Statement of Problem/Need: Americans dislike taking much time at checkout points, even as seen by the number that prefer to use self-checkout services other than desk checkout. SACS, an investigative service company, reported that about 90% of Americans would prefer to use self-checkout, especially if they are in a hurry or have very few things to buy (Dimoff). This particular behavior displayed by Americans comes with a lot of disadvantages including theft cases in supermarkets, which are increased as a result of self-checkouts. A study done by a sales coupon website, Voucher Codes Pro, in which more than 2500 shoppers were quizzed about their supermarket habits showed that a quarter had committed theft at a self-checkout machine at least once. It was also reported that the total cost of self-checkout stolen items is more than $3bn in 2017 (Moshakis). Our university, though comprised of disciplined students is not completely void of self-checkout theft. Two or more students working to outsmart a diligent cashier can be seen as an example of checkout theft on campus. Project Deliverables and Beneficiaries: At the end of the project we hope to have the university’s store run on a Trigo Smart Supermarket Technology which gives an easy out experience, no lines, no checkouts – just a “grab and go”. This technology monitors every buyer and debits each buyer as he/she shops. Anything picked up is automatically added to a virtual card. If one changes his mind while shopping to and decides on a different option, the option chosen can be placed on the visual card and automatically updated. The structure of the university’s store would be maintained and the hardware of the technology added in order to achieve this. To the students and shoppers, this self-checkout technology could: • Lead to a better shopping experience as there would be automated check-in and touch-free checkout which also means a faster shopping experience. • Maintain privacy as there would be no facial recognition or biometric data collection. It would just be their smartphones and the enabled app. To the University and its management, the self-checkout technology would entail: • Benefits in the research of Computer vision, deep learning algorithms, and sensor fusion on which the technology is built. • Zero downtime for the store and better operational/managerial experience. • Better research in product analytics and marketing.

This fall 2022, I'm taking a bible class called Religious and Philosophical life. It's about how we ought to live the God-life in love and service to our neighbors. It has just been three weeks into the class and I've already been forced to rethink a lot of concepts in my life. I just finished some topics in the first section titled disorientation and looking forward to building up a stronger foundation in christ and living the God-life to the fullest. My journey so far has been filled with a lot of ups and down; even my coming to the US was a miracle! This has been like a major chapter in my life's story. It has changed a lot about me, my perspectives on life, and my beliefs, and even influenced my family. I took the ACT in December 2019 when I was still 15, and did well with a score of 33, then proceeded to take the TOEFL in February 2020 and got a 101 score. With these scores, I began my application to go to college in the United States. I got into a couple of schools but it was either I didn't get any scholarships or the scholarships were too small. As a result, I lost one school year and had to really for the 2021/2022 academic year. In all these I still did not lose faith, in spite of how hard it was, I kept on hoping that the plans of God in my life will come to pass. My everyday prayer was that if God wanted me to school in the US then I will get admission with a decent scholarship. By that time, I had also applied to a university in my home country, Nigeria, and even though I reached the cut-off mark I kept being denied, and some of my friends with lower scores got in. At that point in my life, I was so confused and was wondering what was going on. I kept asking "why me?", but my mum was always encouraging me and praying with me, and eventually I got admission to Hardin Simmons university with good financial aid. but with the current rising exchange rate of my country, I now have to either transfer or keep applying for more scholarships-internal and external. In all things, the plan He has for me is not of evil but of good and to give me a future and hope. This is one verse of the bible I hold onto when things seem like they're going downhill; when my life seems to be falling apart I know that he is watching over me and will not let me down. Going into the medical field, I hope to combine science with faith and share the same view with others. It's one thing to go to the hospital and get medications and all that, it's another thing to recover fully. God knows the ins and out of the human body, and bypasses all professionals. I believe that the combination of these will lead to a faster and better recovery of a patient. Even as I am aware of the financial challenges set to increase on going to medical school, I am confident that because God has chosen this field for me, he would not abandon me along the way. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story and faith, and I hope one day I will be an inspiration to others and be able to share my story with the world.

