Our Family Business ... My Way by Anna

Our Family Business ... My Way by Anna - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

Service is our family business. My father’s father served in the Navy and my mother’s father served in the Army National Guard. My father retired from the Air Force and my brother is in Army ROTC. I want to give back to my community, but not through the military. I want to work at the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

I first got interested in forensics and the FBI when I was a high school freshman. During the first month of school, I noticed a fake crime scene set up in the building. My friend was in the class, so I asked her about it. She said they were having a mock investigation. I went home and told my family about the class and how I wanted to take it next year. My dad suggested that I watch “The X-Files,” with him. We watched the first two episodes, and it quickly became my favorite show. Not only was it fun to watch with my dad, but it also showed multiple jobs involving DNA, which grabbed my attention. The show led me to research more about the FBI and possible jobs.

I never wanted to be a math major, but I’ve found most math classes easy. I didn’t love algebra, but I liked geometry; pre-calculus was challenging, but interesting. I’ve also liked my science classes – I liked both biology and chemistry, but not enough to make either my major.

Then, in my sophomore year, I enrolled in Project Lead the Way, Biomedical Science (PLTW). The program covers human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, forensic science and public health. My first class was Principles of Biomedical Science, an introduction to forensics. I loved it! I learned about DNA and inheritance, medical interventions, postmortem examination, bioinformatics, microbiology and genetic engineering. I knew this is the career that combines my love of math and science.

This fall, I’ll start studying forensics at West Virginia University, one of the very few programs accredited by the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission. I chose WVU because the program meets the FBI requirements for DNA analysts. My degree is the first step toward my goal to work for the FBI.