Educational Goals by Derrick

Educational Goals by Derrick - February 2025 Scholarship Essay

My educational goals are to pursue an engineering degree and make a difference on campus and in my community. I am interested in Electrical and Computer Engineering because I have always had a knack for math and science. When I was growing up, my after-school daycare offered lessons and problems about math and science topics I had never seen before. On lesson days, I got so excited because I was infatuated with learning and using my problem-solving skills to find a solution. Electrical and Computer Engineering allows me to apply my math and science skills and my growing technological and coding skills to make something great that could positively impact the world.

An instance when I used my problem-solving skills was when I was designing an electric circuit house for my physics class. While building, I faced trouble completing the parallel circuit until I realized there was a faulty wire. Because of this, I replaced the wire and adjusted the new one until the light eventually turned on.

This summer, I had the honor of attending a summer engineering camp, which cemented my desire to become an engineer. I learned about algorithms, their role in everyday life, and how a computer thinks/operates. This camp gave me first-hand experience in how engineers must collaborate to solve problems and reach a common goal.

On campus, I hope to face new challenges and find new solutions, as I did in high school when I used my problem-solving, math, and science skills to design an electric circuit house for my physics class. While building, I faced trouble completing the parallel circuit until I realized there was a faulty wire. Because of this, I replaced the wire and adjusted the new one until the light eventually turned on.

Overall, my educational goals are to face new obstacles and learn new things on my way to pursuing an engineering degree. I want to become an engineer not only for myself but also for others because I want to help others when they are in need, like recently when people devastatingly lost their internet and power to Hurricane Beryl and were desperate for help.