To some people, it may not seem like a grandiose achievement. It’s just community college—what’s so special? I come from a geographically small and isolated place, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. We are a United States insular area. The U.S. Congress has determined that only selected parts of the U.S. apply to full Constitutional rights. As part of a U.S. territory, I’ve witnessed my beloved island go through immense economic hardships while experiencing the struggle myself. In the past ten years, we’ve endured two intense typhoons that delayed education and destroyed countless homes. With time and resilience, we have slowly recovered—rebuilding schools, roadways, electricity poles, and, most importantly, restoring access to water. We heavily rely on federal support programs just to sustain the necessities of life—food, housing, and medical care—yet we still lack what we need to truly thrive. Despite these struggles, I love this island deeply. Living here is both a blessing and a challenge. Because of these hardships, many locals leave for better opportunities, and our cultural heritage weakens with growing uncertainty about whether they will return. When I started community college in my hometown, I felt guilty staying home, where studying at a school with limited resources delayed my academic journey due to financial limitations. I eventually lost my drive to move forward for a few months, until an event struck me. My Aunt, an immigrant, recently passed away due to pancreatic cancer. She was forced to return home to seek better medical care, as we don’t have quality healthcare services here. This was like a wake-up call that ignited my passion to pursue Public Health and work for social justice. I didn’t truly understand the impact of these issues until they hit my family personally. This story is not new, but is present to the many locals and immigrants here. Stories like this should be addressed and worked on, not passed around to dwell on. My parents fought hard to financially support their family and ourselves, but it is very challenging when our cost of living and lack of resources are a barrier. Living in this environment has redefined my goals and shaped my deep sense of passion for going abroad. I want to break free from the status quo. One of my professors at Northern Marianas College, whom I would not have met if I hadn’t pushed myself to finish community college, changed my perspective. A professor who taught us about the real history of America and the colonial struggles our land has faced with other Pacific regions—he, who pursued higher education abroad and relayed his lessons to students of the CNMI, strengthening the community and love for culture. It inspired me to follow in his footsteps. He taught me that our voices and dedication are unstoppable—that change starts within us. Witnessing my land, my people, and my family continuously going through economic hardships has shaped my vision. I aspire to improve and expand public health services in my community while navigating the healthcare system in our land and abroad. My vision extends beyond that. I want to address and navigate the challenges in my community and elsewhere I step foot to drive political, economic, societal, and global changes tied with my love to cultivate diverse experiences and connect with people. The underprivileged need the most care. They are people who have voices and ambitions, but are overlooked due to financial challenges. Despite my limited living situation and growing up in a small, geographically isolated place, my aspirations remain strong and my unwavering faith continues to grow. I am ready to go beyond my horizons!

To some people, it may not seem like a grandiose achievement. It’s just community college—what’s so special? I come from a geographically small and isolated place, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. We are a United States insular area. The U.S. Congress has determined that only selected parts of the U.S. apply to full Constitutional rights. As part of a U.S. territory, I’ve witnessed my beloved island go through immense economic hardships while experiencing the struggle myself. In the past ten years, we’ve endured two intense typhoons that delayed education and destroyed countless homes. With time and resilience, we have slowly recovered—rebuilding schools, roadways, electricity poles, and, most importantly, restoring access to water. We heavily rely on federal support programs just to sustain the necessities of life—food, housing, and medical care—yet we still lack what we need to truly thrive. Despite these struggles, I love this island deeply. Living here is both a blessing and a challenge. Because of these hardships, many locals leave for better opportunities, and our cultural heritage weakens with growing uncertainty about whether they will return. When I started community college in my hometown, I felt guilty staying home, where studying at a school with limited resources delayed my academic journey due to financial limitations. I eventually lost my drive to move forward for a few months, until an event struck me. My Aunt, an immigrant, recently passed away due to pancreatic cancer. She was forced to return home to seek better medical care, as we don’t have quality healthcare services here. This was like a wake-up call that ignited my passion to pursue Public Health and work for social justice. I didn’t truly understand the impact of these issues until they hit my family personally. This story is not new, but is present to the many locals and immigrants here. Stories like this should be addressed and worked on, not passed around to dwell on. My parents fought hard to financially support their family and ourselves, but it is very challenging when our cost of living and lack of resources are a barrier. Living in this environment has redefined my goals and shaped my deep sense of passion for going abroad. I want to break free from the status quo. One of my professors at Northern Marianas College, whom I would not have met if I hadn’t pushed myself to finish community college, changed my perspective. A professor who taught us about the real history of America and the colonial struggles our land has faced with other Pacific regions—he, who pursued higher education abroad and relayed his lessons to students of the CNMI, strengthening the community and love for culture. It inspired me to follow in his footsteps. He taught me that our voices and dedication are unstoppable—that change starts within us. Witnessing my land, my people, and my family continuously going through economic hardships has shaped my vision. I aspire to improve and expand public health services in my community while navigating the healthcare system in our land and abroad. My vision extends beyond that. I want to address and navigate the challenges in my community and elsewhere I step foot to drive political, economic, societal, and global changes tied with my love to cultivate diverse experiences and connect with people. The underprivileged need the most care. They are people who have voices and ambitions, but are overlooked due to financial challenges. Despite my limited living situation and growing up in a small, geographically isolated place, my aspirations remain strong and my unwavering faith continues to grow. I am ready to go beyond my horizons!

