Resolve your world with passion.

My family and I feel very proud to call the U.S. home, but when I first arrived here more than 20 years ago I did not feel a special welcome. After being promised a graduate assistantship and traveling 56 hours to start this school, I arrived tired but also very excited. My excitement quickly turned into distress.

The assistantship had been given to another student and was no longer available. To this day I don’t know what happened. Some tried to convince me to stay and work under the table. That was not an option for me. If I could not work legally, I would have to leave.

I was heartbroken and depressed, but I vowed that before throwing in the towel I would visit each and every department chair. I convinced myself that someone must need a graduate assistant so I went from department to department and kept hitting one brick wall after another. Most department heads were sympathetic but they just did not have anything to offer me. A few were downright very rude and arrogant.

After two days I was about ready to give up when I met with the mathematics department chair. Frankly by this point I was not expecting much so I pled my case. He listened and then introduced me to another faculty member. That faculty member was impressed by my undergrad education. She asked me if I’d be interested in a fellowship that involved research on polymers and I was elated.

My elation did not last long. She told me the application process was very competitive, but it still encouraged me to apply. In fact, I did score an interview and was ultimately selected. In fact, my research was honored by being awarded the university’s annual best graduate thesis award.

Here is the thing.

I never would have secured that fellowship, won that award, and eventually become a U.S. citizen without the resolve I had to keep moving forward.

Resolve is having the passion, determination and perseverance to find a solution to a problem or improve a situation.

When was the last time you had enough resolve to change your world?