Kileya Johnson
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The 1st Winner of the Virginia Hill Scholarship
Her winning submission:
I no longer want to go to college just to cross off a checkbox or to “prove myself” to others. I’m going to college because I have a vision for how I want to show up in the world and grow into that version of myself and help others do the same. I want to take what I learn and build better systems, challenge the current state of the world, and leave behind something that matters. I will use my college experience and education to lift others up while reaching my own goals. That is why college is important to me.
Her winning submission:
I would love to be able to say that college is important to me because I’m the first in my family to go or that I’m overcoming humongous barriers, but those things are simply not true. Growing up, I’ve always had school as a central focus of my life. I’ve achieved pretty decent grades and juggled so many extracurriculars that others wouldn’t be able to keep up with. For a long time, I saw college as another way of “proving myself” further than I already have.
Throughout high school, “proving myself” has been my biggest motivation for doing big things. I’ve learned this past year that it’s not the most important thing to me. Instead, the most important thing to me is growing into someone that I am proud of. College matters more to me now as it’s where I’ll learn to use my skills and passions to make an impact on the world like I aspire to.
I’d like to study Forensic Psychology as I’ve always been fascinated by people - their thoughts, their choices, and what makes them who they are. I want to research and ask deeper questions and use it to create solutions for those impacted by crime and the justice system. No matter where I end up, whether it be guiding young people, influencing policy, or working as a psychology consultant in the field of animation, my goal is to make life easier for people in these often misunderstood situations.
In my journey, college is important to me because it gives me more access to make my dreams come true. In college there are more opportunities for mentorship, research, and overall education. Along with this, there is the opportunity for connection with peers that will challenge me with different perspectives and help me continue to grow. I don’t just want to study and memorize facts like I did to get through high school, but rather learn and develop understanding. Enough understanding to potentially change the way that I see the world and hopefully how we as people treat each other.
Throughout high school, “proving myself” has been my biggest motivation for doing big things. I’ve learned this past year that it’s not the most important thing to me. Instead, the most important thing to me is growing into someone that I am proud of. College matters more to me now as it’s where I’ll learn to use my skills and passions to make an impact on the world like I aspire to.
I’d like to study Forensic Psychology as I’ve always been fascinated by people - their thoughts, their choices, and what makes them who they are. I want to research and ask deeper questions and use it to create solutions for those impacted by crime and the justice system. No matter where I end up, whether it be guiding young people, influencing policy, or working as a psychology consultant in the field of animation, my goal is to make life easier for people in these often misunderstood situations.
In my journey, college is important to me because it gives me more access to make my dreams come true. In college there are more opportunities for mentorship, research, and overall education. Along with this, there is the opportunity for connection with peers that will challenge me with different perspectives and help me continue to grow. I don’t just want to study and memorize facts like I did to get through high school, but rather learn and develop understanding. Enough understanding to potentially change the way that I see the world and hopefully how we as people treat each other.
I no longer want to go to college just to cross off a checkbox or to “prove myself” to others. I’m going to college because I have a vision for how I want to show up in the world and grow into that version of myself and help others do the same. I want to take what I learn and build better systems, challenge the current state of the world, and leave behind something that matters. I will use my college experience and education to lift others up while reaching my own goals. That is why college is important to me.