Scholarship Essay Example

Studying abroad would challenge me in ways nothing else can. I have never been on a plane and certainly never been out of the United States. Furthermore, I currently study Early Childhood and Special Education at Thiel and it is a long-term goal of mine to be able to enlighten my students with my travel experiences, one of them being the Study Abroad Italy trip. Attending this trip will have a lasting impact on my personal and professional growth.  

I would consider myself a risk taker. Taking risks and challenging myself helps generate countless new possibilities in which the pros always outweigh the cons. Traveling around five thousand miles to a completely different part of the world terrifies me. At the same time, this part of Europe fascinates me and gives me goosebumps. This trip to Italy would pose as a huge challenge for me as I have never flown on a plane or been out of the United States before. This allows me to experience something completely new that is out of my comfort zone. The memories and knowledge I will gain from this opportunity will stay with me for the remainder of my life and I can apply them elsewhere, just as I plan to do in my future career as an educator. 

Attending the trip to Italy as a future educator allows me to share my experiences with my students. More importantly, I will be able to understand and relate better to any students I might encounter from cultures separate from my own. This trip has the potential to help me better understand other cultures, gain a greater appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of our own educational system, as well as develop the skills, perspectives, and arrangements to incorporate a global dimension into my teaching. Over the course of time, I can spark interest in my students and motivate them to study abroad when they get older. The best educators are those who can share their own experiences. 

Without this scholarship, attending this trip would be extremely difficult for me financially. Unfortunately, I come from a broken family. When I was young my father passed away, leaving my mother to provide for me and my two siblings for many years until my brother and I moved out after High School. My mother currently works two jobs to provide for herself and my sister. Similarly, I work for three different families, babysitting their children, so that I can provide for myself and pay for my education. However, I believe this makes me a stronger person and makes my hard work and dedication to my education feel extremely rewarding. Receiving this scholarship would allow me to fulfill my goal of studying abroad in Italy without adding to my current financial strain.  

This scholarship will enable me to reach my goals and grow personally and professionally. I believe this program is just the beginning of my lifelong journey to endless learning and transfer of my new knowledge. I consider knowledge gained through experience of greater value than theoretical knowledge. I thank you in advance for your consideration.