AI Responsibly with ndMAX
At NetDocuments, we believe in providing opportunities for underserved minority students to discover what inspires them and learn how to harness that inspiration to drive their future success. This led to the establishment of the NetDocuments Work Inspired Scholarship Fund in 2020 that awards three recipients with a $10,000 scholarship to continue their education and the possibility of a summer internship with NetDocuments.
Over 2,300 student leaders applied in 2020 and 2021, sharing inspiring stories and accomplishments. Our three scholarship recipients are impressive individuals who have overcome many challenges throughout their lives and made significant impacts on their families and communities. They embody what we believe working inspired really means. Congratulations to our Work Inspired scholarship recipients: Anysia Boozer, Juan Perez, and Jamal Sayid!
Read on to learn more about their unique stories.
About Anysia: Anysia is from a small town in Cartersville, Georgia. She loves school and learning and always surrounds herself with those who inspire her and share her passion for a strong work ethic. This has created a healthy competition that pushes her to be her best.
Is there someone specific who has inspired you to work as hard as you have?
I am most inspired by my mom. She is a single parent who has raised me and two siblings. She always pushed me to perform at my best, and I believe I continue to do so because of her belief in me.
Another group that inspires me are women (especially women of color) in STEM positions! Their stories of struggles and successes make my dreams seem within reach.
Are they part of what inspired you to continue your education post-high school?
Yes – no one in my household has graduated from college. After seeing how hard my mom worked, and engaging with other amazing women, I’ve always known that I can accomplish more in life than what I was presented with. The best way to achieve my dreams is through an education.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
Graduating high school and completing my first semester of college with a 4.0 GPA has been an incredible accomplishment. It was also a special honor to serve my community during a project I created called Cartersville Feeds the Need. The members of this club purchase, prepare, and deliver meals to the local children’s shelter and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Is there anything specific you’re hoping to learn during your internship at NetDocuments?
I would like to seek valuable advice on what it takes to get ahead. I also want help developing the knowledge and skills I need to succeed.
About Juan: I am a third-year computer science student at Georgia Tech. I was born in Colombia, but I moved to the U.S. when I was eight years old. I became interested in computer science during my junior year of high school when I took AP Computer Science. I found coding interesting because it felt like a puzzle where you break down the problem into manageable chunks and work from there to build up the solution. I work on personal projects on my own time involving full-stack development, and I also work hard in my classes to make sure I learn as much as I can.
Is there anyone you look to for inspiration?
The person who inspires me the most is my mother because she is a hard-working woman who was able to balance work with taking care of her kids. Since we came from a poor neighborhood, my mother had a job with long hours, and it involved manual labor. Because of this, she always came home tired from work, but she always found the time to take care of me and my siblings. I want to make sure that I’m like that for my kids.
What inspires you to further your education?
I was inspired to further my education by my parents. I saw how hard they had to work in manual labor jobs just to make rent, so I knew I wanted to do something different. My parents always encouraged me to do well in school, so I made sure to study. This allowed me to go to a prestigious school like Georgia Tech, so I am very grateful for my parents’ encouragement to work hard in school.
As far as accomplishments, what are you most proud of?
The accomplishment I am most proud of is being a Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) Scholar because it was the first big award that I received in college. They gave me a $5,000 scholarship that I was able to use for school, so I felt very grateful for the opportunity. Another accomplishment was getting a summer internship for 2021 because I felt it was a great steppingstone toward a career in computer science. I hope to apply what I learned in my internship to future opportunities and look to continue to improve my skills.
What are you most hoping to learn when you join us for an internship?
I would like to learn about important skills in software development, such as writing scalable code and providing good test coverage. I will also seek advice in areas like career development and soft skills and hope to broaden my abilities outside of software development to things like leading a meeting and being able to explain my work in a concise manner.
About Jamal: I am a first-generation American. Both of my parents are refugees from the Somali Civil War. I am most inspired by their stories and grit in raising me to be the best person I can be.
Who inspires you?
My mother’s fearlessness and diligence inspire me every day to be the best leader I can be. After becoming a refugee during the Somali Civil War at only 15 years of age, her commitment to working night and day to provide our family a better future in America has taught me the importance of never giving up even when times are tough.
What drives you to continue your education?
My parents' sacrifices inspire and drive me to further my education. From a young age, they always ingrained in me that education was the one tool that could never be taken away from me, and it can be used to help others in a plethora of ways.
As you think about your accomplishments, what are you most proud of?
In addition to winning this scholarship, I am most proud of being a 2021 Coca-Cola Scholar, a recipient of the Princeton University Prize in Race Relations, a 2021 Bank of America Student Leader, and a 2021 Future Business Leaders of America National Winner.
Looking ahead, what are you most excited to learn during your internship here?
I would like to learn from my mentor and internship business, finance, and leadership skills, as well as become acquainted with the legal side of managing NetDocuments. I would also like to synergize my passion for technology with my ambition for business and law throughout the internship.
Since the NetDocuments Work Inspired Scholarship Fund launched in 2021, recipients have come from around the world, including Colombia, Iraq, Nepal, Somalia, and the U.S.
If you know a student who exemplifies the spirit of Work Inspired, invite them to apply for our scholarship awards for the 2023 academic year. Applications will be accepted beginning in Spring 2022.
