Hard work pays off by Taylor

Hard work pays off by Taylor - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

Growing up in a small town and being fortunate enough to have a second family that was the local police department has had a huge influence on my dreams. With actual family members being a part of the department I got to spend a lot of time in this environment. This was a major contribution as to why at an early age it was decided that I would be a Police Officer. While throughout the years this career goal never faltered, if anything it became more enticing. As a junior in high school I took a vocational criminal justice class that was taught by former Chief of Police in Pembroke NH. In this class I learned many police tactics, as well as many other aspects of the job. It was during this class that it was brought to my attention to consider aiming a little higher, pushing myself to go a little further. This was when the idea of Chief of Police became something to consider. During my senior year of high school, I took my first college credit business class, it almost seemed useless to get the credit because it doesn’t meet any requirements for a CJ major. However, this class was something I found myself looking forward to, and something I excelled at. This made me think about what being a Chief entailed, it was essentially running a business.
This is when it occurred to me that to further challenge myself not only career wise but also academically, I would double major. I entered college in the Fall of 2015 as a double major in Criminal Justice and Business Management at Endicott College. This not only gives me a challenge but it also it gives an advantage when it comes time to begin applying for Chief of Police positions. Now being in my second semester of freshman year I have learned so much about both fields. Being a double major, in two majors that have never been put together here at Endicott has had it’s ups and downs. However, it is a challenge that I look forward to continuing. On top of this I hope to further my education with an internship this summer where I will be working as a part of a police department answering 911 calls, and dispatching. This not only gives me more education in the field but, a real life sample but also provides an opportunity for networking. One of my main goals coming out of college is that I will have made plenty of strong networks and will be able to have a sponsor to send me to the police academy, so that my career can get started as I obtain my degree. Education in all aspects, is a crucial part of my future goals and I intend to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. The most important lesson in life is that no matter where you are from or what you do, if you truly want it and push yourself to take on new opportunities you will get to wherever you are going!