Since I was young, I've been fascinated by engineering and environmental sciences. I didn't necessarily have that terminology in the beginning, but I have always been exploring nature, or creating inventions out of cardboard whenever I could. As I have grown older, I have been able to combine these two explorations into something like landscape architecture. I want to design the world around me, not just as buildings but the greenery around it too. Being able to create aesthetic first impressions for places of work, hospitals, houses, any building that people are regularly around. At the same time, I want to be actively helping the environment in my designs. Using native plants that can sustain with less water, designing gardens that collect excess rain so that it doesn't flood, helping butterflies and good pests have a home that benefits the plants. I want to be able to study all of these ideas and come up with so many more at CU Boulder and continue studying landscape architecture. CU Boulder's Environmental Design Program specifically appeals to me because of its focus on sustainable design practices and hands-on learning opportunities. The program's partnership with the Environmental Studies department would allow me to take interdisciplinary courses in ecology and environmental sciences, deepening my understanding of native ecosystems. I'm particularly excited about the Design Studios where I can work on real-world projects, and the chance to participate in the Learning Gardens initiative on campus. These experiences would help me develop both the technical skills and ecological knowledge needed to create sustainable landscapes. Building on this foundation from CU Boulder, I plan to work as a landscape architect to bring these design choices to life and into the real world. I want to help the architect field grow and continue using sustainable designs and materials that can help the earth thrive and regrow what we destroyed. By doing so, the communities around the world would flourish with beautiful and healthy landscapes that serve multiple key purposes. Being able to learn and then show off my skills to teach others about sustainability would make me incredibly happy for how far I would come from now. Using and creating designs that can be renewable for the environment can decrease carbon emissions greatly, and give the community healthier air to breathe and a healthier place to live. I want to be a part of that mission and see it come to life with my creations, teaching, and skills.

My name is Annika Gabor, and I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when I was 17 years old. I found out while browsing at Target with my friend, an hour after a colorguard rehearsal during winter break. I was rushed to the hospital and missed the next three rehearsals, dealing with the chaos of adjusting to a new disease. The day after I was discharged, I was back at rehearsal again. I was learning on the spot how to use an insulin pen, how my blood sugar levels would react during exercise, and how to deal with the questions and curious looks about the device I was sporting on my arm— all while catching up on new choreography for a sport I was still learning. Ambition is defined as a strong desire to do or achieve something, often requiring determination and hard work. I was determined not to let diabetes control my active life because I didn’t have time for that. I wanted to continue doing anything and everything I had been able to do for the last 17 years, even after my diagnosis. So, I didn’t let diabetes stop me. I built a support system that helped me keep my blood sugar in range, held my supplies while I performed, advocated for me when I needed food or sugar, and most of all, kept me going while I figured out what worked for me. I competed in colorguard competitions, even with insulin pods falling off right after I performed. I joined track and field, despite my parents coming to practice some days to make sure I was okay. I spent long hours in the summer heat for marching band, managing the highs and lows that come with dehydration and intense activity. Through it all, I kept going. I didn’t let the side effects of diabetes and exercise stop me. I opened up to people, allowed my support system to grow, and accepted help when I needed it. I was determined to work just as hard as anyone else in what I was doing, and I put in extra to manage my diabetes. Some days were really hard, but in order to keep living the way I wanted to, I had to push through. To me, that’s what living fearlessly with diabetes means: doing everything you want in life, but with the extra courage and ambition to overcome the setbacks diabetes gives you. It’s about pushing past the challenges and not letting fear or obstacles stop you from achieving your goals.

Since I was young, I've been fascinated by engineering and environmental sciences. I didn't necessarily have that terminology in the beginning, but I have always been exploring nature, or creating inventions out of cardboard whenever I could. These topics were of so much interest to me because there was no limit of what you could get out of it. There was constantly something new evolving out of what I had learned. It was exhilarating and I was always on the look out for a different discovery. In high school, I was able to join the engineering pathway to continue studying my passions. In these classes, I was able to turn my curiosity into concrete projects that showcased my endless enthusiasm. Throughout the years, I have been able to combine these two explorations into something like landscape architecture. I want to design the world around me, not just as buildings but the greenery around it too. Being able to create aesthetic first impressions for places of work, hospitals, houses, any building that people are regularly around. At the same time, I want to be actively helping the environment in my designs. Using native plants that can sustain with less water, designing gardens that collect excess rain so that it doesn't flood, helping butterflies and good pests have a home that benefits the plants. I want to be able to study all of these ideas and come up with so many more in college and continue studying landscape architecture. These experiences would help me develop both the technical skills and ecological knowledge needed to create sustainable landscapes. Building on this foundation, I plan to work as a landscape architect to bring these design choices to life and into the real world. I want to help the architect field grow and continue using sustainable designs and materials that can help the earth thrive and regrow what we destroyed. By doing so, the communities around the world would flourish with beautiful and healthy landscapes that serve multiple key purposes. Being able to learn and then show off my skills to teach others about sustainability would make me incredibly happy for how far I would come from now. Using and creating designs that can be renewable for the environment can decrease carbon emissions greatly, and give the community healthier air to breathe and a healthier place to live. I want to be a part of that mission and see it come to life with my creations, teaching, and skills.

