Growing up, animals mesmerized me, and I often observed the way squirrels nibbled on acorns and how birds built their nests. I spent more time with the family pets than with other kids, choosing to cuddle with my dog or teach my guinea pig tricks. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that my major at La Roche University was biology and I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. My family has noticed that I’m an inquisitive person, always asking for the “why”. I never seem to be complacent because I always want to know more, making me consider a range of career paths with animals. I considered zookeeping, animal conservation and rehabilitation, animal control, veterinarian, and physical therapist. I participated in volunteer opportunities and an apprenticeship with my local zoo to explore careers with animals, but although each of these careers is interesting, I kept coming back to veterinarian. I knew in my heart that if I didn’t pursue this career, I’d regret it. Choosing to become a veterinarian has been one of the best choices of my life because I‘ll be able to dedicate my life to ensuring the health of people and animals. After I graduated from undergraduate school, I continued working as a veterinary assistant, because the valuable knowledge gained will enable me to become a better future professional. I learned that I’d rather be the person to diagnose and treat animals, rendering a career as a veterinary technician not right for me. Strengthening my desire to become a veterinarian was Dr. Wagner, who specialized in small exotic companion animals. He showed me what I could do as a veterinarian and allowed me to find my niche in the field. I knew with certainty that I wanted to open my own mobile clinic so I can travel to areas where this specialized care is needed. A mobile clinic would increase the number of animals that otherwise might not have received treatment, because I could offer veterinary care at the comfort of the patient’s home, negating the need to come to a brick-and-mortar clinic. For the rest of my professional life, I want to provide equal medical care to as many species as possible. This will make future communities more inclusive and safer, leading to a better world. My passion for the veterinary field has strengthened, making me realize that my chosen career choice is where I’m supposed to be. I’ve been accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and am working hard to graduate as a doctor. Being a veterinarian will bring me fulfillment because I’ll get to learn and challenge myself in new ways every day. I could treat a guinea pig’s pododermatitis and then move on to a case involving a sick bearded dragon all in a span of thirty minutes. The variability of the job is exciting because no two days will be alike. I’ll be able to do something I love and am passionate about. It’ll be rewarding to bring a sick animal back to health or give a pet a better quality of life through a surgical procedure. The tangible results I’ll witness every day, along with working with animals in general, are fulfilling in and of itself. Ultimately, animals have provided me with unconditional love, and I know that becoming a veterinarian is a way for me to give back to them. The profession gave me my purpose in life and I look forward to what I’ll accomplish in the future. I hope people can look at me as an inspiration because dreams can come true.

Living a healthy lifestyle is important in life, but for me, the word “healthy” has a complicated meaning. As someone who is battling an eating disorder, I’m learning what it means to have healthy eating habits and normal thoughts. My interpretation of food has changed and instead of enjoying it, it now brings me anxiety and stress. I’ve come to the realization this isn’t healthy and I’m missing out on important events in my life. I isolate myself and live in a state of constant anxiety and depression, with suicidal thoughts plaguing me on a regular basis. While this doesn’t mean I can’t change for the better, recovery will take a long time and the journey will be arduous. In the end, I understand that to be well, food is fuel. Energy is what I’ll need if I’m to become a future veterinarian. Due to my eating disorder, I’ve had to stop much of my exercise because my body cannot afford to burn any excess energy. This has been difficult because the urges to walk are intense, but I know that this decision will benefit me in the end. With this said the benefits of exercise and healthy eating speak for themselves. You have more energy, a stronger heart, mental clarity, decreased risk for depression, and a better mood. I know firsthand that these are real benefits of exercising, but my situation requires me to put recovery before exercise. Thus, my healthy lifestyle requires me to implement a new plan of healthy eating and exercise during college. I must build back the muscle I lost and replenish the nutrients I’m deficient in. I need to regain a love of food because as I mentioned previously, food is our body’s fuel. Maintaining personal wellness in college will mean I’m at a weight that is sustainable for me, allowing me to focus on my education. As of now, I’m still incorporating this new mindset into my life. I’m attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine to obtain my professional degree. Becoming a veterinarian has been my dream, but the profession will take an enormous toll on both someone’s physical and mental health. This puts into perspective the importance of healthy eating and personal wellness. I must be able to withstand the rigors of life as a veterinary student. If I cut out certain groups of foods from my diet, such as carbohydrates, how will I have the energy to function? How will my brain have the fuel it needs to keep my body running? By cutting back on calories, I’ve already lost muscle mass but the effects of this can be reversed if corrective actions are performed now. Through personal wellness, I can restore my body back to where it should be to allow me to succeed. Recently, I’ve been listening to music, reading, cooking, gardening, completing puzzles, and meditating. As a result, my body feels calmer and more relaxed. I’m once again exercising, thinking clearly, feeling more confident, and regaining my life back. Personal wellness will help me concentrate on my education, allowing me to learn the material in veterinary school. I’ll be able to perform at my best to better care for future animals. I’m confident that in the coming years, I can become an advocate for personal wellness to show people that eating disorders are not permanent. I can be a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and inspire others that their life can change for the better. I’ll once again be strong both physically and mentally. Personal wellness will and is already saving my life.

