Growing up in a single-parent household with my mother and sibling in Jamaica, I often marveled at my mother's unwavering dedication and sacrifice. As the sole provider, she worked tirelessly to ensure my sibling and I had the educational opportunities she never had. Her journey was fraught with challenges—working multiple jobs and managing our household on a limited budget—all to secure a brighter future for us. Her sacrifices have not only shaped my ambitions but have also instilled in me a profound sense of responsibility to honor her efforts. My name is Caliese Beckford, and I am a twenty-year-old bioinformatics major with a minor in computer science at Claflin University. As an international student, the financial burden of education is amplified by the significant difference in currency between Jamaica and the U.S. Despite these challenges, I am determined to make the most of the opportunities afforded to me. Inspired by my mother's relentless pursuit of a better life for her children, I chose a path that merges my passion for technology and healthcare. Initially, I aspired to become a doctor, but after realizing that my strengths lay in technology, I found my calling in bioinformatics. This field allows me to contribute to the medical field by developing software that aids in diagnosing illnesses, ultimately helping healthcare workers provide better care. Bioinformatics combines computer technology with biological and biomedical data, enabling more efficient and accurate diagnoses. My goal is to become a Software Engineer, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to create software that compiles patient data, including medical history, medications, and current symptoms, to generate potential diagnoses. This system will consider factors such as age, gender, and family history, becoming more accurate with each input of test results. By reducing the reliance on paper, we can also contribute to environmental sustainability. Reflecting on the values instilled by my mother, I recognize the importance of perseverance, integrity, and empathy. These values drive my ambition to develop racially fair healthcare equipment. Many existing devices, such as forehead thermometers and pulse oximeters, provide inaccurate readings for people with darker skin tones, potentially delaying critical treatments. By pursuing a PhD in Computational Biology, I aim to address these disparities, ensuring that medical equipment delivers precise results for all individuals, regardless of their race. My mother's sacrifices have also taught me the importance of giving back. I am committed to using my education and skills to improve healthcare outcomes for minorities and underserved communities. In addition to developing racially fair equipment, I plan to mentor students from similar backgrounds, encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM fields. By sharing my journey and experiences, I hope to inspire the next generation of innovators who will continue to advance healthcare technology. In conclusion, my mother's sacrifices have profoundly shaped my ambitions and aspirations. Her unwavering support and resilience have instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility to pay her efforts forward. Through my academic pursuits and future endeavors, I am committed to improving healthcare for minorities, developing racially fair medical equipment, and mentoring the next generation of STEM professionals. By honoring my mother's sacrifices, I aim to make a lasting impact on the world, ensuring that her efforts were not in vain.

My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from humble beginnings in Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so research led me to believe that the way for me to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. The greatest challenge I have ever had to overcome was coming to and adjusting to school in the US. The process to come here was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, I had to convert my grades to a version the US recognizes and find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. The only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well enough so I won't have to redo it. Up until then everything felt manageable, when traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last was canceled, that was the first time during the entire process I felt like I did not have any fight left in me. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school after waiting hours for my bags just to hear that I wouldn’t get them for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining and my father who was responsible for them stopped answering. At that point, I was torn between thinking this was the Lord’s way of telling me this journey isn’t meant for me and “want good nose affi run, " meaning if you want the best you must go through hardships. To help myself through hardships such as last thanksgiving when I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. To achieve all that I aspire to I must stay focused. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses and to get a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering to manufacture medical equipment for people of all shades which will eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. My schedule for this semester was manageable until I took a job to reduce the possibility of me having to worry about my tuition payments falling through. After work my schedule there are days when I have to schedule a time to eat and have breakfast is something I can eat while walking. Pursuing STEM was an easy decision, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice. To develop technology that is racially fair to lengthen and save lives as well as able to create and/ or improve a product or software as well as increase the percentage of women in STEM is the dream. Going through the aforementioned experiences I have come out stronger than ever and I have learned that there is always a solution. It would be the absolute best to pursue my dreams without financial constraints.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people and work in healthcare, so I started to do research and I decided to help people and healthcare workers through technological advancements. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I came from humble beginnings, living in a single-parent household with my little sister and my mother. However, it was only when I got older I realized that others, for example, people at school did not have the same (experience) as I and my home become the root of insults. I have big dreams and I know staying there would not serve me or my family in the future any good. So I left even though it pains to be away from them I know it’s what I must do for a better life. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree, and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create. To improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that machine. In addition, creating a better life for myself and my family is my dream. It would be best to pursue it without financial constraints.

