Goals by Julia

Goals by Julia - April 2024 Scholarship Essay

Hello, my name is Juila Abbott, and I am just starting to figure out who I am. On the surface, I am a Christian, I am a sister, I am a teammate, and I am a student. I lead my church in worship. I am an honor student at the top of my class with a 4.0 G.P.A. I am a National Honor Society member, Student Council Executive Board member, President of Spanish Honor Society, and a Writing Center consultant. I am a four-year starting varsity softball player and the captain of my team. I will soon be playing at Thomas More University. If you look closer, you will see that I am more than just my titles and accolades.

I am goal oriented and my determination to be successful is my primary motivator. The first goal I set was in kindergarten. While my classmates wrote they wanted to be a doctor or lawyer when they grew up, I drew a big yellow softball in the middle of my paper and wrote, “Collage Soft ball Player.” Since committing to Thomas More University I will be able achieve that goal next fall, my next goal is to become a bilingual dentist. I will be double majoring in Biochemistry on the Pre-Dental track and Spanish. I then plan to attend Ohio State College of Dentistry. I want to work in my own backyard and make a difference in my community. I have seen firsthand what language barriers can cause in getting essential services. I feel that I will excel in dentistry because it combines my love of learning and helping others.

I have had numerous successes on and off the field with determination and hard work, but my successes did not always come easy. I had to keep my focus on the end goal and the future to remain steadfast to achieve my goals. I also had to make sacrifices and give up things I enjoyed like dance, volleyball, swimming, and orchestra. In my friendships I missed sleepovers, birthday parties and social events due to my schedule. Over time I was able to turn my sacrifices into personal gains. Another hardship I faced was making my varsity softball team as a freshman, my coach told me I would never get to play middle infield, which is where I played my whole life. That sacrifice turned out to be my biggest blessing! They taught me to play outfield, where I contributed to multiple successes. Now I am a versatile player and will be able to play any position when I get to college.

The hardest obstacle I will have to overcome to achieve my goals is funding! Which is where I am hoping you can help me. My parents are first generation college graduates, but they have been transparent with me about the amount of student loan debt that they have. I will be on my own for funding my education even if my FAFSA says differently! I hope I can avoid debt for as long as possible. I am not afraid of hard work and would be so grateful for any amount that could bring me closer to reaching my goal of $15,000 to cover my first year of college. Thank you for your time and consideration.