I have always maintained a desire to participate in opportunities and experiences that will enhance my education. When I enrolled at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in business and marketing. I quickly fell in love with marketing as a result of the freedom and creativity it enables in an individual. Through my experiences, I was influenced to join many organizations and cohorts that would allow growth in pursuit of my career. Being introduced to the Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars Program allowed me to further my academic growth and strive to excel in all academic and extracurricular activities. Joining the cohort has allowed me to build a community that is pushing me to expand my critical thinking in several aspects of my education and business. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through sales. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). In addition, GLS and the ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business to attain a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I am Currently studying abroad in London for the Spring 2024 semester. Through a marketing and international business career, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective fields. To tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed. My first step in doing so came through an interest in sales and marketing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As a result of being a minority in the field of marketing and sales, I have found value in working to increase the number of minorities in the industry. In doing so, I have found love for the career by placing efforts in organizations and internships where I am a minority such as the American Marketing Association. This has allowed me to become comfortable in areas where I am the minority. Upon Graduation, I plan to use my international business experiences to further my career in the marketing industry. I have found my way in business and marketing as I completed two projects with the American Marketing Association and joined the Executive Leadership Council. I also have completed three internships during my time as undergraduate allowing me to expand my knowledge of marketing and international business. I am excited to see what the future holds for me as a student in the Haslam College of Business and Smith GLS. All in all, this scholarship will help me in reaching the aforementioned goals.

As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through sales. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). In addition, GLS and the ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business to attain a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I am Currently studying abroad in London for the Spring 2024 semester. Through a marketing and international business career, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective fields. To tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed. My first step in doing so came through an interest in sales and marketing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As a result of being a minority in the field of marketing and sales, I have found value in working to increase the number of minorities in the industry. In doing so, I have found love for the career by placing efforts in organizations and internships where I am a minority such as the American Marketing Association. This has allowed me to become comfortable in areas where I am the minority. All in all, this scholarship will help me in reaching the aforementioned goals. I have always maintained a desire to participate in opportunities and experiences that will enhance my education. When I enrolled at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in business and marketing. I quickly fell in love with marketing as a result of the freedom and creativity it enables in an individual. Through my experiences, I was influenced to join many organizations and cohorts that would allow growth in pursuit of my career. Being introduced to the Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars Program allowed me to further my academic growth and strive to excel in all academic and extracurricular activities. Joining the cohort has allowed me to build a community that is pushing me to expand my critical thinking in several aspects of my education and business. Upon Graduation, I plan to use my international business experiences to further my career in the marketing industry. I have found my way in business and marketing as I completed two projects with the American Marketing Association and joined the Executive Leadership Council. I also have completed three internships during my time as undergraduate allowing me to expand my knowledge of marketing and international business.I am excited to see what the future holds for me as a student in the Haslam College of Business and Smith GLS.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. My parents' efforts to provide for my family have led to their financial stability and freedom. Their financial status has allowed me to participate in opportunities that others may not have, and it allowed me to place my focus on my secondary education. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a college student, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. Furthermore, I want to make my family proud as they have provided for me to succeed in academia and my future career. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. My parents' efforts to provide for my family have led to their financial stability and freedom. Their financial status has allowed me to participate in opportunities that others may not have, and it allowed me to place my focus on my secondary education. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a college student, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. Furthermore, I want to make my family proud as they have provided for me to succeed in academia and my future career. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.