I just started volunteering at Hendrick Health-a hospital 20 minutes away from my apartment in Hardin Simmons University, at the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and it's been really exciting. I get to help patients who just had surgery and help ensure they have a safe recovery. When I had to shadow some doctors at Abilene center for Orthopedic and Multispecialty Surgery(ACOM), I was very convinced that I'm on the right path to the right career choice. I am a biology (pre-med) major at Hardin Simmons University, Abilene TX, with an Honors minor, an outstanding love for nature, a deep appreciation of art, a great love for heels and the colors black and white, and a very charming personality. I want to be a medical doctor! I chose this field not just for the coming reason of helping people, but to become a great asset to my home country-Nigeria, and in extension to Africa and then to the world. There is a proverb that says "charity begins at home", and this is why my focal point is on improving the health care system of my country. One of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it to the poor and needy and those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This should not be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. Another thing I would like is for girl child education, I am a very strong advocator for women's rights. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy reduces, underage marriages decline, and they are taught about contraception and family planning. There is a lot of power that has been taken from women and I would like for them to be returned to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is more labor force and productivity will increase as a result. I plan to change the world one girl at a time! Coming to the United States to further my education was a big step forward in pursuing these goals of mine. There are a lot of opportunities and resources available for all fields of study to shape the future of individuals and I hope to maximize all of them. After getting my undergraduate degree-a Bachelor of Science in Biology, I plan to go to medical school and eventually specialize in Urology. But of course, no rush, no pressure; I plan to go through with it one step at a time and enjoy all the available experiences at each stage of my journey. I'm grateful for this opportunity given to me by the organizers of the Olympians Academy Leadership WINGS scholarship to be able to help pay off some of my fees and enable me to graduate debt-free in the long run.

Coming to the US has been like a major chapter in my life's story. It has changed a lot about me, my perspectives on life, and my beliefs, and even influenced my family too. I took the ACT in December 2019 when I was still 15, and did well with a score of 33, then proceeded to take the TOEFL in February 2020 and got a 101 score. With these scores, I began my application to go to college in the United State. I got into a couple of schools but it was either I didn't get any scholarships or the scholarships were too small. As a result, I lost one school year and had to really for the 2021/2022 academic year. I later got admission into Hardin Simmons University, Abilene Texas, and was given about a 50% scholarship. That was so big but we were determined not to let me miss another year, so my parents had to sell some properties-land and stuff, to be able to afford my fees. Up till now, they're still struggling to pay my fees and that is the reason I am applying to get more scholarships or to transfer to a cheaper college. As a result of this financial challenge, my parents had to diversify their businesses, invest more and cut down on frivolities. I also had to prioritize my needs, I got a job, and started saving, made a weekly budget, and tried hard to keep to them, reduced excessive sending to just things I need, worked full time during the summer, and helped pay part of my tuition and fees. This has made me more money conscious and also very dedicated to my school work as I need to have a high GPA to renew my scholarship and apply for more. Currently a sophomore, I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA my freshman year despite the challenges I faced transitioning into a new culture. But I have always been a fighter, I don't back out or give up in the face of challenges, rather I stand tall and strong and persevere to the end. this is a trait that has helped me my whole navigate through various phases of my life and situations where others were badly affected, were a lifting up for me. As a biology major on the pre-med track, it's not always been easy, there have been classes and assignments that have really been challenging, and times where I've had to stay up all night trying to study or finish up a hard assignment. I have faith in God and in myself that I will be able to graduate with flying colors and get into medical school. I know med school is no joke compared to undergrad in the tuition and fees, but I believe that when there is a will there is a way. And I am going to make it out of med school debt free, one scholarship at a time. I am very grateful for the opportunity to apply for the Cyrilla Olapeju Sanni Scholarship Fund, it is nice to know that someone understands the challenges you face coming from Africa such as the high exchange rates and the culture shock. this scholarship goes beyond the money, but also into the heartwarming reminder that I am not alone. Thank you and God bless you!

