I’m a hacker. I was sitting at my desk learning my first programming language - Python. It was another normal day for me as an online student, always ready to learn and experiment. That day, my programming instructor shared a video of him in college. The video, filmed in the 1980s, showed him and a group of his robotics engineering friends “sneaking into” a graduation ceremony with a robot that was programmed to harmlessly blow up in the middle of an important speech. This clever prank demonstrated the skills and aptitude that he and his friends had developed throughout the course of their education. It displayed their enthusiasm for technology and the ever-evolving field. Most of all, it inspired me to grow my own hacking and tinkering skills. As a web development student, I have the opportunity to improve web experiences through design and code. I can endlessly tinker with a problem until I achieve an original, amazing solution. In the fall of 2024, I took this to a new level by working as a web designer intern for a software development team. Throughout my internship, my colleagues consistently complimented my curiosity and my desire to go above and beyond. It all started with a design meeting. A feature in the company’s web application was causing accessibility and usability issues. The software developers needed a new way to improve user experience without spending a significant amount of time making extensive code changes. As a new intern, I was nervous to share my ideas, but I took a deep breath and spoke up. I suggested that instead of removing the feature or completely changing it, we limit it with a different solution. I knew that it was up to me to solve the user experience problem. I spent the next week pouring over my designs, refining my unique idea. To me, I was simply doing what I love doing - tinkering. I love experimenting with different options, constantly improving upon the latest version. However, my colleagues were absolutely delighted with my designs. They were so grateful for the effort I put into them and for the innovative solution I presented. In that moment, I knew having hacking/tinkering skills was special. These skills helped me invent a new solution to a complex problem that no one had thought of before. They encouraged me to maintain a deep curiosity and a love for helping others even when challenges arose. Now, I’m the go-to person when my colleagues need new ideas or a “hacker spirit” to solve the problem. They know I don’t take the word “impossible” as an answer. Instead, I invent new solutions. In the future, I hope to continue to use these invaluable skills in a generous way. I aim to make a difference in my community, always being ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.

A year ago, I identified a problem that I’m sure many first-year college students experience when enrolling in my local community college. There were so many expenses involved with obtaining a college education; it was difficult to estimate how much a semester was actually going to cost after accounting for tuition, books, transportation, rent, and other related expenses. So, as a first-year web development student, using my limited coding knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I set my mind on creating a comprehensive college cost calculator that would solve this expense estimation problem for current and future students. At the time, I had only been learning JavaScript for about eight weeks, but I had ambition and a goal I desperately wanted to achieve. I watched many video tutorials on YouTube and analyzed code documentation, learning how to write clean code that retrieves numbers inputted by the user, uses functions to calculate them efficiently, and displays the answers in a visually pleasing way for the user to see. I wanted the calculator web app to not only function well but also result in a positive user experience for potentially stressed students. I knew this calculator had to be simple. I didn’t have the knowledge that professional software developers gain through years of experience, but I knew some JavaScript, and I held a deep desire for helping others who are struggling. Those were enough to fuel a burning passion for bringing this calculator to life. This passion allowed me to overcome coding errors, design challenges, and feelings of inadequacy. In addition to solving a problem, this project was also completed for an independent study assignment. The assignment was broad: to create something that I would be proud to show to future employers using the skills I had already obtained throughout the semester. I wasn’t satisfied with the skills I already had; I wanted to grow further and become better. Programming a calculator in JavaScript was a project that definitely progressed my coding skills and my personal development more than I could have ever imagined. The end result was incredible to me. The calculator was fully functional and looked like a tool that could actually be used by the college. My instructor requested my permission to share my project with the marketing team so she could ask them if it was a resource they would be interested in implementing for real. Hearing this request and being told my project had the potential to actually help other students was an extremely rewarding experience. This project is the exact reason why technology inspires me. I created something amazing out of a seemingly insignificant “what if” idea. I barely had any JavaScript experience, but with a growth mindset, I was able to create a calculator that solves a real-life problem. More than anything, this project gave me the confidence I needed to enroll in a Computer Science program, a place with endless learning opportunities. It helped me overcome feelings of insecurity, and it showed me the lasting impact I can make in my community when I believe in myself and push myself to grow.

