It might come as a surprise that I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration rather than a traditional life sciences degree. However, from my experiences with the diabetes community and exposure to research labs, I have learned that scientific breakthroughs only reach patients when they are supported by strong business leadership. A lab may develop life-changing technology, but business is necessary to translate that discovery into a usable product, market it to patients, and ensure it reaches the people who need it most. At Georgia Tech, for example, I have seen this intersection firsthand through work in Dr. Andrés García’s research at the Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, where diabetes innovations move from scientific discovery toward real-world application. After years of development, García’s team has now launched a start up company to help Type 1 Diabetics. That intersection of science, technology, and business continues to inspire me and is exactly where I hope to build my career. I was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes on December 11, 2014. At seven years old, managing my disease meant multiple daily insulin injections and constant finger pricks to check my blood sugar. I eventually lost count after thousands of shots and even more finger pricks. Now, I wear a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump that communicate wirelessly through a DIY algorithm to control the constant blood sugar changes. These advancements have redefined my daily life and changed my perspective on how I embrace challenges. Experiencing these developments in science while I live with diabetes inspired my goals to contribute to innovation from a different perspective. Georgia Tech’s Business Administration program, with its emphasis on analytics, technology, and problem-solving, will allow me to help bring life-changing advancements to the people who rely on them and make a real, measurable impact on my community. One meaningful contribution I hope to make to the diabetes community centers around a message that has shaped my own journey and kept me grounded through any challenge: the word brave. It has significant meaning in my life because of all the people who told me I was brave when I was diagnosed. I make “BRAVE” canvases for diabetic patients for motivation during tough times. I also wear my medical devices in visible places so people, diabetic or not, ask questions. Those conversations help normalize diabetes and inspire diabetics to be proud of what makes them unique. With these efforts I hope to encourage diabetics to embrace their challenges and be brave, no matter what. This is incredibly important to me because I know that I definitely needed the support and encouragement that people showed me when I was learning to manage my diabetes. When I was in the hospital, my mom cried when the doctors told us I was diagnosed with an incurable disease. That is, until science and technology can find one! I now understand why she was crying so hard that day, and I am thankful that I have such a strong support system behind me. Not everyone is so lucky. No child should have to bear that weight alone, so it is important to me that I can support people through my paintings. Diabetes has taught me many lessons, but the most important is to be brave through daily challenges, pursue ambitious goals, and use my experiences to support others. Through my education and future career, I hope to work with researchers to shepherd a medical startup device from product development, through approval and production, and finally to a marketable product for people whose lives depend on it.