Sticky Situations by Isabella

Sticky Situations by Isabella - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

One stick of butter. I leave the nail salon to walk back to my car when I stumble upon the sight of butter stuck on my windshield. The sun’s rays pierce into the soft-yellow object, leaving a trickle of warm liquid dripping down my car's hood. I stare at it in confusion wondering what on earth I was even looking at. My annoyance was basked in the ninety-degree heat and I wanted nothing more in that moment than to just clean it up and go home. Stupid prank, I think to myself.

But as I pull out a Kleenex from my purse to clean it off, I freeze and my mind is transported back to an Instagram Reel that my mom sent me a few months ago. My throat grows dry and there are only two words in my mind: Human Trafficking. This was the exact scheme that was being used to distract victims. And at that moment- I see it. A man on his cell phone on the street corner- watching me.

I hustle into my car and drive away.

As a woman, I’ve not only encountered horrifying experiences like this, but I’ve heard stories from friends and family who have been in similar situations. It happens so much more than we think, and truthfully, it needs to stop.

As a current finance major at Penn State University, I am able to grasp an understanding of social entrepreneurship, and how business can intertwine with Energy Social and Governance initiatives from corporations. I have always been very passionate about Women’s Safety, and I want to be able to support this social cause.

My next major educational goal is to graduate with my Smeal College of Business Degree to create a lasting social impact. In high school, I was able to design a simulated non-profit app devoted to women’s safety by allowing women to share experiences on a community thread, and get self-defense tutorials. Whether they’re at a bar, in an Uber, or in a mall, they are able to communicate these experiences with other women. It’s a platform designed to empower, and it’s something I physically want to launch.

I would love to leverage my Penn State degree to launch this platform post-graduation. As I’ve been able to grow my knowledge in finance and entrepreneurship, understand how small enterprises function, and investigate how partnerships and investments fuel an entity, I feel more equipped to run a business. I know my entrepreneurial knowledge will only continue to blossom throughout these next two years.

I want to use my business degree as a catalyst for social change. I want to live in a world where women don’t have to keep looking over their shoulders when walking on the sidewalk.

I want my educational goal to help make that difference.