My name is Alexa Naranjo, and I am a freshman at Purdue University studying engineering to pursue a degree in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering (AAE). I am interested in the scholarship as I feel strongly about the importance of women supporting each other, especially in the case of engineering which is currently a male-dominated field. The thing I love about Purdue is the Department of Women in Engineering. They offer a 1-1 Mentoring Program where they pair a freshman with an upperclassman pursuing the degree the student is interested in. I am paired with a sophomore pursuing AAE and she is the woman who motivates and helps me through my first year of engineering. Calculus has always been a challenging class for me. Calculus 2, MA 16200, at Purdue, was no exception. I took my first midterm in September, and I scored 60%. The exam was also the first ever exam I took at Purdue. Although I had scored just below the class average which was at 64%, I remember feeling devastated about my exam performance. I was used to getting all A’s in high school and maintaining a high GPA. I also felt nervous about my future academic performance as I need a high GPA at Purdue to guarantee entering my engineering discipline of choice especially as AAE is one of the most competitive engineering disciplines to enter. I spoke with my mentor shortly after getting my exam score as I was feeling nervous and questioned whether I was good enough to even be studying engineering at a school like Purdue. My mentor sat me down and told me that she had also struggled with calculus at Purdue. She even confided in me that she had done much worse on her first exam, way below the class average, and still earned a B in the class. When I told her I was worried about getting into my engineering discipline of choice, she reminded me that over 96% of first-year engineering students are admitted into their engineering of choice. She also told me that she was slightly below the GPA cutoff to guarantee admission to AAE, and she still made it in. Her words of support and comfort reminded me that Purdue accepted me because they believed I could succeed at their school, and everyone experiences similar struggles as they adjust from high school into college. On my second midterm, I scored 92% after changing my studying strategies based on the suggestions she provided, and I will soon take the final exam where I hope to secure a strong grade in the class. Her support was vital to me as I experienced a moment of impostor syndrome and anxiety. It is vital to support each other as women, especially in fields of study where we are the minority. Having a mentor or support group is super helpful when we face challenges or want to get advice about how to approach and tackle a problem. Together, we can support each other to break barriers in the industry and become stronger and successful. I am grateful to my mentor, and I hope we can continue to foster our connection as I continue my academic career at Purdue. She was a perfect supporter in my time of need, and I can only hope to do the same when I become more experienced in my field of study and eventually when I enter the industry.