I remember the first time I had ever looked at a heart rate monitor. As my Abuela, sick with cancer, was connected to one, I saw her heartbeat slow with each visit. Her coughs, raspy voice, and tear-stained clothes were accompanied by the look in her eyes of someone fighting for their life. I also remember the heartbroken expression my Mom wore at each visit. These visits were intertwined with my memories from elementary school, and these experiences as a child instilled a drive within me to do whatever I could to help those like my Mom and Abuela. What role I wanted to play in this process has always weighed heavily on my mind. Hospitals are, unfortunately, familiar to me, and finding myself in one again in seventh grade was like meeting again with an old friend. It was there that I looked at another heart rate monitor, and the thought of searching which career made medical devices led me to biomedical engineering. Women have been underrepresented in STEM, a daunting statistic for a First Generation Latina like me. In the seventh grade, when we were finally able to choose electives to take at school, I decided to take an introduction to coding class. I was so excited at the prospect of learning to code, but on the first day I sat down in class, I immediately regretted my decision. I was the only girl in a class of about thirty people. When class roles were being picked, and people got jobs like organizer or door holder, when it got to secretary, every single other person in the class began shouting for that role to go to me. The teacher tried to stop the others from singling me out, but events like this would happen again and again throughout the rest of the school year. If there were any group or partner projects, I would wind up having to work by myself, because no one else wanted to work with me, always being told, "You can't join us, you're a girl." Anytime careers would be mentioned, and I said that I wanted to go into engineering, laughing could be heard throughout the classroom. In my AP Physics C class, I sat with the only other two women. Even though it’s a much smaller class of seventeen people, and I’m not the only woman, I still feel extremely excluded. Once, when we had a substitute teacher, he came over to our table, asked if any of us three could pick up his coffee from the front desk, put down a five-dollar bill on our table, and walked away to talk to another group. Once the substitute was out of earshot, we started talking about how that was sexism and tried deciding what we should do about his coffee. It hurt because all three of us wanted to go into STEM, but because we’re women, we immediately get thrown aside. ’s always been my dream to contribute to the battle against cancer since it has continually affected my family. I want to use the knowledge I gain from college to make the world a better place. It is a quaint dream, but I will work to make this dream a reality and change our society for the better. The knowledge I will gain from college will help me help others, as I break down the barriers I’ve faced in my STEM classes for years, and contribute to meaningful change.

I remember the first time I had ever looked at a heart rate monitor. As my Abuela, sick with cancer, was connected to one, I watched her heartbeat slow with each visit. Her coughs, raspy voice, and tear-stained clothes were accompanied by the look in her eyes of pain and desperation. I vividly remember the heartbroken expression my Mom wore at each visit- watching her own mother fight for her life. Ever since Abuela's death, sometimes I wonder if that will be us someday. I know my Mom thinks about that as well. These visits were intertwined with my memories from elementary school, and these experiences as a child instilled a drive within me to do whatever I could to help those like my Mom and Abuela. What role I wanted to play in this process has always weighed heavily on my mind. Hospitals are, unfortunately, familiar to me, and finding myself in one again in seventh grade was like meeting again with an old friend. It was there that I looked at another heart rate monitor, and the thought of searching which career made medical devices led me to biomedical engineering. I’ve known for a while that I would go to college, not only just so that I can be the first in my family to, but to also contribute to fighting cancer. I want to change healthcare so drastically- I want more accessible healthcare and better technology within it. I want to create medical devices that are better able to diagnose and treat cancer. I want to use what knowledge I gain from college and experience to change the world into a better place. I know that by conducting research, working for a company, and designing patents, no matter what I do, I will help others. It is a quaint dream, but I will work to make this dream a reality and change our society for the better with my future career. It’s an understatement to say that my family has influenced my career aspirations. My family’s continuous battle with cancer, as my Tia Martha is currently undergoing therapy, only strengthens my resolve to help fight cancer. I also wish to give back to my parents for having immigrated to the United States to give their children a better life. My Dad hasn’t received anything beyond a middle school education, and my Mom didn’t go to college because of the cost. My parents have tirelessly worked their entire lives to meet the money to pay for bills to take care of me and my brother. Despite my circumstances, I’m in the top 2% of my class, an AP Scholar with Distinction, a College Board recognized National Hispanic Scholar, an All-City Orchestra Violinist, Orchestra Historian, and Captain of my UIL Social Studies and UIL Literary Criticism teams, having led both teams to become District Champions this year. When my family immigrated here, it was their dream for me to graduate from high school, but I wanted to do what neither of them did. I want to be able to go to college, so that I may change society for the better, and also give back to my parents for everything they’ve given me.