Hello! My name is Kayla Marcus. I live in a small town in west-central Minnesota. I’m studying website design and development through a computer science degree at Concordia University, St. Paul’s College of Business and Technology. Growing up, my parents always pushed my siblings and me to obtain a higher education. They both grew up in working class families, spending their childhood and teenage years working on dairy farms as their family’s livelihood. Although their families didn’t have much money, they both worked hard to be able to attend a community college and receive some sort of higher education. I want to follow in their footsteps and go beyond by obtaining a 4-year degree. I plan to use the scholarship to pay for a portion of my college expenses. I plan to use it as a reminder that the scholarship committee believes in my ability to make an impact using my education, and I plan to exceed expectations through my education. Currently, I hold a 4.0 GPA in my current web development program at Ridgewater College in Willmar, MN. I have been fortunate in receiving scholarships to relieve financial costs, so I am able to focus my time and energy on learning. My work and positive attitude is praised by my instructors weekly, and I attribute this work ethic and attitude to those who supported me financially through scholarships. This financial support will contribute to my academic goals by enabling me to continue growing my skills. It will allow me to help small businesses through e-commerce websites or digital marketing. It will also contribute to my personal development by honing my love for learning and commitment to excellence. My love for learning and commitment to exceeding expectations are two reasons why I love my chosen field. In website design and development, there is always something new to learn, and just like many other business-related degrees, there is always someone new to help. When it comes to reaching client goals, I’m adamant about going above and beyond. These passions are what drove me to this field and what maintains my passionate mindset. I want to use this passion to improve the digital presence of a variety of small businesses, including those in the beauty industry. There are many beauty businesses in my local area that do amazing work, but they lack a strong online community. They rely on word-of-mouth to maintain business. I would love to create affordable websites for these small business owners so they can grow their business and reach a multitude of clients. I hope to have an incredible impact on them just like my education and the financial support of scholarship donors have had on me.

I have two older sisters who started reading before I could even talk, but it wasn’t long before I joined them. I have always felt a strong pull toward reading and connecting with characters who are different from me. In elementary school, I even skipped recess so I could read all about their adventures and the challenges they faced in pursuing their goals. These books from my childhood have had a significant impact on the way I understand others and view challenges in my life. The stories I read provided me with more than just hours of entertainment; they offered me deep insights into human motivations and emotions that I couldn’t find elsewhere. They shaped my perspective on the world. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from these books, especially those I read as a child, was how to understand the motivations behind people’s actions. Characters in books like Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana López and book series such as the Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix were often faced with complex challenges and emotions. As I followed the characters’ journeys, I became more aware of the motivations behind their decisions and the personal experiences that shaped their actions and personalities. Erica’s struggle to cope with her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, which led her to make promises to God, and Luke’s relentless curiosity and determination to fight for the right to live freely taught me that people’s behaviors are deeply influenced by their unique motivations, fears, and dreams. I’ve incorporated this understanding directly into my relationships and work, where I strive to appreciate the perspectives of others, especially when they differ from my own. Another important lesson I learned was the value of perseverance. In nearly every book I read, whether it was a 5-page children’s book or a 500-page fantasy, the characters faced adversity and despair, yet they always found ways to keep moving forward and learn from their past mistakes. Their strength inspired me to keep going, even when I had no friends in elementary school, and they continue to inspire me when I encounter challenges in my personal or professional life. I’ve carried this mindset with me into my journey as a web designer and developer, where learning new skills and overcoming obstacles often feels daunting and scary. Just like those characters, I remind myself that persistence can lead to growth, especially during difficult times. Books like Bridge to Terabithia also showed me the power of empathy. They helped me understand experiences and emotions I hadn’t yet encountered in my own life and aided me in dealing with the experiences I had encountered. The strong friendships and deep emotional struggles portrayed in these stories taught me how to listen and be more sensitive to the feelings of others. This empathy is a skill I rely on in my education, where understanding the needs and visions of clients is essential to delivering projects that truly resonate with them and fit their vision. The perseverance and empathy I learned from these childhood books have shaped both my goals and how I approach life’s challenges. These stories taught me to never give up, to never stop learning, and to always seek to understand others, qualities that continue to guide me today.

