Ambitions of a Lawyer by Onyeka

Ambitions of a Lawyer by Onyeka - December 2023 Scholarship Essay

Being from the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia metropolitan area), many professional athletes cultivate here. Many of my friends from middle school have worked with NBA players, been awarded Gatorade Player of the Year, or have had the opportunity to play their desired sport internationally. Although it is a blessing to start a passion at such an early age, it allows for many circumstances to hinder the future of these prospects. The reputation I held amongst my friends was as the person they could come to solve their problems. Whether they got in trouble with authority or needed help advocating for themselves, I was always the first person they would call. I love to support, I love to help, and I love to communicate. Looking at the skills I felt I excelled in, I recognized the careers that fit these traits. A career path relying more on writing, speech, and communication matched my qualities more precisely.
My many stages of career explorations allowed me to conclude that I wanted to become a Sports and Entertainment Lawyer. The characteristics needed to be a lawyer include "strong interpersonal, communication, and research skills, as well as the ability to negotiate terms with opposing counsel or other professionals in the industry." according to ZipRecruiter. My goal is to help those who rely on sports leave their unfortunate circumstances and be able to make their ambitions a reality. I often saw this when my friends got scholarships to private schools, college offers, or even opportunities to play with professional players. I hope everyone, regardless of socio-economic status, can earn the opportunities they deserve. The disadvantage many athletes face in middle and high school, especially minority children, is one issue I hope to address during my career.
Another critical aspect of the many things regarding my hopes for my future profession involves a woman named Nicole Lynn. She is the first black woman to be able to represent a player in the NFL. The player, Jalen Hurtz, whom she represents, received a record-breaking contract from the Eagles due to her passion for her career. For Nicole Lynn to be the way of involving black women in the NFL and creating beneficial change for the current Black players is an inspiration towards some of my many aspirations as a sports lawyer. Through her work, she has helped jumpstart the fight against prejudice against Black players and quarterbacks, create a more inclusive ideology in sports, and increase diversity in the administrative aspects of the NFL. Not only does my passion for management and law relate to sports, but I am also heavily interested in the same application of progress in the entertainment field. As my love for music and many artists is strong, there are many notable discrepancies for black artists and creators that need people passionate about addressing the issues to fix.
For many reasons, I am excited to switch to a business management major for my second semester, as many of my plans involve entrepreneurship. As I continue my educational career, my goal is to be able to work as a sports and entertainment lawyer, similar to the famous Nicole Lynn. With the goals of increasing accessibility for opportunities for lower socio-economic communities, removing the many obstacles for disadvantaged creators and sports players, and fighting the pre-existing discrimination and prejudice in current sports and entertainment industries, I am excited to pursue this career path. I want to contribute to being a helping hand to the young who want to live a life in the sports and entertainment industry. I want to showcase this by being an accessible management, counseling, and support resource. Many of my plans include entrepreneurship, so I am pursuing a business undergraduate degree.