I was nearly stabbed with a knife in a Walmart parking lot in Florida once. I was wearing a bisexual pride flag sticker, and my parents didn’t understand what it meant, but this Floridian man did. The fear I felt as he approached me with a knife, asking if I was gay, nearly made me faint. I pretended that I didn’t speak English, and was left alone, but as soon as he was out of sight, I took off the pride sticker. I’ve always been scared of coming out to people, but the threat of death because of my sexuality has always weighed heavily on my mind. That one experience in Florida prevented me, for many years, from telling my friends that I am bisexual. I have not yet even had a discussion with any of my family members about my sexuality yet. Most of my family members are devout Catholics and have said derogatory things towards LGBTQ+ people for my entire life. It's so discouraging being near many of my family members, knowing that they will hate me for what I am. When questions about my sexuality were raised during school, I would do my best to not reveal anything, but I would still be called slurs and confronted in the hallway. I hated knowing that I wanted to do something life-changing, but because people even suspected me of being bisexual, people would do their best to target me whenever and wherever they could. I’ve wanted to make medical devices that could diagnose and treat cancer ever since I learned that it was a career option for me. My Abuela passed away from cancer when I was in first grade and my Tia Martha has been undergoing chemotherapy for the past year. It’s always been my dream to contribute to the battle against cancer since it’s always affected my family, but all people see is my gender, and they laugh at me. I want to be a part of a diverse community. When people do not have to live in fear of discrimination, because of their race, sexuality, or gender, we will be able to achieve greatness. When we discriminate against someone, we smother their potential. If you discriminate against someone, you smother your ability to learn from them- but do not have to think about what someone can provide for you in order to tolerate them. It is immoral in the first place to discriminate against someone. We need diversity and inclusivity, so that we may be free to truly understand ourselves and our universe. Without the two, since we cannot support one another, we cannot even support ourselves. We must take pride in what we are and respect one another. When we are able to accept one another and celebrate our differences, society can only flourish. I often think about the lives of LGBTQ+ scientists, who were afraid to be outspoken about their own identities and live in safety. I want to see a world where other LGBTQ+ people, like me, are able to live without fear. The newest inventions and innovations should be able to come from anywhere and be made by anyone, and your sexuality should not be an obstacle in this journey.