The first time I played Minecraft, I was 8 years old. I had spent months watching YouTubers like stampylonghead and iBallisticSquid explore the blocky world and build incredible features. The game was released for over a year before I was able to download and play it on my slow 1st generation iPad Mini. To me, the graphics and sounds were amazing. I loved seeing bubbles when swimming in the water and hearing the rumble of wood when cutting down a tree. When I think back to my first moments playing Minecraft, I instantly think of my and my siblings’ colossal goal: to build an entire town in one summer. Building creatively will always be my favorite aspect of the game. I remember problem-solving, thinking of ways to build a grocery store and a fisherman’s hut. I remember rebuilding my wool house with cobblestone after my younger brother decided to drink ‘lemonade’ that was actually a bucket of lava — he placed it on my table and burned down my entire house. I remember watching a stampylonghead ‘Lovely World’ video where he created a huge version of his cat character. My siblings and I immediately jumped on our iPads to do the exact same thing. I built Stampy, my brother built Squid, and my sister built a penguin. I remember spending a lot of time building a brick school with multiple classrooms, a swimming pool, a gym, a cafeteria, a playground, and much more. I think we played school in that building a few days before my first day of 3rd grade started. It was sad knowing that the town we worked so hard on would barely be touched in the coming months. Sadly, we never logged onto it ever again. But I will never forget those memories. I will never forget the teamwork that was required to build a huge town with only three young kids. Building in Minecraft resonates so deeply because it reminds me of that summer. It reminds me of my childhood and my siblings. It reminds me of a deep creativity that was shown through blocks and buckets of lava… I mean lemonade. Minecraft will always hold a special place in my heart. Playing this game was the first time I was in charge of my life. I decided what to build, where to build it, and what material to use. Although it seems simple, being a sandbox game made of thousands of 3D blocks, I will remember it as a powerful and nostalgic game that allowed my creativity to shine for the first time.

In the summer of 2016, my mom’s father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He works as a dairy farmer, wrangling cattle and cleaning barns, so working physically was crucial to his livelihood. The cancer was found early, and after routine surgery and radiation, he was declared healthy and returned to life as normal. I thought my family was in the clear. I was wrong. A few months later, in November 2016, an MRI scan showed a tumor wrapped around my mom’s spinal cord. Due to the severe back and neck pain she felt when doing simple activities like sitting or lying down, doctors advised it be removed. One doctor bluntly stated the surgery would cause paralysis from the waist down. This devastated my mom. Growing up on a dairy farm, she spent nearly every waking minute moving her body. Fortunately, another doctor was confident about leading the surgery, leaving minimal side effects, because he had done many in the past: about thirty. It was then that I saw my mom’s true self—a woman filled with resilience and strength. After an 8-hour surgery and during a month of intense radiation, she cooked, cleaned, exercised, and made sure her family was okay. I was 12 years old at the time. Throughout those long months, I took on a small cooking role. My mom never asked me to, and I knew she never would because of her upbringing, but I needed to help. I stepped up to teach my older sister, who completed high school online due to a mental disability. At the time, she was in 10th grade while I was in 7th, but I quickly absorbed her class material so I could guide her through the difficulties of her homework. This early experience sharpened my problem-solving skills and pushed me to find creative solutions to challenges, much like I now approach web design and development—finding intuitive ways to solve problems and make tasks easier for others. Throughout the next 8 years, it was my goal to learn as much as possible so I could help others in the future, whether it be siblings or peers. I gained a more positive outlook of learning. While my classmates complained about homework and tests, I used my energy to grow my knowledge. I learned that negativity is a useless emotion, and I consistently focused on the amazing parts of my education instead of the mundane tasks. This resulted in my teachers praising my work ethic, positivity, and passion. They thanked me for being so engaged in class and recommended me for many academic and character-based awards. My family grew closer because of this experience. One of my career goals quickly became to work locally or remotely so I can help them whenever I’m needed. Remote jobs are competitive and tough to obtain, so I need to be tougher. I need to learn many skills to fight in this competitive market. Luckily, my mom taught me strength and resilience. My journey through these challenges has deeply shaped who I am today. The responsibility I took on at a young age taught me the value of resilience, problem-solving, and compassion—qualities that guide my approach to both life and my career. As I pursue my passion, I carry the lessons learned from this experience to create solutions that meet the needs of others and make their lives a little easier. My ultimate goal is to balance my career with my commitment to staying close to my family, ensuring that I can continue to support them while also making a meaningful impact on the world around me.

