Trinity Lodge 127 PH Scott Heckstall Scholarship

During my early academic life, I partook in various tech-related extracurriculars -- tech squad, a/v club, and library assistant. The most influential was the tech squad. I had the opportunity to shadow and assist the IT leaders in the building. It was an immersive experience that initiated my technical, as well as my communication and networking skills as I helped faculty with IT troubleshooting and software updates. Moreover, as tech was at the forefront of my mind, I began to consume more tech content from digital creators like Michael Reeves. One video that stands out was Reeves' take on the da Vinci robotic surgical system. Developing a belt drive gantry system along with ODrive, an open-source controller, Reeves took on this engineering challenge in a lighthearted and adventurous manner, effortlessly blending humor and technology. Beyond the entertainment, the videos not only provided a window into the development process and technical concepts, e.g., open-source, but they also helped me develop a philosophy about coding. I could see there existed a rhythm and rhyme within computer science - elegance over complexity, simplicity over embellishment, and countless applications. The self-discovery and exploration of this period not only cemented my interest in tech but also showed the infinite possibilities within computer science. Additionally, during college, I honed my practical and fundamental skills. For example, I grasped the intricacies of different coding languages (i.e., C++ and Python), software analysis and design, and computer architecture. I then took these skills and started on personal projects, such as developing a Sudoku Solver and Generator in Python utilizing the backtracking algorithm. These experiences extended my technological repertoire but also ingrained in me a love for continuous learning and imaginative solutions. Upon graduating from CUNY Hunter College with a B.A. in Computer Science, I plan to attend Graduate School while embarking on a career at the intersection of technology and finance. NYC is the perfect backdrop to dive into the fintech sector, with its vibrant financial ecosystem and thriving tech scene. During my ten-week internship at Broadridge Financial Solutions, I gained a high-level insight into the fintech industry while also developing an interest in full-stack development, cloud computing, AI, and robotic process automation in finance. Moreover, I have a job offer at Broadridge Financial Solutions in their rotational career program for this coming July, which I intend to do concurrently while earning my degree. The program is a blend of technical and business training, and after earning my M.S I plan to continue my education in business and pursue an MBA. Looking ahead, my long-term goal is to lead a team in building innovative and creative technology akin to what I witnessed during my internship. At Broadridge, as a capstone project, I researched some of the new software solutions the company had just launched. The one that caught my eye was BondAI, which harnesses AI technology to help global clientele with bond-related questions. Learning about such tangible solutions ignited in me a desire to develop similar pioneering solutions to revolutionize the fintech industry.

My name is Melanie! I would want to become a medical doctor (to be more specific a psychologist), is because I have struggled with mental health for years and have felt such a burden to both myself and those around me. I did not do the best in school and still struggle trying to find a balance, I would always turn to a close friend but sadly lost them to a suicide. By seeing a psychologist and slowly getting back on my feet, this has motivated me to help those around me and let them see it's possible to be hopeful for their future! I have always struggled financially because I come from a low income family, due to the fear of being in debt and having that idea in the back of my head that I have to pay off my student loans. My family pushes me to continue with my studies to become the family's first graduate! My parents taking out put 2/3 of their savings to let me go to an undergraduate school and still have money to pay college gives me a fear that they would have to pay for my graduate school. I am working part time as an ABA therapist to pay for my college and gain some experience in the psychology field to help me get a better job to try and support for both me and my family. Currently, I am still trying to overcome this obstacle of financial debt with college and my depression. But every-day I fight mentally and physically to make my parents proud and be the first graduate in the family and become my dream of working in the medical field and being a role model to other people, to show them it's possible to follow your dream and goal as long as you stay consistent and know that it will always get better. I hope having these experiences can show that I am still a fighter trying my best to live day by day and making my parents proud, it will be worth it knowing all the overnight shifts they worked to put me in college. Being a medical doctor would be the most rewarding job that I can think of and I'm not ready to give up on that dream, and wonder how my life would have turned out if I didn't keep fighting for it.