Ever since a young age, I knew I wanted to help people. Both my mom and my dad were EMTs in the day, it's how they met for me to be alive today, and that blood continues in me. I didn't quite know how to do that for a long time until I discovered the unique field of Emergency Management. I did some more research on it and I even went so far as to go to the IAEM's mentor page and I emailed probably 50 people off of that list. About 10 got back to me and I still keep in contact with a few of them. They were instrumental in persuading me to pursue Emergency Management. I took some of FEMA's independent study courses, completing the professional development series, and decided to fully commit to a degree. I aim to apply my project management skills and my newfound emergency management knowledge to make a positive impact in the world.I am currently enrolled in a BA program at American Military University, where I have maintained a 3.8 GPA and earned the President's List and Dean's List honors. I have also completed an AA in Counter Terrorism Studies, where I learned about global and domestic threats, legal and ethical issues in Homeland Security, and prevention and response strategies. After I complete my BA, I intend to pursue an MPA with a concentration in Emergency Management.While studying full-time, I also work full-time as a civilian contractor for Customs and Border Protection. I am responsible for the daily operations of a lighter-than-air surveillance platform to support CBP's drug interdiction mission, which is just the fancy way of saying we fly balloons with radars in them to detect any aircraft trying to enter the United States in less-than-legal ways. I've been with this program for the last 7 years, since I was 19 years old. I started as a security guard and worked my way up to my current position as a Flight Director and I've been in that managerial position since 2020, having been the youngest flight director ever to be certified in the program's 60 year history at the age of 22. I understand many EM jobs require a lot of experience, but I am looking for someone who will take on someone eager and willing to learn about the field that excites them.