My name is Kayla Marcus. I am 20 years old, and I live in a small town in west-central Minnesota with my loving family of six. I am a driven web design and development student at my local community college, Ridgewater College. After graduating with my Associate of Applied Science, I plan to transfer to Concordia University, St. Paul for a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Growing up, I have always loved school. I love learning and bettering myself through education. My teachers have seen this passion and complimented it. Almost every year, they joked, “You need to watch out for Kayla. She’s a troublemaker,” because my main goal in school was always to learn. They never had to worry about keeping me on track because I always held myself accountable for participating in class, completing assignments, and giving my absolute best effort. My classmates often asked how I got such good grades and how I aced almost every test. They attributed it to “being smart,” but I attribute it to something else. My parents made it very clear that I was expected to always work hard. They both grew up on dairy farms, so this work ethic was instilled in them from a very young age, and they gave this ideology of hard work and accountability to their children - one of whom is me! One way I maintain accountability is by acting in a way that makes my parents proud. They have done more for me than I could ever express. I’m confident that I could spend my entire life showing my gratitude, but it will never reach the amount they deserve. Still, I know that holding myself accountable in my education makes them proud. A second, and more specific, way I maintain accountability is by setting goals and building a routine. Each week, I determine my top priority, and I set a goal for completing that priority. For me, building a routine is immensely helpful for achieving my goals. It gives me more time to work toward the goal rather than wasting time being unproductive or overwhelmed with trivial daily decisions. A final way I maintain accountability is by valuing feedback and keeping a positive mindset. When a peer or instructor tells me their opinion about my work, I take it to heart. If the critique is positive, I remember it and pay it forward by continuing to work hard. If the critique is negative, I take responsibility for trying to understand a perspective different from my own. I have achieved success with holding myself accountable in many different ways and times of life. In high school, I achieved a 4.0 GPA and graduated as class valedictorian. I spent many hours studying with the goal to get 100% on almost every test. I also worked toward achieving this goal by paying attention in class, asking complex questions, and helping other students learn, leading me to be known as the class tutor. In college, I maintain a 4.0 GPA by setting a weekly routine of studying, researching, and consistently communicating with my peers and instructors to better my work. My instructors compliment my work weekly. My design instructor even recommended me for professional web design work because of my positivity, work ethic, and desire for academic excellence. Personally, holding myself accountable has led me to be confident in my abilities to succeed. I have learned from experience that working hard, setting goals, building a routine, seeking feedback, and maintaining a positive outlook pushes me past any obstacles I face and allows me to face challenges head-on.

When I considered enrolling in calculus my junior year of high school, my academic counselor advised against it. She warned that the class had caused many students to experience significant stress and breakdowns. She said it was beyond tough. However, what she didn’t know was, I am tougher. To be completely honest, I never enrolled in the calculus class. At the time, I thought I was going to pursue a career in accounting, so I let the idea slip my mind. However, this experience with calculus has left a lasting impression on me. Whenever I reflect on my math background, my first thought is how I earned a 100% semester grade in College Algebra and College Trigonometry, an accomplishment that gives me great pride. My next thought is how I backed away from calculus, an experience that gives me a sense of regret. Even now, I’m uncertain if I would succeed in the class. When I think back to my strong math performance and past math grades, filled with A’s and A+’s, I feel a sense of doubt. Why do I feel so unsure that I would do well in calculus when I have done very well in previous math classes? The reason for this uncertainty can be summed up into one word: fear. This is the reason I believe calculus is important in STEM fields. While the class concepts are undeniably valuable and highly-applicable to many career areas in STEM fields, I believe the true importance of enrolling in a challenging class like this lies in confronting fear—fear of the unknown and fear of failure. The STEM field is full of uncertainties. We often find ourselves as pioneers, and failure is a common part of the process. If a STEM student graduates with a fear of uncertainty and failure, they will have a difficult time succeeding. They will be plagued by self-doubt and hesitation. Taking a challenging course like calculus can help students overcome these fears. It allows them to realize their own resilience and intelligence, teaches them how to handle failure, and emphasizes that failure is an inevitable part of trying new things. Those who never fail are often those who never push beyond their comfort zones. Although I haven’t taken a calculus class, I will be enrolling in a discrete mathematics class soon. This course is known for its complexity, and it will challenge me in new ways, encouraging my academic and personal growth. After completing this course, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I faced and overcame a significant challenge. Confronting this fear of uncertainty and failure will ultimately lead to personal triumph and growth.

