Discovering the Diversity of the Waves by Kyra

Discovering the Diversity of the Waves by Kyra - November 2017 Scholarship Essay

Around the globe, there exists many countries with key cities residing along a coastline or harbor. Each of these regions often have both common and unique perspectives on the importance of oceans for the environment based on their respective local culture. As long as I can remember, my desire has been to have a career traveling the world and studying the ocean and its marine life. The ocean has always symbolized the most compelling part of nature for me. My entire childhood was consumed by the pull of any body of water. My parents tell me stories about how they used to watch me diligently whenever we were close to any ocean, lake, or stream. Many times they would end up chasing after me as I would always head straight for the water.

Another passion I developed while growing up was a deep affection for animals. I discovered my curiosity of animal behavior at a young age as I grew up with my dog, Trinity. I often found myself wanting to know what she was thinking. This curiosity eventually brought me to another passion I developed, which was photography. My yearning to understand animals lead me to take so many photos of my pets and wildlife that I filled album after album. Once I entered High School, I enrolled in two different photography classes that only enhanced my love for taking photos of nature. I have now come to realize how drawn I am to the study of animals, their behavior, and to capture these moment in photos. My wish is to combine all three into a future career, especially with a focus on marine life.

My intellectual curiosity and passions have always fueled my drive to do the best I can in school. I thrive to get as much experience in my future field as is possible living in a small landlocked town like Pullman, Washington. Before I was old enough to get employment, I handed out flyers to offer my services as a pet sitter. More recently, I approached a Professor of Animal Behavior at Washington State University, and our meeting resulted in a mentorship with one of her graduate students at the local animal shelter to learn how to train dogs. I have enjoyed working with the animals so much that I also started volunteer work at the shelter. Adding volunteer work to my schooling and part time job has not been an issue because of my love of working with the animals. I learn more and more every time I visit them, and my sincere hope is to eventually gain similar knowledge about the captivating animals of the sea all around the world.

To me, there is no feeling more invigorating than that which comes from the thought of a future studying my passions. My desire is to discover a new world of possibilities through the same hard work that I have put into all my past endeavors. I believe that studying abroad will make my dream possible, by providing opportunities to explore new oceanic regions and obtaining exposure to the different environmental outlooks of various cultures. Ultimately, my goal is to utilize the knowledge I gain to educate the public about the wonders and beauty of the ocean, its creatures, and the reasons for ensuring its care and well being.