From a young age, I have been drawn to medicine because it combines science, service, and human connection. My inspiration crystallized when I was fourteen and first learned about period poverty—the fact that one in four girls in the United States misses school because they lack access to menstrual products. Having heard my mother’s stories about struggling with the same issue in India, I was stunned to realize how widespread the problem remains here. Rather than simply feel dismayed, I decided to act. What began as a small project to collect 1,000 period products for my high school evolved into Global Girls Initiative (GGI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has now donated over 500,000 products, created a menstrual health curriculum used in more than 300 workshops, and designed cost-effective dispensers installed in over 100 academic institutions, impacting 75,000 girls. I also worked with Florida legislators to help pass HB 389, which ensures free menstrual products for 1.4 million K–12 students statewide. Running GGI for the past five years has been transformative. I learned to fundraise, build corporate and community partnerships, and create sustainable public-health solutions rather than short-term fixes. Most importantly, I learned to listen: to understand the daily realities of students and teachers so we could design programs that truly met their needs. Through these experiences I discovered that health and education are inseparable, and that real care requires seeing the whole person and their environment. Clinical experiences deepened this conviction. In hospitals, research labs, and physician shadowing, I repeatedly observed that social determinants of health like poverty, food insecurity, unsafe neighborhoods often shape outcomes as much as biology. For example, while shadowing a physician serving low-income families, I met patients with uncontrolled diabetes not because they refused care, but because they worked multiple jobs, lacked transportation, or lived in food deserts. These encounters convinced me that primary care and community health are where I can make the greatest difference: providing direct patient care while addressing the broader barriers that influence health. Looking ahead, I plan to become a physician serving rural and underserved communities, where access to care is limited and the need for human-centered medicine is greatest. I will integrate my public-health background to identify root causes of illness and advocate for preventive care and policy change. Whether designing community-based programs, mentoring young women in health careers, or treating patients one-on-one, I will bring the same persistence and empathy that fueled Global Girls Initiative. Medicine offers the perfect way to unite my passions for science, service, and equity. By listening deeply and addressing both medical and social needs, I hope to create lasting change—ensuring that every patient, regardless of background, has the chance to live a healthy, fulfilling life.

My name is Aanya Patel, and I am a third-year pre-medical student at the University of Florida majoring in Public Health and minoring in Women’s Studies. At the heart of everything I do is a deep commitment to health equity and community service. I hope to become a primary care physician serving rural and underserved communities, where gaps in access to care are greatest and where an understanding of social determinants of health can make a profound difference. My path to medicine began when I was fourteen and learned about period poverty. I had heard stories of my mother’s experience growing up in India, but I was shocked to discover that one in four girls in the United States misses school because they lack menstrual products. Determined to help, I started a small drive to collect 1,000 products for my school. That effort grew into Global Girls Initiative (GGI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has since donated over 500,000 products, developed a menstrual health curriculum used in 300+ workshops, and designed cost-effective dispensers installed in over 100 academic institutions, directly impacting more than 75,000 girls. I also worked with Florida legislators to help pass HB 389, which ensures free menstrual products for 1.4 million K–12 students statewide. Leading GGI has been both challenging and formative. I learned to fundraise, build partnerships with organizations such as Procter & Gamble and AstraZeneca, and create sustainable health interventions that move beyond temporary fixes. Just as important, I learned to listen to the needs of the community (students, parents, and educators) and to design solutions that fit their reality. This experience revealed how closely health and education are linked, and how access to basic resources determines whether young people can succeed. Through clinical research, hospital volunteering, and physician shadowing, I have seen similar patterns: patients’ health outcomes are shaped as much by their environment and daily challenges as by their biology. I have met patients with chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes whose biggest barrier wasn’t medication, but the inability to buy healthy food, find safe spaces for exercise, or take time off work for appointments. These encounters convinced me that I want to practice primary care medicine in underserved areas, where I can build long-term relationships with patients, address social determinants of health, and advocate for systemic change. Outside of academics and service, volleyball and music are central to who I am. I have played competitive volleyball for eight years, including four years on my high school varsity team, which instilled discipline, resilience, and a love of teamwork. I have also played the flute since middle school, serving as first chair in my high school wind ensemble, where I learned focus, creativity, and the importance of harmony, skills that will serve me well in medicine. With your support, I can continue combining my passion for health, service, and human connection into a career that provides compassionate, equitable care. I am excited to bring the same energy I have devoted to Global Girls Initiative, volleyball, and music to medical school and to a lifelong mission of improving health for communities most in need.

My name is Aanya Patel, and I am a third-year pre-med student at the University of Florida majoring in Public Health and minoring in Women’s Studies. I am extremely passionate about health equity and serving by community. Whether I am on a volleyball court, playing music, or building community programs, I am driven by the belief that everyone, especially girls, deserves the chance to grow, to learn, and to be healthy. That belief first took shape when I was fourteen and learned about period poverty. I had heard my mother’s stories about struggling to access menstrual products as a girl in India, but I was shocked to discover that 1 in 4 girls in the United States miss school for the same reason. Determined to help, I began a small drive to collect 1,000 products for my high school. What started as a local effort soon grew into Global Girls Initiative (GGI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has now donated over 500,000 products, created a menstrual-health curriculum used in more than 300 workshops, and installed cost-effective dispensers in over 100 academic institutions, directly impacting 75,000 girls. Through GGI I also worked with Florida legislators to help pass HB 389, guaranteeing free menstrual products in every Florida K-12 school and reaching 1.4 million students. Leading this organization has taught me how to build partnerships, innovate solutions, and most importantly listen, skills that guide both my public health studies and my long-term goal of becoming a physician serving rural and underserved communities. I’ve seen firsthand that education and health are inseparable: students cannot succeed if their basic health needs are unmet. Outside the classroom and nonprofit work, I balance my life with volleyball and music, two passions that have shaped me in different but equally meaningful ways. I have played competitive volleyball for eight years, including four years on my high school varsity team, which instilled discipline, perseverance, and a deep appreciation for teamwork. I have also been a flutist since middle school, serving as first chair in my high school wind ensemble, where I learned focus, creativity, and how to listen closely to those around me—qualities that enrich my relationships and will serve me well in medicine. This scholarship would help me continue that path of service and learning. Financial support would free me to dedicate more time to expanding GGI, volunteering in clinical settings, and gaining the experiences that will prepare me to provide compassionate, equitable care as a physician. It would also allow me to keep nurturing the balance that music and athletics bring to my life. In everything I do—whether mentoring girls through GGI, preparing for medical school, spiking a volleyball, or performing a flute solo—I am motivated by a commitment to service, equity, and growth. With your support, I can continue to empower girls through education, advance health equity, and ultimately care for patients in the communities that need it most.

