I grew up in Las Vegas with my mom, who immigrated from El Salvador, and my dad, who was born in the United States. When my father passed away in 2021 due to medical malpractice, it completely reshaped my life and my family. Overnight, my mom became a single parent, forced to manage overwhelming medical debt and the responsibility of raising me alone. Watching her balance grief, bills, and work at the same time showed me what strength actually looks like. Living with a single parent after losing my father changed how I saw responsibility and shaped the way I approach my education and future. Before that, I did not think much about how fragile life could be. Losing my dad made me grow up fast, and it made me realize that nothing is guaranteed, not time, not comfort, and not even stability. I had to learn to be independent, to manage my own responsibilities, and to take school seriously while everything around me was uncertain. My mom always reminded me that education was something no one could take away from me. That advice stayed with me. In high school, I started to see how my interests in science and the environment could connect to something bigger. I helped start a meteorology and environmental club with two friends from my engineering class. What started as a small idea turned into something meaningful. We raised three thousand dollars and used it to build a garden at our school to promote sustainability and awareness about environmental issues. That project showed me that even small efforts can create change when people care enough to act. Now, as a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Nevada Reno, I am trying to apply that same mindset to my studies. I am interested in sustainable energy and environmental technology, especially solutions that combine engineering and policy, like nuclear energy or advanced water systems for drought prone areas. Growing up in the Las Vegas desert made me realize how essential those innovations are. Water scarcity, rising temperatures, and energy demand are not distant problems, they are realities where I live. My long term goal is to work on engineering solutions that make clean energy and resource conservation more practical and accessible. I want to focus on technology that directly helps communities, especially those like my own that often have to deal with the consequences of inequality, poor planning, and limited resources. I believe mechanical engineering gives me the technical foundation to make a difference, and my background gives me the drive to do it for the right reasons. Losing my father taught me more about resilience than any class ever could. My mom’s determination to rebuild our lives, despite all the setbacks, is what continues to motivate me. I am grateful for what she has done and for the perspective I have gained through it. Being raised by a single parent was not easy, but it taught me responsibility, empathy, and how to keep moving forward even when things get difficult. The Sue Wong Scholarship means a lot to me because it represents more than financial help. It represents recognition of what families like mine go through. It honors the strength of single parents and their children who grow from that struggle, not in spite of it, but because of it. I want to use my education to carry that same strength forward, building something lasting from the challenges I have faced, and helping others do the same.

The day my father passed away in 2021, everything in my life changed. Until then, I had thought of challenges as temporary obstacles, bad grades on a test, a stressful week, or a disagreement with a friend. But losing him to medical malpractice, and seeing my family left with over $100,000 in debt, showed me what real struggle looks like. That experience reshaped the way I think about responsibility, resilience, and what I want to do with my future. My name is Brian Price, and I am a student from Las Vegas. I major in Mechanical Engineering, a field that combines my natural curiosity about how things work with my determination to solve real-world problems. The path that led me here began with my father’s passing, which forced me to grow up quickly and ask myself how I could turn hardship into motivation. At first, I felt overwhelmed. I was grieving, angry, and frustrated, and for a time my grades slipped. But I realized that staying stuck in that place would only make things worse. I made the decision to work harder, not just to recover academically, but to prove to myself that I could rise above what had happened. Slowly, I pulled myself back on track. That process taught me discipline and showed me that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges, but about finding ways to keep moving forward even when life feels unfair. Growing up in Las Vegas also influenced how I think about my future. Living in a desert means constant reminders of water shortages, high energy demands, and environmental pressures. After my father’s death, I began to see those issues not just as facts of life, but as problems I wanted to be part of solving. That is when mechanical engineering went from being an interest to a passion. One of the most formative experiences in this direction was founding a meteorology and environmental club with two of my friends. We raised $3,000 and built a garden on campus, turning an idea into a real project that benefited our community. That experience showed me how technical problem-solving connects with leadership, collaboration, and persistence. Engineering, I realized, isn’t only about equations or machines. It’s the about people, ideas, and the willingness to take responsibility for change. I am especially drawn to energy systems, particularly nuclear power, as a way to meet rising energy needs while cutting emissions. The challenges of sustainability are global, but I want to approach them from the perspective of an engineer: by designing practical, responsible solutions that balance human needs with environmental limits. The loss of my father will always be the hardest experience of my life, but it also gave me clarity. It taught me that time is not guaranteed and that I have a responsibility to make the most of the opportunities I have. It motivated me to turn grief into determination and to aim for a career that can make a difference. Mechanical engineering is the path I’ve chosen to carry that purpose forward. Whether I am working on cleaner energy, smarter machines, or sustainable systems, I want my work to have an impact that lasts. That goal is not just about my career but it’s also about honoring the lessons I’ve learned from hardship and using them to build something better for others.

