"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world" - Nelson Mandela, a quote I used to see a lot of in high school. I didn't understand that quote growing up. A question I would have is how can education be a powerful tool? Another one is how can it change the world? But then years later, I have a better understanding of it all. Education opens so many doors that create opportunities not only for yourself but for others. Education is important because it shapes my future and what is in store. Education fosters personal growth by being able to think critically and solve problems. In grade 8, as I was transitioning to high school, my teacher had a meeting with my dad and me and she told me that I was to take applied courses. I didn't question it because I didn't think I was smart enough to take academics anyway. When I got home, I told my older siblings and they were furious and asked me why I took it and I said my teacher told me too. Little did I know, they said the same thing to my sisters and they had struggled to get into University because of what their teacher told them. I changed my courses to academic and behold, years later I graduated with Honours in grade 12. Just when I thought I wasn't smart enough, God had something greater in store for me. I now attend a private HBCU school, Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL and I am so proud to be at this school. It brings me so much joy inside because it's amazing to see so many well-educated people and Christ-like people who look like me. It's just amazing. This resilience has shaped my character which reminds me that I can do whatever I want, once I put my mind to it and that people's opinions of me don't matter. Phillippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is a constant reminder to me because oftentimes I get caught up in the world around me forgetting who my strength comes from. It comes from Jesus. I am also in healthcare but on the administration side and I can't wait to step out into this field of work because I want to create change in the African-American community. Resilience has shaped my character to think more positively and has certainly increased my self-confidence. I don't need outside approval to know my worth. I am so grateful for these experiences and can't wait to see what God has in store for me!

My parents inspire me to get involved in the community. From a young age, my parents always visited the sick, help the poor, help in the church, participated in school volunteering, donating to people around the world and many other things. I didn't understand why my parents did these things but of course, I had no option but to do it. I remember there was one instance when I was in Jamaica and my mom said a lady and her children needed clothes and I literally emptied my full suitcase and went home with half of my carry-on of clothes. Just seeing the smile on their faces, made me happy inside. I can only imagine how the other people felt. It's not a matter of how people feel, but knowing that someone who has less than you has something that they will now hopefully cherish. A major turning point for me was going on a mission trip to Guyana. I didn't know what to expect but I wanted to go on a mission trip to see what it was like. The goal was to bring barrels full of clothes, have Vacation Bible School, and mainly build a church. And we achieved, all that and more. We built connections and relationships with the children and the parents. It was crazy because the pastor told us that it would be about 150 children and we thought he was joking but when we got there and saw the influx of almost 300, our mind was blown. This experience was so life-changing. Once we left, I was crying so much because of how we accomplished and I was going to miss the children! There have been many volunteering things I have done during the summer and during the year. At church, I have done vacation Bible school, packing food and giving it to the community and various other things. By doing these things, it definitely helps my personal growth. It helps with building meaningful relationships, it strengthens not only the community but also myself, and boosts my self-confidence and overall lifestyle. I am so grateful that my parents did these things when I was younger because it contributes to my life now and makes me reflect on how I made a change in the lives of others either directly or indirectly. Still to this day, I am always giving back whether it is with my time, physical items, or whatever the case maybe, I am doing my best to give back. I am going to implement this into my children's lifestyle from a young age and ensure that they are involved in the community and always giving back!

Financial need wasn’t an issue until recently since COVID-19 and inflation. It did a number on my family and since then, we have been in a rut. I come from a family of 7 siblings, I live with 4 of my siblings at home with my parents. We live in an urban community with predominately white people, and it is a higher-income community whereas we are middle class. I grew up in this community and it is a great community but as I got older, it started to get harder for my parents. With inflation, that had a major impact on our finances. Coming from Canada and going to a school in another country, was especially difficult. I am the first child to go to a private school abroad in my family. I had a desire year before to attend an Adventist HBCU considering I was going to a predominately white public high school during that time. I applied to Oakwood University in 2021 and didn’t get a response until July 2022. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me. I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself but that was wrong. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. This inspired me to be in business to build something from scratch that can positively impact those around me and in my community. This could allow people jobs and an opportunity for a better life. I chose business also because I know it will thrive with how I plan on executing my business to, again help those around me. Attending Oakwood University has opened so many doors and I am so grateful for that. Being at Oakwood University and having an HBCU experience has empowered me to be destined for greatness. Being surrounded by black students who are achieving high in everything they do is empowering me and being around people like me and achieving bigger and better things is heart-warming. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration and plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I know that God has great things in store for me and it will only be possible once I put God first in everything I do.