When we hear the word passion a lot of things come to mind: sports, hobby, etc; but for me, passion is not just summarised in one word -it's a whole sentence, a paragraph, an entire essay, and even my whole life. And that's what I'll be talking about here. My primary passion is advocacy for women's rights. I come from a country where women are seen as second-class citizens. Even though it's getting better now, it's still ingrained in the fabric of society that a lot of people now see as normal. In colleges and universities, no lady runs for student body president because it has been generally accepted that a guy should be at the top, they instead run for vice president, because apparently, as women, we're meant to "assist and help". The first-ever presidential candidate in Nigeria, my country, was in 2015. She got a lot of hate and comments that she should go back to the kitchen, go take care of the kids or go stand behind her husband. Even a lot of women have already accepted politics as a man's game hence no need for their involvement. That shouldn't be the case. we have men and women in this world and the only way for progress is for everyone to work together, not one always overshadowing the other. A lot of times a woman's worth is given based on whether she's married or not-hence the title "Miss or Mrs."; and if she's married whether she has children or not. Women are now seen as child-production machines and homemakers. I was also trained that way to learn how to do domestic chores, how to talk quietly and nicely, how not to speak up, and how to appear gentle and meek, in order to be able to get a "rich" husband. A lot of girls are not even encouraged to go to school, the argument being that she'll eventually be sent off to live with some man and become his "property" so no need to waste money on education. The few that have better-enlightened parents, go to school, and when they come out there are few jobs at the top for them. One thing I’d like is for the education of the girl child to be taken to another level. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy invariably reduces, underage marriages decline, and they are taught about contraception and family planning. There’s a lot of power that has been taken from women and I’d like for them to be returned back to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is going to be an increase in labor and productivity. There is an African proverb that says, “If we educate a boy, we educate one person. If we educate a girl, we educate a family—and a whole nation." It's as a result of this passion of mine that I want to specialize in Urology after going into med school. (I am currently a biology major on the Pre-med track.) For a long time, urology has been seen as a male-dominated field but recent research has shown an increase in the number of women entering the field. I believe that by joining this number, I would be an inspiration to many young girls out there to pursue their passion and not let anything get in their way.

Why did I choose medicine knowing it is a hard stunt to pull off? I always ask myself this question when I have to stay up all night doing my chemistry quizzes and trying to beat the 11:59 pm deadline; or when I’m trying to learn the similarities and differences between various mechanisms involved in respiration and photosynthesis in biology; or when I have to draw several graphs in my math class; when I’m writing an essay in my psychology class where I’m trying to get into my professor’s head so I can get an A. In all these scenarios I get the same answer: I’m working towards a goal to make positive impacts in people’s lives; to be the source of someone’s joy; to be the reason why they will smile again and shed tears of joy. Funny enough that I’ve not always wanted to be a medical doctor: at first wanted to be a dancer, then an actor, then a musician; these choices were all made in elementary school, but by the time I got into middle school I was sure that medicine was the right path for me. My mom is a pharmacist at a federal hospital in my state, and I’ve always been fortunate to follow her to work and stay in her office or follow her on her rounds in the wards. I’ve seen the way she cares for her patients, I’ve seen some of the thank you notes she has received I’ve also how happy it makes her know that she was able to make someone happy. Sometimes she celebrates her birthday in the hospital and hands out gift baskets. She also has her pharmacy close to our house and that’s where I stay 90% of the time during holidays whenever I came back from boarding school. The nurse that works there is very nice and caring. From 2017 when she started her pharmacy till July 2021, I got a lot of experience in dealing with patients and it made me want to get closer; I aspired for more interaction. In my country, medicine is a prestigious field and every parent wants to have one in their family, in my own case I chose this path not just because my parents wanted that but also because I decided that this is something I’d like to dedicate my life to. Venturing into the medical field takes a huge toll not only on your mental ability but also on your financial resources. Being an international student makes it very hard to take out loans, as federal loans are not available and one needs a co-signer for private loans. Also, with the current rise in the exchange rate of my country's currency-the naira, paying my fees has become a burden on my parents who are also struggling with themselves, and my other four siblings back home in Nigeria. Another obstacle I may encounter is gender disparity in my chosen career-urology. Urology has been a male-dominated world (the reason is not far-fetched since it is primarily focused on the genitals of the male and secondarily on the urinary tract of women). But recent studies have shown an increase in the number of women entering the workforce. I would greatly want to be a part of that increasing number. I believe that with more women in such a field, it would go a long way to promote gender equality and equity, and I would be one of the very many role models to other women who are pursuing careers in other "male-dominated" fields as well.