One of the most defining experiences of my life was the loss of my father in 2021. At the time, I was still young and learning to find my place in the world, but his passing changed me in ways I could never have anticipated. Not only did I lose a parent, but my family was left with $100,000 of debt due to medical malpractice. I was forced to face realities that most people my age never imagine. Watching my mom shoulder the burden of both grief and financial hardship gave me a deep sense of responsibility and shaped me into a more resilient and driven person. At first, I was scared and angry. I struggled with the idea that life could be taken so suddenly and leave behind so much unfinished. But as time went on, I realized I had two choices: either let this hardship define me negatively, or grow stronger because of it. I chose the latter. I began to see life differently, not as something guaranteed, but as something fragile and valuable. That perspective motivates me to make the most of the opportunities I have, because I do not want to waste the time I have been given. This experience also matured me in practical ways. I learned how to manage stress, support my family, and keep moving forward even when circumstances felt overwhelming. My GPA dropped for a while, but I fought back, determined not to let tragedy dictate my future. I came out of that period not only stronger academically but also more focused on what I want to accomplish in life. Most importantly, losing my father instilled in me a drive to leave an impact. I do not want my legacy to be one of standing still or taking the easy path. Instead, I want to use my talents to build something meaningful, whether that is through my studies in mechanical engineering, my interest in environmental policy, or simply by being someone who can inspire others to overcome adversity. While I know I will continue to carry the weight of my father’s passing, I also know that it gave me clarity, strength, and a sense of purpose. I now see challenges not as setbacks but as opportunities to grow. That mindset has shaped me into who I am today, and it will continue guiding me as I work toward a future where I can turn pain into progress.

Growing up in Las Vegas has made me see my community in ways that are both inspiring and concerning. There are so many strengths here, from the diversity of people to the constant energy of the city, but there are also serious problems that need improvement. One issue I would like to see improve is how we handle our environment, especially water. Every year I have visited Lake Mead with my family, and every year I have watched the shoreline sink lower and lower. What was once a place full of life and recreation has become a reminder of how much stress the desert is under. Beyond the environment, I would also like to see more opportunities for young people to contribute and feel that their voices matter in shaping solutions. Too often, youth are expected to wait until they are older before stepping into leadership, when in reality, we are already living the consequences of today’s decisions. As a youth experiencing these challenges, it can feel overwhelming. When I see the water crisis or watch neighborhoods struggle with limited resources, I know that my generation will inherit these problems directly. It is discouraging at times, because young people do not always feel taken seriously when we talk about issues like climate change or sustainability. Still, experiencing these challenges has shaped me into someone who does not want to sit back and hope that others fix things. Instead, I feel a responsibility to be part of the change now. Because of this mindset, I have already taken action to improve my community. I founded a meteorology and environmental club at my school, starting with just a small idea and two classmates. Together we raised three thousand dollars, created a garden on campus, and hosted events that helped other students learn about climate and weather. The garden was more than a project as it became a place where students could see growth happen because of their effort, and it reminded us that even small steps can have a visible impact. Looking forward, I plan to continue being a change maker in both the short term and long term. In the short term, I want to expand the environmental projects I am involved in and continue raising awareness among my peers while in college. In the long term, I plan to pursue engineering with a focus on sustainability so I can develop real solutions to the challenges facing Nevada and communities like it. My goal is to connect my education to action by designing projects, policies, or technologies that protect the environment and strengthen communities. I am passionate about making my community better because of my family and my future. Losing my father in 2021 taught me how important it is to leave a positive impact on the world. My mother, who immigrated from El Salvador, has shown me what sacrifice and resilience look like. I want to honor them by using the opportunities I have to create change. I do not want my generation or the next to simply adapt to worsening problems, I just want us to build a stronger, more sustainable foundation for the future. Improving my community means not only helping myself but also ensuring that my family and future generations inherit a place where they can thrive.