Their Dreams, My Story by Andrew

Their Dreams, My Story by Andrew - April 2024 Scholarship Essay

A mother with an incarcerated father. A father with one who abandoned him. Both my parents' respective upbringings were nothing short of treacherous. Kindling a relationship at such a young age allowed them to be each other's outlet, a safety blanket from a harsh world. Despite unforeseen marital problems that eventually led to a divorce, both my parents fought tooth and nail, individually and collaboratively, to build an unbreakable foundation for their two beautiful children, Faith and Andrew Jr. The only thing I could ever do to repay their selfless sacrifices would be to forge a new path for myself behind impenetrable armor.

As adolescents, most people develop a connection towards Superheroes. The boys wanted to be Superman. The Girls loved Superwoman. For me, I adored the woman I called Mom. As a single mother with two children in her early twenties, my mother hit the pause button on her story, in order to begin the recording for mine. She embodied what being a woman meant to me. Showcasing undeniable bravery while weathering an unrelenting storm. She provided a mother to a boy needing grace and guidance. For that I am eternally grateful.

As an African-American young man, I feel overwhelmed with the privilege of having a father figure. Many of my peers and predecessors have stories of either absent fathers, or relationships with their parents emitting nothing, but toxicity. My own father, once a victim of those harsh realities, pledged to break an impending generational curse by providing a life for me that he never had. As I navigated through my teenage years, my dad was a role model like no other. A teacher. A leader. The blueprint on how to be a man. His impact is unmatched.

On January 11, 2007, my mother held me in her arms, and dreamed about the man she hoped I would become. She accepted the responsibility, and loved the challenge. She embraced me when the world wouldn't. She embraced me when I couldn't. My father's belief that I could become something much bigger than him has never wavered. My father laid the foundation in hopes that I would claim the throne. As I quest to achieve my goals, both personally and academically, their actions illuminate in my mind. Like a young chick, longing to gain rugged wings, I am now soaring into a world of unknowns. Achieving my goals means turning the dreams of two people into a blissful reality. When reflecting on what motivates me to achieve my academic goals, the answer is quite simple. Achieving my goals means vindicating the journeys of the two people who matter most in my life: Mom & Dad. Achieving my goals means turning their dreams into my story.