“Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.” This quote from our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) perfectly encapsulates the emphasis on furthering one’s education in our Deen. Every action we should take should be to please our Rabb and to follow in the footsteps of our Prophet (peace be upon him). Thus, it is imperative for us as Muslims to further our education and deepen our knowledge. Hailing from a Pakistani background, hard work and dedication is something that has been instilled in me from a very young age. This scholarship will help me greatly as I continue to enrich my knowledge in university and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him). We have been told in the first 5 verses of Surah Al-’Alaq the value of education to our Rabb. To quote directly, “Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created – Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, He Who taught (the use of) the pen, Taught man that which he knew not” [Quran, 96:1-5]. As Muslims, we must serve our Lord and we have received a direct commandment from Him that education is one of the best ways to do so– to show our gratitude toward Him. My identity as a Muslim motivates me to further my education wherever I go in life. My Pakistani heritage has helped me understand the importance of hard work and diligence in all facets of life. Both of these combine to give me a rich appreciation of the pursuit of knowledge in life. In my selected career path of Artificial Intelligence, I already know how I am going to fulfill the Islamic virtues of charity and giving to those in need. Working with local institutes like libraries to help community members to become more tech literate, helping local homeless shelters automate their backend operations to better help those in need– these are just a couple examples of what I plan on doing. One project, in particular, I am very excited to work on is a free, interactive, online AI Islamic scholar to help Muslims, new and old, further understand the Deen and get closer to our Rabb. Unfortunately, however, financial roadblocks stand in the way of my fulfilling these aspirations. College has gotten increasingly expensive, and that's where this scholarship comes in. This scholarship is not just an investment in my career goals, it is an investment into both the local and larger Muslim community. This scholarship will ease the financial burden and allow me to focus on studying both for university and the Deen. Without this scholarship, it would be much more difficult for me to reach my goals both academically and spiritually. As Muslims, we have been taught both by our Rabb and our Prophet (peace be upon him) that the pursuit of knowledge is one of the most important we can make in our lives. With this scholarship and the help of our Lord, I will be able to fulfill my aspirations and go on to do great things with my career. We as Muslims should always strive to increase our knowledge and help others in need, and this scholarship will help me do both.

I wake up on a hard, cold, wooden floor, my back stiff as ever and my neck barely being propped up by a tiny cushion. I open my eyes and take a deep breath, rolling over to see an empty gap where my father sleeps beside me, and my mother and sister on the other side of it, restlessly asleep. The emerging sunrise shines through the window, dousing the tiny living room in a light orange hue. Closing my eyes, I pray to whoever’s listening to help us out. A fan would be nice. An actual pillow, too. Anywhere out of my aunty’s already cramped apartment, barring me and 3 other people sleeping on the floor every night. My mother always tells me to be grateful for what we have, because there’s someone else out there who has less. I know it’s true, but sometimes it’s just hard to believe it could be any worse than this. That was my reality for a summer which felt like an eternity. It was 2009, during the great financial crisis. I spent every day waking up on the floor, quickly forking down what little my aunty could spare for us, and just wandering around Queens with my mother and sister while my father scraped together whatever he could working at a bodega. Coming from a background like that, I know what it’s like to struggle. I know the pain of going to bed hungry. I know the difficulty of sleeping on the floor in a congested, cramped apartment in the middle of June with barely any AC. I’ve always invested in volunteering because of this hardship at such a young age. I’ve joined my local school chapter of the National Honor Society, and attend as many service opportunities as I can. I volunteer with homeless shelters, food drives, senior living facilities, among many more. Whenever I can, I donate food and clothes to local shelters. Being in such proximity to people who are still currently struggling on a regular basis has shaped my mindset greatly. I understand that even though I have made it through those tough times, there are still many people in my local community who are still sleeping on the floor, with a cushion, their backs stiff as ever. It’s for this reason I devote myself to helping them wherever I can. Regardless of my sleeping conditions, however, I must emphasize the cost of college. It’s a behemoth many students across the country, myself included, face. I need all the help I can get with financing my scholarship. Even with student loans, there’s a good chunk I need to pay out of pocket for my tuition. And that’s not even to mention books, dorming, etc. This scholarship will help me tremendously in pursuing my higher education and getting the career of my dreams. I plan on using my career in computer science to help out those in need, as well. Whether it be through improving tech literacy in my community, or something like helping homeless shelters with their bookkeeping, I plan to use my education to help others. Through my experiences, I understand there are others going through worse, and have devoted myself to helping them out wherever I can. I plan to use my education to do this, and this scholarship will help propel it. This scholarship will help me greatly in pursuing my goals and propel my love of volunteering to greater heights.

