like to contribute to that. My long-term goals include attending graduate school to earn a Master's and then a PhD in astrophysics. Graduate school would provide me with the opportunity to research a topic I'm passionate about. The idea of research excites me, as there are endless possibilities. I could delve into the origins of our universe, the nature of dark matter, or explore exoplanets, stars, and nebulae. The research I conduct during my undergraduate studies will hopefully help me narrow down my options. I have already begun research at my university and will be studying the spectrophotometry of stars with a professor starting next fall. This is an exciting experience for me to start my career. In 10 years, my ideal career would be research in astrophysics. I hope to be done with my education and get into my career. I am still working on what I specifically want. Do I want to teach too, or do I want to solely focus on research? What type of research and where? There are plenty of universities or a lab where I could work. I still need to work out all the details, but what I do know is that I want to dedicate my life to researching astrophysics and learning everything I can.

My name is Ashlee Maness, and I am a first-generation college student. I have been in college for five years now. I began high school on a community college campus and earned an associate's degree in science before receiving my high school diploma. Currently, I am in my second year at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, where I am a junior studying physics. I chose this university because it was the only one I could afford that offered physics. While finances were a major factor in my decision, I was fortunate to receive some aid and scholarships. However, some scholarships are not repeatable, which is why receiving the Sikora Drake scholarship would be incredibly helpful. With this scholarship, I would be able to further my education without worrying about finances and use the funds to pay for any expenses not covered by my other aid. The Sikora Drake Scholarship would allow me to pay for my meal plans, and my transportation, and overall give me so much peace of mind. The term "Ideal career" perfectly matches with astrophysics. The universe fascinates me, and working in this field is the culmination of my hard work and perseverance. I want to make significant contributions to the field of physics and help others understand it as well. Researching astrophysics as a career is my passion, and I have already started research at my university. Next fall, I will be studying the spectrophotometry of stars. This is giving me a wonderful opportunity to get a start in my career. I believe it is important for me to share my love for astronomy with others. I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue higher education, and I want to pay it forward by helping others who are working hard to achieve their academic goals. Through my job as a tutor, I can help people understand subjects that I enjoy. In the future, I aim to provide tutoring services to individuals who share my passion but lack access. There are so many people who have a genuine love for learning but are unable to attend traditional classes, and I want to help bridge that gap. Receiving this scholarship would mean I could attend school without worrying about having enough money to further my education. This would allow me to focus on my research and my classes without the added stress. I consider myself very lucky to study something I enjoy at a university that suits my needs. Getting to this point took hard work and perseverance, and it would feel right to help others achieve their goals. I would be so thankful for any scholarship that allowed me to reach my goal.

I have a little sister because of drug addiction. In 2017 my cousin Summer was born severely addicted to drugs. She wasn't given much of a chance to survive. After 3 months of fighting in the children hospital she was allowed to leave under supersized care. She was healthy and made a full recovery. She was quickly removed from her parents care. They would calm her by putting her to sleep with pain medicine at 4 months old. Summer was placed into my aunts care, who is her fathers twin sister. My aunt who took care of her and my mom was designated the legal babysitter, since Summer was in the CPS system. Due to the fact Summer was in the system and her parents still had parental rights, there were many meetings with a judge to ensure Summer was in the right care. Eventually my aunt decided that she loves Summer but did not want to take her permanently. She wasn't ready to settle down and raising a child was a responsibly she did not feel ready to take on. It was around this time that my cousins biological mom had passed from a drug overdose while pregnant with her second child. My uncle had gone to prison for a plethora of reasons where he remains today. Summer was then placed into my family's care, and we decided rather than leave her in the CPS system we would formally adopt her. This began a long legal process that started during the pandemic. My family had to go through a familial adoption process. That involved multiple meetings with CPS, lawyers and prison officials. Her father still had rights that he needed to waive to make the process easier. After abut 2 years, Summer was officially adopted in September 2021. Going through this experience really taught me to be grateful for my own life. Honesty this story was only the tip of the iceberg of the things my family has gone through due to drugs. We got the happy ending yet so many families do not. Summer is almost 7 years old now, and you would never know that at the beginning of her life was almost the end. I've experienced my own fair share of tragedies, but I know that my sister is safe and well taken care. She was not born my sister, but that is my sister today and will always be.