Undergraduate / UCF admission; "I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich" [2]

Dan Wilcox said it perfectly, " I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich." For me, there has been no greater influence in my life than my family. My family has into me values and attitudes that will lay the foundation to success. They are my support and my refuge. My family has been influential in developing my character into a good representation of both them and myself. My family has enriched me with Christian values and traditions that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. They have taught me to be confident in who I am as a person and to never forget who I am and where I come from. My family has engraved into me the tradition of family dinners. Dinner with my family creates a connection and strength within everyone while cultivating the emotional sides of the relationships. We live in a technological generation where our simplest whims are address through telecommunications; the need for family could not be greater. My family has taught me that failure is not fatal contrary to what the world tells you. My family has always encouraged me to do my best no matter what obstacles lie before me.

Credited to the influence of my family, I possess certain qualities that would greatly enable me to contribute to the University of Central Florida community. For one, I am very determined and I will not quit despite the odds; I will continue to persevere until the job gets done. Due to the character engraved in me by my family, I have a great amount of self-discipline, a quality much needed for to succeed. Aside from academic qualities, I am a very outgoing person. I enjoy meeting new people and being involved in a variety of activities such as clubs and sports.

Undergraduate / 'My AA degree' - Vires, Artes, Mores - these principals have been emulated in my life. [4]

Florida State University is founded on the principals of "Vires, Artes, Mores" or "Strength, Skill, Character". Through self evaluation, I've recognized how these principals have been emulated in my life.

Vires, strength, can be physical or mental. While lacking physical strength, I make up for it intellectually. My first two years of high school I took honors courses followed by my final two years enrolled in dual enrollment courses at Daytona State College. Due to this decision I will be able to graduate from high school with my AA degree. Performing well and at an advanced level in school has always been important to me. However, my greatest strength is my determination. I will not quit despite the odds and will continue to persevere until the job gets done. Through all of these, I have been instilled with all the qualities needed to succeed.

Artes is about arts, skills, and crafts. This principle involves one of my favorite things: singing. Ever since I was young, I have been singing in my church and have since then sang in competitions. I sing in a praise band, praise team, youth and adult choirs, and a girl's ensemble. Singing has taught me a great deal of dedication and self-discipline. It has also given me a passion for music and a respect for the art. Singing is my means of expression- after a while it becomes therapeutic. I believe there is no better way to reach the world than through something that you have a passion for; it will come naturally.

The greatest principle of these I believe is Mores. Abraham Lincoln once said, "Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree." Character is not defined by personality, race, or relationships. Character is integrity; it is doing the right thing when no one else thinks it is right. It means being responsible when no one else is looking. Simply, it is an evaluation of someone's moral qualities. A big part of my life is my family, as they have instilled into me values and attitudes that will lay the foundation to success. They are my support and my refuge. My family has been influential in developing my character into a good representation of both them and myself. My family has enriched me with Christian values and traditions that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. They have taught me to be confident in who I am as a person and to never forget who I am and where I come from.

Florida State University is a school of ethics, forthrightness, academic and athletic excellence. It is a school that has been based on "Vires, Artes, Mores" where students embody the values of strength, skill and character. I believe I too hold true to such values and would love nothing more than to call myself a Florida State Seminole.