Waking up on the cold hard floor, stomach churning and groaning, my legs stiff as planks, I know too well what it’s like to not have enough. I’ve gone many starved and restless nights, and now that I am more fortunate in my circumstances, I want to help others in similar situations that I was in. Knowing what it’s like to not have a place to sleep, food to eat, any peace of mind– that is what inspires me to volunteer in my community. I sacrifice my own time for those in need, because I don’t want them to hurt as bad as I did. I was 5 years old, and my father had just lost his job. It was during the recession, and because of that we basically ended up selling everything we had to stay afloat. This led to us staying at my aunt’s already cramped apartments at night, and just walking around New York during the day. My father got a job at a bodega, and that was the only source of income we had at the time. I still remember it clearly– my sister had won an iPod Nano at her school raffle and had loaded it up with Coldplay’s first 3 albums. I remember walking around, sharing a pair of earbuds with her, looking up at the tall skyscrapers, wondering in awe how people got up so high. At this time, we were basically living off of 7 bucks on the hour, and as such there wasn’t much food to go around. Whatever my aunt could scrounge together for our breakfast and dinner was all we had to eat– usually just ramen. Every night I went to bed starving, hoping one day we’d be able to eat in the restaurants we passed by every single day. Now, 13 years later, I’ve come full circle. I work diligently in my community with my local leaders to help out wherever I can. I try to attend as many National Honor Society community service opportunities that my school provides, as well as volunteering on my own time. I’ve helped out with hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and many more places. I’ve devoted so much of my time to those in need because I know how tough it can be. I’ve felt the hunger and the despair. I’ve felt all these things and I don’t want anyone else to have to experience them either. That is why I work so hard to help those in my community.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye for computer science. It’s that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. In high school, I took classes and joined clubs for programming. In college, I plan on majoring in computer science, and later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a living out of developing it. In all 4 years of my high school career, I’ve gone out of my way to participate in all facets of computer science my school offered. I’ve taken all the AP classes, joined all the clubs, and even participated in a competition here and there! Taking my first proper computer science class in sophomore year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. No longer was I limited to just YouTube tutorials and online articles 10 years out of date. Now I had an entire classroom and teacher guiding me through my passion. During our classwork, I could collaborate with other students and learn from them as well. I could ask the teacher for help with my projects, as well. The whole class experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of computer science. Beyond learning JavaScript, I went on to learn Java and HTML in my junior and senior years and continue to refine my skills every day. I thoroughly enjoy working on personal projects and learning all there is to know about computer science and programming. In college, I’ve decided to major in computer science and am aiming to complete a master’s degree in software engineering. I know it’ll be more rigorous than my high school classes, but with a life’s preparation behind me, I’m more than confident in my ability to not only survive but also thrive in a college-level comp-sci environment. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I wholeheartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I do not doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. All in all, I believe that my passion and continued learning of computer science will lend me great success in my future in the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career in technology. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship will help me immensely with that goal.

