There’s a car pulled over to the side of the road in need of help. Do you stop? Most would not. The common thought among those passing the vehicle would be that there are plenty of others out there that will stop to help. That is, until everyone has that same thought and no one stops.

I’ve realized that I am the person that finally pulls over to help.

Four years ago, my community encountered one of these broken down vehicles. It was April 2020. Schools were shuttered. Work shifted to at-home Zoom calls. The world came to a halt. Technology became an essential part to surviving the pandemic. Suddenly, the 17.4% of households in my rural county without computers were left on the side of the road needing help, watching everyone pass them by.

I saw the need, and I pulled over to help. I co-founded the community service organization, LG Computers 4 All, which focused on giving refurbished computers to families in need. We helped school children continue their education. We helped adult English-language learners continue learning English over Zoom. We gave technology to the elderly so they could better communicate with family. I was not going to pass by and just let this disparity continue.

After donating over 100 refurbished computers to members of my community, I quickly learned just how important it is to be the one to help. Often, humans take the easy route: we stand down from a challenge to allow others to fulfill the need. However, someone has to be the one to step up, and I realized that person can be me.

The first time I heard “What starts here changes the world,” I knew I belonged at UT. I aspire to be the one to spark change; to be that person that stops to help. I cannot wait to leverage my experiences from UT over the next four years to be the one to change the world for the better.

Major:
Business Honors

Honors Program:
Canfield Business Honors

Other Academic Interests:
Entrepreneurship, Real Estate

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
When I started my college applications during my senior year, I was almost sure UT would be my next home. I started looking at scholarship opportunities early on, which is when I first stumbled upon the Forty Acres Scholars Program on the Texas Exes website. I looked at all of the current scholars, thinking about how that could never be me. (I couldn't have been more wrong!)

I received the initial email to apply to the Forty Acres program a few months later, causing a spark of excitement within me. I realized that maybe I do have a (small) chance to be a part of such an incredible program. As I advanced through the application stages, the excitement in me kept growing.

I remember sitting in English class late January, refreshing my email every 30 seconds the day the finalists were announced. I nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw that email come through inviting me to UT for finalist weekend.

I went into finalist weekend thinking I was close to a full-ride scholarship to my dream school. I came out of finalist weekend knowing I was close to so much more than just that. I learned that on top of the huge financial blessing the program offers, it is so much more: it fosters community, growth, discovery, and connections. After my interview during finalist weekend, the idea of being part of such an incredible program consumed my thoughts 24/7. I wanted to be apart of a community of motivated and encouraging people. I wanted to be able to take advantage of all of the opportunities the program provides. While the idea of going to college on a full-ride scholarship initially drew me into the program, the opportunities I heard about made me realize this program is so much more than just a scholarship: it truly is a life-changing program.