1. Discipline, ambition, and humbleness have guided me throughout my life. My parents emphasized these values by example, showing me the importance of hard work through their own sacrifices. They grew up in a different country where survival often came before education, and once I was born, they ensured I had everything I needed, even if it meant going to sleep on an empty stomach. Watching their resilience taught me that with ambition and effort, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. My passion for fitness and nutrition began as I noticed family members struggling with diseases like diabetes, and even losing loved ones to heart attacks. Learning about nutrition showed me that it’s more than just eating healthy; it’s understanding why those choices matter. I want to help others make informed decisions about their health and well-being. These experiences and values have shaped who I am, fueling my determination to become a dietitian. I hope to inspire others and share knowledge that can positively impact families and communities, just as my parents’ sacrifices have impacted me. 2. To me, empathy means understanding another person’s experiences and using that understanding to support their well-being. In health care, empathy is an essential characteristic that allows professionals to connect with the patient and make them feel welcomed and heard. As a kid, I didn't have many friends who truly understood me for who I really was. Even now, I still roam my school campus alone, which is nice at times, but being able to converse with someone else who understands you and who you are as a person is many times better. Knowing how important communication and understanding are has allowed me to see nurses, doctors, and dietitians as amazing people who want nothing but success and well-being for others. This inspires me to go into dietetics because it'll allow me to learn and combine my interest in nutrition, which would allow me to impact the lives of others positively. In dietetics, empathy helps patients feel comfortable and understood, which allows me to better identify their challenges and work with them to find effective solutions. By actively listening to patients, I can learn about their typical meals, assess the types and amounts of micro and macronutrients they are currently consuming, and offer diet options that they can choose from and feel comfortable following. This way of thinking won't apply only to my work life, and will allow me to grow as a person and mature. It'll show me to be grateful, humble, and as helpful as I can be. I truly want to make an impact in my community, and I know I'll get there one day.

Neither of my parents has ever known what proper education was like. From a very young age, they risked their lives to come to the United States and give my sisters and me a life they could only dream of. In their case, survival came first, school second. I remember them always telling me that no matter what, school should always be my main priority in life. They've told me that I should stay ambitious, curious, and knowledgeable about the world and beyond. Watching my parents work long hours to provide for our family taught me that opportunities don’t come easily, especially when financial resources are limited. You can be the nicest, most charismatic individual, but if you don't have that hunger for success, it'll be hard to make it far. As the first family member to soon graduate high school with a diploma and an associate degree, I know that all the sacrifices they have made will be worth it. I don't plan on stopping for any reason, and I swore to them and myself that when I get into that university, I'd make every day count, whether I have it good or bad. Receiving a scholarship would allow me to focus fully on my studies without worrying about the financial burden on my family, giving me the freedom to make the most of every learning opportunity. When I get my degrees, it'll show my family that all their sacrifices were worth it, pave the way for my sisters to follow, and show future generations of first-generation college students that ambition and hard work pay off. My goal is to become a registered dietitian. My interest in human health and nutrition has made me curious about topics such as diets, nutrition-related diseases, and nutrient deficiencies. Family members on both my mom's and dad's sides have faced illnesses such as diabetes, heart attacks, and blood clots, which ended the lives of uncles and aunts. With the knowledge I gain, I can help not only my family but also other communities facing similar problems. I hope to inform people that nutrition isn't just about occasionally eating healthier foods and hoping for better outcomes, but about truly understanding why these choices matter. I want people to take this advice seriously and understand its importance. I want to inspire the next generation of first-generation college students by showing them that hunger and ambition can take them far in life. I aim to be a prime example that sacrifices and hard work are always worth it in the end.

Neither of my parents has ever known what proper education was like. From a very young age, they risked their lives to come to the United States and give my sisters and me a life they could only dream of. In their case, survival came first, school second. I remember them always telling me that no matter what, school should always be my main priority in life. They've told me that I should stay ambitious, curious, and knowledgeable about the world and beyond. Watching both my parents go to and come back from long work days always showed me that in the real world, nothing is easily obtained. You can be the nicest, the most charismatic, individual, but if you don't have that hunger for success, it's hard to get far. As the first family member to soon graduate high school with a diploma and an associate degree, I know that all the sacrifices they have made will be worth it. I don't plan on stopping for any reason, and I swore to them and myself that when I get into that university, I'd make every day count, whether I have it good or bad. When I get my degrees, it'll show my family that all their sacrifices were worth it, and it'll pave the way for my sisters to follow, and it'll show the future generation of first-generation college students that ambition and hard work will get you far. My goal is to become a registered dietitian. My interest in human health and nutrition choices has made me curious about topics such as diets, nutrition-based diseases, and nutrient deficiencies. Family members on both my mom's and dad's side have had related illnesses such as diabetes, heart attacks, and blood clots, which ended the lives of uncles and aunts. With this newfound knowledge I wish to obtain, I can help not only family members, but also other communities that could have similar problems. I want to inform people that nutrition isn't just about eating foods that are healthier once in a while and hoping you get better, but to actually understand why these healthier options are healthier. I pray that people take this advice and try to truly understand it for what it is, not just for what it seems. I hope to inspire the next generation of first-generation college students by showing them that hunger and ambition will get them extremely far in life. I want to be a prime example of how sacrifices and hard work are all worth it in the end.