Not knowing when my next meal would come, where I’d be sleeping that night, and even if I’d be able to fall asleep. All of these issues plagued my mind as I walked down the alleyways of Queens. I was 5 years old, and my father had just lost his job. It was during the recession, and because of that, we ended up selling everything we had to stay afloat. This led to us staying at my aunt’s already cramped apartments at night and just walking around New York during the day. My father got a job at a bodega, and that was the only source of income we had at the time. I still remember it clearly– my sister had won an iPod Nano at her school raffle and had loaded it up with Coldplay’s first 3 albums. I remember walking around, sharing a pair of earbuds with her, looking up at the tall skyscrapers, wondering in awe how people got up so high. At this time, we were living off of 7 bucks on the hour, and as such there wasn’t much food to go around. Whatever my aunt could scrounge together for our breakfast and dinner was all we had to eat– usually just ramen. Every night I went to bed starving, hoping one day we’d be able to eat in the restaurants we passed by every single day. It was during the summertime too, so it wasn’t like me and my sisters could go to school and eat there, either. Every night I stared up at the ceiling from the cold, hard, wooden floor and listened as the clock went tick, tick, tick. I got used to it, eventually. Sometimes I’d hear my dad come home with my uncle late at night, I’m guessing my uncle drove him to and from work. I always wondered how he could work so hard– working all day, every day –without getting tired. Now, 13 years later, I’ve come to understand that it was all for us. He worked so diligently to make sure we had some financial stability in such unstable times. He was working to get us some food on the table. He wanted us to go back to normalcy. My mother always reminded us to be grateful for what we had– even if it wasn’t much at all. There was always someone sitting on the corner of the block begging in the heat with a cardboard tent as his house, while we had 4 corners and a roof. We had eventually saved up enough to where we could live in our apartment. A cramped little studio apartment with 1 mattress and 1 sofa, our living conditions were… livable. Still, my mother told me to be extremely grateful that we even had a mattress, since we were sleeping on the floor just weeks before. Now, I have not only my own bed but my own room, too. I feel that ever since then, I’ve always known that no matter what happens, whatever life throws my way, I can always overcome it. It was through my parents’ determination to get back on their feet and foster a better life for us that I learned what true hard work and will are in the face of even the worst adversities.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye for computer science. It’s that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. In high school, I took classes and joined clubs for programming. In college, I plan on majoring in computer science, and later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a living out of developing it. In all 4 years of my high school career, I’ve gone out of my way to participate in all facets of computer science my school offered. I’ve taken all the AP classes, joined all the clubs, and even participated in a competition here and there! Taking my first proper computer science class in sophomore year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. Beyond learning JavaScript, I went on to learn Java and HTML in my junior and senior years and continue to refine my skills every day. In college, I’ve decided to major in computer science and am aiming to complete a master’s degree in software engineering. I know it’ll be more rigorous than my high school classes, but with a life’s preparation behind me, I’m more than confident in my ability to not only survive but also thrive in a college-level comp-sci environment. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I wholeheartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I do not doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. I believe that this scholarship will help me greatly with my goal of getting a degree in software engineering. It’s with this degree that I will kickstart my career. All in all, I believe that my passion and continued learning of computer science will lend me great success in my future in the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career in technology. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship will help me immensely with that goal.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye for computer science. It’s that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. I’ve also always tried to help those less fortunate than me wherever I can. In the future, I plan on developing technologies that help others in my community and the world at large. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I wholeheartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I do not doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. Throughout my high school career, I’ve been involved in the National Honor Society, being an active member participating in community service opportunities all across my county. I’ve always been taught to “give even when you don’t have”, and joining the NHS was a great opportunity for me to give back to my community and help those in need. It’s been a great learning opportunity as I’ve gone across different cities and helped people less fortunate than I am. Through the NHS I’ve participated in countless opportunities including creating care packages for local homeless shelters, donating food for local food drives, and even helping set up technology for local low-tech areas. It was only with the NHS that I was able to exercise my passion for devoting my time to those who need the most help, as well as my passion for computer science. In the future, I intend on merging these two through my career in CS. I plan on pioneering tech literacy in my community and furthering the advancement of tech in low-income areas around me. By furthering my education in the field of CS, I can create technologies to further my goals in philanthropy. All in all, I believe that my passion and continued education in computer science will lend me great success in my future in the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career in technology. I believe that my calling in life is to combine my two passions of computer science and philanthropy, and this scholarship will help me immensely with that goal.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye to computer science. It’s from that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. In high school, I took classes and joined clubs for programming. In college I plan on majoring in computer science, and later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a life out of developing it. In all 4 years of my high school career, I’ve gone out of my way to participate in all facets of computer science my school offered. I’ve taken all the AP classes, joined all the clubs, even participated in a competition here and there! Taking my first proper computer science class in sophomore year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. No longer was I limited to just YouTube tutorials and online articles 10 years out of date. Now I had an entire classroom and teacher guiding me through my passion. During our classwork, I could collaborate with other students and learn from them as well. I could ask the teacher for help with my projects, as well. The whole class experience really opened my eyes to the possibilities of computer science. Beyond learning JavaScript, I went on to learn Java and HTML in my junior and senior years and continue to refine my skills every day. I thoroughly enjoy working on personal projects and learning all there is to know about computer science and programming. In college, I’ve decided to major in computer science and am aiming to complete a master’s degree in software engineering. I know it’ll be more rigorous than my high school classes, but with a life’s preparation behind me, I’m more than confident in my ability to not only survive, but also thrive in a college level comp-sci environment. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I whole-heartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I have no doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. All in all, I believe that my passion and continued learning of computer science will lend me great success in my future with the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career off of in technology. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship will help me immensely with that goal.