Imagine going to the doctor and feeling like you’re not being heard. This is sometimes what happens when a healthcare facility lacks racial diversity. My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old majoring in Bioinformatics and minoring in Computer Science at Claflin University. I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare, so I started to do research and I decided to help people and healthcare workers through technological advancements. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will consider race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. All races should be acknowledged, represented, and celebrated especially in healthcare. Being diverse allows administrators and practitioners to respond to cultural issues confidently and appropriately to provide respectful and competent care. Having a diverse staff will help ensure that regardless of a patient's cultural background there will be someone who can identify with them, relate to them, communicate with them respectfully, and to better serve them. Racial diversity also allows for better and more effective problem solving since multiple races will be considered and would allow for new ideas and diverse perspectives which would lead to greater innovation. A lack of racial diversity in healthcare could lead to a misunderstanding of the demographics, their barriers, and challenge and allow them to feel comfortable, represented, and heard in the healthcare space especially if they are the ones receiving care. It is also important to have racial diversity in healthcare to act as role models, and mentors so persons who aspire to work in that space can have persons with whom they can identify and learn in aspects that are unique to persons of that background. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree, and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software. It would be very best to do so without financial constraints.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people and work in healthcare, so I started to do research and I decided to help people and healthcare workers through technological advancements. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I came from humble beginnings, living in a single-parent household with my little sister and my mother. However, it was only when I got older I realized that others, for example, people at school did not have the same (experience) as I did, and my home became the root of insults. I have big dreams and I know staying there would not serve me or my family in the future any good. So I left even though it pains to be away from them I know it’s what I must do for a better life. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree, and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream. It would be best to pursue it without financial constraints.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from humble beginnings in Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I believe that the way for me to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will consider race age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed as they become available. I will get a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. The process to come here was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, and it was quite a task to find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. The only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well. When traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last was canceled, that was the first time during the entire process I felt like I did not have any fight left in me. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school after waiting hours for my bags just to hear that I wouldn’t get them for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining and my father who was responsible cut contact. To help myself through hardships such as last thanksgiving when I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. After adding work to my schedule this semester there are days when I must schedule a time to eat and have breakfast being something I can eat while walking. Going through the aforementioned experiences I have come out stronger than ever and I have learned that there is always a solution. It would be the absolute best to pursue my dreams without financial constraints.

My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from humble beginnings in Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so research led me to believe that the way for me to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. The greatest challenge I have ever had to overcome was coming to and adjusting to school in the US. The process to come here was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, I had to convert my grades to a version the US recognizes and find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. The only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well enough so I won't have to redo it. Up until then everything felt manageable, when traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last was canceled, that was the first time during the entire process I felt like I did not have any fight left in me. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school after waiting hours for my bags just to hear that I wouldn’t get them for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining and my father who was responsible for them stopped answering. At that point, I was torn between thinking this was the Lord’s way of telling me this journey isn’t meant for me and “want good nose affi run, " meaning if you want the best you must go through hardships. To help myself through hardships such as last thanksgiving when I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. To achieve all that I aspire to I must stay focused. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses and to get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to manufacture medical equipment for people of all shades which will eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. My schedule for this semester was manageable until I took a job to reduce the possibility of me having to worry about my tuition payments falling through. After adding work to my schedule there are days when I have to schedule a time to eat and have breakfast being something I can eat while walking. To develop technology that is racially fair to lengthen and save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software as well as increase the percentage of women in STEM is the dream but sometimes it really feels like the odds are against me. However, going through the aforementioned experiences I have come out stronger than ever and I have learned that there is always a solution. It would be the absolute best to pursue my dreams without financial constraints.

