Mnemonics are the key to my academic success. If there is a memory trick to help me recall information, I am very likely to use it. In fact, even if there isn’t a strategy that “makes sense”, I will usually make my own. A mnemonic device is simply a system for memory assistance. Professors and students will often use these devices without any extra thought, such as assigning an acronym to a phrase or group of words. My most commonly used tricks are auditory and rhyme mnemonics in the form of songs. These usually come in handy when I am aiming to recollect large portions of information that interconnect so that all data from one category can be placed into the same song. When it comes to vocabulary, I find myself leaning towards connection type mnemonics, which connect sections or letters in the word to words and phrases that I already know. Additionally, I tend to author silly stories that are absolutely absurd so that I laugh myself into remembering facts. It is much easier to picture a family of record players riding a carousel than to remember the schematic diagram of a disk drive with no memory helper whatsoever. Psychologically, it is easier to recollect memories that occur in a visual format rather than semantically, so these stories usually include an element that would be memorable optically. Overall, mnemonic devices help my brain to solidify lecture material into my memory to remember long term.

Legacy is what outlives you after you die. By definition, it is what you pass down in your will, but in reality, it is what you are remembered by. Legacy is much more than just earthly possessions; it is memories, wisdom, and impact. When my paternal grandfather passed last year, not one family member cared about what he passed down physically. Our conversations were filled with stories of eating pie, physics tutoring, and his love of baseball. My grandfather is who I have always aimed to impress with my accomplishments and the way he said “atta girl” when I succeeded will stick with me for the rest of my life. Most of my final pats on the back from Grandpa came from my achievements at RIT. Every year since its inception in 2007, I attended Imagine RIT at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The event showcased all majors at the college, but my focus was always on engineering and computing. I loved going to the “giant science fair” and seeing the cool inventions and research that the students presented every year. Furthermore, my father and his father before him attended the school. My grandfather graduated from and then taught at RIT in the engineering and physics departments. He wrote a textbook during his tenure, which we proudly displayed next to his casket with his favorite baseball cap. Thanks to my “G’Pa”, I grew up surrounded by not only RIT graduates, but RIT STEM graduates in particular, and I am delighted to say that I am continuing the Reynolds legacy. I am a Software Engineering student at my father’s, uncles’, and grandfather’s alma mater. In my inaugural week as an RIT student, I was blessed with the opportunity to have former Professor James Reynolds, my grandfather, pin me at the legacy ceremony. Not everyone has the privilege of being raised in a STEM family, so I dedicate my time at RIT to introducing young students to what is available to them. As the secretary of the Society of Software Engineers and a member/former committee head of outreach for women in computing, I encourage those interested in computing to attend and expand their knowledge in the subject. I actively teach K-12 girls to program (and hopefully join my academic program!) just as my grandfather taught RIT students when he was faculty. I am deeply saddened that he will be unable to attend my graduation, but I am comforted in knowing I will be continuing my grandfather’s legacy in more ways than one.