“You can’t join us, you’re a girl.” It was that simple sentence that was said to me so many times throughout my life. In the seventh grade, when we were finally able to choose electives to take at school, I decided to take an introduction to coding class. I was so excited at the prospect of learning to code, but on the first day I sat down in class, I immediately regretted my decision. I was the only girl in a class of about thirty people. When class roles were being picked, and people got jobs like organizer or door holder, when it got to secretary, every single other person in the class began shouting for that role to go to me. The teacher tried to stop the others from singling me out, but events like this would happen again and again throughout the rest of the school year. If there were any group or partner projects, I would wind up having to work by myself, because no one else wanted to work with me, always being told, "You can't join us, you're a girl." Anytime careers would be mentioned, and I said that I wanted to go into engineering, laughing could be heard throughout the classroom. When it was time to pick high school classes, I hated the thought that I could be the only girl in any of my STEM classes again. I remained steadfast in my decision to take all of the STEM classes I could, knowing that it would prepare me for a future career in biomedical engineering. My previous experiences in middle school, however, continued to terrify me. I knew, however, that I couldn’t back down. In my AP Physics C class, I sat with the only other two women. Even though it’s a much smaller class of seventeen people, and I’m not the only woman, I still feel extremely excluded. Once, when we had a substitute teacher, he came over to our table, asked if any of us three could pick up his coffee from the front desk, put down a five-dollar bill on our table, and walked away to talk to another group. Once the substitute was out of earshot, we started talking about how that was sexism and tried deciding what we should do about his coffee. It hurt because all three of us wanted to go into STEM, but because we’re women, we immediately get thrown aside. Taking up space is letting yourself be known and visible, refusing to back down and the refusal to accept the way that others treat you negatively. It is the decision to remain strong. It doesn’t matter how many times others try to knock me down for being in STEM- all that matters is that I continue and accomplish my dreams. It’s always been my dream to contribute to the battle against cancer since it has continually affected my family. I want to use the knowledge I gain from college to make the world a better place. It is a quaint dream, but I will work to make this dream a reality and change our society for the better. The knowledge I will gain from college will help me help others, as I break down the barriers I’ve faced in my STEM classes for years, and contribute to meaningful change.

I’ve always been a lonely child. Throughout elementary and middle school, because I was so shy, it was difficult to make friends. I’ve always been trapped by my thoughts of feeling lonely because I am so introverted. I always worry about school and new situations, so the feeling of knowing that I am going to be in a completely different environment when I move to Austin for college is overwhelming. The feeling of not being good enough and my fear of the future can consume my thoughts, which makes me turn to the things I love to clear my mind. Music has been something I have been able to turn to for as long as I can remember. Even before I began to play the violin, I loved to listen to the music my Mom would put on as she cleaned. We had a small radio, where she would play CDs of various Latin artists, blasting throughout our home regularly. As I grew up, I found artists on YouTube and Spotify, and whenever I feel anxious, I put on music. The sound of music in my ears floods into my brain and washes away the anxious thoughts cluttering my mind. When I joined my school’s Orchestra, playing the violin became such an important part of me. I would do it every day without fail, and it is such a calming ritual, as the sound of my bow hitting the string to make beautiful music strengthens my resolve to become a better player and continue to grow in other aspects of my life. Another way that I clear my mind is to be aware of my breathing. Even though breath is emphasized whenever you are angry, I learned that you can also apply it when you are feeling overwhelmed. Focusing on your breathing grounds you, and I've found that it helps soothe my worries about the future and doing badly on important things. There have been times when I feel stressed out from exams and presentations, and I feel so worried leading up to the day of them, but I focus on my breathing just to collect my thoughts. It’s been instrumental in improving my mental health. One of the last things that I do to clear my mind and improve my mental health is to be with friends. One of the ways that I do this is by playing Dungeons and Dragons. Although I am very shy and introverted, it’s a great way for me to connect with others and strengthen the relationships I have with my friends. Through it, a lot of my insecurities melt away. I am the Dungeon Master for our group. To clear my mind, I work on the worlds for my Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. I create lore, draw maps, and do everything I can to ensure that my friends are involved in an engaging story. Playing Dungeons & Dragons allows for me and my friends to unwind, letting go of all of the stress of real life, to instead have fun-filled fantasy adventures. A social gathering helps to reassure me that although I feel lonely at times, I am not alone. It allows me to focus my thoughts on things outside of my anxieties and frees my creativity.

