Oluwagbemisola means "the God who has carried me". This is the name I was legally given as a child and my life's motto. Whether it was from my mother carrying the weight for a better future as she moved our entire family from Ogun State, Nigeria to a small quaint town in New York, or my grandmother's hands raising me as my mother worked tirelessly, or my uncle driving me to museums to nurture my curiosity for science, each step of my journey has been carried by the hands of others and the shared hope for a better future. I do not consider being a first-generation Nigerian student a limitation, but as a source of motivation for myself and my career. When I was younger, we had moved to New York shortly after my father died, in pursuit of a better education. Since touching American soil, I had vowed to take every opportunity given to me and to use it to my best ability, despite any challenges or prejudice I might face. Today, I am a rising senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where I study Biomedical Engineering, in the hopes of working in the medical technology field. I hope to improve processes in medical technology to expand access to life-saving services for all communities. I had personally watched my mother fight to ensure my family stayed healthy despite the high costs and limited availability of healthcare. I want to build a career that helps people through redesigning and reimagining old ideas into innovative and effective solutions for the future. Growing up in a large Nigerian family, I was always surrounded by a close-knit community and received an invaluable amount of mentorship. Currently at my college, I serve as President for the Black Student Alliance (BSA), Secretary for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and as Public Relations for the African Student Association (ASA). It has been an absolute honor to grow alongside other future black leaders in STEM and to connect with individuals from different academic and cultural backgrounds. Last academic year, as Vice President of BSA, I pushed to increase mentorship opportunities throughout all the multicultural organizations on our campus. Specifically with the cuts in Affirmative Action, there was a lack of programs in place to support incoming freshmen. I helped lead the revival of STRIVE, a mentorship program aimed for students of color that connects incoming underclassmen with upperclassmen mentors to guide them through their first year. One of the most important outcomes to me was to see that every freshman who had joined the program is enrolled for classes next year. Although this seems like a small feat, the amount of imposter syndrome black students in STEM face has been a long-term challenge within the field. Helping these young Black leaders embrace their potential and stay focused on their goals has been the ultimate reward. I have always believed that "No man is an island", and have been raised by my Nigerian community to aim high and never settle. I carry these values throughout my college career, whether through mentoring, participating in community service events, or exceeding expectations in my day-to-day tasks. Receiving the Dr. Soronnadi Nnaji Legacy Scholarship would not only allow me to finish my last year of college, but also allow me to join the 10% of Black Women in the STEM workforce. I aspire to become a leader within the biomaterials field and to uplift those who come after me, carrying forward a legacy of resilience and opportunity.