Looking at the world laid out in front of me, it’s far from perfect. From the trouble caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the issue of racism, society is more divided than united. This is why I want to make a difference, however small, that will improve the lives of animals and people. Serving others before serving myself is one of my values, therefore it makes sense that I’m pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. From a young age, animals have been my love and passion. To make the world better, change must occur, and I’ve found an area in the veterinary field where I can contribute. The number of clinics that treat small exotic companion animals is less prevalent than traditional clinics who treat cats and dogs, making exotic care more inaccessible. I then raised the question, what if there was a way to bring the clinic to the patient? Therefore, I intend to use my education to become certified with exotic companion animals and hopefully open my own mobile veterinary clinic, so I can travel to areas where this specialized care is needed. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that medical care can still be accessible to people even if they aren’t able to travel directly to an office or hospital. A mobile clinic would increase the number of animals that otherwise might not have received treatment, because I could offer veterinary care at the comfort of the patient’s home, negating the need to come to a brick-and-mortar clinic. I’m passionate about providing medical care to as many species as possible, making future communities more inclusive. Not only will I provide communities with medical services, but I’ll also act as a teacher and educator. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise wouldn’t have this opportunity, I can ensure that I’m making a positive difference in the world. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been someone who loves to both learn and teach. For example, as a volunteer at an animal shelter, I encounter new situations with curiosity. New dogs arrive and I must be able to assess their behavior and respond if I’m to interact with them. Understanding animal behavior is important to keeping everyone safe and small tips that I gather can be passed on to others. There is no “I” in volunteer work, and I want to help the next person so that everyone remains safe. Therefore, I can increase inclusion and opportunities for people by sharing my knowledge with them. Furthermore, client communication involves teaching the greater community and I’ve learned from personal experience that one role of a veterinarian is to engage with the community. My education from veterinary school can be used to combat animal misinformation while educating clients on the welfare needs of their specific pet. I can also enter communities and try to bring more people into the profession who otherwise would not know about the opportunities there. Veterinarians can enter research, government, large or small animal private practice, specialties, academia, laboratories, public health, and the army. From the diverse paths, people have the freedom to explore their interests, and this is where I can use my education. Informing the public of these options creates more diversity and inclusion in the profession as more people enter the veterinary field. Maybe I could even influence people to want to specialize in small exotic companion animals because from personal experience, veterinarians of this type are more difficult to find in my community. With my big dreams, I’m confident my services and education will lead to a better world.

