What is your dream?
My dream is to become an occupational therapist.

How will you use the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship?
I will use the scholarship to fund my education. The Occupational Therapy program at Elizabethtown College is a five year Master’s program, so I will put the scholarship towards paying for my education.

How is this helping you get closer to your dream?
My dream is to become an occupational therapist because it incorporates some of my favorite things: psychology, biology, teaching and helping others. In order to achieve this dream, I must attend college and pass an exam. This is helping me to pay for the necessary five years of education.

What advice do you have for other young women looking to go for their dreams?
It’s important to keep an open mind. I grew up wanting to be a teacher because I love helping others. As I took psychology and biology classes in high school, I was able to explore more career options and found that occupational therapy combines all of my interests.

Any setbacks? How did you get around them?
I didn’t really have any setbacks, other than figuring out how to support my education financially. I only applied to two schools, but it was difficult waiting for financial aid packages because I loved the one school so much more than the other. Unfortunately, the one that I liked more was significantly more expensive. Luckily, the difference in expense after financial aid was small enough that I was able to attend my first choice school.

What’s your next goal?
I am currently looking forward to continuing my education and making new friends in college. After I finish college, my biggest goals are to find a career I enjoy.