Sparks and Dreams by Alba

Sparks and Dreams by Alba - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

For the past twenty years, my father has worked in the construction industry as a residential framer. For twenty years, I have seen him sacrifice his poorly thrown-together opportunities and open paths for us. For twenty years, his body has deteriorated with age and weariness, but his work and craftsmanship has never declined. For twenty years, he has gone through so many moments of hardships and difficulties but always keeping his head up in pride. He might not meet this country’s standards of an educated man, but he has taught me so many important lessons that will follow me across my travels on this Earth.

As a first-generation Mexican-American and the first child born in an immigrant -household, there has always been many variables that factor in to my personal motivation to keep going; not only the drive to want to be a successful example to my younger siblings, but also be the one to help my parents after so much struggle they have endured. I plan on going to college this year for Electrical Engineering. I wish to educate myself, grow my career, take all chances given to me, extend them to their furthest potential, and successfully maneuver my way through life to relieve my parents of the financial burden it is to have three children attend college one after another and another soon to follow in the years to come.

I chose Electrical Engineering as my college major due to the strong rigor and motivation that it takes to be able to go through with this program; to be able to embody a new field and expand into a career field that I can make into a successful future. I have attended a Career-Technical school in which I study Electrical Trades, obtaining an apprenticeship and working in a specialized electrical company, furthering my knowledge on the industry and the capabilities of electricity and technology. I hope to further my learning in Electrical Engineering by becoming something greater, giving back to my dad and Hispanic community, and prove it is possible to make a successful future for ourselves.