As I left my hometown of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, four years ago to pursue my college education, I viewed the transition as a two-fold opportunity: for academic and personal growth.  As a child growing up without siblings, it was imperative for me to branch out from the coddling and spoiling that came from my family. After a rough year of transitioning into life on my own, I began to flourish. 

However, with all the positive things I was doing in the classroom, I still did not feel that I was working towards something that would keep me happy for the rest of my life. At the time, all I wanted was a job that paid handsomely well, but as time passed, wealth became secondary after I received what I believe to be my true calling in life: public service. 

I began to look at the current situations of youth, both locally and nationally, and ask myself, “What can I do to make things better?” My questions led me to two main areas of focus: education and community leadership.  If we want to prepare our children to be the best they can be, it is important to provide high-quality education while developing  programs in communities that make role models readily available to lead our future teachers, doctors, lawyers, and legislators in the right direction, professionally and morally.

At this point, I took it upon myself to become educated on the nuances of leadership and mentorship, and the best way to learn is by action.  Aside from working my way up to leadership positions in career-oriented organizations on campus, I also joined the fight to provide positive role models for young males through Big Brothers Big Sisters. The experience has been eye-opening, as you get first-hand experience with one of the premier social issues of today: a lack of positive leadership in the early stages of childhood.

This is when I hit another pivotal moment in my life. I then asked myself, “Now what? In what capacity could I make the most impact?” The answer was simple: government and politics. This is when I started to immerse myself into learning the basics of politics and tuning in to the happenings of both state and federal government.  I made it a point to have conversations with state politicians, sit in on Tennessee General Assembly sessions to see how legislators conduct business, and soak up any available knowledge to gain a better understanding of the legislative process.

As a person that does not like to wait to take action, I have already started my journey to making a difference in the world by beginning work on several projects including a book, community workshops, and an interactive website.

I believe that I have a very bright future, and, with hard work, the high goals I have set for myself can be achieved.