The prospect of new electric vehicles(EVs) entering the market fills me with excitement. The current selection for battery-powered automotives is only accessible to those with high incomes. As more options enter the industry, the lack of scarcity will allow manufacturers to release cheaper vehicles that do not run on gas. This will allow for leasees and owners of new electric cars to both save money and the environment. It only costs $10 to fully charge an electric vehicle at a charging station, and some communities offer free charging in specialized locations. An electric vehicle costs an average of $1000 per year less than an internal combustion vehicle to power. On top of this, many states offer an EV tax credit and the United States offers up to $7500 annually as an incentive for driving one. This benefit is given because EVs reduce emissions, as they don’t release exhaust to contribute to air pollution. As new rechargeable cars are released, more commuters of varying income levels can begin clean driving, which will further reduce emissions. The number one electric vehicle manufacturer on the market today is Tesla. Unfortunately, it has been found that Teslas have a large environmental cost upfront to make. Mining metal and burning coal to create a Tesla produce a large amount of CO2, which combined with battery manufacturing releases more emissions than the manufacturing of combustion fueled cars. Additionally, Tesla batteries cannot be sent to landfills and it is currently difficult, expensive, and further hurtful to the earth to recycle these fuel cells. Researchers are developing processes for both the manufacturing and recycling stages of these batteries to be more efficient. This can be helped along by the addition of new vehicles and players in the market, as they will provide user input, new technological advances, and more batteries to recycle. It must be stated that while there are larger initial emissions, the lifetime emissions of a Tesla are about half that of a traditional car. With further research and development, the front-end environmental impact can be reduced to make EVs a truly green solution. I intend to purchase an EV when a suitable electric SUV is available within my budget that does as little environmental harm as possible. As the market expands to allow a range from value to luxury electric cars, I am excited to see more drivers choosing this option. As a woman in technology, I love seeing the new advances made in my field and would like to represent my pride in my area by owning one of these marvels. The scientists behind electric vehicle development inspire me to continue to work towards my STEM degree, and one day I hope to join in saving our planet one driver at a time.

My last chance is upon me. This fall, I will enter my final year of university. From senior year through now, I have been unsuccessfully applying for outside scholarships, and this year, I will continue the fight. On top of this, I've taken on numerous jobs on and off campus to assist in paying for school. Unfortunately, I will not be able to afford my last semester. Despite putting 75% of my paychecks from all 3 of my internships, I am short. This is partially due to being put on leave for 2 months when the country shut down for COVID-19. Paying my own way through college, I have also picked up extra funding through collecting cans and bottles, completing surveys, entering psychology studies, and participating in market research. By awarding me this scholarship, you will allow me to focus more on my studies and less on paying for them. The financial burden of finishing my degree will start to lift and I will be, in the words of the aliens from Toy Story, "eternally grateful".

Mathematics is black and white. The answer is either correct or it’s not, and thankfully for me, it was usually the former. I didn’t enjoy multiplayer or team computer games as a child because I didn’t understand how other people thought. What I did enjoy, however, was Math Blaster. Math Blaster didn’t involve communicating with others or having to rely on anyone else. It was just my brain. Math was something I grasped naturally and math spoke my language. I was fortunate enough to have enrichment toys as soon as I could count that taught me math, be it flashcards or electronic games. I didn’t know until I had already learned addition that they were educational, and at that point, I liked them so much that I didn’t care. Even better, learning this fact meant that I had learned concepts before my older sister, and my competitive nature propelled me to learn even more. By the time I was in high school, I found that any kind of competitive game excited me, even those I despised as a kid. I grew interested in psychology to learn how the brain works and I treated everything competitively, ultimately graduating top of my class. In my pursuit to “beat” my peers in the academic world, I joined the math team after I was promised extra credit. I wound up enjoying the math team more than any other extracurricular by the time I graduated. I was top fifteen all four years of high school and my final season left me not only as a captain but also highest scoring for the year. Mathematics fed and continues to feed my inner (and sometimes outer) competitor, which is what keeps drawing me back. The world is run by money, and money is understood through math. Being able to quickly calculate markdowns and taxes is a skill I have perfected over the years to continue to comprehend my surroundings. As a college student, I am constantly recalculating the amount of money I currently owe and will owe in the future towards tuition and loans. I know my desired pay increase when I enter a new internship and I have calculated my full-time salary request based on regional averages and my experience. I even use math to make my money, as programming is by definition computation. Money makes the world go ‘round, and behind all money is math.

