A New Star Scholar's Essay

Playing the violin has been one of the most important aspects of my life since I was five years old. In my fifteen years as a violinist, I have grown a passion to further my musical studies to the professional level in order to achieve my goal of becoming a violinist in which I can utilize my gift as a service to the community. After completing two degrees, with honors, at the University of Southern California studying Violin Performance and Biological Sciences, I am truly able to recognize the price I’ve had to pay to come this far in my musical abilities.

​

 

​My mother is the sole reason I am here today as a potential graduate of USC. Through her guidance, I have had the privilege of studying at such a prestigious university. When I first started private violin lessons at five years old, my family had not a single bit of worry over financial matters. But I was completely unaware of the financial hardships my family would soon suffer in just a matter of a few years. My life took a sudden turn when my dad abandoned my mom the next year, leaving her to raise three children with no help. As I moved on from elementary school to middle school and eventually to high school, I clearly noticed my family’s drastic change from luxury to poverty. My sisters and I were forced to quit ballet lessons, art lessons, swimming lessons, and every other activity that was deemed unnecessary. But the one thing my mom held on to so eagerly was our musical lessons, no matter how expensive they were.

 

 

 

Every day, week, and month, I witnessed my mother’s constant stress and anxiety over financial issues for fifteen years since the divorce. My dad was of absolutely no help during my last years of high school and throughout my college years, when he cut off any means of child support. And this certainly doubled the hardship enforced upon my mother. Hoping to be of some help, I would regularly ask my dad for financial help, only to be rebuffed with an apology and words about hopes for a better future. Through these demanding times, I would constantly think that giving up my lessons could lift some of the burden off my mom’s shoulders. But even through those difficult situations, my mom refused to give up in providing me her support to help me keep my musical ambitions. Her love for music and dedication in perseverance overpower her staggering levels of stress, which inspires me to this day in my own experiences of doubt and anxiety.

​

 

Throughout my life, I’ve constantly been in the position of accepting other people’s generosity. Decades of charity from relatives and friends, and especially, the blessings I’ve received for my musical education, have truly compelled me to contribute back to the community what I have received from the past. It is my vision to be in the shoes of the provider – to provide musical lessons for kids that are unable to learn because of financial restraints, as my family and I have experienced. This is how I feel I can effectively give back for the immense generosity I have received during my family’s financial struggles. At this point in my life, my dream is to attend the New England Conservatory of Music, an amazing music institute in Boston and a school that will undoubtedly shape me into the musician I need to be in order to carry out my vision for the community. Unfortunately, I have no means of financial support from either of my parents, with my dad not taking part in my life and my mom currently unemployed. Throughout my undergraduate education at USC, I took the burden of educational finances away from my mother by obtaining federal grants and scholarships all on my own, and I plan to do the same for my graduate education. I believe it is my responsibility to pay for my education, so I am applying for this scholarship with the hope that it can contribute to my academic endeavors, as I embark on a new journey towards earning my masters degree at the New England Conservatory. With the help of this scholarship, I will be that much closer to achieving my vision in utilizing my musical gift to positively influence others around me with my talent.

 

​Provident Title: 뉴스타 장학회 행사를 통해, 장학금을 받는 학생들에게 꿈을 키우고 희망과 용기가 심어지기를 바라며, 저희 Provident Title의 James Park, Sandy Cho, Daniel Oh, Brandon Lee도 차세대 주역들이 미주한인사회를 더욱 발전하는데에 앞장서기를 기원합니다.

[출처] A New Star Scholar's Essay|작성자 남문기