I just started volunteering at Hendrick Health-a hospital 20 minutes away from my apartment in Hardin Simmons University, at the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and it's been really exciting. I get to help patients who just had surgery and help ensure they have a safe recovery. When I had to shadow some doctors at Abilene center for Orthopedic and Multispecialty Surgery(ACOM), I was very convinced that I'm on the right path to the right career choice. I am a biology (pre-med) major at Hardin Simmons University, Abilene TX, with an Honors minor, an outstanding love for nature, a deep appreciation of art, a great love for heels and the colors black and white, and a very charming personality. I want to be a medical doctor! I chose this field not just for the coming reason of helping people, but to become a great asset to my home country-Nigeria, and in extension to Africa and then to the world. There is a proverb that says "charity begins at home", and this is why my focal point is on improving the health care system of my country. One of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it to the poor and needy and those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This should not be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. Another thing I would like is for girl child education, I am a very strong advocator for women's rights. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy reduces, underage marriages decline, and they are taught about contraception and family planning. There is a lot of power that has been taken from women and I would like for them to be returned to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is more labor force and productivity will increase as a result. I plan to change the world one girl at a time! Coming to the United States to further my education was a big step forward in pursuing these goals of mine. There are a lot of opportunities and resources available for all fields of study to shape the future of individuals and I hope to maximize all of them. After getting my undergraduate degree-a Bachelor of Science in Biology, I plan to go to medical school and eventually specialize in Urology. But of course, no rush, no pressure; I plan to go through with it one step at a time and enjoy all the available experiences at each stage of my journey. I'm grateful for the chance to apply for this scholarship as it will go a long way in helping me with my tuition and fees. Thank you Bold.org and the organizers of the DejSlays SlayBabe Scholarship.

When COVID hit in my country, Nigeria, last year and we had to go into lockdown around March 2020, I was in 12th grade and had just turned 16. I was not able to celebrate my birthday with my friends and the national exams we were writing were postponed, and we all had to go home. Eventually, only the two exam classes-9th and 12th grades were allowed to come back in June and finish up the exams. I was supposed to graduate in August but ended up graduating in November. Before that, I had already taken my ACT in December 2019 and my TOEFL in February 2020, with scores of 33 and 101 respectively. These exams took a huge toll on me because I had to combine my normal school work with the extra lessons for these exams and also in preparing for the national exams. But as the fighter that I am, I finished with good results in all the exams and was the valedictorian in my class. By the time I graduated in November 2020, I had already lost two of my application to college because my transcripts were not ready and I was still 16 years, then I proceeded to apply for fall 2021 admissions. While waiting on my applications, I took a 3-month French language program (February-April 2021) and a 1-month sewing lesson in May. I got admitted in June, and there were a lot of things to do for my departure into the United States like vaccinations, visa application, and visa interview, and the toughest process was preparing my finances. My parents had to sell off some lands and buildings to be able to afford my fees. It's been going well, but with the recent inflation in my country, the exchange rate has gone up and this had made it hard for them. Transitioning into a new country with different cultures, and beliefs took a huge toll on me during my freshman year. I had a major identity crisis and a huge culture shock. I was finding it hard to communicate with people, both my classmates and professors. A major reason was because of my accent. Being used to watching American movies and songs from a young age, I'm familiar with the American accent, but the reverse isn't the case. A lot of times people find it hard to understand what I'm saying and I have to repeat myself. It is not fun, and because of that I just decided to stop talking. I couldn't ask questions in class and this made me struggle a lot academically. Despite all that, I finished fall 2021 with a 4.0 GPA and was put on the President's list. Why did I choose medicine knowing it is a hard stunt to pull off? I always ask myself this question when I have to stay up all night doing my chemistry quizzes and trying to beat the 11:59 pm deadline; or when I’m trying to learn the similarities and differences between various mechanisms involved in respiration and photosynthesis in biology; or