When I was looking for an internship to assist in paying for college as well as further my education, I had no idea what my preferences were. I had no care about location, industry, or type of work in my field, and the only thing that swayed me between companies was the compensation they offered. I ultimately took my first position due to the promise of dogs in the office and a slightly larger income than other offers. Little did I know, this job would show me beyond what I wanted to do; it would show me the difference I could make in the world. My first internship was spent at a defense contractor where I developed a user interface used to talk to military radios via Android phones. I was told by my manager one day that if my audio control on a certain task wasn’t flawless, “someone could get shot.” To someone who has been in the military space for years, it just made sense to him that every action he made could have consequences beyond this company. To me, I was just learning for the first time how crucial my job truly was. It was then that I learned that what I was doing had an impact on both the end-user and the entire country. One casualty or fatality can change the course of an entire war, and it is my goal to prevent the United States Military and their families from dealing with medical bills, grief, and guilt from a technology error. As a military technologist, I was giving the opportunity to soldiers to keep their lives. If I can help save even one soldier with the product that I spent my day improving, I have not only given value to the world but kept a person of value in it. When I graduate, I intend to base my full-time job decision upon its potential to make a difference in the world by saving the people with careers that help our society not to fall apart. I have interned in both manufacturing and banking since beginning school, but my heart lies with the first company that showed me the severity of military communication. My degree in Software Engineering will help me to achieve my goal of continuing to work in defense, protecting my country and its soldiers. I can be of service to the United States by giving access to tools necessary to stay safe. By providing security to soldiers, I will not only make their lives better but make the world a better place through exponential change. The lives that I help to save through my work can use the second chance they are given to further spread hope and security. By developing technology for the military’s defense, I am protecting the lives of my fellow Americans. Those that use our products know that they could potentially be making the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives. By lessening that chance, I am allowing those soldiers to put their positive efforts back into the world, continuing the cycle of giving.

My favorite artist is Alan Menken. He composed the Disney soundtracks that shaped my childhood and continue to inspire me as an adult. The magic of Disney is increased tenfold by his contributions.

As a senior in high school, I received a handwritten invitation to attend an event at Rochester Institute of Technology. This personalized letter made me feel that the sender, Women in Computing (WiC) at RIT, truly cared about me as a person, not just a number. The director of this organization is Lana Verschage, a woman who has truly changed my life. It was at this overnight exploratory event that I confirmed my decision to attend RIT. I continued to attend as a volunteer, then organizer, then co-head of the committee that ran the event. If it were not for Lana, I would not have made it to that point, and if not for Lana, the event- and the group of women that hosted it- would not have existed at all. Lana began as an advisor to the Software Engineering department. She saw a need for a safe space for women in the computing college and from that need, WiC was born. Since its inception, WiC has become a social, academic, and professional organization, all still run by Lana Verschage. The stated goals now include K-12 outreach, breaking down gender barriers, providing project experience, networking, and keeping students apprised of gender-related news and tips for success. Lana’s door is always open during the day, and she will drop everything to help members in any of the three facets of the org, even after hours. I have a passion for teaching coding to young girls. It was Lana who helped me discover this passion through volunteering, organizing events, and creating curricula. She was able to find me not one or two, but three jobs that allowed me to be compensated for teaching, and provided extra enrichment materials beyond what was given to ensure I had everything necessary to succeed. In my professional endeavors beyond education, Lana has helped seek out positions fit for me as well as provided references for me as needed. After volunteering and teaching as an outreach committee member, Lana encouraged me to run for committee head, a position I otherwise would have backed away from. As a committee head, I had three meetings a week- all of which Lana attended and provided input on top of her other duties. During my time as head of outreach, Lana introduced me to a man who would become my manager at a company that I adored and intend on returning to after graduation. During my time interning there, he and other of my superiors raved about how wonderful Lana was back when she was an advisor before WiC was even conceived, confirming what I already knew. Lana has taught me the importance of finding other gender minorities to interact with wherever I may end up. The similar experiences of women in the tech space create an unmatched bond, which inspired Lana to create WiC in the first place. I have also learned through Lana that even small gestures can impact others, which helped me keep a high retention rate in outreach. Lana has gone beyond this, not only helping to retain kids in our programs but having constant alumni visitors in the WiC space to see her again as well.