Spending Grant Money by Briana

Spending Grant Money by Briana - May 2019 Scholarship Essay

As an African American, my educational career has been quite different than my fellow associates in my surrounding community. Due to my background, I have always had to attend schools with predominately Caucasian students making me one of the few minorities in my classes. As a result to this, I found it difficult to relate with my teachers and peers as well as them being able to relate to me. As a person of color, who often felt alone in the educational system, I had to find my own path so that I could feel comfortable making relations while I advance into higher education. It was important for me to see someone who had already established themselves on a similar path, so I could use them as an example for myself and set my own personal standards and goals. Finding other black women who have experienced and have overcame the same struggles that I am currently going through is inspiring, and directly relates to the passion I have for wanting to be a role model in education for the African American community.

I would use this full amount to continue my education in the Communicative Sciences and Disorders graduate program at Hampton University. This program would provide me with hands on experience, while giving me the background knowledge of working in a classroom. Combining my research, classroom, and real world experiences I will grow into a well-rounded clinician allowing me to create a better basis of strategies that are more efficient and able to develop to fit the individual student. I would like to be an example for others and show that it is possible to reach great success even after enduring uncontrollable hardships. On this new chapter of my life I would like to share with my cohorts my diversity and unique experiences as a minority to possibly show a new light on the education system and ideas of how to overcome divided learning in schools. After receiving my master’s degree, I would like to become a Speech-Language Pathologist in a public school system so that I have the opportunity to correct the speech and language so students have the ability to overcome their communication difficulties, so they too can express themselves orally and reach their own goals.

My ideal career is to serve students, specifically in a Title 1 school, as a Speech-Language Pathologist. This placement will allow me to expand my creativity by improvising supplies and by adapting activities so that students can be interactive and express their interest in learning. Once receiving my graduate degree, I intend on using my experience, peers, and research to explore treatment options that are individual to the student and that can easily adapt and transition for the student’s school and at home life. As a relatable female figure for students, I can be the inspiration for minority students who usually do not have positive representation in the education system.