when I have to draw several graphs in my math class; when I’m writing an essay in my psychology class where I’m trying to get into my professor’s head so I can get an A. In all these scenarios I get the same answer: I’m working towards a goal to make positive impacts in people’s lives; to be the source of someone’s joy; to be the reason why they will smile again and shed tears of joy. Funny enough that I’ve not always wanted to be a medical doctor: at first wanted to be a dancer, then an actor, then a musician; these choices were all made in elementary school, but by the time I got into middle school I was sure that medicine was the right path for me. Coming from a third-world country in Africa, though blessed with abundant resources-mineral and humans, we lack many tools to harness it; we lack the technology and skilled workforce. There’s been a lot of brain drain going on- when smart people leave the country and establish somewhere else and contribute to their host country to the detriment of their source country. A lot of people are leaving the country with few wanting to come back. And that’s where I come in; one of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it; to the poor and needy and those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This shouldn’t be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. There are a lot of children on the streets, begging and being engaged in child labor, no child should have to go through all this. I grew up in rural areas, where it hits the most: the living systems are so bad; little to no social amenities; poor infrastructure, schools, and healthcare systems. I want to be able to help the needy in whatever way I can. Another thing I’d like is for girl child education, I am a very strong advocator for women’s rights. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy reduces, underage marriages decline, and they are taught about contraception and family planning. There is a lot of power that has been taken from women and I’d like for them to be returned to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is more labor force and productivity will increase as a result. I plan to go to medical school after my undergraduate degree with hopes of specializing in Urology. I love this field because it has a good mix of clinical work and surgery and some cutting-edge technology too! The fact that urology has been a male-dominated field doesn't faze me at all because the number of women entering this field is gradually increasing and I hope to be among the number soon. I believe that someday someone would look up to me as an inspiration and venture into challenges and come out of them strong and fulfilled. I believe that one day, the gender disparity in education, the workplace...the world at large will be reduced and even quenched. I have very wild dreams and goals to achieve, and I know it is going to be very tasking for my finances. I'm very grateful for the opportunity of applying to this scholarship, as it will go a long way in helping me buy the needed textbooks for this coming school year.

I want to be a medical doctor! I chose this field not just for the coming reason of helping people, but to become a great asset to my home country-Nigeria, and in extension to Africa and then to the world. There is a proverb that says "charity begins at home", and this is why my focal point is on improving the health care system of my country. One of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it to the poor and needy and those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This should not be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. Another thing I would like is for girl child education, I am a very strong advocator for women's rights. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy reduces, underage marriages decline, and they are taught about contraception and family planning. There is a lot of power that has been taken from women and I would like for them to be returned to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is more labor force and productivity will increase as a result. I plan to change the world one girl at a time! Coming to the United States to further my education was a big step forward in pursuing these goals of mine. There are a lot of opportunities and resources available for all fields of study to shape the future of individuals and I hope to maximize all of them. After getting my undergraduate degree-a Bachelor of Science in Biology, I plan to go to medical school and eventually specialize in Urology. But of course, no rush, no pressure; I plan to go through with it one step at a time and enjoy all the available experiences at each stage of my journey. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to apply for this scholarship because the cost of textbooks is no joke; in my freshman year, I didn't have most of my textbooks and this made me struggle a lot, but as the fighter that I am, I finished with a 4.0 GPA. This money will go a long way to ease my financial struggles. Thank you Bold.org and the organizers of the First-Year College Students: Jennie Gilbert Daigre Education Scholarship. I hope to someday have my scholarship fund and help various students around the world pursue their dreams and passions.