My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from humble beginnings in Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so research led me to believe that the way for me to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. The greatest challenge I have ever had to overcome was coming to and adjusting to school in the US. The process to come here was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, I convert my grades to a version the US recognizes and find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. The only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well enough so I won't have to redo it. Up until then everything felt manageable, when traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last was canceled, that was the first time during the entire process I felt like I did not have any fight left in me. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school after waiting hours for my bags just to hear that I wouldn’t get them for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining and my father who was responsible for them stopped answering. At that point, I was torn between thinking this was the Lord’s way of telling me this journey isn’t meant for me and “want good nose affi run” which means if you want the best you must go through hardships. To help myself through hardships such as last thanksgiving when I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. To achieve all that I aspire to I must stay focused. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses and to get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to manufacture medical equipment for people of all shades which will eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. My schedule for this semester was manageable until I took a job to reduce the possibility of me having to worry about my tuition payments falling through. After adding work to my schedule there are days when I have to schedule a time to eat and have breakfast being something I eat on the go Pursuing STEM was an easy decision, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice. To develop technology that is racially fair to lengthen and save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software as well as increase the percentage of women in STEM is the dream. By telling myself si se puede instead of justifying tough times and demonstrating perseverance in all aspects of my life I will be able to attain all the good things life has to offer me. It would be the absolute best to pursue my dreams without financial constraints.

People of color are underrepresented in STEM. My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so research led me to believe that the way for me to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. The greatest challenge I’ve ever had to overcome was coming to and adjusting to school in the U.S. The process to come here was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, I had to convert my grades to a version the U.S. recognizes and find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. The only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well enough so I won't have to redo it. Until then everything felt manageable, when traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last was canceled, that was the first time I felt like I did not have fight left in me. I felt stranded in a foreign country. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school with the clothes on my back since I was told I wouldn’t get my bags for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining and my father who was responsible for them stopped answering. At that point, I was torn between thinking this was the Lord’s way of telling me this journey isn’t meant for me and “want good nose affi run” which means if you want the best you must go through hardships. To help myself through difficulties such as last thanksgiving when I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. To achieve all that I aspire to I must stay focused. I am motivated by the desire to reward my mother for always being a role model, strong, and supportive in every way she can, even from overseas and being practically the only person who helped me to overcome my obstacles. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses and to get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to manufacture medical equipment for people of all shades which will eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients. Pursuing STEM was an easy decision, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was simple after doing my research. To develop technology that is racially fair to lengthen and save lives, be able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without it, to make a space where my family and I can be together and comfortable as well as increase the percentage of women in STEM is the dream. It would be the absolute best to pursue it without financial constraints.

Women are underrepresented in STEM. My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so I did research and I realized that the way to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. STEM is exciting since it has the power to make people wonder how things used to be done before it was developed. Since women are the minority in STEM it would be an honor to help raise the percentage At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. Pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which could result in delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, what I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for people of all shades which will save lives and eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. To achieve all that I aspire to I must stay focused. I am motivated by the desire to reward my mother for always being strong, a role model, and having my back in every and anyway she can, even from overseas. I am also motivated by seeing my little sister grow up, she was diagnosed with down-syndrome, her development has been delayed, and she recently received treatment for pneumonia. I want to be able to allow her to pursue her dreams. Recently I've been motivated by constantly feeling uncomfortable, it makes me sad to think of my home being where my family is because of how long I’m going to go before returning there and I hate the idea of thinking of my dorm as my home as well as the fact that during times when I have to leave campus for example last thanksgiving where I found myself without a place to stay for a couple of days. Lastly, I am motivated by the life and home I see for myself. My home was almost always at the root of an insult due to its condition. The greatest challenge I’ve ever had to overcome was coming to and adjusting to school in the U.S. The process to come here has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I did my SATs without formal teaching due to financial constraints, I had to convert my grades to a version the US recognizes, and find schools with scholarships I was eligible for. At the time the only persons from whom I could seek mentorship on this journey prices were beyond what I could afford. To reduce the amount of money being spent on travels etc., the visa process as well as the SAT was something I did with the mindset that I’m just going to do it once and do it well enough so I won't have to redo it. Up until then everything felt manageable, when traveling to the United States I had three flights total with an overnight layover between the last two. My second flight got delayed and my last flight got canceled, that was the first time during the whole process that made me feel like I didn’t have any fight left in me. I eventually borrowed a phone and rebooked and found my way to school after waiting hours for my bags just to hear that they had been delayed and I wouldn’t get them for another three days. Some time passed and my tuition payments started declining, my father who was responsible for those payments stopped answering. At this point, I was torn between thinking this was the Lord’s way of telling me this journey isn’t meant for me and “want good nose affi run” which means if you want the best you must go through hardships. However, it feels like I am still struggling without seeing an end soon. To help myself through hardships I started saying “time is ongoing,” meaning whatever I am going through will pass as time progresses. Pursuing STEM is a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream. To make a space where my family and I can be together and comfortable as well as increase the percentage of women in STEM it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints.

