Fulfilled Passion by Hayley

Fulfilled Passion by Hayley - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

When I was 6, I profoundly admired my grade-school teachers and wanted to teach in classrooms just like them. I had yet to develop a concept of what I was interested in teaching; however, the idea of standing in front of a class full of students and writing on white-boards was compelling for me. From a young-age, I loved teachers calling on me and actively participating in class. I consistently was overwhelmed with excitement each time I walked to the front of class to write on the board, or when I stood in front of the class to present. In those fleeting moments, I felt I was the teacher. I loved it.

I valued enthusiastic teachers as they inspired me to care about my education, and undergirded my allure for teaching. One in particular, Mrs. Davis, vividly remains the most impactful teacher I have had. Her genuine fervor and zeal for teaching created an environment where I felt capable and able to understanding difficult material. She believed in me when I lacked esteem. Her passion for both the class and for teaching are the qualities I hope to emulate in my teaching career.

As my education has progressed, my enthusiasm and vim for teaching ceases to dissipate. It has developed into a passion that continues to drive my academic pursuits. My dream is teach neuroscience as a professor at a university or college-level. In my undergraduate collegiate experience, many professors teaching undergraduate courses have been distracted with their research and graduate students. I felt the professor’s disinterest during lectures and found many to be unavailable. It is disheartening when my efforts to earn my education are met with unanswered emails or professors not showing up to their schedule office hours. I believe professors should encourage and nurture student curiosity. As dispirited as I find myself at times, I persevere because every ounce of my body and soul loves academia and ultimately wants to teach. I want to be the professor I never had. Specifically, a neuroscience professor. The brain, human behavior and disease is my zenith of interest. I fervently love studying it. Being able to teach in the discipline of neuroscience would be fulfill my lifelong passion for teaching.

As time progresses, my childhood wonderment of teachers has matured into a pursuit of my education, so that one day I will be a professor in front of a lecture hall, where my passion for neuroscience will excite and inspire my students.