Coming from a third-world country in Africa, though blessed with abundant resources-mineral and humans, we lack a lot of tools to harness it; we lack the technology and skilled manpower. There’s been a lot of brain drain going on-which is when smart people leave the country and establish somewhere else and contribute to their host country to the detriment of their source country. A lot of people are leaving the country with few wanting to come back. And that’s where I come in; one of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it; to the poor and needy and to those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This shouldn’t be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. There are a lot of children on the streets, begging and being engaged in child labor, no child should have to go through all this. I grew up in rural areas, where it hits the most: the living systems are so bad; little to no social amenities; poor infrastructure, schools, and healthcare systems. I want to be able to help the needy in whatever way I can. I love Chemistry, Biology and Maths-these are my favorite subjects and I would have chosen any other profession, so why medicine? My mom is a pharmacist at a federal hospital in my state, and I’ve always been fortunate to follow her to work and stay in her office or follow her on her rounds in the wards. I’ve seen the way she cares for her patients, I’ve seen some of the thank you notes she has received I’ve also how happy it makes her to know that she was able to make someone happy. Sometimes she celebrates her birthday in the hospital and hands out gift baskets. She also has her pharmacy close to our house and that’s where I stay 90% of the time during holidays whenever I came back from boarding school. The nurse that works there is very nice and caring. From 2017 when she started her pharmacy till July 2021, I got a lot of experience in dealing with patients and it made me want to get closer; I aspired for more interaction. In my country, medicine is a prestigious field and every parent wants to have one in their family, in my own case I chose this path not just because my parents wanted that but also because I decided that this is something I’d like to dedicate my life to. I'm very grateful to Bold.org and the organizers of the Carlos F. Garcia Muentes Scholarship for this wonderful opportunity. This scholarship will help me financially and make me worry less about my finances and focus fully on my academics. I would also like to create my own scholarship fund one day to achieve one of my goals in life- increasing girl-child education in my country. I believe that education should be made free for all! Adaeze Ozuzu

Should I start with the number of times I've cried in class? Or the identity crisis I've been facing? Or how I suddenly became an introvert as I crossed the Atlantic Ocean? My name is Adaeze Ozuzu and I'm an international student from Nigeria in West Africa, studying Biology (pre-med) at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas. I came to the United States in August 2021, and since then my life has changed a lot. Transitioning into a new country with different cultures, and beliefs took a huge toll on me during my freshman year. I had a major identity crisis and a huge culture shock. I was finding it hard to communicate with people, both my classmates and professors. A major reason was because of my accent. Being used to watching American movies and songs from a young age, I'm familiar with the American accent, but the reverse isn't the case. A lot of times people find it hard to understand what I'm saying and I have to repeat myself. It really is not fun, and because of that I just decided to stop talking. I couldn't ask questions in class and this made me struggle a lot academically. In spite of all that, I finished fall 2021 with a 4.0 GPA and was put on the President's list. Another challenge I faced was homesickness and loneliness. As I withdrew into my shell I started to miss my family so badly and became so depressed. Having spent the last six years of my secondary school (middle school and high school) in a boarding school, I was used to being away from my family; plus I had a lot of friends. Unfortunately, I also had a hard time making new friends and mostly hung out with other international students who were also passing through their own issues. It was a very difficult time for me. One day while I was crying outside, I met a graduate student from Ghana who let me cry on her shoulders and later invited me to her weekly gathering "Away From Home" where other international students come together and share the challenges they were facing; this helped me so much. She graduated this year and asked if I could continue with the program. I happily accepted because I want to help others have a smooth transition and gradually overcome their culture shock. The exchange rate of the naira (my country's currency) to the dollar is gradually going up because of the increasing inflation in my country and this makes it harder for my parents to afford school fees. A lot of times my account was put on a business hold because the fees kept coming in late and this limited my use of some facilities on campus. I've been working full-time this summer to try to help my parents but with minimum wage and summer housing fees to pay, it hasn't been of much help. This scholarship will help me financially and make me worry less about my finances and focus fully on my academics. For me, this scholarship goes beyond the finances but also means that there is someone out there who understands the struggles of international students and is supporting us; it strengthens and encourages me that there is hope for tomorrow. Thank you Bold.org and Shay Oge for this wonderful opportunity!

