I’m a proud Puerto Rican and African American woman who is passionate about making a positive impact in society. Ever since I was a kid I grew fond of helping others and putting a smile on people’s faces. This attribute grew as I aged and I vowed to spread positivity. Becoming a part of the medical field is what I’ve dreamed about ever since watching a children's show called Doc McStuffins. The show is about a young girl who cures toys with the help from her other toys. I was inspired by the girl’s ability to care for sick toys and I wanted to do the same as a profession. Nursing is my intended career path because I’m passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and as a healthcare professional, I never stop learning. This major will allow me to explore and strengthen my ever expanding knowledge of science. I’m curious about the world around me and I want the opportunity to help others in need. As a minority, my goal is to help other minorities receive accessible healthcare. As a travel nurse, I can work in hospitals that are understaffed and encourage my fellow coworkers to spread awareness about the need for accessible healthcare for minorities. My abuelito struggles with type 1 diabetes and when he was diagnosed, he had a bad experience with his doctor since his English is a little difficult to understand. As a nurse, my patient’s needs are top priority because I want to ensure that I create a safe and welcoming environment. My abuelito’s experience inspired me to promote compassion and positive communication with patients. As a bilingual nurse, I have the gift to translate for Hispanics and teach my fellow healthcare professionals Spanish. My goal is to create a culturally accepting hospital that allows patients to feel comfortable speaking in their language, without fear of judgment. I plan on encouraging my coworkers to learn a different language in order to have the ability to help a diverse group. My vision is to make visits to the hospital not such a dreadful experience by putting a smile on people’s faces and caring for the well being of the patient. In order to help minorities, my high-quality healthcare plan is to establish classes for medical professionals that teach how to positively interact with someone who looks different from you. This class stresses the importance of treating all patients the same regardless of gender, sexuality, or race. Also, this class educates healthcare professionals on the culture and history of different minority groups. By instilling this in the curriculum, it demonstrates how doctors and nurses provide equal care for minorities. As a prospective nursing student, I want to get the most out of my education by applying the knowledge I gain to continue growing as a person. I hold myself to high standards and I’m passionate about racial equality. As a nurse and human being I will better the world around me and motivate others to help promote cultural acceptance. By incorporating a class called “Diverse Interactions,” it will positively impact the lives of minority patients and limit the amount of health disparities.

It’s important to have diverse representation in STEM careers because it emphasizes how a career is not only for a certain set of people. It introduces the idea that anyone from any race has the ability to achieve their goals. Without an example, people get the idea that they can’t do a job based on their race or religion. Lack of diversity causes a sense of loneliness and contributes to an under-represented community. It makes minorities feel uncomfortable in their environment and doubt their abilities. Also, by having a diverse career, you can get viewpoints and ideas from different types of people. At my elementary school, most of the teachers were Caucasian. I had all white teachers and I felt like I wasn’t being represented as a minority. I began to think that as a person of color I couldn’t become a teacher. This idea sprouted in my head solely because no teachers at my school looked like me. I felt out of place and this idea made me believe that I couldn’t excel in school. I struggled to make connections because it was difficult to relate to my teachers. It took a lot for me to push through these misconceptions. As I grew older, I learned the importance of self-confidence and security of my identity. This experience guided me to find diverse communities and careers that support my identity so I feel heard. Diversity in STEM careers would emphasize a welcoming community that focuses on the lives of the individuals. Diversity widens viewpoints, allows for a range of experiences, and a variety of thinking abilities. This is important because then a career has the ability to cater to the needs of a diverse population instead of a certain race. Also, a diverse community contributes to the well-being of minorities and gives them the reassurance that their ideas are supported. Diversity allows for employees to learn how to efficiently communicate with one another and respect the different ideas of others as well. Diversity helps to create a fair environment and breaks down cultural barriers. As a minority, I want to go into a career that accepts and respects my race. Diversity is an important factor to me; whether at a workplace, community, or school. I feel the most comfortable when I know that an organization promotes cultural acceptance and provides a welcoming environment. It’s important to have diverse representation in STEM careers to set an example to younger generations that your race doesn’t limit you on the things you can accomplish.

