As a first-generation Indian-American woman pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Delaware, my journey reflects a blend of cultural heritage, academic passion, and a deep desire to serve and uplift my community. Growing up, I often found myself at the intersection of tradition and innovation, where my parents’ sacrifices fueled my determination to create change through science and compassion. My passion for biomedical engineering was sparked early on, during family visits to hospitals in India where I witnessed the disparity in access to quality healthcare. I knew I wanted to combine my love for anatomy and problem-solving to bridge this gap. Biomedical engineering felt like the natural path—a fusion of engineering principles with the human body that allows for real-world impact. Whether it's through creating prosthetics, engineering tissue, or improving diagnostic devices, this field holds limitless potential to improve lives, especially for underserved populations. My commitment to this mission has been reinforced by my academic and extracurricular experiences. I am proud to be a member of the RISE Academy at the University of Delaware, a program supporting minority engineers, where I have received scholarships and an externship opportunity with DuPont. As a Research Assistant, I work on engineering skeletal tissue, growing and passaging cells to mimic muscle movement—an experience that has deepened my interest in regenerative medicine and biomechanics. Representation in STEM remains a challenge. Only 2% of biomedical engineers in the U.S. are Asian women, and even fewer are first-generation college students. This makes my presence in this field not only rare but vital. I am not just pursuing this degree for myself; I am doing it for every young girl who looks like me and wonders if she belongs in a lab coat. By being visible, vocal, and engaged, I hope to normalize diversity in spaces where it is still lacking. Beyond the classroom, I’ve made it my mission to give back. As a volunteer with Paws for People, I work as part of a certified therapy team visiting Christiana Care weekly to provide comfort to patients and medical staff. My 30+ hours shadowing a pediatric doctor and additional experience with a cardiologist at Christiana Care gave me firsthand insight into the challenges healthcare professionals face and reinforced my desire to engineer tools that will make their work more effective and compassionate. I also serve as an ambassador for both the Biomedical Engineering department and the College of Engineering, giving tours and answering questions for prospective students. In these roles, I aim to be the role model I never had—especially for young women of color considering STEM. Through the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, where I serve as Document Chair, I engage in community outreach, cultural awareness, and mentorship. Ultimately, I plan to use my degree to develop affordable biomedical devices and regenerative therapies for marginalized communities. I want to conduct research that has global impact, perhaps one day founding a nonprofit that delivers sustainable healthcare solutions in both the U.S. and developing countries. I believe that the odds are not something to fear—they are something to rewrite. And with each step I take, I hope to inspire the next generation to see themselves in STEM not as outsiders, but as pioneers.

Ever since I was in middle school I was obsessed with Grey's Anatomy. It might have to do with the fact that I want to be a doctor when I graduate but nevertheless, it is an amazing show. In fact, the producer, Shonda Rhimes is one of my all-time favorite TV show writers. I love Bridgerton, Scandal, How to Get Away With Murder, and Queen Charlotte. However it all started with Grey's Anatomy, the cast chemistry and ability to portray any emotion is fantastic and very underrated. While I don't watch the newer episodes because my favorite cast members are gone I always click back to the Pilot episode to start the rollercoaster of emotions all over again. I love this show because of how realistic but also wonderous they portray being a surgeon. This show had me obsessed in every aspect from memorizing the songs, to buying merchandise, to making it my personality. The main character, Meredith Grey, had a world-renowned famous mother who was a surgeon but with that came a lot of trauma for Meredith, after entering the intern program she made a few close friends and fell in love with an attending who had a wife but didn't tell Meredith. Amongst all this, the interns were faced with difficult cases and complex surgeries while the drama grew. Without spoilers, there were several life-or-death situations that even the doctors in this show had to face including a bomb, a hospital shooting, a plane crash, several car crashes, and a drowning incident. Many of the characters got married, divorced, had kids, and even died. This show is the perfect show to start bingeing when you want a good laugh or an ugly cry and it will make you hate and love people. Not to mention the cast for whatever reason is abnormally attractive which just makes it that much more fun to watch. Not to worry, if hospitals and doctors aren't your thing the producer, Shonda Rhimes, has a TV show for everyone to enjoy and you might even see parallels in the stories. Grey's Anatomy will always have a special place in my heart for all the emotions it induced and the amazing acting it brought to my screen. Each character was diverse and the show was extremely inclusive for being made in the early 2000s, each episode carries different cultural, ethnic, and religious values and many minorities. In conclusion, this is not a show you want to miss out on watching.

