Hello! My name is Phillipa Carter, and I’d like to share my future plans with you. But before I do, I’d like to talk a little about my past, as it is one of the main reasons I chose this path. I was born and raised in Kansas City, and I’ve lived here my entire life. I didn’t experience any major events that affected me, other than growing up with less money than others. However, I believe this helped shape who I am today, as it taught me to value the little things in life.

There weren’t any significant changes during my middle school years, except for the shift from being the “class nerd” to becoming the “class clown.” My passion really began to develop after two years of virtual learning due to COVID-19. My GPA dropped, and my mental and social skills suffered, making my sophomore year particularly challenging. However, through this hardship, I became stronger and more emotionally and mentally intelligent. By my junior year, my mental health started improving, and by my senior year, I was thriving. It’s been the best I’ve felt mentally in my entire life.

During this time, I also became more involved in my community through 2020 Leadership. This experience not only taught me how to be compassionate and a strong leader, but also to accept the help of others and swallow my pride. Even the wisest people make mistakes, and through questions and failures, we learn, grow, and become better versions of ourselves.

This year of learning led me to the pursuit of self-discovery and enlightenment, which ties into what I want to do: pursue psychology. Though I plan to major in business, I would also like to minor in psychology. I believe the two fields are interconnected, and I want to use my business and entrepreneurial skills to create something that makes mental health support more accessible, affordable, and easy to access for everyone. By doing so, I hope to help people become more self-aware.

I believe I am capable of making the world a better place through actions like these, even if the changes are small. As long as I have some impact or get my message out to the world—whether through a successful business or even a failed business idea—I’d be okay with that, as long as people understand the message I want to convey. If I am given the support to achieve this dream, I would be eternally grateful, as my ultimate goal is to provide people with the closure and understanding that everyone longs for.

Even if I don’t receive this scholarship, I will continue to pursue my long-term goals. While support would help speed up the process, I know that I must face this challenge on my own, and I won’t stop there. I will keep developing new plans and exploring ways to help my community, no matter the cost. This is the principle I live by. The human brain is one of the most fascinating yet unknown things we know. Some people struggle to comprehend things as easily as others, and many hold grudges that don’t benefit them. This type of thinking is something I want to help prevent. I want to guide people in thinking more clearly about their actions, overcoming past struggles, and becoming better people—living life with fewer worries and no burdens from pride.

I want to be someone that others look up to and strive to be next to. That’s who I want to become. Obtaining this scholarship would be a big step toward that future, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to read my essay.

Thank you for considering my application. Have a great day!

Phillipa Carter