My dream is to help shape the future of technology through public policy. Technology is changing faster than ever, and I want to make sure the laws and decisions surrounding it keep up in ways that protect people without holding back innovation.

I hope to build a career where I can help create policies that make emerging technology more accessible, more responsible, and more beneficial for the communities it affects.

My dream is to work in government, focusing on technology policy and helping shape the way our country responds to new technologies. Technology is changing so quickly that it’s becoming part of almost everything we do, and I want to help make sure our laws and policies don’t fall behind.

Whether it’s artificial intelligence or future innovations we haven’t even seen yet, I want to be part of the decisions that determine how these technologies affect people’s everyday lives.

I’ve always been interested in public service because I’ve seen how much government decisions can impact people’s opportunities. I hope to one day to work in Congress or another public office where I can help write legislation and contribute to policies that have a real impact.

Studying Information Science alongside Political Science has shown me that technology and government can’t be treated as two separate worlds anymore. The people creating technology need policymakers who understand it, and the people writing laws need to think about where technology is headed instead of where it’s already been.

Growing up as an immigrant has also shaped the way I see this work. I’ve experienced how much policy can influence someone’s future, and that’s made me want to build a career where I can give back through public service. I want to help create policies that give everyone a fair chance to benefit from innovation while protecting the people who are often overlooked.

For a long time, I let other people’s opinions decide what I thought I was capable of. Growing up as an immigrant, there were moments when I felt like I had something to prove. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. Over time, I realized the only person I really needed to prove anything to was myself.

People will always have something to say, but they don’t get to decide your future. Believe in yourself long enough to become the person they never thought you could be.

My name is Mikaylah, and I’m a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Information Science and Political Science.

I’m originally from Ghana, and moving to the United States completely changed the direction of my life. Like many first-generation students, I’ve had to learn how to navigate opportunities that weren’t always familiar to me while balancing the financial realities of pursuing a college education. Those experiences have shaped the way I see the world and are a big part of why I’m so interested in technology policy. As technology becomes a bigger part of our everyday lives, I want to help create policies that make sure progress benefits everyone, not just a select few.

Being selected for the Bold Futures Scholarship is an incredible honor. More than anything, it reminds me that someone believes in my potential and the future I’m working toward. This award will help support my education and allow me to continue pursuing opportunities that deepen my understanding of technology and public policy.

I’m incredibly grateful to 1,000 Dreams Fund for investing in students like me. I hope that, one day, I’ll be in a position to create opportunities for others the same way this scholarship has created one for me.