From TBI Resilience to STEM Success Scholarship

I’ve survived three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), each reshaping how I understand resilience and the human mind. The first happened when I was just three years old. Stubborn even then, I climbed a five-foot dresser to retrieve a hidden pacifier, fell, split my chin open, and learned my first painful lesson about limits. The second came in kindergarten. I don’t remember the moment itself—only lying in a hospital bed afterward. The story goes that I stood on the front of a shopping cart and pulled it forward, toppling both my twin brother and myself to the ground. My mom remembers me asking, again and again, “Where are we?”—unable to hold a single answer in my mind. But it was my third TBI, at eighteen, that changed everything. I was a passenger in a near-fatal car accident that left me in a six-day coma with a severe concussion and multiple life-threatening injuries. When I woke up, everything felt foreign. Near the end of my hospital stay, a doctor visited my room and began asking questions I couldn’t follow. I remember the terror of realizing I couldn’t make sense of their words—afraid I was irreparably broken, or worse, no longer intelligent. My mom tried to hide it, but she was scared too. That moment taught me how fragile our minds are—how quickly the things we take for granted, like language, memory, and focus, can slip away. Sometimes I still wonder if my TBI is why I struggle to shape my ideas into words today. But I’ve learned that my worth isn’t measured by fluency—it’s defined by the determination to keep trying. My injuries forced me to develop new strategies for organizing my thoughts and advocating for myself. I learned resilience not by bouncing back quickly, but by rebuilding—patiently, persistently—day after day. Those experiences also deepened my empathy for people whose struggles aren’t visible. I know what it feels like to be misunderstood, to fear that your limitations will define your life. That’s why I’m pursuing a degree in Environmental Science: a field where I can channel my resilience into protecting something bigger than myself. My TBIs taught me that you can’t escape your body, your mind, or your planet—we have to learn to care for all three. I’m passionate about transforming outdated, extractive systems—like energy, food, and transportation—into sustainable, community-driven solutions. I want to work at the intersection of science and planning, helping design resilient infrastructure and shape policies that move us toward environmental balance. Just as I had to relearn how to navigate my own mind and body, I believe society must relearn how to live in harmony with our ecosystems. Pursuing a STEM career wasn’t always a given. Recovery from my injuries brought doubts—both my own and others’. But each obstacle strengthened my resolve to prove that surviving wasn’t enough; I wanted to thrive, and to help others thrive, too. Today, as an adult learner and first-generation college student, I’m committed to showing my children—and anyone who’s ever felt broken—that you can rise from setbacks not just stronger, but more compassionate. This scholarship would not only support my education but also honor the resilience I’ve built through a lifetime of rebuilding. It would help me transform past hardship into a force for good, reminding me that no obstacle is insurmountable if you refuse to give up—and that even when the world doubts you, your dreams remain within reach.

I am an 18 year old high school senior who is graduating this year and making plans to further my education and career through any resource available with the goal of minimal loans and a dental career. My career path of choice in the future is dental hygienist which is not not your normal "trade" but one I am very excited to explore in my future. It is a field of science and fits into the STEM arena. I enjoy science and biology and my personal experience with a dental office has guided me towards this choice for my path. When I was given the referral to an orthodontist at 15, I was a nervous teen scared about the pain ahead, however in my care over the next year with my orthodontist's office it became clear to me that the hygienist was the reason my experience was pleasant and painless. This immediately became a career choice I wanted to explore. Junior year of high school I was introduced to West-Mec, a trade oriented program my high school partners with. I immediately joined the two year dental program and have been able to learn the basics, explore real life cleaning and polishing techniques and practices on my friends and family, but also a chance to explore some state certifications and testing to have in my pocket upon graduation. As part of this program I have volunteered at free dental clinics for the state's homeless population which has provided some insight in how my assistance with dental care will provide confidence and success to people who need some light in their life. This same year in October 2023 I was involved in a very high speed t-bone wreck that resulted in a lot of physical pain and injury. The airbags went off and I hit my head on the window. As the year progressed, my mental health changed, memory, and eventually I was diagnosed with a concussion, TBI, and memory issues. I've sought much much care and therapies to continue to improve. Shortly after the wreck I faced a state certification test in coronal polishing techniques and with the memory and concentration issues I was unable to pass that test. I sought help from therapists, teachers, medical professionals, and my family to learn and implement new strategies to continue to strive towards my ultimate goal of the dental field. I've had to alter the way I study, remember, recall, and react to every aspect of life after this event but I've come out on top. I was able to eventually pass a state radiology exam and obtain a certificate in my field. This has boosted my motivation and believe in myself. The strategies that I was taught and equipped with have helped me overcome the fear of set back with the TBI and I believe with a little extra work I can reach any goal. My future plan is to use my hygienist trade to explore orthodontics and be that smiling face to teens who are nervous for this time in their life. I plan to keep volunteering when possible in the free dental clinics and making people smile where ever I can. Although my TBI is not "over" and may never be, the struggle to overcome has been a life lesson I will take with me and know anything is possible to overcome with a little belief and practice.