Your personal circumstances as related to your financial need for a scholarship
My name is Laetitia Djamen, and I am set to finish my major program this summer. The most significant obstacle I have endured and had to overcome on my path to highereducation is navigating through uncharted territoriessince I am the first in my family to pursue a bachelor’s degree. In addition, I recently became a mother to two boys who I am proud of each day. My pursuance of higher education coupled with the responsibilities of motherhood have had a toll on my ability to keep up with the university expenses. I am experiencing financial strain paying my college fees and looking after my two boys; thus, the opportunity to access the scholarship will be profoundly essential and help me in different aspects. The scholarship will help me acquire vital education standards at a prestigious institution and counter any potential financial constraint I may incur in my pursuance of my bachelor’s degree. Moreover, the scholarship will positively impact my personal and professional goals, thus motivate my desire to succeed.
Your academic and career goals
I am a student attending the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC),currently majoring in cybersecurity management and policy. I am in my final year of obtaining my bachelor’s degree with a 3.7 GPA. I have worked hard over the last two years. I went from being on academic probation in my community college to the dean’s list in UMGC. A scholarship will motivate me to pursue my career goal of becoming an information security analyst. Deciding on my future career has been difficult since I was the first family member to be enrolled on campus. I researched different career paths and chose the best fit to align with my future interests and passion.
Your current employment and its relationship to your future plans
I am currently employed as an information technology (IT) expert at one of the local grocery online stores. My job requirements include updating the company’s software and recommending security updates such as firewalls. I also work with the employees managing the systems as I help them understand the functionality of new programs and how to detect malware. This employment opportunity aligns with my future career goal of becoming an information security analyst in varied ways. My current duties align with the job requirements of an information security expert that entails performing risk assessments and implementing recommendations to avert security breaches (Davis, 2016). I am charged with identifying issues in the system and install data encryption programs to protect consumer data.
Your leadership roles and community involvement
My leadership skills are demonstrated where I am in charge of a project that deals with the contact tracing of Covid-19 patients in the community, especially nursing and elderly homes. Contact tracing involvesidentifying individuals who may have been exposed to covid -19, thus inform them to monitor their health (World Health Organization, 2020). I am in charge of three staff; thus, each day, I get exposed to complex situations whereby problem-solving skills and critical thinking are vital. The project was prompted by the rapid spread of covid -19 in the country, putting many citizens at elderly and nursing homes at risk. I am also currently volunteering at a senior citizen housing where I prepare meals twice a week for geriatric citizens. The group prepares well-balanced meals for the senior citizens who cannot prepare the meals due to old age.
Elaborate on all of the items you checked under the “Check any that apply” section
The applicable item refers to the Family, Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations that ensure student educational records’ privacy. I sanction the university’s management to disclose any confidential information in my scholarship requisition if petitioned by the donor’s designee.
