School pride goes deep

Growing up I was only a Wildcat because the University of Kentucky was 20 minutes from my home.  My sights were never set on living in Lexington or even participating in our Big Blue Nation.  I wasn’t prepared for college after high school and felt the drive to serve.  I joined the Marines and did four years to include a deployment overseas to Iraq.  Needless to say the University of Kentucky was only a passing thought when it was brought up by marine buddies that Kentucky has no professional sports.

When I returned home, I took a full-time job as a police officer working for the University of Kentucky.  Yup, THE University of Kentucky Police Department, which is not heard of when placed next to our eight-time national championship basketball team.  The University of Kentucky has grown on me and in the last few years I have attended here, there will never ever be another school that will have a lasting impact on me like the University of Kentucky.

The things I’m most particularly proud of that no other school can give me are the holistic experiences I’ve had in the last 4 years.  My opportunity to serve and watch the university grow, in the unique way that only the University Police can, has been incredibly enlightening.  I’ve been to every kind of athletic event, protected most every important speaker that's visited, spoken with every residence hall director, created and formed important relationships with nearly every department and service our university provides.  I participated in the national championship riots as a police officer in riot gear with a 9am class the following day.  I am amazed at how important the University of Kentucky is to the state of Kentucky.  From the fans to the professors, every single affiliated individual bleeds blue.

My Chief allows me a unique opportunity to live on campus, and my supervisors work with my schedule to allow me to pursue my Bachelors of Science in Analytics as a full-time student.  I don’t know if it is within personality to be fanatical, but I too bleed blue.  Not just as the police, but also as a Wildcat. 

While my career path will likely not take me further into law enforcement, there is no doubt that the discipline I’ve had to learn by balancing work and school will be invaluable to me.  With my diploma in hand next Christmas I will be pursuing federal jobs dealing with our safety and security.  Between my military service, law enforcement, and academic studies I know I will be well prepared to continue helping protect our nation.

There is not any other school that could offer me the opportunities or the memories that I’ve had here at the University of Kentucky.  I bleed blue in so many ways that will always make me think of the University of Kentucky.  Go Cats! 

This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.