Imagine going to the doctor and feeling like you’re not being heard. This is sometimes what happens when a healthcare facility lacks racial diversity. My name is Caliese Beckford, a nineteen-year-old majoring in Bioinformatics and minoring in Computer Science at Claflin University. I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare, so I started to do research and I decided to help people and healthcare workers through technological advancements. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will consider race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for people of all shades which will save lives and eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. All races should be acknowledged, represented, and celebrated especially in healthcare. Being diverse allows administrators and practitioners to respond to cultural issues confidently and appropriately to provide respectful and competent care. Having a diverse staff will help ensure that regardless of a patient's cultural background there will be someone who can identify with them, relate to them, communicate with them respectfully, and to better serve them. Racial diversity also allows for better and more effective problem solving since multiple races will be considered and would allow for new ideas and diverse perspectives which would lead to greater innovation. A lack of racial diversity in healthcare could lead to a misunderstanding of the demographics, their barriers, and challenges. It is important to make everyone feel comfortable, represented, and heard in the healthcare space especially if they are the ones receiving care. It is also important to have racial diversity in healthcare to act as role models, and mentors so those who aspire to work in that space can have persons with whom they can identify and learn in aspects that are unique to persons of that background. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software. Seeing that people of color are the minority in healthcare it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints to help increase racial diversity in that industry.

According to Merriam-Webster, a community is a unified body of individuals. Unified. We are one, let’s help each other. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so I started to do research and I realized that the way to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technological advancements. I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will consider race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in Bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. But until then I will help in the ways I can. In the past, I have learned about and nurtured mangrove propagules, under the Alligator Head Foundation, to then replant them along the coast of my hometown to restore the barrier they provided between the land and natural disasters. I have also participated in regular beach clean-ups to help maintain the natural beauty of the shores near my home. I helped to ensure the smooth running of events at my high school, for example, graduations, sports days, and general gatherings. Since I started university, I participated in a campus clean-up project, assisted families with Thanksgiving dinner, and volunteered twenty-two (22) hours at the H.V. Manning Library where I ensured that students are adhering to COVID-19 protocols and that they are a part of the institution. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream. As I continue to help my community in the ways that I can and study to help raise the percentage of people of color in those industries this could ease my financial constraints.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so I started to do research and realized that the way to help people and healthcare workers is to help through technology. Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to compile, understand, and effectively use biological and biomedical data. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream. Seeing that people of color are the minority in healthcare, technology, and engineering it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints to help raise the percentage of people of color in those industries.

