FOSSI: Tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born in Shawnee, KS on November 16, 2003 and I am the youngest of 5 children. I have 2 older sisters and 2 older brothers. My family lived in Kansas City, MO for the first 8 years of my life and then relocated to Plano, TX in late 2011.
Growing up, I was a very active kid. I played the piano, the flute, and I participated in a variety of sports including soccer, cheerleading, softball, track, and powerlifting.
While my extracurricular activities were extremely important to me, academics and community service are my primary focal points. My parents are strong believers in setting goals and achieving them. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been writing my short-term and long-term goals. I keep them visible and read them often. I also create a plan of action, outlining how I’ll achieve each goal. A short-term goal of mine is to continue to compete for financial scholarships so that my college career is fully funded without student loans. One of my long-term goals is to graduate college in the top 10% percent of my class.
My life experiences, including both successes and challenges, have shaped me into the young woman I am. I hold a special place in my heart for each person who positively impacted my life and aided me in getting to where I am today. One of my favorite quotes is from Martin Luther King Jr. He says, “take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”. I am now ready to take a step of faith towards a career in biology.
I’ve worked extremely hard to be well-rounded, excelling in academia, community involvement, and socially. I’m very grateful to have been awarded the FOSSI scholarship!
FOSSI: Why is receiving the FOSSI scholarship important for you?
Receiving the FOSSI scholarship is important to me because without it, I may not have been able to pursue higher education at an HBCU. I’m from a middle-class family of five kids. My mom started college as a teenage mother in the fall semester of 1990. She incurred over $100,000 in student loan debt, which she is aggressively repaying.
My dad is a barber and currently has student loan debt as well. My parents have been open and honest with me about the fact that they will not be able to pay for my college education. Nevertheless, I’m determined not to allow that to hold me back. I’ve worked extremely hard to be well-rounded, excelling in academia, community involvement, and socially. I’m very grateful to have been awarded the FOSSI scholarship! This puts me one step closer to my goal of obtaining my degree at the illustrious, Hampton University, with no student loan debt.
FOSSI: Share a few fun facts about yourself.
- I enjoy nature. Being outside and surrounded by nature calms me and brings me peace. When I'm having a stressful day or a hard time, walking or sitting outside, or riding in the car with the window down clears my head.
- I enjoy the water. I could be in the pool, at the beach, near a lake, on a boat, or taking a cruise; if there is water, my soul is at peace. The irony is that I never learned to formally swim.
- I absolutely love animals. When I get settled in life and financially stable, I want to live on enough land to accommodate various animals and pets. I want to have dogs, horses, fish and have a monkey as a pet; just to name a few. Animals are a true gift.
Hear from Te'a about why attending an HBCU is important to her.
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