When I was in fourth grade, I struggled in my math class. I didn’t understand how to add fractions or do long division. When we did independent worksheets, everyone in my class was writing away, solving all the problems. Meanwhile, I’m staring at the blank piece of paper, wishing I understood this basic math. I was ashamed to ask for help especially since I was the only person of color in my class and I was afraid my classmates would make fun of me. I left the paper blank and I took it home with me. I showed my grandma the worksheet and she stared at it with a blank expression. She had no idea how to help me since she barely spoke English. I felt so alone and frustrated with myself because I simply didn’t understand. My grandma told me “Eres tan fuerte como el trabajo que pones.” This means that you’re as strong as the work you put in. She motivated me to face my fear of asking for help and taught me that in life you have to do something that scares you to reach your fullest potential. The reason I’m passionate about STEM is because I had to overcome this obstacle very early in my life and I want to continue expanding my knowledge. After I successfully learned how to add fractions, I found a keen interest in science. I learned the process of photosynthesis and that our bodies are made of many tiny little cells. I would stay outside all day and play a game called “Bugs” with my younger sister. The objective of the game was to get an insect to crawl on your hand and to take a picture of it on my Kodak camera. Using the pictures I took, we would search the internet to find the species name of the insect and add it to our collection. I was fascinated with the world around me and my imagination led me to my passion about STEM. I always wondered about the mechanisms of objects; how does my camera take pictures, how do lights turn on, and how are cars built. My dad taught me how to fix a faulty leak which empowered me to believe that women can do anything that men traditionally do and vice versa. In college, I plan on pursuing a biology degree to continue my education in medical school. My dream is to become a neurosurgeon because I want to make a positive impact in society by helping others. My goal is to set an example for younger generations that reaching your goal is attainable as long as you don’t give up and find the beauty in failing to succeed. My passion for STEM brewed at a young age and has guided me to my career choice in college.

The characteristic I value most in myself is my perseverance because it’s the reason why I’ve grown as a person and student. As a Latina woman, life already has its challenges and every day I defy society’s stereotypes for Hispanics. I excel in school, my job, and extracurriculars to prepare myself for my future. This characteristic will help me in my life journey because it will allow me to continue striving for greatness even when the odds are against me. Perseverance is defined as the “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” To me, perseverance means putting my best foot forward and trying my hardest no matter the outcome. As a high school student, I learned the importance of facing adversity in a positive manner. After my parents separated and my father moved to another state, I stepped up to help support my family. My perseverance allowed me to maintain three jobs while studying to receive my high school diploma. This was an extremely difficult time for me because I had to give up my free time and the sport I played for six years. If I had a chance to go back in time, I would make the same decision again because I was able to help my mom pay for our additional expenses. I also saved up money and bought my first car in 2021 all by myself. This was crucial for my family because we only had one car and my mom needed to go to work. This incredible achievement allowed me to take my sister home from her extracurricular activities so that she didn’t miss out on important opportunities for her. I also was able to drive myself to my dual enrollment classes to receive an in-person experience and I could volunteer for the Carolina’s Latin Dance Company. As I continue my education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I will be challenged mentally and physically. My perseverance will not allow me to give up when my academics get harder and will push me to better myself and my community. I want to set an example for other students and for my younger sister. I want my sister to know that she can do anything she sets her mind to as long as she puts in the work to succeed. Attending college is going to be one of the most difficult and amazing things I’ve done because I have the opportunity to fuel my mind with new knowledge. I plan on majoring in nursing to become a travel nurse. The nursing school is a very rigorous program that prepares me for patient care. I’m prepared to study every day and attend office hours to achieve my goals. My perseverance will help me in my life journey to continue my education even when I face obstacles. This characteristic that I possess will help me receive my nursing degree and will challenge me to set high expectations for myself.

