Who Is Your Academic Role Model? Why? by Kenneth

Who Is Your Academic Role Model? Why? by Kenneth - March 2021 Scholarship Essay

When I think about my academic role model, I have to reflect on my past, present, and future. I cannot speak of just one role model, as I have had many that has shaped my academic choices and decisions. There are at least five academic role models that I look up to and trust for strength, encouragement and advice: my grandparents, my mother, my Chemistry teacher, and the late great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I made my selection based on the wisdom, knowledge, encouragement, and seeds that has been sown into my life. I am sure that you may be wondering, how can the dead (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) sow a seed? I hope to answer that question before I close.

Reflecting on my past, it wasn’t easy growing up as a Black male reared by a single mother. I could have easily become a statistic, but my mother instilled the importance and love for education within me at an early age. I watched my mother work two full time jobs while rearing my brother and me. During this time, she was also attending college full time. Let me add the icing to the cake. Not only was she attending college full time, but she was also working on her associate and bachelor degrees at the SAME time! My brother and I were blessed to have our grandparents to assist during this time. Now, let me tell you the beauty of this arrangement. I was able to learn real history from my grandparents in conjunction with learning their life story, while being able to eat all of the cake and ice cream that mom wouldn’t allow! Being that my grandparents came up in an era where they were not allowed to get an education, they still knew the importance of education and instilled it in my mother, who sowed it into my life. Neither of my grandparents have more than a middle school education, but the one thing they do have is common sense and the love for people.

Next, looking at my present academic role model, brings me to my favorite teacher, Mrs. Gabriela Kulp, my high school Chemistry teacher. I knew at a very early age that I loved Chemistry and that I wanted to do something within the STEM field. After being in Mrs. Kulp’s Chemistry class, I was certain that I am on the right path academically. Most teachers are very short with you when you ask a simple question or when you do not understand a concept, they rarely will go over it again to ensure that you have it. No, that was not the case with Mrs. Kulp. This lady went out of her way to make sure that I understood the concept, even if I had to meet for tutoring after school. Mrs. Kulp has played a huge role in my choice of career (pharmacy), because of her kind and caring ways. I see her passion in the way that she teaches, and it is my desire to put this same passion to my chosen career.

Finally, my future role model is the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I chose this great leader because of his love for all people and education. Dr. King faced many racial inequalities due to the color of his skin. However, this did not deter him from pushing forward to make sure that all people would have a chance at earing an education and being treated fairly. Dr. King graduated high school at the age of 15 and entered into Morehouse College. This alone is enough to give me hope, encouragement, and keep me focused and let me know that I too can achieve my dream of becoming a pharmacist! I glean strength from all of my academic role models, both living and dead. I know that if I stay focused and keep my eyes on the prize, I too will win!