Looking at the world laid out in front of me, it’s far from perfect. From the trouble caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the issue of racism, society is more divided than united. This is why I want to make a difference, however small, that will improve the lives of animals and people. Serving others before serving myself is one of my values, therefore it makes sense that I’m pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. To make the world better, change must occur, and I’ve found an area in the veterinary field where I can contribute. The number of clinics that treat small exotic companion animals is less prevalent than traditional clinics that treat cats and dogs, making exotic care more inaccessible. I then raised the question, what if there was a way to bring the clinic to the patient? Therefore, I intend to use my education to become certified with exotic companion animals and hopefully open my own mobile veterinary clinic, so I can travel to areas where this specialized care is needed. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that medical care can still be accessible to people even if they aren’t able to travel directly to an office or hospital. A mobile clinic would increase the number of animals that otherwise might not have received treatment, because I could offer veterinary care at the comfort of the patient’s home, negating the need to come to a brick-and-mortar clinic. I’m passionate about providing medical care to as many species as possible, making future communities more inclusive. Not only will I provide communities with medical services, but I’ll also act as a teacher and educator. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise wouldn’t have this opportunity, I can ensure that I’m making a positive difference in the world. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been someone who loves to both learn and teach. For example, as a volunteer at an animal shelter, I encounter new situations with curiosity. New dogs arrive and I must be able to assess their behavior and respond if I’m to interact with them. Understanding animal behavior is important to keeping everyone safe and small tips that I gather can be passed on to others. There is no “I” in volunteer work, and I want to help the next person so that everyone remains safe. Therefore, I can increase inclusion and opportunities for people by sharing my knowledge with them. Furthermore, client communication involves teaching the greater community and I’ve learned from personal experience that one role of a veterinarian is to engage with the community. My education from veterinary school can be used to combat animal misinformation while educating clients on the welfare needs of their specific pet. I can also enter communities and try to bring more people into the profession who otherwise would not know about the opportunities there. Veterinarians can enter research, government, large or small animal private practice, specialties, academia, laboratories, public health, and the army. From the diverse paths, people have the freedom to explore their interests, and this is where I can use my education. Informing the public of these options creates more diversity and inclusion in the profession as more people enter the veterinary field. Maybe I could even influence people to want to specialize in small exotic companion animals because, from personal experience, veterinarians of this type are more difficult to find in my community. With my big dreams, I’m confident my services and education will lead to a better world.

Non-traditional. This is how I define my climbing experience. I am not the person to go outside in nature and scale a mountain or even a rock wall because of my severe fear of heights. When I am above the ground, my knees buckle and shake, and I feel dizzy. Heights are not for me at all. But I consider myself to be a climber in the sense that I am highly motivated toward achieving my dreams. Since I was a child, becoming a veterinarian has been a passion of mine, and through hard work, I have transformed this dream into reality. Beginning in the fall of 2023, I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and after four years of the arduous curriculum, I will graduate as a veterinarian. From a young age, anything having to do with animals excited and intrigued me and this love of animals has only strengthened as I grew and matured. I knew at that young age that I would dedicate my life to ensuring the global health of humans and animals. Because of this, my first jobs were as a kennel attendant and as a veterinary assistant. Gaining experience with a veterinarian has been vital in teaching me what it means to be a professional in the veterinary field. Veterinary medicine is not just about playing with puppies and kittens all day because there is more to the job. Veterinarians must act as teachers and continually remain up to date with the latest technology and procedures in the field. While at work, I ask questions and offer help when I can. I want to learn as much as possible because this is my true nature. People who know me well consider me to be an intuitive person who is interested in a range of topics. I love to challenge myself in new ways and have opportunities where I can exhibit critical thinking. My future as a veterinarian will suit me well because it will foster qualities in myself that I value. I will get to continuously grow both personally and professionally, therefore, motivation must be high if I am to remain committed to ensuring global health. Furthermore, I plan to use the award money to finance my education at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary school is not only challenging to get into, but it is also extremely expensive. There is much strain, stress, anxiety, and tension in my household concerning the costs of a higher education. If I could win this scholarship, that would enable my debt to be lessened and my family could then feel less pressure to continuously work to pay tuition costs. I am motivated and dedicated to my future as a veterinarian, and I don’t want money to become a massive stress factor. I believe my purpose in this world is to make a positive difference in the lives of both people and animals, so please consider me as the recipient of this award. I would be dearly grateful for the opportunity to be recognized, allowing me to pursue my dream career with less stress and a lower financial burden. Thank you for your time and for offering this award.