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”, this quote from JFK perfectly exemplifies my 11th-grade U.S. history teacher Mr. Carter, whom I believe is the most impactful teacher I’ve ever had in my life. His class sparked my love for history and he helped me find a passion I never knew I had before. He was also the president of the National Honor Society chapter at my school, and it was with his guidance that I was able to give back to my community through volunteering service. Mr. Carter continues to and will always have a lasting impact on my life, and stands as a role model for me to model myself after. I've never been overly fond of social studies. Geography had too many places to know, and history had too many dates—just way too much memorization for me. When I walked into Mr. Carter’s 2nd period U.S. history class on the first day of junior year, however, I could feel it would be different. He greeted us with a warm smile sitting at his desk, and it was obvious that this would not be a normal class. What transpired over the next two semesters was nothing short of life-changing. His engaging yet laid-back approach to teaching showed me that learning doesn’t have to just be worksheets and lectures, it could be fun! The way he would ask us engaging questions and have regular Kahoot competitions in the classroom never failed to excite us about learning, even on the bleakest of Monday mornings. Even something like the Tariff of Abominations could seem like the most earth-shattering thing to ever occur with Mr. Carter. Sometimes I’d even come in for lunch just to clear something up or talk to him about history with him, and he’d always gladly oblige. It’s because of Mr. Carter that I’ve become so fascinated with history, and will continue being a lifelong learner in the field. Mr. Carter wasn’t only the best history teacher at our school, he was also the president of the National Honor Society chapter. Up until that point I didn’t see the point of it, just getting my 15 hours each semester and leaving it at that. It wasn’t until I met Mr. Carter that I realized the importance of volunteering and giving back to my local community. It was through him that I learned about different volunteering opportunities around the local area and was able to give back to my community. Some of my favorite volunteering opportunities included making care packages for the local homeless shelter, donating items for food drives, and cleaning up local parks with my peers. It showed me there were ways that I could help those less fortunate than me, and fostered a greater connection to my community. It was a great experience and I strive to volunteer and give back to my community every day. Without Mr. Carter, my eyes wouldn’t have ever opened up to what volunteering is really about. All in all, Mr. Carter had a great impact on my life and will continue to in the future. He opened my eyes up to a new interest I never knew I had before– history. He also opened up my eyes to the possibilities of volunteering and giving back to one’s community through continued service. I believe that of all the teachers I’ve had in my life, Mr. Carter has been the most impactful, and will continue to be for a very, very long time.

"And if you have a minute, why don't we go somewhere only we know", Keane's Somewhere Only We Know on their debut album Hopes and Fears has always held a special place in my heart. It's a song about longing for someone you've lost, feeling nostalgic for the times you spent together, and wanting to relive it one last time. The song connects with me since I've lost people I love throughout my life and every time I listen to the song it connects me with them. I just want to be with them one last time, to relive the memories I had with them, and to share another moment with them. The song captures this feeling of nostalgia and yearning for the past perfectly, combining all the musical elements into a very melancholy but heartfelt piece. It has and always will hold a special place in my heart. To me, this song has the most important message of them all.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye to computer science. It’s from that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. In high school, I took classes and joined clubs for programming. In college I plan on majoring in computer science, and later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a life out of developing it. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I whole-heartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I have no doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. I believe that my passion and continued learning of computer science will lend me great success in my future with the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career in technology. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship will help me with that goal.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye to computer science. Later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. My faith in Islam and being Muslim has also helped me carve my way through life’s obstacles and triumphs. My faith in the Most Merciful has never wavered and I know His plan is what will allow me to be triumphant in my goals. