Finding Myself follows the journey of a young boy born in Knoxville, Tennessee, growing up in urban housing, searching for a better life. Because his father was a habitual criminal, nearly everyone he ever knew told him he would never amount to anything. Despite being unfamiliar with the necessary processes and requirements, he decided he would attend college.
Due to the 12 on the ACT, every college he applied to denied him admission, stating that it would not be fair to admit him knowing he would never graduate. From his teenage years working at fast food restaurants, busting tables, and washing dishes at a local restaurant, he dreamed of better opportunities. Friends and family consistently reminded him that he was on a fool’s errand, toiling in an exercise in futility and throwing his hard- earned money away. Eventually, he is conditionally admitted to a university where he earns a bachelor’s and a master’s degree and at the urging of friends and mentors, he decides to pursue a Ph.D.
However, much like the pursuit for the bachelor’s degree, the cycle of exclusion once again rears its head, and he must apply numerous times seeking admission into a doctoral program. Finding Myself is a true story of facing and overcoming obstacles, resiliency, optimism, and the power of determination.
Finding Myself by Bryan Samuel
Self-published, paperback book