Hometown: Oshkosh, WI

Major: Social Work

Estimated Graduation Date: Spring 2028

For the past 17 years of my life, I’ve lived life like any other kid. I grew up exploring who I am as a person, and I’ve pursued what I’ve loved. For me this means music. Music plays a huge part in my life, from the moment my Dad played me his favorite songs, I have never enjoyed anything else as much as I have enjoyed music. In 5th grade, I had a solo in our holiday concert, and as I stepped up to the microphone, I knew this is what I wanted to pursue. As time went on, I continued to live life that way. Choir after choir, it became a second family to me. The way a group of people can get together and sing has always held a special place in my heart. This year, my senior year, I was so excited to be a part of choir again. I was recently elected as choir council president, and was in many extracurricular a cappella groups. It wasn’t long after the school year started that doctor visits started to get more serious, and that I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I was absolutely crushed. I couldn’t even fathom how huge this was going to be for my future. I thought of my role as president, my places in a cappella groups, being a part of this year's musical, and my spot in choir. How am I going to do this, I thought. My whole world stopped. If I couldn’t have music, how would I live?

Thankfully, from the support of my second family, we made compromises and solutions to my situation. Through treatments, I received cards from the choir, letting me know they were on my side. I heard their music through the cards, and I felt loved and appreciated even though I wasn’t physically there to sing. I started to realize as I was going through more treatments that even though music plays a huge part in my life, it’s the connections I make with choir kids that make me happiest. I love helping people with their problems, I love to be the person people can come to when they feel down, and I love to be the welcoming face people see when they come into choir. That is what I want to pursue.

I explored my options and came across Social Work. There are many fields of social work, but Adoption Specialist stuck out most to me. I would get to help people of all ages in that career, and make arrangements to place kids in their forever homes. If that doesn’t work out, there are many other jobs in social work that are all pointed towards the same goal: helping people. What this scholarship means to me is that it will help fund my love for giving back to the community. I want to give back to the community and become an advocate for the people.