When multiple tornadoes struck the small, fragile community of Oak Grove that I have known as home all my life in 1998 and recently in 2011, it was devastating. It not only damaged my community physically, but also emotionally because it took away something that can never be replaced — lives. Immediately, after graduating high school, I wanted to pursue a career that gave back to the community that had given me so much throughout my life. It was at that very moment that I developed a passion for weather phenomena because I wanted to somehow make a difference in preventing these fatalities by effectively communicating the severity of the risks associated with these events to the public.

          Currently, I am a hard-working student at the University of Alabama that strives to do work that is meaningful. Serving a greater purpose each and everyday is crucial to one's well-being and without it, there would simply be no reason to do the things we do. I find meaningful work in the passion I have for atmospheric processes and occurrences. By informing others about meteorological events that affect their daily lives, I know I am serving my purpose. When I graduate college I aspire to pursue a career as a broadcast meteorologist, so that I can raise awareness about these potentially dangerous situations and therefore, contribute to the prosperity of individuals.

          After graduation, I plan to further my education by attending Mississippi State University to earn my Master's Degree in Broadcast Meteorology. In doing this, I hope to gain a better understanding of not only the meteorological sciences, but also the social sciences involved in severe weather events, so I can learn how individuals perceive forecasts and risks, and, ultimately, serve them to the best of my ability.