Coming from the very liberal state of New Jersey, I was never able to share my conservative opinions as the majority of my liberal teachers and peers immediately shut them down. The principles of hard work, leadership, and professionalism are the same values instilled in me by my parents – immigrants from the Soviet Union. My parents both immigrated to “the best country in the world” from Ukraine in the late 1970’s in order to achieve the American Dream and leave Communism behind. Their motivation and understanding of the word perseverance has truly inspired me to work even harder to flourish in my own American Dream.