Since I was young, I've been fascinated by engineering and environmental sciences. I didn't necessarily have that terminology in the beginning, but I have always been exploring nature, or creating inventions out of cardboard whenever I could. These topics were of so much interest to me because there was no limit of what you could get out of it. There was constantly something new evolving out of what I had learned. It was exhilarating and I was always on the look out for a different discovery. In high school, I was able to join the engineering pathway to continue studying my passions. In these classes, I was able to turn my curiosity into concrete projects that showcased my endless enthusiasm. Throughout the years, I have been able to combine these two explorations into something like landscape architecture. I want to design the world around me, not just as buildings but the greenery around it too. Being able to create aesthetic first impressions for places of work, hospitals, houses, any building that people are regularly around. At the same time, I want to be actively helping the environment in my designs. Using native plants that can sustain with less water, designing gardens that collect excess rain so that it doesn't flood, helping butterflies and good pests have a home that benefits the plants. I want to be able to study all of these ideas and come up with so many more in college and continue studying landscape architecture. These experiences would help me develop both the technical skills and ecological knowledge needed to create sustainable landscapes. Building on this foundation, I plan to work as a landscape architect to bring these design choices to life and into the real world. I want to help the architect field grow and continue using sustainable designs and materials that can help the earth thrive and regrow what we destroyed. By doing so, the communities around the world would flourish with beautiful and healthy landscapes that serve multiple key purposes. Being able to learn and then show off my skills to teach others about sustainability would make me incredibly happy for how far I would come from now. Using and creating designs that can be renewable for the environment can decrease carbon emissions greatly, and give the community healthier air to breathe and a healthier place to live. I want to be a part of that mission and see it come to life with my creations, teaching, and skills.

Hi! My name is Annika Gabor and I want to be a landscape architect and an elementary teacher. Now I know why you hear those two subjects together you may think how doe she have such two different ideas for her life? And don't worry, I think the same thing all the time. But the thing is, I am really passionate about both things! I love, love, love teaching and working with children and I really like the idea of being an architect that specializes in not just the building but the outside aesthetics of it. I have always been curious about the landscapes around me and the aesthetics of plants and buildings put together. I have also always been amazed at what kids can do, and how you are able to work with them to do amazing things. These things are very different subjects but I believe that together, they kinda make me who I am. When I was looking at this scholarship, I was debating if landscape architecture counted in the STEM field. After all, there is isn't the word architecture in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. But, I considered that architecture, including landscape architecture, has a little bit of all of that within it. Knowing the plants you are working with is science; sketching and planning out the layout of the buildings uses high tech technology, ALL the time; working with engineers to design the building includes engineering; and architecture is all about the math. If you think about it, landscape architecture is a combination of all things STEM. The reason why I found landscape architecture and realized that that was my study I wanted to pursue was because of my uncle. He also is a landscape architect and he has designed the most gorgeous homes including his and mine. I have always loved when plants and flowers highlight a house or make you feel like you can relax outside and read a book in the nature. it just makes me so happy. Seeing that in his designs made me realize that I could make those feelings for myself and for others by being a landscape architect. I think in during my studying of this, I want to really learn how to incorporate different plants and materials to create different vibes depending on where it is. I want to learn how to make a place or building come alive because of the aesthetics outside of it; the things you see right as you come close. That's what inspires me to be a landscape architect and what inspired me to choose this STEM field. It makes me curious and interested and excited to learn more about it. Which is really what STEM is all about.

I have never been a person that majorly relates to the music they're listening too. I think that I probably haven't had enough life experience to relate to Ms. Swift and her personally crafted songs. However, that doesn't mean I don't love a good 1989 album jam that I can play on repeat with my friends hanging out or by myself on my record player. I have loved Taylor Swift since I was little and one of the first songs I knew was Shake it Off. I know it's cheesy, and I know it's probably a bit over-played, but little me loved knowing the song by heart considering half of it was "shake it off!" This love for the song has stuck with me and started to mean a little more to me entering 2024 when I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Being in the hospital room waiting for new information about this disease I knew nothing about, one thing that kept me a little less stressed was Taylor Swift. Being it either blasting it in my Airpods or having it casually playing when my friends visited me; Taylor Swift and her upbeat 1989 album was there for me in the chaotic first few days. Shake it Off was repeated numerous times and each time I would smile and sing the simple chorus that had made me smile each time when I was younger. After the unforeseen hospital visit, I didn't take a second to sit around and think about my new diagnosis. I got up to "keep cruisin' " through my life, because "I got this music in my mind sayin' it's gonna be alright". It was going to be alright, as long as I had Taylor to calm me during some hard times and I kept moving. I didn't stop with my diagnosis and immediately went back into my colorguard practices, camps, and schoolwork. Of course listening to the 1989 album driving in between everything.I did this and stuck with it, because I wanted to be able to move past the hospital visit and get on with my life; and be able to shake everything off that was trying to stop me. Taylor and her 1989 song "Shake it Off" has helped me shake off my Diabetes diagnosis and continue on to live my life to the fullest with Ms. Swift following me every which way. I have learned from her and especially this song that when something brings you down, you can't let it get to you and you have to keep moving past it. That's why Shake it Off would make a top rank in my 2024 soundtrack and everyone in the future.