Mines was the first university to which I applied when I began my college search, and the first I was accepted to. However, the cost of attending from out of state was a major obstacle, so I continued searching. Then, in mid-December, I received the invite to apply for the Harvey Scholarship. I honestly thought I had little chance, considering the prestige of the school, but I wrote the essay, attached my resume, and began waiting. My love of the school, and Colorado in general, was cemented even more upon visiting campus: the students who conducted my interview were (and are) awesome and—as a guy from southern Oklahoma—snow is a wondrous occurrence. The day I found out I was a finalist was one of the most exciting of my life, I couldn’t believe it—and frankly still can’t! My time thus far at Mines has been filled with learning about both engineering and myself; I have made many new friends and am exploring all that campus has to offer. I am immensely grateful for the opportunities the Harvey family has given me and the other scholars and look forward to paying it forward.