Being an international student, regardless of your background is a challenge. Building a community is not an easy task because, at this time in their life, everyone is trying to find their way in life. I attend a school in the U.S. and am originally from Canada and there are so many things you can and mostly cannot do. The exchange rate is one of the most challenging things because often I think of what I could purchase at home with the amount of money I lose. Pursuing a degree is important because I get to increase my knowledge and skills which allow me to deepen my understanding about my chosen career. Additionally, I get to network and build connections with those around me. This can help with career growth and provide a great source of mentorship. Having a degree is helpful as it allows me to create a greater change in my community and do things at a greater level!

Mental Health has been on the rise for many years, but in recent years it’s been on a major rise. Since COVID-19 and being locked up for many days for months was not good to many. Mental health is important as it is related to our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Overall, it determines how we operate in life and how to navigate it. I believe that mental health is stigmatized in the black community as it can be traced back to slavery because of oppression and generational trauma. Many things can be done to destigmatize mental health within the Black community and enhance its accessibility. Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama has mental health days and it is a major blessing. Many students use it to catch up on homework, but I use it as the day says “Mental Health Day” and focus on myself. Often, I can get caught up in what is going on around me, especially school work and it’s nice to know that the University gives that reminder to take care of myself amidst the chaos. I believe schools should incorporate mental health days in all schools and for all ages. Another thing that can be done is to speak about mental health in the classrooms frequently. Most of our lives are spent in school and teachers have a great impact in our lives. I believe they should have professionals to talk about mental health and keep children educated and aware of their own mental health. This can be done through workshops, community events and even partnerships with trusted people. Having an increased representation of Black mental health professionals in the media, healthcare settings, and community outreach efforts helps with encouraging other black people. It helps to have relatable role models that can encourage individuals to seek help without fear of stigma and that there are great benefits to it all. To enhance its accessibility is to advocate for funding and resources for mental health resources that are affordable and easily accessible to the Black community. An example would be a community that my church is in which is called Jane and Finch this area is a low-income community, and a lot of dangerous things happen which I believe is a potential factor of why mental health could be on the rise. Having free workshops helps educate children and parents about how to help each other with their well-being. In these workshops, it should include activities that cater to their needs to help them cope. Some coping strategies could include drawing activities, taking a few breaths, knitting, sewing, exploring what their interest is and other things that allow them to express themselves. There are many other ways to destigmatize mental health within the Black community and enhance its accessibility and these are a few ways to get started.

My sister was impacted by domestic violence and it was not a pretty site. She wasn’t around family at all, her resources were limited (places she went too, her time etc), she was mentally abused, physically abused and all other types of trauma. It was upsetting to find out that years later, all this was happening and we were all unaware because she was scared to tell us and come out of the situation. Domestic violence is no joke. Many people go through it and many survive and sadly many don’t. I’m glad that my sister was able to be able to come out of the situation alive. During one of my classes in school, a presenter came into the class and told us about her story. Hearing about it, made me teary-eyed and more aware of how domestic violence could occur even in the slightest way. It made me aware of those around me and to speak up if I see anything of that nature. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those less fortunate so they can access healthcare. I plan to use my higher education to advocate for African American women who are impacted by domestic violence and substance abuse. Here are 3 things that I would do to advocate for women who have been and to reduce the percentage of women who are impacted by domestic violence: the use of technology, research and data collecting and community engagement. I would use technology as a way to enhance communication, access to resources, and support African American women who are directly impacted or not by domestic violence and substance abuse. It could include developing apps and/or online platforms that provide information, crisis intervention, and connections to services that provide help. For research and data collecting, I would aim to contribute to the body of research that specifically examines the intersectionality of race, gender, and socioeconomic factors in experiences of domestic violence and substance abuse. This research would help in recognizing effective interventions and policies that can improve outcomes. Finally, as for community engagement, I would work to build partnerships with community organizations and leaders to create outreach programs. These programs would aim to raise awareness about domestic violence and substance abuse, provide education on available resources, and empower African American women to seek help and support.

Many black leaders inspire me and it can be challenging to choose one. A black leader that inspires me is Bryan Stevenson. I recently watched Just Mercy and it was such an uplifting and inspiring movie. Throughout the movie, he knew exactly what he wanted by going to Harvard and getting his degree in law. From the beginning of the movie, he was confident in his decision to help wrongly convicted felons. When he was on his internship, you could see the dedication and determination of wanting to help others. When he had planned to move to Alabama, his mother was scared for him. Often we make decisions that family members may not like but it will make a greater change to those around us. Throughout his journey, he had help but white people continued to look down on him. Despite all that happened around him, he endured to the end and he didn't let anyone put him down. This encourages me to strive for what I want in life and that is anything I want to do. When I watch movies that involve black people, it often upsets me because we are not only deemed less than others but wrongly accused of what they have "supposedly" done. As a black woman, it is challenging to see black men and women wrongly accused. But I am so proud and happy when there are black men and women who see what happens and make a change. Not only with their words but with their actions. I learned of Bryan Stevenson in an English class that I took last year and I didn't know it was him until they portrayed the credits. Everything started to make sense. He released over 140 wrongly convicted felons and imagine, just imagine how many more wrongly convicted felons there are. When Herbert Richards was in the electric charge, it was too much to even think about. And seeing Bryan Stevenson stay there, watch the entire thing and continue to help those in need, shows a lot of his character. He continues to stay motivated and disciplined to continue to make change. This encourages me to shoot for the stars and whatever dreams and desires I have. Especially going to an HBCU pushes me to uplift and want better for myself as a black woman. I am so inspired by Bryan Stevenson and I hope one day I can make a great change in this world!

