Educational Empowerment by Daniel

Educational Empowerment by Daniel - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

In this day and age, with the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), I plan to pursue a finance career related to managing portfolios with the help of AI services. AI is the future, and I plan to be a part of it. In 10 years from now, I plan to be managing a company's asset portfolio on the executive level path in a top Fortune 500 company, such as Goldman Sachs or Ernst & Young. I will work towards becoming a wealth management portfolio manager for my long-term career. I plan to attend a top university to develop the skills and shape my mindset for becoming a globally-minded businessman and philanthropist. I want to expand my academic curiosity and global awareness to gain a better understanding of diverse markets and clients. That will prove beneficial when I make major investment decisions. Additionally, I plan to travel many places due to my work. I look forward to travelling cross-country and internationally, having once in a lifetime experiences.

In college, I will network with pre-professional groups and obtain a finance internship to build my experience. My aspiration to pursue a finance career includes eventually obtaining an MBA within 10 years, which will help amplify my impact through enhancing my leadership skills and networking opportunities. I aspire to pay it forward by creating opportunities for others to achieve educational and financial success. I believe that mentorship and education are essential tools needed to uplift people economically.

My business ambitions are modeled after Robert F. Smith, the businessman who paid off the student loan debt of almost 400 college graduates. Like him, I desire to harness my business acumen and philanthropy to create pathways for others to achieve financial success. This will give me job satisfaction because of the impact I can make on other people's lives. One way I plan to achieve this is by establishing a scholarship foundation that goes beyond paying off student loans. My foundation will pair recipients with mentors who will teach them financial literacy, such as budgeting, credit management, investing, and long-term wealth strategies. This mentorship-based initiative is inspired by my mother’s work as a financial counselor, as well as my desire to counter the "immediate gratification" culture that often prioritizes short-term gains over wealth-building. Many success stories share a common attribute: mentorship. I am a strong advocate of “if you see it, you can be it,” so creating the opportunity for people to connect with successful individuals in their desired fields will significantly influence the trajectory of their lives.

By pursuing entrepreneurial ventures in finance, I am committed to transforming the futures of those I can guide and support. My ultimate goal is to demonstrate that education and financial readiness can create a pathway to empowerment and an opportunity to build a shared culture of success.