Since I was young, I have always known I was going to pursue STEM. I was driven by a passion for knowledge and an intense curiosity for wanting to know as much as I could. I have always loved being involved. When my older sisters were reading chapter books, I wanted to join them even though I was only five years old. I wanted to learn how to multiply and divide as a first-grader who had just learned how to add and subtract. I always wanted to learn more. In high school, I excelled in STEM subjects. My constant curiosity encouraged growth and learning in difficult classes and pushed me to succeed, eventually leading me to graduate as class valedictorian. Throughout these years, I had multiple teachers thank me for my active participation in class and compliment my desire to learn. After graduation, I was unsure how to continue my learning. I had learned so much in my 18 years of life, from science and technology to art and teaching. I found it extremely difficult to choose one field. So, I delayed this decision until I was more prepared to make it. I didn’t want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to get a degree in a field that I didn’t love. Through my community college, I worked toward obtaining my Liberal Arts and Sciences Associate of Arts degree. I planned to complete this degree and use it to transfer to a 4-year university, effectively saving thousands of dollars by transferring my general education credits. It was at this community college where I renewed my passion for STEM, specifically in the technology field. I desired to solve tough problems like I did in math classes, innovate creatively like I did in art classes, and think critically like I did in science classes. These were desires that only STEM could offer me. I found an interest in coding and computer science, and with many hours of hard work, I became a skilled beginner in the subject. Although the class was online due to COVID-19, I actively participated in Zoom meetings and live chats. I enrolled in the college’s Web Developer program, being one of the only women to do so. I couldn’t help but notice how I was the only woman’s voice in the Zoom meetings. It felt lonely and exclusive at times. However, I believe it gave me a unique and more dedicated experience. I am introspective, constantly reflecting on my own learning and growth. This allowed me to improve quicker than many of the men in the program. Similarly, I am compassionate and empathetic. I refuse to let others struggle, so when my peers needed assistance with their code or website designs, I was quick to teach what I had already learned. I feel that this is how I can contribute to the STEM field. While I recognize that being a woman in STEM might present unique challenges, I am committed to using my dedication and skills to overcome these obstacles and succeed. Although I believe my own success is important, my compassion and love for helping others succeed is how I hope to truly make a difference in STEM. I hope to make STEM fields more inclusive and inspire other young women to do the same.

A quick Google search provides the origin story of one old yet inspiring piece of technology: “The first website was http://info.cern.ch/hypertext/WWW/TheProject.html, created by Tim Berners-Lee and launched on August 6, 1991.” While the lines of black text on a white screen are not entirely inspiring by themselves, designers, developers, and business pioneers soon imagined a vision. They imagined websites becoming pieces of art that not only informed, but also connected emotionally with their audience. These websites - for example, apple.com - give each user a personalized experience. They are filled with animations, interactive features, and 3D images. Whether the user uses a screen reader, is mentally challenged, or struggles to maintain attention, the website smoothly compensates. In addition to the artistry of websites, their impact is also inspiring. In the past, consumers were limited to the products and services in their vicinity. Now, people are free to express themselves through their purchases, regardless of their location. They can support local small businesses or small businesses halfway across the world. Websites give people a voice. They demonstrate emotions and allow those emotions to be felt millions of miles away. I must also mention the inspiring impact of purely informational websites, those that are not focused on artistry and emotional connection. These websites, like medical or news websites, encourage a feeling of safety. When used responsibly, blogs help those who are struggling to find a place where they belong. I imagine traveling back in time and telling Tim Berners-Lee the inspiring impact that websites have made. I imagine showing him the artistry, the personalization, and the voices he has given over a billion people in just 30 years. I imagine how much more evolved websites could be in the future with the integration of AI. I am confident that women and men alike will show compassion, empathy, and responsibility as they continue to use websites to make the world an even better place.

