Case Stallings

Name: Case Stallings

Currently Enrolled (2019): Virginia Commonwealth University

About Winning: 

This scholarship means tremendous amount. I am paying for the bulk of college myself with private loans, so everything I can earn or be awarded helps reduce that debt!  More importantly this may allow me to avoid getting a job during the school year.  Most part time jobs still require a significant commitment and I am working hard to maintain my GPA above 3.5, as it will be a factor in the internships and job opportunities I will pursue the next few years.  I am a Criminal Justice Major and plan on a career with either local law enforcement such as the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office or the U.S. Marshals Service directly out of college, with the ultimate goal of being an FBI agent some day.  I am also a member of the Theta Chi fraternity and we do a lot of volunteer work in the Richmond area.  It’s critical to give back and volunteer, but it’s extremely generous of the firm to provide this opportunity for kids like me.  I’m honored and grateful to have been chosen.

Essay: 

“I am a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) majoring in criminal justice with a concentration in forensic crime scene investigation. I plan to pursue a career in law enforcement. My career goals are rooted in my family’s legacy of service. Both my Grandfathers were in the military and I have six cousins in law enforcement and two firefighters. Their example has inspired me and I believe law enforcement suits my personality, skills and goals.

I was an athlete in high school earning eight varsity letters, 4 each in football and wrestling, and achieved many awards including All Conference and being a state qualifier. While I am proud of my accomplishments, the most valuable lesson sports taught me was the importance of setting goals and putting in the work to achieve them. Practice, preparation, responsibility and guidance from mentors are how I succeeded in sports and other areas of my life and will be how I deal with life’s challenges to come.

My short term goals for the nest 3 years are aligned to my college work and preparing for employment. My primary focus is to achieve the academic success that will make me not only eligible, but desirable for internships, scholarships and eventual employment. Planning ahead, being aware of what is required and being committed to put in the time necessary to meet those levels drives my day to day. The challenges will be time management and social activity balance, which I believe is manageable with planning and dedication. I have been privileged to become a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. Becoming a member of the fraternity has given me a new “team” of brothers, like I had with sports in high school. Their friendship and support was a significant factor in my academic and emotional success this first year. In addition to the social activities and guidance, a significant aspect of the fraternity is giving back to the community. Their fundraising efforts support the United Service Organization (USO) and Richmond Children’s Hospital and we volunteer at the Randolph Place Better Housing Coalition where we visit, share stories and laugh with the senior citizen residents. Being a part of an organization that respects and promotes the values I was raised with is important to me. I believe the people I associate with now will directly impact my success in college and beyond and their commitment to academic success, and service and supporting each other will help me achieve my goals.

Additional goals over the next few years are to have a summer internship with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) or the U.S. Marshalls Office next summer and the FBI the following summer. I received the 2018 Loudoun County Deputy Sheriff’s Association Scholarship and received the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute award with a nomination from the Loudoun County Sheriff, Sheriff Chapman, in both 2018 and 2019. I have mentors with the LCSO, U.S. Marshalls, FBI and some law enforcement associations and their guidance has helped me in making my goals. I anticipate they will be valuable in challenges I might have in deciding the best path to take with internship and career decisions.

My biggest hurdle during these school years is financial. I am paying for the bulk of college myself. My mother helps as much as she can, but with the high cost of tuition today I am paying for 90% myself, the bulk of which is through loans. I work in the summer to contribute to my college expenses and have a part time job where I make a little income during the school year to pay for incidentals. Receiving this scholarship would be a great help and reduce my loan needs for this upcoming year, which will help me long term.

After college I plan to get a job with either the Loudoun County Deputy Sheriff’s office or U.S. Marshals Service depending on the options and outcomes from the internships I hope to have. Five to ten years after that, my long term goal is to become an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). To become an agent you must first have a college degree and multiple years of law enforcement experience. My goals in school, career and personal conduct are all aimed with that long term goal in mind. In addition, I hope to have the American dream- happy family, career I love (and am good at), and living a life that contributes to my community. While there are always challenges around grades and life decisions, the motivation to what I am working toward makes those challenges less stressful and the effort to overcome them worth it because the mission is clear.”