Erin applied to this scholarship to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot and eventually flying commercially as a captain. She attended Embry Riddle University to student Aerospace Engineering for a short time before deciding to settle down and start a family. Now as a business owner and mother with two young kids, Erin’s passion of flight has begun to re-emerge as she considers what she really wants out of life. In her essay, she writes, “I really desire to be my children’s hero; as the mom who is a pilot! I want to inspire, especially my daughter, to always believe she can do whatever she works hard for, and to model for her how to have self-independence. I want to model for my son what an independent, strong woman looks like, so that he can find a good wife to encourage and love… At the end of my time here on earth, I want to be proud of the legacy I leave behind.”