As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. This past school year was extremely hard for me as I battled with many mental health issues. As an incoming freshman, I did not know what to expect at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I became quickly involved, joining numerous organizations and excelling in academics. In addition, I was working over twenty hours a week. As the second semester came, I became tired and my mind started to race. I quickly became into a severe depression. I struggled to get out of bed and skipped many of my classes. My social battery also diminished and I became extremely anxious in all social situations. These symptoms continued through the school yearand carried over to the Summer. It was not until the Summer when my fraternity brother took my life that I began to seek help and speak publicly about my issues. Through all of the trauma, I continued to exert my energy toward school and work. It was not until mid-Summer that I realized that I needed to place my focus on my mental health and well-being. My mental health journey and healing process have allowed me to achieve a deeper and more understanding thinking of others and their situations. As a mental health survivor, I want to utilize others and my experiences to address mental health at the university. I want to stress the importance of using mental health resources and speaking to others about their issues. Doing so will help prevent many situations such as mine. In addition, there are many organizations that I can promote that are places for students to express their emotions and well-being. Through the promotion of mental health across campus and the creation of a safe place, students will be shown that they are not alone during times of distress.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. My parents' efforts to provide for my family have led to their financial stability and freedom. Their financial status has allowed me to participate in opportunities that others may not have, and it allowed me to place my focus on my secondary education. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a collegestudent, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. My parents' efforts to provide for my family have led to their financial stability and freedom. Their financial status has allowed me to participate in opportunities that others may not have, and it allowed me to place my focus on my secondary education. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a collegestudent, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of an education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a college student, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. Furthermore, I want to make my family proud as they have provided for me to succeed in academia and my future career. My success will allow me to give back to those who have done so much for me. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business to attain a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I presented myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as an MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. To tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed. To enhance my journey through academia and these goals, thescholarship will provide me with assistance in participating in study abroad programs and opportunities in marketing and will allow me to further my focus on my studies.

My personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of an education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a college student, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. Furthermore, I want to make my family proud as they have provided for me to succeed in academia and my future career. My success will allow me to give back to those who have done so much for me. As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business to attain a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I presented myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as an MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. To tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed. To enhance my journey through academia and these goals, the Hyacinth Malcolm Memorial Scholarship will provide me with assistance in participating in study abroad programs and opportunities in marketing and will allow me to further my focus on my studies.

This past school year was extremely hard for me as I battled with many mental health issues. As an incoming freshman, I did not know what to expect at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I became quickly involved, joining numerous organizations and excelling in academics. In addition, I was working over twenty hours a week. As the second semester came, I became tired and my mind started to race. I quickly became into a severe depression. I struggled to get out of bed and skipped many of my classes. My social battery also diminished and I became extremely anxious in all social situations. These symptoms continued through the school year and carried over to the Summer. It was not until the Summer when my fraternity brother took my life that I began to seek help and speak publicly about my issues. Through all of the trauma, I continued to exert my energy toward school and work. It was not until mid-Summer that I realized that I needed to place my focus on my mental health and well-being. My mental health journey and healing process have allowed me to achieve a deeper and more understanding thinking of others and their situations. As a mental health survivor, I want to utilize others and my experiences to address mental health at the university. I want to stress the importance of using mental health resources and speaking to others about their issues. Doing so will help prevent many situations such as mine. In addition, there are many organizations that I can promote that are places for students to express their emotions and well-being. Through the promotion of mental health across campus and the creation of a safe place, students will be shown that they are not alone during times of distress. I use many strategies to maintain my mental health. I have found that opening my mind to the world around me through reading and meditation through Christianity allowed me to become peaceful. In addition, I began to use my resources in counseling and medication. These resources have allowed me to reduce stress. I also began to speak about my mental health by finding a safe environment with my family and friends. Through my support system and resources, I have found that I am able to complete everyday activities and participate in my enjoyed hobbies. Moreover, my support system allowed me to find the love I need to move forward.

This past school year was extremely hard for me as I battled with many mental health issues. As an incoming freshman, I did not know what to expect at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I became quickly involved, joining numerous organizations and excelling in academics. In addition, I was working over twenty hours a week. As the second semester came, I became tired and my mind started to race. I quickly became into a severe depression. I struggled to get out of bed and skipped many of my classes. My social battery also diminished and I became extremely anxious in all social situations. These symptoms continued through the school year and carried over to the Summer. It was not until the Summer when my fraternity brother took my life that I began to seek help and speak publicly about my issues. Through all of the trauma, I continued to exert my energy toward school and work. It was not until mid-Summer that I realized that I needed to place my focus on my mental health and well-being. My mental health journey and healing process have allowed me to achieve a deeper and more understanding thinking of others and their situations. As a mental health survivor, I want to utilize others and my experiences to address mental health at the university. I want to stress the importance of using mental health resources and speaking to others about their issues. Doing so will help prevent many situations such as mine. In addition, there are many organizations that I can promote that are places for students to express their emotions and well-being. Through the promotion of mental health across campus and the creation of a safe place, students will be shown that they are not alone during times of distress. I use many strategies to maintain my mental health. I have found that opening my mind to the world around me through reading and meditation through Christianity allowed me to become peaceful. In addition, I began to use my resources in counseling and medication. These resources have allowed me to reduce stress. I also began to speak about my mental health by finding a safe environment with my family and friends. Through my support system and resources, I have found that I am able to complete everyday activities and participate in my enjoyed hobbies. Moreover, my support system allowed me to find the love I need to move forward. As a result of my mental health, my personal and professional aspirations are driven by many values that influence me. I aspire to complete college financially stable and with the ability to provide for my family. My parents' efforts to provide for my family have led to their financial stability and freedom. Their financial status has allowed me to participate in opportunities that others may not have, and it allowed me to place my focus on my secondary education. In addition, financial stability illustrates the benefits of education and how an education will allow me the ability to provide for my family. These two aspects drive my ambitions as I want to be able to provide for my family to produce opportunities to enhance their life through education. In addition, financial stability will create less stress creating a healthy environment for my family and me. As a college student, my financial stability is unsteady, causing me to realize that I want more for my family financially. Furthermore, I want to make my family proud as they have provided for me to succeed in academia and my future career. My success will allow me to give back to those who have done so much for me.