1. I am a pre-med student majoring in Public Health and minoring in Women’s Studies, passionate about health equity and committed to becoming a physician serving rural and underserved communities. My path began at age 14 when I learned about period poverty, an issue I had heard of through my mother’s experiences in India, but was shocked to find affects 1 in 4 girls in the U.S. who miss school because they lack menstrual products. What started as a small drive to collect 1,000 products for my school became Global Girls Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has now donated over 500,000 products, created a menstrual-health curriculum for 300+ workshops, and installed cost-effective dispensers in 100+ academic institutions, impacting more than 75,000 girls. I also worked with Florida legislators to help pass HB 389, ensuring free menstrual products for 1.4 million K-12 students statewide. Five years of building GGI taught me to innovate, listen deeply, and fight for access. These experiences along with hundreds of hours in clinical research, shadowing, and hospital volunteering have shaped my belief that quality care depends on understanding the “why” behind health challenges, and they fuel my commitment to providing compassionate, equitable medical care. 2. To me, empathy means stepping fully into another person’s life, not just feeling sorry for their situation. It means understanding their feelings, challenges, and choices as if they were my own, and letting that understanding guide action. This mindset is central to my goal of becoming a physician serving underserved communities. Public health has shown me that illness is rarely just biology. People don’t “choose” to eat poorly or skip exercise; many live in food deserts, work multiple jobs, or lack safe spaces for activity. Health outcomes hinge on these social realities. I saw this firsthand while shadowing a physician who treats lower-income families. One patient with type 2 diabetes kept receiving the same advice—“eat better and exercise more”—but her life made that impossible. She worked two jobs, had no nearby grocery store, and lived in an unsafe neighborhood where walking was risky. Another patient struggled with undiagnosed PCOS, making weight loss medically difficult. Without understanding these circumstances, prescriptions alone would never help. Founding and growing Global Girls Initiative deepened this conviction. Addressing period poverty required more than distributing products. I listened to students, parents, and schools to design cost-effective dispensers and a health curriculum that schools could sustain long term. That experience taught me how listening and co-creating solutions lead to lasting change, which is exactly the approach I will bring to medicine. As a future physician, I will ensure a human-centered lens by making listening and context-gathering the first step of care. I will take thorough histories that explore social determinants of health, invite patient and family input on treatment plans, and collaborate with community resources to remove barriers to care. I will also continue public-health work to address structural issues—like food insecurity or inadequate reproductive health education—that shape patient well-being long before they enter a clinic. Empathy is such a crucial part because it ensure medicine isn't just a checklist of diagnoses and prescriptions, but is built on a genuine relationship and is tailored to each patient’s life. By combining rigorous medical training with a deep commitment to understanding and addressing the “why” behind disease, I aim to provide care that is rooted in science, empathy, and human connection.

I’ve learned that the defining factor is not the difficulty of the obstacle, it’s the mindset and grit brought to each situation. For me, that lesson began in high school, when I founded Global Girls Initiative (GGI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to ending period poverty. At first, my goal was modest: collect 1,000 period products for my school. But as I learned how widespread this issue is, how millions of girls in the U.S. and abroad miss school each month because they lack access to menstrual products, I realized the challenge required something far bigger and more innovative. The early days of GGI were full of adversity. I had passion and a cause I believed in, but no business experience. I faced constant hurdles: figuring out fundraising, understanding distribution logistics, and getting schools to listen to a 14 year old girl and adopt a new idea. There were many moments when it felt easier to stop, but each setback became an opportunity to grow. I researched, sought mentors, and built partnerships with companies like P&G and AstraZeneca. Through trial and error, I expanded GGI from a small school drive into a nonprofit that has now donated over 500,000 period products, created a menstrual health curriculum used in 300+ workshops, launched five chapters across the U.S., and designed cost-effective dispensers installed in 100+ schools to ensure sustainable, free access. Just as important as overcoming my own challenges has been my commitment to helping others face theirs. Beyond GGI, I serve on the Youth Advisory Board for Plan International, a global nonprofit promoting gender equality and social justice. Each year, I work with our team to mentor over 100 youth during a weeklong workshop in Washington, D.C., guiding them in launching social justice projects in their own communities. I work to ensure every participant feels included and supported by facilitating peer review sessions, leading team-building activities, and encouraging quieter voices so they leave with not only a plan but also a network of allies. I know firsthand how critical that support system is when you’re starting from scratch, especially as a young high school activist. These past years taught me to persist and problem-solve when there’s no clear blueprint. Resilience and service are now cornerstones of who I am. I’ve turned obstacles into opportunities for growth. I know without this mindset I would not have grown my nonprofit to the scale it is now or expanded our impact so far. GGI is one of my greatest accomplishments and I am proud of what it has become and can't wait to see how much it will grow.