Essay

betoglan2017

Sample3.docx

As a young girl in Turkmenistan, my dreams for an education were always incongruent with the reality of my humble existence. My dream was to get an education in America. I was laughed at and called a dreamer. Growing up in a low-class family, I experienced what I can only describe as economic prejudice. Although the opportunity was considered above my station in life, I took every step I knew to create a way to further my education. When I was awarded my student visa from the U.S. Ambassador, my family began to try to come up with ways to afford to send me to the U.S.

As the first family member to ever leave the country, I came here with nothing but a Visa and a community college acceptance. My parents sold their few cattle to buy my ticket to the United States. The risk was not mine alone, but one that financially affected my whole family. I feel that it is critical to succeed and honor the sacrifice of my Turkmen family.

The difference in an American education and education anywhere else is simple to define. It is all about opportunity. In my country, women are often blocked from furthering their education. Women are also almost systematically prevented from entering many types of careers, but America provides opportunities for women that are not even considered in Turkmenistan.

In America, I have encountered vast differences in thought and opinion. It has freed up my thinking to consider setting goals that do not stop short at the cultural boundaries set in my previous life. My challenges are framed differently now. I now understand that I can set life goals based on my talents, my exposure to the world, and the context and perspectives that these things yield.

I have explored every opportunity to learn and expand my capabilities. I discovered that I love the work in science and mathematics. I want to create and design innovative technologies to help improve the lives of people everywhere no matter their geographic location or economic status. Because my mother taught me to speak several languages, I have always been interested in many of the world’s countries.

Today, I aspire to be an Electrical Engineer. I would like to achieve my Ph.D. My primary interest is in solar power. I would like to work with developing countries to help them with installing highly efficient solar energy. In countries like my own Turkmenistan, the sun is a free and constant resource. My country is still drastically underdeveloped and would be dramatically transformed (at all class levels) if they had access to this kind of technology.

I bring a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed at UTD. I have always endeavored to make the most of every opportunity granted to me. This scholarship would help me meet several real challenges to finishing my education.

I am independently working my way through college without financial assistance from my parents. I must find my own money for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses.

I experience great difficulty striking a balance between my education and my personal financial needs. I often feel forced to work out of fear that I won’t have the financial resources I need to finish my education. Receiving this scholarship would enable me to allocate more time to my classes. My upcoming courses will demand a higher level of concentration and study as they will be some of the most difficult of my degree.

This scholarship would allow me to be selective with how I would spend my time if I didn’t have to work so many hours. I would like to devote more time to looking for internships and lab research projects that would add value to my degree.

I accept that the path to finishing my degree is not easy, but I know it will be worth it.