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a life out of developing it, Inshallah. In all 4 years of my high school career, I’ve gone out of my way to participate in all facets of computer science my school offered. I’ve taken all the AP classes, joined all the clubs, even participated in a competition here and there! Taking my first proper computer science class in sophomore year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. I thoroughly enjoy working on personal projects and learning all there is to know about computer science and programming. In college, I’ve decided to major in computer science and am aiming to complete a master’s degree in software engineering. I know it’ll be more rigorous than my high school classes, but with a life’s preparation behind me, I’m more than confident in my ability to not only survive, but also thrive in a college level comp-sci environment. I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I whole-heartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I have no doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. I am also active in my community through service and attending prayers at my local mosque as often as I can. I am part of the National Honor Society at my school, and participate in community service opportunities as often as I can. Some examples of my service are donating food for food drives, creating care packages (boxes with food and toiletries) for local homeless shelters, participating in local park cleanup efforts, among much, much more. On Fridays, my school hosts a Jummah prayer in the gym, which I attend every week. Almost everyday I attend my local mosque for Fajr and Isha, as those are the only times I am able to drive to the mosque myself. To me, being a Muslim is a way of life– of virtue, charity, and honor. I am grateful to be brought into the light of the Ummah from birth and will continue cherishing it for the rest of my life. All in all, I believe that my passion and the help of the Most Merciful will lend me great success in my future. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience and faith will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship, along with my faith, will help me immensely with that goal.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been fascinated by technology. Whether it be looking through the innards of the family computer, reading articles online about new tech, or just creating rudimentary programs in online coding sites as a kid, I’ve always held a keen eye to computer science. It’s from that curiosity that sparked my passion for tech. In high school, I took classes and joined clubs for programming. In college I plan on majoring in computer science, and later on, I plan on having a career in software engineering. I’ve always loved technology, and plan to make a life out of developing it. In all 4 years of my high school career, I’ve gone out of my way to participate in all facets of computer science my school offered. I’ve taken all the AP classes, joined all the clubs, even participated in a competition here and there! Taking my first proper computer science class in sophomore year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. No longer was I limited to just YouTube tutorials and online articles 10 years out of date. Now I had an entire classroom and teacher guiding me through my passion. During our classwork, I could collaborate with other students and learn from them as well. I could ask the teacher for help with my projects, as well. The whole class experience really opened my eyes to the possibilities of computer science. Beyond learning JavaScript, I went on to learn Java and HTML in my junior and senior years and continue to refine my skills every day. I thoroughly enjoy working on personal projects and learning all there is to know about computer science and programming. In college, I’ve decided to major in computer science and am aiming to complete a master’s degree in software engineering. I know it’ll be more rigorous than my high school classes, but with a life’s preparation behind me, I’m more than confident in my ability to not only survive, but also thrive in a college level comp-sci environment. As per my college goals of getting a master's in software engineering, I’ve set my crosshairs on getting a career in computer programming as well. My entire life I’ve been passionate about programming and technology, and I whole-heartedly believe – even know – that I will thrive in a professional environment centered around my passion. Whether it be at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, or even my very own business, I have no doubt in my mind that I will succeed wherever I may go. My childhood curiosity and passion for creating programs and for technology will no doubt lend me a great advantage in whatever I choose to pursue as my career. All in all, I believe that my passion and continued learning of computer science will lend me great success in my future with the field. My past, present, and future schooling lays a great foundation for me to build a career off of in technology. As I begin my college journey into computer science, I believe my prior experience will help me greatly in pursuing the career of my dreams. Since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do something with technology, and this scholarship will help me immensely with that goal.

Helping an elderly person cross the street. Putting a dollar or two in a homeless man's cup. Putting your shopping carts back in the cart corral. To me, having integrity is more than just big picture, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Making one honorable life-changing decision pales in comparison to a life full of smaller, frequent honorable decisions. I believe that a life full of kindness and integrity is the most fulfilling kind of life. I always strive to be kind wherever I can. Whether that means sacrificing what I want in the interest of others, or just holding the door open for someone. Living a life of integrity is doing the right thing even if no one knows about it. I volunteer in my community often, spending my time helping those in need. Whether that be through helping pack food for food pantries with my friends, going out to clean up parks, or just giving to someone less fortunate than I am, I always strive to give back to my local community. It's in these smaller actions that I find the most fulfillment and honor. Sure, I could donate my entire life's savings to a single charity, but what then? What about everyone else who needs help? I believe that a life most fulfilling and honorable is one with small acts of kindness and integrity. Even something as simple as helping an elderly person cross the street.