Going to a school in another country was especially difficult. I had a desire year before to attend an Adventist HBCU considering I was going to a predominately white high school during that time. I applied to Oakwood University in 2021 and didn’t get a response until July 2022. When I got the call, I was in tears and so was my family. It was a dream come true. Now the process of getting there was a challenge, but God saw it fit and He made a way through every time. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me. I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself but that was wrong. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. This scholarship will help me to graduate from university with a degree and will allow me to worry less about finances and focus on schoolwork. Education has brought value to me by enhancing me as a person, it has allowed me to surround myself with like-minded people and people who also have experience in education and it allows me to look forward to the future. Being at Oakwood University and having an HBCU experience has empowered me to be destined for greatness. Being surrounded by black students who are achieving high in everything they do is empowering me and being around people like me and achieving bigger and better things is heart-warming. This has positively impacted me because I was and still can create lifelong relationships and friendships with others while creating a firm relationship with Jesus. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I plan to start this while doing my master’s in healthcare. I find that this will benefit people as some people in America may not have full access to healthcare. It can start with having a few pop-up clinics to check on people and ensure their health is good. I also would like to go into schools and have informative healthcare sessions and check-ins with the students. With my degree, I plan to make a change in America's healthcare system and allow everyone to have adequate healthcare.

Going to a school in another country is especially difficult. I had a desire year before to attend an Adventist HBCU considering I was going to a predominately white high school during that time. I applied to Oakwood University in 2021 and didn’t get a response until July 2022. When I got the call, I was in tears and so was my family. It was a dream come true. Now the process of getting there was a challenge, but God saw it fit and He made a way through every time. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me. I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself but that was wrong. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. This scholarship will help me to graduate from university with a degree and will allow me to worry less about finances and focus on schoolwork. Being at Oakwood University and having an HBCU experience has empowered me to be destined for greatness. Being surrounded by black students who are achieving high in everything they do is empowering me and having people who are like me and achieving bigger and better things is heart-warming. This has positively impacted me because I was and still can create lifelong relationships and friendships with others while creating a firm relationship with Jesus. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I plan to start this while doing my master’s in healthcare. I find that this will benefit people as some people in America may not have full access to healthcare. It can start with having a few pop-up clinics to check on people and ensure their health is good. I also would like to go into schools and have informative healthcare sessions and check-ins with the students. With my degree, I plan to make a change in America's healthcare system and allow everyone to have adequate healthcare.

Education is vital and it can help enhance my knowledge to be able to teach other people about mental health. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me and I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. Working with adults who have mental illnesses has allowed me to be more aware of others around me and to be grateful. I know of many people who have and still currently are facing mental health crises. On a national and state level, I believe politicians can speak on the importance of mental health and provide resources for people to access health providers so people can access them. My high school monthly spoke about the importance of mental health and the resources but didn’t make the resources available in front of our eyes. I think the schools should have posters to talk about who to call or message when they are going through certain things. I believe that they should also have people who are certified for others to access in the schools so students can speak to them. Students need things right in front of their faces to know they can get help and access it. On a community level, people can be kind to their neighbours. The Bible speaks about being kind to one another and treating others with respect. I believe also having someone readily available to speak to is important. With the community and recreation centres, there should be posters and mental health advisors. After working in my local community center, I realized that a lot of students after school come and cause trouble. After speaking with some of them, they avoid wanting to go home. Knowing that there is someone to talk to and cares about them, is important. On a family level, I believe it is important that our family members listen to us and care about our feelings. Coming from a Caribbean household, it can be difficult to express oneself about mental difficulties but it would be great if parents are educated about mental illnesses and how to cope with them. Just being a listening ear to your child, can make a major impact on their life. I am currently in Business Healthcare Administration and I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO, and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I find that this will benefit people as some people in America may not have full access to adequate healthcare. It can start with having a few pop-up clinics and information sessions about mental health and start change from there. I know that God has great things in store for me and it will only be possible once I put God first in everything I do.

