Li Family Scholarship

I am an Asian American high school senior and a first-generation college student. My cultural background has carved a niche in my life and instilled in me the drive to succeed. Growing up, I learned the value of resilience, discipline, and embracing my heritage even in the face of challenges. Being Asian American means drawing strength from my cultural roots while striving to turn challenges into opportunities in pursuit of my dreams. Under the guidance and support of my Mandarin teacher, every Lunar New Year is filled with celebrations with classmates as we perform self-choreographed and executed dragon dances, umbrella dances, and even Kung Fu performances. It is also a good opportunity to honor family heritage and be proud of our roots. These events are more than just festive celebrations—they remind me of the importance of staying connected to our roots and the joy of sharing that connection with the community. However, my journey has also been marked by challenges. My mother has epilepsy, and witnessing her struggles has deeply influenced my aspirations. Her condition has required me to mature quickly and has instilled in me a sense of responsibility to help support my family. I’ve seen firsthand how medical treatments and healthcare costs can place immense strain on families, and it’s motivated me to take action. This personal experience has influenced me to want to study Business and Computer Science. I want to develop innovative solutions that can make healthcare more accessible and affordable for underserved communities. I hope to combine business and technology to create systems that help families like mine access better treatment options. My ultimate goal is that no one has to choose between their health and financial stability. Higher education is not only a personal dream for me but also one way to honor the sacrifices my family has made and, in turn, give back to uplift others. My parents struggled to give me opportunities they never had, and their determination inspires me to push forward, no matter how difficult the journey may seem. Being a first-generation college student, I realize that life ahead will be filled with challenges; however, my upbringing taught me that hard work and perseverance can overcome any obstacle. Working up to this point was tiring, yet I am fully aware of the fact that a lot of things remain to be done. I have always taken chances and opportunities since doing diabetes research that assisted me to grow and begin alignment toward my goals. These experiences will prepare me for college life while maintaining my interest in creating change. This scholarship would release me from the financial stress of college and allow me to give my full attention to my studies and career goals. I promise this: with your support, I will study hard, strive for success, and use my achievements to empower my community and contribute to a brighter future for all. Being an Asian American has taught me that our culture and values are strengths, not barriers. It has also shown me that even the toughest challenges can be overcome with determination, discipline, and hope. I will use my education to make a meaningful difference, not just for myself and my family but also for the greater community and beyond.

These experiences have shown me both the difficulties and persistent determination required to survive in this nation as an Asian American. As a Vietnamese immigrant, my family has shown me through their stories the efforts they invested to construct my prospects which they lacked themselves. The battles they face serve to build my character while driving me to put in more effort toward building a brighter future. Throughout this year, becoming motherless was perhaps the largest loss I experienced. It was a completely heartbreaking experience, yet it showed me the strong traditions of my culture: Our people maintain their strength and persistence no matter what sorrows or injuries they face. My mother stood as my main source of strength. She dedicated her life to supporting my family while firmly believing that education held the key to better living. You should follow your dreams because knowledge leads to a better life so I learned at one point. The death of my mother reunited with me both sadness and motivation because of my dreams. During my childhood, I lived in a financially unstable environment which means I experienced the anxiety of surviving on a limited budget. My parents put our future ahead of their own needs and from a young age, I assumed duties that helped my family financially. It was demanding to attend school while working and maintaining household responsibilities yet I learned essential traits about persistent determination together with hard work and adaptability. Education serves as the instrument that can transform my situation and help me escape the pattern of economic challenges. The acquisition of higher education serves as a personal aspiration while also serving to lift my family members and effect meaningful social transformation. When someone gets accepted into a college program they create a better world for their younger siblings so they can cross financial barriers to reach their potential. The pursuit of higher education represents my way to achieve my mother's dreams and aspirations for me. I want to demonstrate that no matter what difficulties life presents me with I can overcome them. I pursue more than a simple existence because I wish to achieve success. I intend to establish a future that brings value-added changes to both my personal life and the lives of other people. Life occasionally presents unfair circumstances yet our struggles define who we become. My difficult experiences revealed a meaningful purpose while my driven determination sustains my ambitious goals. Future challenges will certainly exist but I prepare to tackle them thanks to my family's backing alongside cultural traditions. My journey toward building a better future that allows me to succeed while helping others began when I decided to continue my education.

Every sunrise, I woke up from the clinging noises of cooking in the kitchen, where my grandmother prepared meals from scratch back in China. Showing love through every handmade dumpling, she taught me the value of discipline. On the old brown couch, my grandfather showed me the importance of serving with purpose. With quiet conversations and a drop of thoughtful advice, I adopted taking meaningful actions for a positive impact. When I moved to the U.S., I was tossed into a whole nother world. The language, the culture, and even the pace of life felt uneasy. Korean? Chinese? American?—All my childhood, I drifted between lives. I spent 7 years in China, 10 years in America, and 0 years in Korea. Yet, Korea stands still as my “home country”. Navigating through overseas cultures, I was full of questions about where I genuinely belonged. My distinct Asian name “Huilin” became the vertex of ridicule. My immigrant background boxed me into the frame of an “odd Asian girl”. But as a seven-year-old, I didn’t understand why. All I knew was that I spoke differently, ate different foods, and saw the world through a lens no one around me seemed to share.  Initially, I felt powerless against the discrimination I faced. However, my grandparents’ lessons bridged the gap between these worlds. I knew resilience isn’t just about enduring difficult times—it’s about finding ways to grow through them. Turning pain into purpose, I sought to pursue opportunities for connection. Using my platform as a Public Relations Officer in the Student Council, I strengthened diverse voices within my school’s multicultural community to celebrate unique identities. I joined cultural clubs, shared my traditions, and learned about others in return. My sense of community gradually grew to include not just people who shared my background, but rather anyone who valued connection and mutual understanding—and that’s when I opened my eyes to engineering.  Engineering was just like unwrapping a Christmas gift. Under each layer of its wrap, there was still more to find out. My interest in mechanical engineering stems from a fascination when I first solved my Rubik’s cube. I spent hours researching the internal structure, admiring how such a simple design enabled such complexity. Since then, I developed a curiosity about "how" and "why" things worked—from everyday objects like my grandma’s old magnifying glass to huge machines on construction sites. Nevertheless, mechanical engineering is not just about technical solutions but also about solving real-world problems for diverse groups of people. My grandparents often found creative solutions to problems, whether it was managing limited resources or repairing a broken stall for our neighbor. Watching these instances, my love for problem-solving has grown ever since. I've desired the same ingenuity to create solutions that benefit others through engineering. Together, mechanical engineering stands out to me especially because of its incredible versatility and how it is foundational to so many aspects of our lives. Thus, I desire to pursue a higher education in the field of engineering. Growing up in China, my grandparents shaped me into someone who prioritizes a thoughtful approach to life as a community. By building more connections through pursuing higher education, I’m eager to learn from peers with diverse perspectives and contribute my insights to others to make a progressive impact using engineering. As I navigate new challenges, I carry their lessons with me, always seeking to create connections and leave a positive impact wherever I go. In my destined college, I’m excited to build on these values by collaborating with others to tackle challenges and create meaningful change, just like how my grandparents shaped me.