According to Merriam-Webster, a community is a unified body of individuals. Unified. We are one, let’s help each other. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field, so I started to do research and I realized that the way to help people and healthcare workers is to help through the use of technology. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, and current symptoms to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the primary data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Until then I will help in the ways I can. In the past, I have learned about and nurtured mangrove propagules, under the Alligator Head Foundation, to then replant them along the coast of my hometown to restore the barrier they provided between the land and natural disasters. I have also participated in regular beach clean-ups to help maintain the natural beauty of the shores near my home. I helped to ensure the smooth running of events at my high school, for example, graduations, sports days, and general gatherings. Since I started university, I have volunteered twenty-two (22) hours at the H.V. Manning Library, twelve (12) hours helping the athletics department, and have participated in a campus clean-up project to name a few. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream. As I continue to help my community in the ways that I can and study to help raise the percentage of people of color in those industries this could ease my financial constraints.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field but I had realized in recent times that being a doctor wasn’t for me and so I started to do more research where I realized that the way to help people and to help healthcare workers is to help through the use of technology. Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to compile, understand, and effectively use biological and biomedical data. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, current symptoms, etc. to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a Ph.D. in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used. The pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech-healthcare career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream, especially if that equipment will be in healthcare. Seeing that people of color are the minority both in healthcare and technology it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints to help raise the percentage of people of color in those industries.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica who had an eventful travel experience to the United States to major in Bioinformatics and minor in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field but I had realized in recent times that being a doctor wasn’t for me and so I started to do more research where I realized that the way to help people and to help healthcare workers is to help through the use of technology. Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to compile, understand, and effectively use biological and biomedical data. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, current symptoms, etc. to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a master's degree in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used and the pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech. career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream, especially if that equipment will be in healthcare. Seeing that people of colour are the minority both in healthcare and technology it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints to help raise the percentage of people of colour in those industries.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica studying Bioinformatics and minoring in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field but I had realized in recent times that being a doctor wasn’t for me and so I started to do more research where I realized that the way to help people and to help healthcare workers is to help through the use of technology. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, I aspire to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and to develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, current symptoms, etc. to aid in diagnoses since it would compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a master's degree in bioengineering to help in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used and the pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing STEM was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech. career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream, especially if that equipment will be in healthcare. Seeing that people of color are the minority both in healthcare and technology it would be the very best to pursue my education without financial constraints to help raise the percentage of people of color in those industries.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica studying Bioinformatics and minoring in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field but I had realized in recent times that being a doctor wasn’t for me and so I started to do more research where I realized that the way to help people and to help healthcare workers is to help through the use of technology. Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to compile, understand, and effectively use biological and biomedical data. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, it is my aspiration to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and, in turn, develop software that’ll aid in the diagnosing of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, current symptoms, etc. to aid in diagnoses in the essence that it would be able to compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account race (since people of color are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc.), age group, gender, and family history. This will be the primary data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce the use of paper which reduces deforestation and allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a master's degree in bioengineering to play a role in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead thermometers have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used and the pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing a STEM major was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech. career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream, especially if that equipment will be in healthcare.

Have you ever wondered how people used to do things before technology or before the equipment was invented? We have come a long way in healthcare equipment and in recent times software but there is still some way to go. My name is Caliese Beckford, I am a nineteen-year-old originally from Jamaica studying Bioinformatics and minoring in Computer Science at Claflin University. I decided on my major because I knew I wanted to help people in the medical field but I had realized in recent times that being a doctor wasn’t for me and so I started to do more research where I realized that the way to help people and to help healthcare workers help people through the use of technology. Bioinformatics is the application of computer technology to compile, understand, and effectively use biological and biomedical data. At the end of my undergraduate tenure, it is my aspiration to become a Biomedical Software Engineer and in turn, develop software that’ll aid in the diagnoses of illnesses. Based on the input of patient data for example their medical history, their medications, current symptoms, etc. to aid in diagnoses in the essence that it would be able to compile or provide a list of possible illnesses that this patient could have which would become more and more accurate with the importation of test results. The software will take into account age group, gender, and family history. This will be the main data input system used in healthcare facilities to reduce to use of paper which reduces deforestation and will allow for the data of each patient to be easily and instantaneously accessed by the various departments of the hospital as they become available with minimal physical contact. I will get a master's degree in bioengineering to play a role in the development of racially fair equipment in healthcare. Some equipment gives misleading results when gathering data on a person of color. For example, forehead temperatures have a 26% lower chance of detecting fever in black patients than if an oral thermometer had been used and the pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen level in patients who have a darker complexion which in some cases results in potentially delaying treatment. With those and many other shortcomings of equipment in mind, the equipment that I will contribute in manufacturing will ensure accurate results for all people of all shades which will save lives to eliminate the guessing that racially biased equipment requires. Pursuing a STEM major was a no-brainer, my degree and in the future, a tech. career was a simple choice after doing my research. To develop software and equipment that is racially fair to lengthen and to save lives as well as being able to create and/ or improve a product or software that’ll make people wonder how tasks used to be done without the use of that piece of machine is the dream, especially if that equipment will be in healthcare.