Living with chronic illness has shaped every part of my educational journey. Although I have not yet received an official diagnosis of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS), I have spent years living with symptoms consistent with it while waiting to be evaluated by an EDS specialist. My mom first suspected hEDS after my first joint dislocation at summer camp when I was eleven. Over the years, my hips, shoulders, fingers, toes, and ankles began dislocating regularly. Despite seeing numerous doctors, no one took my mom's concerns seriously. It was discouraging to know something was wrong while struggling to find answers. Everything changed in the winter of 2024 when, at seventeen, I was diagnosed with POTS. Almost overnight, I became chronically dizzy and experienced frequent fainting episodes—sometimes as many as forty times a day. I couldn't drive, had to take a medical leave from my job, and spent sporadic days confined to bed. Managing my symptoms became a full-time commitment. I began consuming large amounts of electrolytes and followed a strict dairy-, gluten-, and sugar-free diet, which significantly improved my symptoms. Eventually, a naturopathic doctor recognized the connection between my POTS and the symptoms my mom had noticed for years, validating our long-held suspicion of hEDS. After years of searching for answers, finally being believed was an incredible relief. Despite these challenges, I refused to let chronic illness keep me from pursuing my passion. In the fall of 2025, I began a musical theatre conservatory program after performing in community theatre for ten years. The program requires me to perform in eleven shows each week, including three-show Saturdays. I knew the physical demands would challenge my body, but I was determined not to let my health define my future. Success has required constant adaptation. I have learned to carefully manage my POTS symptoms with daily electrolyte supplements, and as rehearsals intensified, I had to find ways to protect my joints from frequent dislocations. Today, I perform wearing hip, knee, and ankle braces so I can safely meet the physical demands of my training. While it can be frustrating to have a body that requires so much maintenance, every adjustment I make allows me to continue pursuing the career I love. Living with chronic illness has taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of advocating for myself. Receiving this scholarship would help ease the financial burden of managing chronic illness while pursuing my education. My electrolyte supplements alone cost more than $100 each month, and I also rely on braces and kinesiology tape to protect my joints and continue performing safely. This support would allow me to focus on my education and professional training instead of worrying about the cost of the tools that make it possible for me to succeed. Although chronic illness has made my educational journey more difficult than I ever expected, it has strengthened my determination. I am committed to building a career in musical theatre, and I refuse to let my diagnosis—or the long road to obtaining one—keep me from pursuing the future I have worked so hard to achieve. I have included a receipt from my ND that includes my diagnosis and a picture of me with my braces getting ready for a performance!

"It was only when I realized how actors have the power to move people that I decided to pursue acting as a career.” Cate Blanchett. I am often asked by people in my life why I am pursuing acting. I always respond in the same way: “I want to move people.” Acting, for me, is a powerful means to reach people emotionally. Through storytelling with my voice and body, I can move the heart of someone sitting twenty rows back from the stage. Even when I sit as a member of an audience, I am moved by the actor who is pouring their soul out in a role. It’s like a secret experience that our hearts are sharing together. That’s the beauty of live theater. I come from a family of very creative people and have been moved by art since I was little. I love drawing people into a shared experience of beauty – whether it’s through music, theatre, art, or even nature. When I moved to Pennsylvania to attend the Sight and Sound Conservatory, I hadn’t yet met many professional actors. A woman I met early on at the Conservatory opened my eyes to the world of acting in a way I’d never experienced before. Rachel Day Hughes is captivating. The way she shapes and utilizes language on the stage is stunning. She has taught three of my classes so far and I’ve learned a number of standard techniques from her. You can tell that Rachel absolutely loves her craft. She has taught me to respect and befriend the characters I have the honor of portraying, and her devotion to moving people is something I can only hope to emulate one day. My high school theater director, Adam, and Rachel have both said things that have inspired me to pursue acting with passion. “You might have done this show 200 times already, and you’re tired but this is the audience’s first time seeing your work. Move them the same way you moved the first audience. (Rachel)” “You have no idea what hardships these people could be bringing in with them tonight. Give them a reason to forget, even just for a few hours. (Adam)” I have performed now for three months in JOSHUA at Sight and Sound and it has been a dream come true! It has been an incredible experience for me that I will never forget. The most personally impactful performance I’ve done so far, was Into The Woods with my local theater company, The Studio. It was my final show with them before leaving for school, so it was a bittersweet time. I had the privilege of playing the role of the Baker’s Wife. She will forever have a special place in my heart, because she was the first character I’d played that was complex and challenging. She had very obvious flaws, and I loved it because for me it was the most conflicting and emotional role I had played thus far! Every character I had played up until then had dreams and fears but she made serious mistakes which is a very human thing to do. She opened my eyes to the many possibilities in acting and the importance of showing real life! I believe that one of the primary purposes of theater is to remind us of our humanity. We are all the same, with dreams and fears, joys and failures, and stage characters carry these just like we do. I pray I get the privilege and joy to carry the mantle of moving hearts of people for the rest of my life!