A hope or ambition of achieving something. by Dakayla

A hope or ambition of achieving something. by Dakayla - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

As I enter another semester at Alabama A&M University as a Social Work major, my aspirations are deeply rooted in not only my academic success but my personal growth and healing. To me, this means the opportunity to create a better future for not just myself but for the communities I once called home and would love to serve one day. I am determined to live a meaningful life despite the challenges I've faced. As someone who grew up in a rocky, toxic, and sometimes even unsafe environment as a child, I choose to take the home insecurity, financial Instability, and everything else I've experienced as fuel for my fire. I use this fuel to push me to not only reach my goals but to hopefully spread light and hope to others along the way.

This school year, I aim to stay focused and consistent not only in my studies but most importantly in building strong new-found relationships with my peers and professors, while making sure to always participate in any hands-on opportunities to apply what I'm learning. For me personally, I want to be able to take a deeper dive in my field of social work. I believe that by joining student organizations, attending workshops, and most importantly, volunteering in any community-based programs that I will not just strengthen my skills but also make steps toward becoming the best type of social worker there is. To me, that is someone who leads with not only purpose but empathy, which is extremely important as someone who's lived the experience.

For me, my motivation comes from a deeply personal place. Growing up, I didn't always have a stable place I could call home. The anxiety of not knowing where my next meal would come from or even where I'd sleep at night shaped how I see the world entirely, and most importantly, molded my role in it. Even though at times, I felt invisible, I refused to let that become my identity. I'm a firm believer in the fact that we have the option to let the hardships we faced in life shape us into strong and compassionate individuals if we allow them. That one belief is what carried me through high school and led me into college with a major where I can turn struggle into service.

I chose Social Work because I know what it's like to feel unsupported, to wish for just one adult to truly understand. I want to be that person for someone else. I want to work with youth and families who are facing the same instability I once knew, helping them find resources, hope, and long-term solutions. My Goal is to become a licensed clinical social worker and open a nonprofit health support and housing assistance program for at-risk youth. I want to be able to help and support the children whose shoes I was once in, not so long ago.

Being a first-generation college student, I carry the pressure of breaking generational cycles, but I also carry pride. Every step I take in college is one that no one in my immediate family has had the chance to take. I know the power of opportunity because I've lived without it. That's what keeps me going, even on my hardest days. This scholarship would help lift a financial burden that has always felt like a shadow over not just my academic journey but my entire life. It would give me space to breathe, focus, and fully invest in my future. More importantly, it would be a reminder that people believe in students like me, students with big dreams, strong hearts, and a desire to give back.

I'm not chasing success just for myself. I'm doing it for the younger version of me who didn't always feel seen, and for every kid out there growing up in survival mode. My goal this year is to keep moving forward, not just with determination, but with purpose.