I remember the first time I had ever looked at a heart rate monitor. As my Abuela, sick with cancer, was connected to an IV, I saw her heartbeat slow with each visit. Her coughs, raspy voice, and tear-stained clothes were accompanied by the look in her eyes of someone fighting for their life. I also remember the heartbroken expression my Mom wore at each visit. These visits were intertwined with my memories from elementary school, and these experiences as a child instilled a drive within me to do whatever I could to help those like my Mom and Abuela. What role I wanted to play in this process has always weighed heavily on my mind. Hospitals are, unfortunately, familiar to me, and finding myself in one again in seventh grade was like meeting again with an old friend. It was there that I looked at another heart rate monitor, and the thought of searching which career made medical devices led me to biomedical engineering. I’ve always known that if I wanted to improve the lives of those like my Abuela, I would have to go to college. Neither of my parents did, and seeing how they worked so hard to provide for my brother and me has always made me wish that I could provide for them. My Dad hasn’t received anything beyond a middle school education, and my Mom didn’t go to college because she had to take care of her family. My parents already worked tirelessly to meet the money to pay for bills to take care of me and my brother, but the pandemic significantly impacted their wages. There was less work for them to do, and as they were essential workers, it was clear that the pandemic was taking a physical toll on them. My Mom would come home just after online school had ended for me, and pass out on her bed. My Dad would work from 6 AM until 8 PM all five weekdays, and we still didn’t have secure finances. My parents would switch jobs throughout the pandemic, because of the immense toll the pandemic had on job security. Even after they would find a new job, my parents would sometimes have to leave soon after, just because the pandemic affected businesses so drastically. I want to not just use my education to improve mankind, by helping the lives of those like my Abuela, but to also give back to my parents. When they immigrated here, it was their dream for me to graduate from high school, but I knew that I would have to get a higher education, as well, so that they wouldn’t have to live paycheck to paycheck like we always have. After graduating, I fully intend to change the world with my knowledge. I want to use what knowledge I gain from college to change the world into a better place. If that is by conducting research, working for a company, or designing patents, I know that no matter what I do, I will help someone after I graduate. It is a quaint dream, but I will work to make this dream a reality and change our society for the better. I will give back to my parents and improve humanity if I receive an education.

In the seventh grade, when we were finally able to choose electives to take at school, I decided to take an introduction to coding class. I was so excited at the prospect of learning to code, but on the first day I sat down in class, I immediately regretted my decision. I was the only girl in a class of about thirty people. If there were any group or partner projects, I would wind up having to work by myself, since no one else wanted to work with me because I was a girl. Anytime careers would be mentioned, and I said that I wanted to go into STEM, laughing could be heard throughout the classroom. I’ve wanted to make medical devices that could diagnose and treat cancer ever since I learned that it was a career option for me. My Abuela passed away from cancer when I was in the first grade and my Tia Martha has been undergoing chemotherapy for the past year. It’s always been my dream to contribute to the battle against cancer since it’s always affected my family, but all people see is that I am Latina, and they laugh at me. In my AP Physics C class, I sit with the only other two women. Even though it’s a much smaller class of seventeen people, and I’m not the only woman, I still feel extremely excluded. Someone else in our class had created a physics group chat, but none of us three were invited to it. Once, when we had a male substitute teacher, he spoke to the other tables, talking to them about their career choices and asking if they were interested in STEM as a career. Unlike with the other tables, however, when he came over to our table, he asked if any of us three could pick up his coffee from the front desk, put down a five-dollar bill on our table, and walked away to talk to the table group in front of us. Once the substitute was out of earshot, we started talking about how that was sexism and tried deciding what we should do about his coffee. It hurt because all three of us wanted to go into STEM, but because we’re women, we immediately get judged and thrown aside. It didn’t help that we three were women of color. I’ve always known that if I wanted to improve the lives of others by making medical devices, I would have to go to college. Even though it’s nearly expected in today’s economy, just the fact that I will be able to finally contribute to the fight my family has a history of going through satisfies me. Neither of my parents ever went to college, but it’s been my family’s dream for me to get the chance to. I want to improve society with STEM. After graduating, I fully intend to change the world with my own knowledge. I want to succeed. I want to change the world for the better, and me being a woman, First-Generation, and low-income is not something that should be an obstacle. No matter someone’s race, gender, sexuality, or class, it does not negate their ability to change the world for the better. Nothing should stop me from going into STEM. The different perspectives that everyone offers will only strengthen our society. I will continue to work toward bringing positive change to society, and I will not let the treatment I have faced and will continue to face stop me from bettering it.

