I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was nine years old, ever since I started visiting law libraries with my father, who was representing himself in the custody battle for me. I was fascinated with the way vast histories of law could be referenced and interpreted, in order to influence future rulings. Unfortunately my family’s financial hardship and the increasing cost of law school forced me to choose a more affordable education with a faster rate of return. Thus, I went to school for software engineering, and while I successfully completed my degree, I did not have the passion for this field that I would need to make engineering my career.
In late October of last year, my father passed away unexpectedly. His lifelong dream had been to travel abroad, but financial and family obligations had always held him back. My father's unfulfilled dreams brought about the stark cognizance of everything I had yet to accomplish with my life. I realized that choosing a career based on financial motivations would ultimately leave me feeling unfulfilled. It was from this realization that I decided to persevere through the short-term financial challenges of pursuing a degree in law, in order to achieve my dreams.
I am determined to complete a degree in law, regardless of whether or not I receive financial assistance. That being said, being awarded this scholarship would help to ease my financial burden over the next three years of my education.
