From Pilot to Developer: Changing Minds in Changing Times by Dallas

From Pilot to Developer: Changing Minds in Changing Times by Dallas - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

When I was six years old, I was absolutely convinced that I would enter the United States Air Force as a pilot. I was obsessed with the military, arguably because of the sensationalism of service through movies, books, and recruitment advertisements. I kept this dream alive until my senior year of high school, taking breaks to explore engineering, computer science, musical performance, and law. Eleven years after my dream of service to my country had been born, my interests had changed from looking at the cool planes to wanting to dedicate myself to service, the defense of my nation and its people through the intelligence community. I was going to become a linguist in the Air Force; it was truly a dream come true.

The Department of Defense said no. After a physical examination ordered by the Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board, I received word that I had been rejected from service in the military based on my eyesight. Eleven years on, my dreams of military service had finally, and at long last, been laid to rest.

But my interests had not. I was still interested in intelligence, understanding more about the world I lived in, and what drove our interpersonal communications and interactions. How did we get here? How do we treat each other, and why? What information do we share between ourselves? Fourteen years after my first career dream had been born, one could say that I’ve stayed true to my roots. I came to Anthropology to understand how we as a species came about, and how we are, and how we act in relation to one another. I came to study German language and linguistics because of my drive to understand my roots as an English speaker and Anglo-American. I came to study Web Development because of my drive to understand the passage of information between us, and how we secure it.

In today’s fast pace and ever-evolving political, cultural, economic, and countless other spheres, I know six-year-old me would be just as passionate about serving himself, and humanity as a whole. By understanding how people interact and communicate, and where we came from, we can build a greater future for ourselves. I believe in peace, and I believe in coexistence, and I believe in following your dreams. And it’s always been that way, no matter how many times I changed my mind in the last fourteen years.