OxStem Educational Scholarship

In 2013, I built my first Kano Raspberry Pi Computer at a technology program for black youth. I hooked it up to a small monitor and immediately pulled up youtube. I remember playing "The Fox" by Ylvis and felt so proud of myself because I could finally hear the audio in the speaker clearly after hours of trying to figure it out. Once I realized that I forgot to plug in the speaker, I laughed at my mistake with my friends for ten minutes straight. That's when I first realized my love for STEM. A story so ridiculous, yet so impactful, made me recognize that now at 18, coding and building software is something I want to do for the rest of my life. However, my journey in tech has not been a simple one. When I entered middle school, I found that my passion for STEM slowly began to fade away due to recurring family problems. My mind was so clouded with my own personal doubts, lack of confidence, and negative experiences that I forgot why I initially got into tech in the first place. It took me a while to get back in my groove and break out of this toxic mindset that was holding me back. Nevertheless, I finally realized that STEM was my getaway from real-world problems. Simply because a computer could never assess my worth, judge my character, or negate my accomplishments. In that, I found a sense of empowerment. Now, I pride myself in attending North Carolina A&T State University, being a Rewriting the Code Black Wings Outreach Committee Member, being the youngest Google Developer Club Marketing Lead at my university, and being a triple minority in STEM. My future career aspirations involve becoming a Software Engineer or Web Developer. I believe that by staying persistent, I will easily achieve this goal. However, my goal In the future is to create a leadership-based summit for minorities interested in all things STEM and Tech. By doing so, I hope that I will be able to give back to all of the communities that helped me become the person I am today. My ambitions are at an all-time high and I am so excited to see all the future opportunities which await me because one day, I'll look back at the little black girl building Rasberry Pi's and laugh at the fact that I still forget to plug in speakers.

My name is James Wilcher, I am an African American Health Science major from Columbia, South Carolina. I plan to achieve my Bachelor’s in Health Science with a Minor in Bioethics and Biology, then go to Physician Assistant school and obtain my Master’s in Physician Assistants Students specifying in radiology. My passion for the healthcare field came from several injuries playing sports in high school, the most notable injuries being a sprained ACL (out 2-3 months) and a sprained Achilles tendon (out 6-7 months). This gave me the desire to learn about how the body moves and functions, how injuries affect the body, and how different parts of the body heal from different injuries. Because of my past experiences in sports, I am motivated to work hard in and out of the classroom and succeed in all parts of life. My ethnicity plays a major role in my attempts to make a positive impact on the world, especially in the healthcare industry. I believe that the inclusion of bioethics is necessary for all healthcare professionals, as all patients deserve to receive just treatment with dignity and freedom of choice, along with care and empathy. Vulnerable populations should not be exploited, and everyone should have access to the same healthcare opportunities. This is paramount to someone of my racial background. I am an African American attending Tuskegee University, an HBCU that emphasizes the research and treatment of African Americans and other underserved populations. This emphasis motivates me to perform to the best of my abilities in all aspects of life and expect others to do the same. By being a role model in the classroom and my community, I am obligated to motivate others to strive for greatness. Guiding others in the right direction is vital and is done best by leading by example. It is crucial to show the journey, explain the process, and inspire others along the way so that those who want to follow a similar path have the blueprint for success. Not only do I want to kindle a need to excel in the youth, but I also want to make contributions to my community and the world. I want to practice and administer fair and just healthcare to all. In high school, as a member of the National Science Honor Society, members were given the task of developing a water source for communities struggling to find clean and accessible water in Nicaragua. This sparked my interest in helping those in need not only close to home but those across the globe as well. When helping others on a global scale, you learn about the diverse and unique cultures of other communities. It surprised me to see how they live a much different lifestyle than that of an average person here. I want to continue learning about the cultures of different states and countries while positively impacting their lives in any way possible. I hope to further understand the unjust practices of healthcare professionals involved in bioethics, and what can and should be done to reform these practices. I also want to further recognize and comprehend the struggles of underserved and unfairly treated populations in the country, including and excluding bioethics. I will apply this information later in life to precisely provide quality and proper healthcare to every individual, no matter their circumstances.