Re-Invent and Re-Evaluate Scholarship

RE-EVALUATE AND RE-INVENT SCHOLARSHIP

My journey originally began in 2015 when I decided to further my education by obtaining my bachelor’s degree from my local college, North Dakota State University. Like most students fresh out of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my future. I had applied to college with my original focus being in Art and Education, but before I signed up for classes I completely changed my mind. I decided I wanted to go into a field I knew nothing about, accounting. I soon realized I enjoyed my decision to try something new and noticed I was excelling in all my classes. I got my bachelor’s degree in three and a half years while working full time for the last two years, and part time for the first part of my college journey. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 in December of 2018. That road lead me to where I am today.

I am an Internal Auditor for a publicly traded company in Fargo, North Dakota. I was blessed with a great job straight out of college that challenges me and encourages me to excel in my work and personal life. But, there has been one encounter that has stuck with me since my undergraduate days. This encounter made me decide, now is the time to challenge yourself. Now is the time to continue pushing and fighting for the future you have dreamt of since you were young. This specific encounter was between my Undergrad Tax Professor and myself right after one of his lectures. I would usually stay after class and ask questions to clarify some of the notes that I had taken during the hour lecture. I know my professor admired this and acknowledge this was why I was one of the few students receiving an ‘A’ in his class.

He abruptly asked me if I was planning to complete my masters once I graduate. I hesitated and stated no, I did not. He proceeded to ask me why, as someone with my determination and work ethic would thrive in the program. He asked if it was money, and if it was, that was very understandable. I stated it was, as my dad retired when I was a junior in high school and my mom stopped working after her breast