This past school year was extremely hard for me as I battled with many mental health issues. As an incoming freshman, I did not know what to expect at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I became quickly involved, joining numerous organizations and excelling in academics. In addition, I was working over twenty hours a week. As the second semester came, I became tired and my mind started to race. I quickly became into a severe depression. I struggled to get out of bed and skipped many of my classes. My social battery also diminished and I became extremely anxious in all social situations. These symptoms continued through the school year and carried over to the Summer. It was not until the Summer when my fraternity brother took my life that I began to seek help and speak publicly about my issues. Through all of the trauma, I continued to exert my energy toward school and work. It was not until mid-Summer that I realized that I needed to place my focus on my mental health and well-being. My mental health journey and healing process have allowed me to achieve a deeper and more understanding thinking of others and their situations. As a mental health survivor, I want to utilize others and my experiences to address mental health at the university. I want to stress the importance of using mental health resources and speaking to others about their issues. Doing so will help prevent many situations such as mine. In addition, there are many organizations that I can promote that are places for students to express their emotions and well-being. Through the promotion of mental health across campus and the creation of a safe place, students will be shown that they are not alone during times of distress. I use many strategies to maintain my mental health. I have found that opening my mind to the world around me through reading and meditation through Christianity allowed me to become peaceful. In addition, I began to use my resources in counseling and medication. These resources have allowed me to reduce stress. I also began to speak about my mental health by finding a safe environment with my family and friends. Through my support system and resources, I have found that I am able to complete everyday activities and participate in my enjoyed hobbies. Moreover, my support system allowed me to find the love I need to move foward.

As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.

As a student in the College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have had ample opportunities to further my educational and professional goals through scholarships, international exposure, and participation in highly recognized student organizations. I have joined numerous student organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), AMAze, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Greg and Lisa Smith Global Leadership Scholars (GLS), and the Executive Leadership Council (ELC). Within these student organizations, specifically AMAze, I participated in the marketing of Weigel's, a local gas station, and IT4e, a local technology consulting company. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated has allowed me to grow in aspects of many aspects of leadership through organizational events and conferences. The fraternity also allows me to provide people with ample opportunities in community service. In addition, GLS and ELC have allowed me to enhance my professional goals through exposure to numerous businesses, executives, and like-minded students. I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in international business with the goal of attaining a role in a Fortune 500 company at an executive level. To achieve this goal, I plan to make the most of all international experiences through the GLS program where I will intern in London during the Spring 2024 semester. International experiences such as this will introduce me to global business operations and enhance my marketing education by offering opportunities to learn various aspects of marketing and conducting business in global environments. Learning international business and marketing skills through coursework and internships will contribute to making me more marketable and better prepare me for my career. Furthermore, I will be able to present myself in front of over 20 business executives at the ELC symposium in October. Post graduation, I plan to pursue a Master in Business Administration (MBA) and a career that centers on international business and marketing. Moreover, international business collateral from the Smith GLS program will provide me with additional knowledge for the workplace and higher-level classroom engagement such as MBA. Through a career in marketing and international business, I desire to diversify the marketing industry and the percentage of African Americans in executive or leadership positions. This comes as both occupations produce under ten percent of African Americans in those positions in their respective field. In order to tackle this systematic obstacle, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to achieve a goal in an industry that is not designed for People of Color to succeed.