I come from a family of 7 siblings, I live with 4 of my siblings at home with my parents. We live in an urban community with predominately white people, and it is higher higher-income community whereas we are middle class. I grew up in this community and it is a great community but as I got older, it started to get harder for my parents. With inflation, that had a major impact on our finances. Coming from Canada and going to a school in another country, was especially difficult. I am the first child to go to a private school abroad in my family. I had a desire year before to attend an Adventist HBCU considering I was going to a predominately white public high school during that time. I applied to Oakwood University in 2021 and didn’t get a response until July 2022. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me. I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself but that was wrong. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. This scholarship will help me to graduate from university with a degree and will allow me to worry less about finances and focus on schoolwork. Being an international student can be very difficult mainly because it is expensive. Paying for tuition is difficult and the conversion rate makes it even harder. It was also difficult as there was a culture shock and people could detect me easily. It was also difficult to meet new people because I was a transfer student, so people already had their people, but I navigated through it all and I believe that I found my people. I overcame these challenges by believing in myself and the support of my loved ones. I needed a few days to cry and adapt to the new world around me but I eventually found my way. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Healthcare Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I plan to start this while doing my master’s in healthcare. I find that this will benefit people as some people in America may not have full access to healthcare. It can start with having a few pop-up clinics to check on people and ensure their health is robust. I would also like to go into schools and have information sessions and check-ins with the students to educate them. I know that God has great things in store for me and it will only be possible once I put God first in everything I do.

I was born and raised in a Christian household. Jesus was and still is the centre of everything related to my family. Since I was born and raised in a Christian household, it was in my nature to participate in church. I enjoy singing, so that was my involvement and Saturday after Saturday, I would sing. My church also has different events such as volunteering for Vacation Bible School where I was the singing leader, leader of my children's group and helping in the kitchen. We also packed food; sandwiches and hot chocolate for the less fortunate and gave it to them. It warmed my heart to see people get fed when they had nothing to eat. Another initiative was a mission trip my church went on in 2019 to Guyana and that was truly a life-changing experience. We were able to have VBS, nightly meetings, give and make food and give away clothes to those who were there. These various contributions to my community have shaped me into who I am to be grateful for what I have and when it is possible, to give back to those who need it most. Going to a school in another country was especially difficult. Attending Oakwood University was a dream come true, but the process of getting there was a challenge and God saw it fit and He made a way through every time. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. Helping in the community has come back to 6 fold because I am able to still be an inspiration to others while excelling in life as a whole. Attending Oakwood University has opened so many doors and I am so grateful for that. Being at Oakwood University and having an HBCU experience has empowered me to be destined for greatness. Being surrounded by black students who are achieving high in everything they do is empowering me and being around people like me and achieving bigger and better things is heart-warming. This has positively impacted me because I was and still can create lifelong relationships and friendships with others while creating a firm relationship with Jesus. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I know that God has great things in store for me and it will only be possible once I put God first in everything I do.

I come from a family of 7 siblings, I live with 4 of my siblings at home with my parents. We live in an urban community with predominately white people, and is a higher-income community whereas we are middle class. I grew up in this community and it is a great community but as I got older, it started to get harder for my parents. With inflation, that had a major impact on our finances. Going to a school in another country was especially difficult. I had a desire year before to attend an Adventist HBCU considering I was going to a predominately white high school during that time. I applied to Oakwood University in 2021 and didn’t get a response until July 2022. When I got the call, I was in tears and so was my family. It was a dream come true. Now the process of getting there was a challenge, but God saw it fit and He made a way through every time. My mom always reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that has driven me to achieve great things in life. Education is important to me because it reminds me of the story of Malala and how she was unable to get access to education as a girl in her country and she fought for education until she got the approval of doing so. My parents believe in getting an education as it enhances us as individuals and makes us a greater part of society. Some challenges I faced were teachers not believing in me. I thought because they didn’t believe in me, I couldn’t believe in myself but that was wrong. I plan to debunk their beliefs and do everything I can to the best of my ability. I started my first year with a 4.0 and I told myself that I will graduate with Summa Cum Laude. This scholarship will help me to graduate from university with a degree and will allow me to worry less about finances and focus on school work. Being at Oakwood University and having an HBCU experience has empowered me to be destined for greatness. Being surrounded by black students who are achieving high in everything they do is empowering me and around people like me and achieving bigger and better things is heart-warming. This has positively impacted me because I was and still can create lifelong relationships and friendships with others while creating a firm relationship with Jesus. After completing my Undergraduate degree in Business Administration, I plan to pursue a master’s in healthcare administration. I then plan to start working in a hospital as a hospital administrator, and CEO for a few years and then go for a Ph.D. in Business. I then want to open my own business to help those who are less fortunate so they can have access to healthcare. I plan to start this while doing my master's in healthcare. I find that this will benefit people as some people in America may not have full access to healthcare. It can start with having a few pop-up clinics to check on people and ensure their health is robust. I also would like to go into schools and have informative healthcare sessions and check-ins with the students. With my degree, I plan to make a change in America's healthcare system and allow everyone to have adequate healthcare. I know that God has great things in store for me and it will only be possible once I put God first in everything I do.