In the seventh grade, when we were finally able to choose electives to take at school, I decided to take an introduction to coding class. I was so excited at the prospect of learning to code, but on the first day I sat down in class, I immediately regretted my decision. I was the only girl in a class of about thirty people. When class roles were being picked, and people got jobs like organizer or door holder, when it got to a secretary, every single other person in the class began shouting for that role to go to me. The teacher tried to stop the others from singling me out, but events like this would happen again and again throughout the rest of the school year. If there were any group or partner projects, I would wind up having to work by myself, because no one else wanted to work with me. After all, I was a girl. Anytime careers would be mentioned, and I said that I wanted to go into engineering, laughing could be heard throughout the classroom. When it was time to pick high school classes, I hated the thought that I could be the only girl in any of my STEM classes again. I remained steadfast in my decision to take all of the STEM classes I could, knowing that it would prepare me for a future career in biomedical engineering. My previous experiences in middle school, however, continued to terrify me. In my AP Physics C class, I sat with the only other two women. Even though it’s a much smaller class of seventeen people, and I’m not the only woman, I still feel extremely excluded. Once, when we had a substitute teacher, he came over to our table, asked if any of us three could pick up his coffee from the front desk, put down a five-dollar bill on our table, and walked away to talk to another group. Once the substitute was out of earshot, we started talking about how that was sexism and tried deciding what we should do about his coffee. It hurt because all three of us wanted to go into STEM, but because we’re women, we immediately get thrown aside. Despite all the treatment I have and will continue to face, I will continue to pursue my dreams. Neither of my parents ever went to college, but it’s been their dream for me to get the chance to. I’ve overcome negative treatment and being clueless about the college process. I want to improve society with STEM. I’ve wanted to make medical devices that could diagnose and treat cancer ever since I learned about biomedical engineering. It’s always been my dream to contribute to the battle against cancer since it has continually affected my family. I want to use the knowledge I gain from college to make the world a better place. It is a quaint dream, but I will work to make this dream a reality and change our society for the better. The knowledge I will gain from college will help me help others, as I break down the barriers I’ve faced in my STEM classes for years, and contribute to meaningful change.

Throughout elementary and middle school, my Mom would take care of me while she worked at her store. There weren’t any kids my age nor a working television around. It was just me and my stuffed animals. Like many other kids, I would have fun by turning to my imagination- my toys, the stars. I was in my head, making up intricate stories, vivid images, and complex characters in my mind. I have never lost that imaginative mind I’ve had ever since I was a child. Even as I grew up, I learned how to do voice impressions to best embody my characters’ personalities, turning to creative writing and making videos. Ironically, the imagination I’ve cultivated through my loneliness has made me less lonely during the pandemic. In 2020, as school shut down, I convinced my friends to let me be their Dungeon Master. I sent my friends character sheets and an online dice roller, asked them when they would be free, and the rest was history. It’s been 2 years since we’ve started playing Dungeons & Dragons together. The very concept of Logan’s Tiefling Paladin is so creative- a character, that is a descendent of a demon, that battles other demons! Brian’s homebrewed Kirby class and limited speaking make for creative ways to communicate with the others- and it’s always funny when I let the other members know when they can’t tell what his character is saying. My Brooklyn accent is a welcome addition to my rendition of the Elven race, and my reveal of the main villain being a powerful and beloved side character shocked the group. Us using our imaginations to bring stories to life got us through the toils of the pandemic and college applications. I use creativity to bring joy to my friends’ lives.

I deserve this scholarship because I want it. I want to make a lot of money. I know I can do this by dropping out of college, just like my hero, Jeffrey Bezos, and opening my own company, just like another of my heroes, Elon Musk. Ever since I was born, I’ve faced numerous obstacles. I’ve faced being too perfect, being too attractive, too popular, too likable, too intelligent, and too awesome. I have overcome all of this adversity by being extremely rude to waiters.