¶ … earliest childhood I have been fascinated with architecture. Even as a little child working with crayons and magic markers, I was drawing buildings and bridges while other children drew family members, animals and flowers. My favorite toys were Legos and building blocks, and unlike many boys my age, my pleasure was always in constructing and never in demolition. I pursued the art of building throughout my childhood, and by the time I was in middle school I already knew that I wanted to be an architect. It should be no surprise, then, that when I informally began my college search a few years ago, Ball State University quickly distinguished itself in my mind as a school whose architecture and design programs would help me succeed in my life goals. I have always stayed focused on my goal to become a great architect and a credit to my family and school. In middle school, I was actively involved in sports, playing baseball and boxing. I enjoyed...

However, as I grew older I realized that if I truly desired to build more than sandcastle or clubhouses, I would have to focus on my school work.
So it was that in high school I did not join the sports teams, but instead focused on doing everything I could to advance my knowledge of architecture and design. When I had electives available, I attempted to take classes that would lead me to a better knowledge of the principles and tools of architecture. I took many years of art classes throughout my school career, and I took three years of CAD design courses in high school. For the last four years pursuit of excellence in my school work has truly been the focus of my life.

Though school has been my focus, I also wanted to assure that I never lost touch with the needs of my community. I believe it has been…