Undergraduate / I am simply open-minded &ready to take in more knowledge;Qualities/Unique Characteristics [4]

Everyone posses characteristic unique to them that may have been shaped by past struggles in life. The qualities I posses that will contribute to the university community is that I am simply open-minded and ready to take in more knowledge. I am able to listen to my peers and give advice to help them make it through hardships they may be be facing at the time. Growing uo the oldest in a single-parent household led to me maturing and taking on many responsibilities at a young age. I am also a very outgoing person that likes to be heard. I dislike being another member of the crowd. I want to be involved in everything I can possibly be involved in and potentially make a difference. Being able to attend Florida Gulf Coast University will allow me to be the outgoing open-minded individual I currently am on a bigger scale and also allow me to have the chance to impact many of my fellow peer's lives while on campus.

Undergraduate / I recall living in a shelter with other single mothers and their children; FGCU- family [2]

Growing up I watched my mother struggle to raise four children on her own. Her highest level of education was secondary school. As a child, I moved around often and went to a myriad of schools. One childhood memory I recall is living in a shelter with other single mothers and their children in Lafayette, Louisiana. My recollection includes having to sleep in a petite room without a physical door.The room simply had a curtain for "privacy. My mother went to nursing school to become a CNA with the aspiration of giving us a better life. For the majority of my life my mother has worked two jobs for seven days a week with no days off. Whether she was gravely ill or not she continued to work diligently to provide us with the requisites that would fulfill our daily lives.Witnessing my mother struggle to locate a job was very disheartening. Pursuing a career in Forensic Science is my integral motivation for completing high school and matriculating into college. When I'm employed in the field I want to have the leverage of being able to maintain flexible work hours so that I may take care of my family and give back to the community as an adult.

From childhood until present, I have watched my mother strive to give her children a life which is superior than what she experienced. Being witness to my mother who single-handedly raised four children diligently without complainants was inspirational. I am completely driven and motivated to go off to college and graduate with a degree. I yearn to have the potential to become successful and not to toil as arduously as my mother did throughout most of my life. Introspecting on the culmination of my experiences, I will not rest until my goals have become conquered. Going throughout my young life watching my mother sacrifice has shaped me into the person I am today.