Who am I? I’m a proud Puerto Rican and African American woman who is passionate about making a positive impact in society. Ever since I was a kid I grew fond of helping others and making people smile when they're in distress. This attribute grew as I aged and I vowed to spread positivity. Becoming a part of the medical field is what I’ve dreamed about ever since watching a children's show called Doc McStuffins. The show is about a young girl who cures toys with the help from her other toys. I was inspired by the girl’s ability to care for sick toys and I wanted to do the same as a profession. I want to attend college because I want to further my education in science. Studying the human body and its components has always grasped my attention. Nursing is my intended career path because I’m passionate about making a difference in people’s lives and as a healthcare professional, I never stop learning. In order to treat patients, it is crucial to understand our genetic makeup and how the body works. Science has invariably been my favorite subject throughout school, and having the opportunity to learn more about this topic is incredible. This major will allow me to explore and strengthen my ever expanding knowledge of science. I’m curious about the world around me and having the opportunity to help others in need. My goal is to become a travel nurse in order to help different low-income countries. Diversity and cultural acceptance are two aspects that are of utter importance to me. As a travel nurse, I have the opportunity to raise awareness in cultural competence and encourage others to learn about different cultures. While working abroad, I plan on participating in a service project such as Doctors Without Borders to volunteer my time and knowledge. During my time, I’ll also learn how a different country provides healthcare and I can take what I learn to the next hospital I’m assigned to. This would be a valuable life experience for me and would allow me to continue growing as a person. My abuelito struggles with type 1 diabetes and he’s the most resilient person I know. When he was diagnosed, he had a bad experience with his doctor which made the situation worse. As a nurse, my goal is to reassure the patient and family members to help ease their concerns. This will ensure that I create a safe and welcoming environment to my patients. My abuelito’s experience inspired me to promote compassion and positive communication with patients. As a bilingual nurse, I have the gift to translate for Hispanics and teach my fellow healthcare professionals Spanish. My goal is to create a culturally accepting hospital that allows patients to feel comfortable speaking in their language, without fear of judgment. My vision is to make visits to the hospital not such a dreadful experience by putting a smile on people’s faces and caring for the well being of the patient. As a student and employee, I plan to apply the knowledge I gain to continue growing as a person. I challenge myself everyday and strive to achieve my goals. I hold myself to high standards and I’m passionate about my education. As a nurse and human being I will better the world around me and motivate others to help promote cultural acceptance. I'm very excited to continue my education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and broaden my horizons about life.

As a bisexual woman, it is difficult to be accepted into an ever conforming society. My sexual identity damaged my mental health and changed my behavior. I was afraid of showing others my true self due to fear of not being loved and accepted. I have lost friends and been judged for who I love. My sexual identity is an immense part of my life and I constantly have to hide this part of me. It’s daunting not being able to be yourself and having to tiptoe throughout society. I finally admitted to myself about my sexuality my freshman year of high school. There wasn’t any representation in my community and I felt alone through this discovery. I would bring up the LGBTQ community to my family to see their reactions and it was heartbreaking. The homophobic comments and inability for my family to see how a person’s sexual orientation is not a choice. I had no one to turn to because I didn’t have anyone in my life who was accepting. I hid my relationship from my parents because I was scared of being kicked out. I became lonely and I had to set up a front, causing me to live a double life. This double life became an immense weight on my shoulders that was difficult to bear alone. I began to reach out to openly gay people on social media and they helped me gain the self confidence I needed. I finally felt comfortable to join the LGBTQ club at my school and I was welcomed with open arms. I heard the coming out stories of others and how much strength people display everyday. After joining the club, other people at my school found out and began asking many questions. I felt cornered, but I took this as an opportunity to share who I really am. I even attended the Pride Parade in my city which was an amazing experience filled with live music, inspirational coming out stories, and popular companies supporting the LGBTQ community. This experience taught me to face my fears and that being different is what makes me special. I built the courage to come out to my parents and once I did, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. My parents ended up supporting me and loving me no matter what. I had the ability to be myself around my family and to not hide from them. I felt like I was on cloud nine, and this feeling allowed me to positively face future storms. I gained the ability to love myself and to accept that this is who I am. I have made different friends and surrounded myself with people who support me. My experience proved that I am stronger than what I previously gave myself credit for, and to always accept others for their differences. Moving forward, it is imperative for me to know the value of empathy- as it can motivate not only others, but myself, to strive for success. Even when things in life get difficult, I move with eloquence as to show others I am myself- and am proud to be.