Although no one in my family graduated college, my parents instilled a strong work ethic in me from the very beginning. My father is an entrepreneur which means a lot of the time, money was tight. He works hard and tirelessly for us but it's hard to make ends meet a lot of the time. Despite that setback, my family is determined to help me pursue my dream of attending college and becoming a Registered Dietitian. I want to make them proud, and I also want to be successful so that I can give back to my parents. They have sacrificed so much for me and my siblings, and I hope my college education can help me make sure they are taken care of in the future. Being the first in my family to go to college is a bit daunting but I am determined to pursue my goals and make all their sacrifices worthwhile. I refuse to waste my time or money and instead strive for success and security, never forgetting my background. I am proud to be the first to go to college and I am excited to use this opportunity. Nothing is worse than a wasted opportunity and I hope to never be accused of wasting this one.

Looking into the future is a daunting task because there is so much unknown and so much of my story still waiting to be unraveled. Will my life take the turns I'm hoping for? What waits just beyond that corner that I cannot see just yet? Is there pain ahead? Joy? Will my career be successful? It is daunting, yes, but it is also exciting because I know the Author of my future. Although I do not know the answers to any of the previous questions, I am able to step forward in faith knowing that whatever comes to pass has been ordained by a perfect God who has my best interests at heart. Sometimes what happens does not seem like it is happening in our best interests. A lot of curveballs have been thrown my way. Many things have happened that I could have never expected. My five-year-old self was unaware that I would battle an auto-immune disorder for the rest of my life. My eleven-year-old self had no idea her adopted brother would develop epilepsy and suffer with seizures indefinitely. My twelve-year-old self did not know she would move three thousand miles across the country and have to completely rebuild her life. Although those are all massive curveballs, they have also been massive blessings. It is in the deepest darkness and moments of panic that God's kindness and guiding hand are most clearly seen and felt. I would have never asked for any of those trials but looking back I am grateful because they have helped me better understand and love the God I serve. These trials are also part of what fuels my passion that has guided me to my dream career: a Registered Dietitian. That is why I am able to look toward my future boldly. I have a future career and a passion that I know God has placed in my heart for a purpose. My faith will help me to stay true to my morals and conscience, sacrificing nothing to do what is right. I am able to have confidence in my God and my future because of my faith. Although I am often tempted to be afraid or anxious, I know there is no reason for me to be so. I follow the path He has set so far as I can see, and I trust Him to hold my hand the whole way.

Miracle stories are told about cancer patients making seemingly miraculous recoveries, auto-immune disorders are regulated, and mysterious ailments disappear. Unfortunately, heart-breaking stories are also told of the individuals who do not experience such a miracle and instead are conquered by their medical condition. Not everyone understands the link between many of these "miracles" and nutrition. Nutrition is one of the most underestimated branches of science because it has the power to heal in ways no one thought possible. My mother is my example of such healing and motivation for my studies and passion. A few years ago, my mother was essentially bedridden due to nutrient deficiencies. Unable to walk and go about normal life, her salvation was found in a Nutritional Therapist who helped her learn how to use nutrition as a tool and a weapon in the medical battlefield. If awarded this scholarship, I will use it to help pay my tuition so that I can continue my pursuit of a master's degree in nutrition. Once I have gained that degree, my next steps are obtaining a Registered Dietitian Certification. Although those steps will take time, once I have become a Registered Dietitian, I will be able to pursue my dream of helping people use Nutrition to overcome or regulate medical conditions. I strongly believe that nutrition holds the key to innumerable health benefits and healing. Our nutrition is the starting point of everything that happens in our bodies and too many people are uneducated on the importance of the food quality and types they use to fuel their bodies. If patients and their families could have a greater availability of resources and help surrounding nutrition and its effects on such major medical conditions, perhaps lives would be saved, or the quality of the lives would be higher. A lack of education is crippling but so is all the misinformation. With the rise of social media, many benefits have been experienced but there is also a lot of misguided information surrounding nutrition circulating. My dream is to have resources patients, and their families can trust with research backing up each syllable to aid them in their battle of whatever medical condition they face. Nutrition can help in the little things like losing weight or having more energy and I believe it can help in the bigger things too. I dream of a world where people understand the effect nutrition has and its importance. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to helping build that world.