To some people, it may not seem like a striking and grandiose achievement. It’s just community college—what’s so special? I come from a geographically small and isolated place, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. We are labeled as a United States insular area. The U.S. Congress has determined that only selected parts of the U.S. apply to full Constitutional rights. As part of a U.S. territory, I’ve witnessed my beloved island go through immense economic hardships while experiencing the struggle myself. In the past ten years, we’ve endured two intense typhoons that delayed education for many and destroyed countless homes. With time and resilience, we have slowly recovered—rebuilding schools, roadways, electricity poles, and, most importantly, restoring access to water. We heavily rely on federal support programs just to sustain the necessities of life—food, housing, and medical care—yet we still lack what we need to truly thrive. Despite these struggles, I love this island deeply. Living here is both a blessing and a challenge. Because of these hardships, many locals leave for better opportunities, and our cultural heritage weakens with growing uncertainty about whether they will return. When I started community college in my hometown, I felt guilty staying home, studying at a school where limited resources delayed my academic journey and goals. However, it was practical to stay due to financial limitations. I eventually lost my drive to move forward for a few months—until an event struck me. My Aunt, an immigrant, recently passed away due to pancreatic cancer. She was forced to return home to seek better medical care, as we don’t have quality healthcare services here. This was like a wake-up call that ignited my passion to pursue Public Health and work for social justice. I didn’t truly understand the impact of these issues until they hit my family personally. This story is not new, but is present to the many locals and immigrants here. Stories like this should be addressed and worked on, not passed around to dwell on. My parents fought hard to financially support their family and ourselves, but it is very challenging when our cost of living and lack of resources are a barrier. Living in this environment has redefined my goals and shaped my deep sense of passion for going abroad. I want to break free from the status quo. One of my professors at Northern Marianas College, whom I would not have met if I hadn’t pushed myself to finish community college, changed my perspective. A professor who taught us about the real history of America and the colonial struggles our land has faced with other Pacific regions—he, who pursued higher education abroad and relayed his lessons to students of the CNMI, strengthening the community and love for culture. It inspired me to follow in his footsteps. He taught me that our voices and dedication are unstoppable—that change starts within us. Witnessing my land, my people, and my family continuously going through economic hardships has shaped my vision. I aspire to improve and expand public health services in my community while navigating the healthcare system in our land and abroad. My vision extends beyond that. I want to address and navigate the challenges in my community and elsewhere I step foot to drive political, economic, societal, and global changes tied with my love to cultivate diverse experiences and connect with people. The underprivileged need the most care. They are people who have voices and ambitions, but are overlooked due to financial challenges. Despite my limited living situation and growing up in a small, geographically isolated place, my aspirations remain strong and my unwavering faith continues to grow. I am ready to go beyond my horizons!

Growing up in one of the U.S. unincorporated territories, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, has been both a blessing and a challenge. I put so much love into this island despite its ongoing economic hardships. The hardships faced are within our struggling economy, lack of medical professionals, outdated infrastructure, and resources for higher education, which have not significantly improved and have put us at a high rate of poverty, including all U.S. territories. These factors remain inaccessible, relying on federal support programs and locals deciding to leave the island for better opportunities. These limitations affect our ability to thrive. This imprints the weakened cultural heritage and the uncertainty of locals coming back. Living in this environment has redefined my goals and shaped my deep sense of passion for going abroad. I want to break free from the status quo in this land. Such influence came from one of my professors in community college, Northern Marians College. I’m grateful to have had a professor who taught us about the real history of America and the colonial struggles our land has faced with other Pacific regions—he, who pursued higher education abroad and relayed his lessons to students of the CNMI, strengthening the community and love for culture. It inspired me to follow in his footsteps. My parents, who immigrated here from the Philippines, sacrificed their lives and family away from home to sustain a better future and support me and my brother through our academic journey. Watching their sacrifices inspired me to dream big—not just for myself, but for the people I aim to serve. My Aunt, an immigrant, was forced to return home to the Philippines due to seeking better medical care. This was like a wake-up call that ignited my passion to pursue Public Health and work for social justice. It did not really hit me until I experienced it through my family. This story is not new, but is present to the many locals and immigrants here. Stories like this should be addressed and worked on, not passed around to dwell on. My aunt sadly passed away from pancreatic cancer. Even back home, it’s difficult to get the right treatment and care when my parents are financially trying to support them, but it is very challenging when our cost of living and lack of resources are a barrier. I aspire to improve and expand public health services in my community and navigate through the healthcare system in our land and abroad. My vision extends beyond that. I want to address and navigate through the challenges in my community and elsewhere I step foot to drive political, economic, societal, and global changes tied with my love to cultivate diverse experiences and connect with people. Financial barriers have been a significant hurdle in my academic journey. Staying in my hometown to attend community college was a practical decision, but now I’m ready to take bigger steps. This scholarship would not only transform my life but also help my community and my family. Although it's not easy, it's a journey worth taking. Despite my limited living situation and growing up in a small, geographically isolated place, my aspirations remain strong and my unwavering faith continues to grow.