I am strictly Team Conrad for an infinite number of reasons. While neither of the brothers is ideal I think Conrad is better suited for someone like Belly (Isabella Conklin). For starters, I have read all the books in the series which give a more detailed perspective on the thoughts and behaviors of each character. One of the ways that Conrad is the better choice can be seen when Susannah dies in book two and all of the characters are left to deal with their grief. Belly falls into a depressive episode and Jeremiah ghosts her while Conrad chats with her and helps her with math. While many Team Jeremiah fans might use the prom scene to come after Conrad it is important to note that, unlike Jeremiah, Conrad dealt with grief alone and did not wish to burden others with his sadness. Jeremiah on the other hand used his grief as a way to hurt Belly when she told him about her relationship with Conrad. Jeremiah claimed that she did not care about Susannah's death and just wanted to get with Conrad while he was grieving. While the books and show are different in their own ways it will soon be discovered in season three that Jeremiah will cheat on Belly while Conrad still holds onto the infinity necklace. Additionally, the show is titled "The Summer I Turned Pretty" While many think it is talking about Belly from a physically attractive standpoint and how both brothers noticed her for the first time in season one this is far from the truth. In actuality, every flashback in the show depicts Conrad having a soft spot for Belly since they were children and how he started the infinity connection between them and taught her how to dance. Jeremiah on the other hand as he stated in the show, the first time he noticed Belly in a romantic way was in season one of the show when she began developing. In reality, the summer she 'turned pretty' was the summer that Jeremiah noticed her but Conrad continued loving her. Furthermore, Belly and Conrad have numerous shared hobbies and character traits that Jeremiah lacks. First, both are excellent at volleyball and make a great team as seen in the first season when Jeremiah subbed out and Conrad came to Belly's aid. Next, both have a competitive edge and challenge each other as Steven pointed out several times in the show. Finally, Conrad cares about Belly's interests and remembers every detail about her. In season two when Belly was cold in the car Conrad was quick to give his hoodie and later in the show he knew her favorite candy which he bought for her despite Jeremiah being her 'boyfriend'. The last point I will conclude with is that siblings know each other the best and I mean Belly and Steven, Steven has grown up with Belly and protected her from the world and while he disliked Conrad after prom he was confident that Conrad was the right boy for his sister. With all this in mind it is clear that Team Conrad is the more sensible and long-term option for Belly.

Music has shaped my life and the way I view the world in unexpected ways. Ever since I began my academic journey in elementary school, I chose to play the flute, an instrument that signified peace, harmony, and the sweet sounds of birds. Of course, being in fourth grade it did not sound quite like what I had envisioned but I stuck with it. Middle school came around and I began tackling advanced pieces, the notes on the page similar to a combination of numbers to piece together. Music helped me realize that it helps me be a better person, the best possible version of myself. Now I am in high school, about to graduate this year and music has led me on a path to discover marching band- an extracurricular or should I say lifestyle- that has changed everything for me. Through this activity, I was able to build connections, challenge myself, and view the world in more colors than ever before. Through my self-discovery journey, I worked hard to hone in my leadership and teamwork qualities which qualified me as a section leader. Music has changed me in such a way that once I was a student struggling to play whole notes and now I am helping others with music that contains accidentals, different time signatures, and tempos from 200 bpm. Over the years, I was able to learn more in-depth about all kinds of music, melodies, and harmonies, and it was not something I left in class either. When I sit in the car or in public spaces listening to music I am able to hear so much more than just the lyrics--I can hear the background instruments, the tempo, the overlapping of rhythms, and each time it is played there is something new to listen to. Music has taught me to be attentive, creative, to take risks, and to enjoy the moment. I am also a person who enjoys science, I love the logic and reasoning behind each law and equation, and I love the rules and parameters given in every situation. In many ways, music is very similar. When presented with a new piece of music you must examine the parameters, which include tempo, key signature, notes, and time signature without these components, the sound produced will not replicate the original. Using this thought process it was clear to me how music impacted various aspects of my life and encouraged me to think outside the box. I know the girl who picked up the flute on the first day of fourth grade is thanking me, and now I can hear the sounds of birds.