Many are called but few are chosen to live out their purpose. As I get closer to entering my Master’s degree this fall 2024 at the University of Pittsburgh for applied developmental psychology, I truly feel that my purpose is to help those around me. I want to become a pediatric neuropsychologist to diagnose and treat young children in low-income communities and developing countries. I am proud to say that I am a first-generation college graduate in my family. Both of my parents struggled a lot financially growing up. I quickly learned that due to their lack of education, their accessibility to high-paying professions was limited. When my parents began to have kids, they pushed aside their endeavors to support us. Often, I would feel this burden unable to be hidden by my parents. I felt the tenseness each time my mom had to spend her last dollars at the grocery shop. I remember thinking as a young child that I did not want to see my parents struggle and vowed that I would help them in any way I could. I always dreamed of helping others around me and this has fueled my interest in pursuing child development. Although my parents did not make it very far in school, they always encouraged me to work hard in school so I could go to college. School was always a constant in my life. Moving constantly made it hard to find stability at home. I lived with my mom and two other siblings. She was always working so I spent most of the time in the care of my older sibling and cousin. At the age of 10, I went through sexual abuse from my sister's boyfriend. My naïve mind believed that it was a game due to the laughing and snickering from my sister and cousin. I immediately felt shame after this incident and suffered from depression and anxiety until my young adulthood. The feeling of safety and comfort was diminished and I participated in a lot of underage drinking, substances, and parties throughout high school. Although my personal life felt like it was crumbling I always maintained good grades. My mom became homeless when I was a junior in high school. My brother and I moved in with my dad for a few months until my mom was able to find an apartment for us to live. This was the first time I lived apart from my mom, and it took a major toll on me. Although my heart was heavy due to being away from her, I pushed myself to stay focused on school. My time at San Diego State University was very impactful due to the opportunities I had. I was a peer advisor for the psychology department mentoring other students in planning coursework, a research assistant for the Brain Developing Imaging Lab, a volunteer tutor for the IRC community, and apart of SDSU's diamonds dance team. After graduating in 2021 I began seeking therapy for my trauma and have felt such a relief off of my spirit. I have found a love for painting that not only encourages and brings me peace but also joy to others that I make paintings. My advice to others going through hard times is to remember that although you may not be able to control your circumstances you can always change your perspective. Believe that what's beyond your suffering is better than your current situation, have faith that you have a purpose!

I will be attending my first year of graduate school at University of Pittsburgh studying a Master's of science in applied developmental psychology. After receiving my bachelors in psychology, I have had the opportunity to teach preschool and TK for two years. Being a teacher has not only been super fun but also very meaningful being apart of fostering confidence, cognitive, language, and social development in each of my students. I am very thankful for my experience as a teacher and ready to challenge myself by going back to school. Since I was a young child I have been drawn to the fascinating wonder of how children learn and interact with the world. In high school, I babysat my younger cousins and aided in the caretaking of my younger autistic family member, which shaped my passion for teaching, supporting, and guiding young children. Early on I realized the difficulties my aunt had trying to care for him and receive resources to help him at home and school. Unfortunately, there is a huge lack of knowledge in my family and many low-income families surrounding mental health and developing disorders. I want to address the gap in information about mental disorders in minority and low-income communities to improve the quality of healthcare and treatments for children at developmental risk. I want to positively impact children with developmental disabilities and advocate for inclusive and enriching healthcare, evaluations and treatments, as well as resources to families to support their quality of life. During my undergraduate career I have had the amazing opportunity to be apart of autism research as a research assistant. Being able to be apart of learning more about the development of autism and seeing the parent's attitudes change from hopeless to hopeful has left a lasting impression on my heart. It has felt amazing to see many parents and children feel empowered after receiving clarification of their child's diagnosis and no longer feeling guilt or shame over their child's development, which has fueled me to continue in psychology. Just as Christina had dedicated her life to supporting those in need, I also want to be apart of helping those around me. Although, my career track does not align with occupational therapy, I believe that I will be able to uphold her legacy through this scholarships by following my dreams and becoming a pediatric neuropsychologist. Coming from a low income family could deter many from pursing a higher education because of the lack of financial support, however, I know that this is what I am called to do. While pursing my Master's degree at University of Pittsburgh I also plan to be apart of the LEND center. The LEND program is affiliated with the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to train the next leaders in the field of disabilities. Through this program I will be apart of the important research and clinical training that will aid in pursing my career goal as a neuropsychologist. I believe every child and adult deserves the equal chance to healthcare and resources and I love being apart of making a difference.