Coming from a third-world country in Africa, though blessed with abundant resources-mineral and humans, we lack a lot of tools to harness it; we lack the technology and skilled manpower. There’s been a lot of brain drain going on-which is when smart people leave the country and establish somewhere else and contribute to their host country to the detriment of their source country. A lot of people are leaving the country with few wanting to come back. And that’s where I come in; one of my childhood dreams is to open an orphanage and a health care system that will make medical services available at little to no cost to those that cannot afford it; to the poor and needy and to those in need of immediate healthcare. A lot of hospitals back at home require you to deposit some money before treatment; a lot have lost their lives because of this and some had their condition deteriorate. This shouldn’t be the case; access to healthcare is something everyone should have irrespective of their financial position. There are a lot of children on the streets, begging and being engaged in child labor, no child should have to go through all this. I grew up in rural areas, where it hits the most: the living systems are so bad; little to no social amenities; poor infrastructure, schools, and healthcare systems. I want to be able to help the needy in whatever way I can. Another thing I’d like is for girl child education, I am a very strong advocator for women’s rights. I want to empower other women even as my mentor, an award-winning writer, Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie, inspired me. When the girl-child is empowered, the nation grows and develops, the number of children on the streets reduces because teenage pregnancy reduces, underage marriages decline, and they’re taught about contraception and family planning. There’s a lot of power that has been taken from women and I’d like for them to be returned back to us. I believe this would help in the growth and development of my country as there is more labor force and productivity will increase as a result. This is why I came to the United States, to get the necessary education and experience and equip myself to be able to accomplish these goals. I am in this very advanced nation because I want to make a difference; a strong impact. I want to leave my footprints on the sands of time! To achieve all these, I need the exposure, resources, technology, and educational and personal growth this country has to offer. I want to help in the growth and development of my country and bring a revolution to the education and health care systems at home. Back at home, we’ve always had strikes in the universities and this tends to prolong the time one has to spend, eating up valuable time one would have used to contribute to society. I needed to overcome all that if I have to pursue my goals and aspirations, and that's why I am here today. I want to thank Bold.org and the organizers of the Crenati Supporting International Students Scholarship for this opportunity. This scholarship will go a long way in helping me pay for my tuition and other fees. I would also like to create my own scholarship fund one day to achieve my goal of increasing girl-child education in my country. Education should be made free for all. -Adaeze Ozuzu 2nd-year Pre-med student

My Story I’ve always been a healthy child; never one to get admitted into the hospital. On the contrary, I have a sister who just recently got an appendectomy, a maternal family with a history of High BP and related heart diseases, a dad that fractured a leg, a brother that has gotten several teeth removed, and the list goes on. It has always been up to me to take care of my younger siblings whenever they fall sick being the first daughter in my family. I grew up caring for my family with the help of my mum, who is a pharmacist. On regular occasions, I have followed my mum to the hospital and watched her work. I have seen people rushed into the emergency room; people with sad and teary faces; and worried families. I have also seen the recovered cry for joy, the happiness knowing that a loved one will live and the pride in my mom’s face that she was a part of this. All of these inspired the desire to be a medical doctor; to care for and nurture patients; to prolong the circle of life, and to bring smiles to people’s faces. An adage from where I come from says, “He that asks questions never misses his way”. And this is why I am where I am today. I have always been boy-curious for a very long time as far as can remember. Once, I wanted to be a boy for a while just so I could understand how their bodies work; once, I asked if it is possible for a male to urinate into a female during sexual intercourse. The first thing I looked up was “what is the doctor for men called?” And it said urology. After more research, I discovered that urology is for males and females. Science has always been so fascinating to me. Chemistry in particular is my favorite subject; I like the way little things like atoms and elements and molecules make up this whole world. It is so fascinating to think of how everything is connected and works together for the body to function as a whole system. In the second semester of my freshman year, I had to write a paper on what I wanted to become in one of my classes. I had to research and cite sources. Urology is unique among other subspecialties in surgery because of the blend of clinical medicine and surgery. I also learned that for a long while urology was a male-dominated field which led to the general stereotype that urology deals with men only. I'd like to be a part of the breakthrough for women in the field of urology. The percentage of women in urology is gradually increasing than how it was. There is also a rising increase of urologists in small cities and rural areas. When I get my medical degree and specialize in urology, I’ll like to give back to my community by opening health centers, especially in rural areas, and establishing public enlightenment campaigns to create awareness on urology, related diseases, and how we can manage them. As a result of the aspect of surgery in urology, cutting-edge technology is being introduced to make the processes more accurate, safer, and faster. Miniaturization, optical technology, and robotics constitute the future of surgery, and as such should also be incorporated into urology. I am looking forward to working with patients and new technology and bringing in more developments and improving the health of the patients. My goal is to leave my footprints on the sands of time!