Changing Career Aspirations by Olivia

Changing Career Aspirations by Olivia - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

As a small kindergarten student halfway through my first year of school, I saw that many of my classmates wanted to be athletes, princesses, astronauts, and singers. During this time, I endeavored to be a cowgirl. There was something alluring to me about riding a horse all day, wearing those stylish boots, and living out in nature. Through my education in elementary school I quickly learned that this would be a difficult career to achieve for a girl living in a suburban part of rainy Washington not far from Seattle. The next job I became interested in was a teacher. Part of this new interest derived from seeing the importance of teachers in our world and also wanting to fulfill this role better than some of my previous teachers that didn't treat everyone fairly.
Through middle school, I discovered a specific class that I enjoyed- history. The occurrences of the past intrigued me and allowed me to compare the world of 300 years ago to today's society. As all parents do, mine pushed me to find a career position I would be happy in while also providing enough salary for my own livelihood when I would be independent. This urge, along with reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" in English, led me to find the option of being a lawyer.
Now, being a high school student taking higher level classes for English and World History, I've further narrowed down the specific fields I've become interested in for a career; some of these would include economics or political science. At the very beginning of freshman year, every student had to complete a quiz based on our personal interests to find which jobs would best suit us. My results came up as I predicted- judge, criminal lawyer, civil litigator, foreign service officer, corporate attorney, etc. My family's personal connection to a successful international tax attorney has continued and furthered my aspiration to fight for justice, equality, and freedom to make the world a better place.