I see the world through peoples' side views, analyze shapes of their noses, notice if their eyelashes are curled, and whether they have an earring in their ear. I have unilateral hearing loss in my right ear which was diagnosed in third grade, and I was recently diagnosed with dyslexia and inattentive ADHD. Science has been foundational to identifying the accommodations I have at school such as extended time and a private testing space. I am grateful for this research which has been foundational to my success and the positive impact healthcare has had on my ability to thrive. Without doctors, audiologists and counselors who have assisted me, my struggles would have been greater. My physical and learning disabilities are only part of who I am and have made me a more resilient person. My name is Alex Morairty, and I have grown up in Scotts Valley near San Francisco. I have two sisters and live with both my parents. My current weighted GPA is 4.38. Math and science courses are my favorite, and I have learned greater appreciation for history and English classes in high school. I currently serve as president of my school's student government. I also served as director of community service and director of outreach. I have set up and programmed lights for 12 drama productions over four years. I am president of the Humanitarian Club which provides opportunities to work with special needs students at my school. For the past two years I earned the President's Volunteer Service Award administered by the White House for volunteering more than 250 hours in a calendar year. In kindergarten my dad brought brains from a rat, pig and human to my class to talk about his career as a neuroscientist. I got to wear a lab coat and be his assistant. I think that experience started me on the path to pursue science. In seventh grade, my dad told me about a research study where different blood types were tested, then the data was used to make a new COVID 19 vaccine. During the pandemic I became fascinated with immunology because of its focus on research. My career goal is to help develop new vaccines to fight contagious diseases and ensure greater access to them. Being able to understand the chemical principles as they apply to biological systems could potentially help develop new mechanisms for vaccines and help drive better research. I’ve started to learn how to integrate the different fields of science by taking biology and three years of chemistry in high school including advanced courses. I will seek out undergraduate research opportunities as an undergraduate at UCLA studying microbiology and immunology and ensure that research projects I am involved with are inclusive as there can be gender and other differences that must be explored. I want to interact with faculty and engage with other students through interdisciplinary research. And I want to be involved in making vaccines more accessible as as one's geographic location and socioeconomic status shouldn't limit availability to receive a proven healthcare remedy. As a young woman entering a male-dominated field, I will be focused on finding mentors who can challenge and support me. I am a resilient person and prepared to succeed. I also plan to volunteer with young girls to encourage them to pursue STEM fields. I can help open doors by being a role model and lifting up the women who come after me. First I must succeed, and I believe this Women in Healthcare Scholarship sponsored by Live It Up will contribute to my success. Thank you.

I see the world through peoples' side views, analyze shapes of their noses, notice if their eyelashes are curled, and whether they wear an earring. As a little girl I knew I had a disability but it was hard to understand because I couldn’t see it. I have unilateral hearing loss in my right ear, diagnosed in third grade. I had an IEP and sat on the right side of the room with my left ear near the teacher. I couldn't sit with my friends. In elementary school my teachers used a microphone but that wasn't possible in middle school so I got hearing aids. Some kids made fun of me. I learned to read lips a bit as hearing aids haven't worked that well for me due to my type of hearing loss. I struggled with comprehending text and spelling but my district denied a learning disability assessment because my grades were strong. In high school my parents paid for a private evaluation, and I was diagnosed with dyslexia, inattentive ADHD and anxiety. Additional accommodations including extended time and private test spaces have been helpful. My hearing loss is only part of who I am. My name is Alex Morairty, and I have grown up in Scotts Valley which is an hour south of San Francisco. I have two sisters and live with my parents. My current weighted GPA is 4.38. Math and science are my favorite, and I have learned greater appreciation for history and English in high school. I currently serve as president of my school's student government. I also served as director of community service and director of outreach. I have set up and programmed lights for drama productions for all four years which is 12 different shows. I am president of the Humanitarian Club which provides opportunities to work with special needs students at my school. For the past two years I earned the President's Volunteer Service Award administered by the White House for volunteering more than 250 hours in a calendar year. I work as an instructor at the martial arts studio where I earned my black belt. I love going to the beach with my friends to watch sunrises and sunsets, and I can't listen to enough music. My hearing loss has made me a more sensitive person at school at home. I learned to better advocate for myself, asking questions and asking for help. Being part of the disabled community has increased my awareness of the impact of kindness, to not judge and to give back through service. I am also more aware of the importance of health which is why I want to major in immunology and create new vaccines to prevent illnesses. My interest started during COVID and has only grown. I also want to be involved in ensuring equitable access to vaccines as one's geographic location and socioeconomic status shouldn't limit availability to receive a proven remedy. I am fortunate that my parents have insurance and found a way to pay for a private learning disability assessment as well as hearing aids. And I know not everyone has these opportunities. I want to be part of reducing inequity in the medical field and vaccine availability. Receiving this scholarship would be very helpful to my educational future. I am currently deciding between UCLA and the University of Washington. These funds would be put toward tuition as my parents expect me to pay 10% of my college costs. I also have a younger sister so soon there will be two of us in college. Thank you for your consideration.