Hiram Floyd IV

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Excellence isn’t something I measure by trophies or perfect grades. I have found that for me it shows up in the moments where I have been challenged to grow, adjust, and really show up for myself. High school empowered me to understand that success has a lot more to do with resilience and patience than anything flashy. Living with an auditory processing disorder pushed that lesson even deeper. It taught me early that I would have to work diligently, stay focused, and keep going even when things felt more complicated for me than for everyone else. I’ve learned that perseverance, focus, consistency, and a strong work ethic will take you further than perfection ever will.  There is no such thing as perfect, only progress.

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Some days remind me that when everything feels like it's working against me, I have the power to take a deep dive inward and persevere. For example, during my junior year golf tournament, when nothing I practiced seemed to land, I let the frustration get to me.  But that moment stuck with me. It reminded me that failure isn’t a wall; it’s information. Now I understand that our plans are just that, plans.  No matter how much we plan or overplan, the legacy thrives when we keep our eyes on the prize no matter the obstacles.  It's an opportunity to come back stronger.  Track and marching band came with their own lessons, too. Track showed me that effort lasts longer than any medal. Band taught me how teamwork, timing, and trust can carry you through even on the days you don’t feel like your best self. Golf brought everything together, it forced me to slow down, be patient with myself, and stay present under pressure. It is during these moments that I remember my grandmother's voice of wisdom, often, she would say, "God never promised that a weapon wouldn't form, he promised that no weapon formed against me shall prosper."​

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"To whom much is given, much is required."  Luke 12:49 is a call for responsible stewardship.  The truth is, balancing school, band, golf, work, and leadership responsibilities all at once is a blessing, not a burden. I know I can confidently handle these abundantly blessed opportunities because pressure doesn't come to break you, it makes you. Therefore, juggling everything has made me grounded. I remind myself that pressure isn’t a signal to quit, it’s usually the space where growth occurs. None of these life lessons comes easy or overnight, but every challenge is a gift and builds power in me to become a better version of myself. 

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All of these experiences shape what I want to do in tech. I’m planning to study Computer or Software  Engineering at an HBCU because I want my work to stand in purpose, not just skill. I’m especially interested in developing tools that reduce racial bias in artificial intelligence, such as speech recognition for AAVE, loan approval algorithms, predictive policing, and facial recognition. Technology is powerful, but only if it’s fair. I want to help make it fair.

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Moreover, I’m still learning, still pushing myself, and what excellence means to me is still evolving. But every step, every swing, every performance, every setback, it all prepares me to embrace the next level of excellence.

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