I love math because it only has one correct answer. It doesn’t leave me second-guessing my solution. There is almost always an easy way to work backward to ensure I worked out the right answer. Life isn’t like that; I can’t always be sure that my answer is the correct solution. I can’t be absolutely certain that all of the work I’m doing will end in success. Life is about hard work and a lot of chance. Math, on the other hand, is about problem-solving and patterns. Math is a puzzle to solve. It’s a jigsaw or a crossword. The question gives me all of the puzzle pieces, and it’s my responsibility to put them in the correct place. If I make a mistake, I can erase it and try again, maybe taking a new approach. Math gives me comfort. No matter what happens in my life, 2 plus 2 will always be 4 and the square root of 144 will always be 12. Numbers don’t lie; number don’t cheat; numbers will always tell the truth. I love that I can trust math. I can trust it to help me plan a course of action. I can use it to determine which way will be the quickest, which way will be the least expensive, and which way is the best overall. Math has given me problem-solving skills and logical reasoning. It has helped me stay calm in intense situations. While life isn’t anything like math, filled with uncertainties and unpredictable outcomes, math has given me the tools necessary to problem-solve and succeed in this scary, unpredictable world.

What does it mean to 'dive deeper'? Is it a waste of time to understand complex ideas when simpler ones convey just as much information? If I fear complex thoughts, does that make me a coward? According to Ludwig Wittgenstein, it does. “You could attach prices to thoughts. Some cost a lot, some cost a little. And how does one pay for thoughts? The answer, I think, is: with courage.” -Wittgenstein, Culture and Value In Ludwig Wittgenstein‘s “Culture and Value”, Wittgenstein proposes the intriguing idea that each thought that passes through the mind has a price tag associated with it. Some thoughts are costly while others are inexpensive, and some may argue, invaluable. By diving deeper into this idea, we can reflect on our daily thoughts, recognizing which are expensive and which cost only a mere penny. We can determine if we are actually shying away from deep thinking while trying to appear courageous. This metaphor challenges us to consider the value of our ideas and the price required to hold them. In this case, Wittgenstein asserts that the price is courage, implying that thinking is not a simple cognitive process, but an act of bravery. Is it too extreme to suggest that those who avoid complex thoughts are hoarding their courage, never spending a single cent on deep thinking or expressing challenging ideas? To answer that question, we need to reflect on the costs associated with complex thoughts and ideas. To think critically and against the grain often means risking security, comfort, and acceptance, sometimes within ourselves and sometimes with others. Therefore, in this context, courage is defined as the willingness to confront these risks and endure the potential consequences of our ideas. In this light, expensive thoughts are courageous acts that shape our understanding and engagement with the world. The more dangerous, uncomfortable, and unacceptable the thought, the more courage is required to conceive and express it, and it is therefore, more expensive. The next question is: can a person spend all their courage? Can they conceive and express so many complex ideas that they no longer possess any courage? I do not believe so. Unlike monetary currency, which diminishes with use, courage grows as it is spent on challenging thoughts and ideas. Those who shy away from complex ideas might appear to hold vast reserves of courage, but in reality, they might be avoiding the true cost of deep thinking. They hesitate to spend their courage on thoughts that challenge the status quo or push beyond comfort zones. These are the individuals—an inventor who fears rejection, an environmentalist who remains silent, or anyone whose heart races when expressing an honest opinion. In a moment of self-reflection, I am one of those individuals. We may all be one of those individuals. Exempting those similar to literature scholars, preachers, and philosophers, we all have simple minds. We prefer ideas we can quickly understand to those that require complex thought. We prefer security, comfort, and acceptance. We prefer to be cowards, never spending courage and never gaining more to give. In his assertion, Wittgenstein encourages us to reflect the worth of our thoughts and the courage we need to pursue them, acknowledging that the most valuable ideas often require the greatest bravery to conceive and express. I might seem a coward because philosophy is not my hobby, and I don’t study English literature. I lean toward simple ideas because, quite frankly, they are simple. Yet, I am also a dreamer—someone who dares to dream dreams that others may laugh at, and who refuses to accept the word 'impossible.' My dreams challenge me to spend courage daily, and in doing so, perhaps I’m proving that courage, like dreams, is limitless. Perhaps, after all, I’m not a coward.