The perfect world doesn’t, and may never, exist. Nevertheless, there is a way for me to make a positive difference, however small. My contribution to the world revolves around my future career as a small animal veterinarian. Since I was younger, animals have always fascinated me and I can remember visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium where I became mesmerized by gorillas running through the grass, penguins waddling around in the cold, elephants picking up hay with their trunk, flamingoes standing on one leg, and snakes curled around a tree branch. As I got older and began to think more seriously about my future, I knew I wanted to major in biology in college. Currently, I am attending La Roche University where I am obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree. I will use this degree to further my education in veterinary school, where I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in the spring of 2023. My immense love for animals, coupled with making sure they remain safe and healthy, is my purpose in life and where I hope to contribute to the world. I plan to use the award money to finance my education. Veterinary school is not only extremely difficult to get into, but it is also extremely expensive. I am a twin—she also will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine—so for my family, we are paying twice the amount for tuition. There is much strain, stress, anxiety, and tension in my household concerning the costs of higher education for two people going to college at the same time. My sister and I are probably going to be in at least $500,000 of debt combined! If I could receive this scholarship, that would enable our debts to be lessened. My family could then feel less pressure to continuously work to pay tuition costs. I come from a middle class family where we are not rich in money but rich in love. Both my sister and I work as veterinary assistants, my mom is a business analyst, and my dad is a private landscaper. We are a hard-working bunch of individuals who do what is needed of us. My parents have instilled in me a strong work ethic and I have learned important life lessons that will carry with me forever. For example, they have told me that it is okay to ask for help and weakness is not a sign of failure. One of my faults is that I am a perfectionist, and while this trait does have its benefits, it can leave me disappointed if I don’t achieve a goal. Instead of allowing failures to define my life, I learn from them and ask for help in the process. In doing so, I have been able to become a more confident and stronger person. Receiving this scholarship will go a long way toward building my self-confidence because I am not afraid to ask for financial help if I want to pursue higher education. Thus, I am motivated and dedicated to my future as a veterinarian, and I do not want money to become a massive stress factor. I believe my purpose in this world is to make a positive difference in the lives of both people and animals, so please consider me as the recipient of this award. My family and I would be dearly grateful, and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be recognized, allowing me to pursue my dream career with less stress and anxiety. Thank you for your time.

The perfect world doesn’t, and may never, exist. Nevertheless, there is a way for me to make a positive difference, however small. My contribution to the world revolves around my future career as a small animal veterinarian. Since I was younger, animals have always fascinated me and I can remember visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium where I became mesmerized by gorillas running through the grass, penguins waddling around in the cold, elephants picking up hay with their trunk, flamingoes standing on one leg, and snakes curled around a tree branch. As I got older and began to think more seriously about my future, I knew I wanted to major in biology in college. Currently, I am attending La Roche University where I am obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree. I will use this degree to further my education in veterinary school, where I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in the spring of 2023. My immense love for animals, coupled with making sure they remain safe and healthy, is my purpose in life and where I hope to contribute to the world. Traveling around my community, I pass by different veterinary clinics that are all willing to provide medical care to my pet. Well…as long as my pet is a cat or dog. I learned this lesson the hard way. One day when walking by my guinea pig’s cage, I found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to one of the few exotic veterinarians in my community where he was diagnosed with bumblefoot—a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pigs’ feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent me home with antibiotics and pain medicine, and my guinea pig was kept on these; however, the bumblefoot persisted. When I saw him covered in blood on that fateful day, I immediately picked him up—his heart was weakly beating. I began crying hysterically, telling my sister to call a veterinarian. Unfortunately, nobody could examine him because they were unfamiliar with his species. As more time elapsed, my guinea pig’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and passed away. From this traumatic experience, a flaw in veterinary medicine emerged that puts the health of animals at risk in my community. The number of clinics that treat small exotic companion animals is practically nonexistent. My beloved guinea pig—my best friend—was dying in my arms as countless veterinary clinics hesitantly turned us away. Essentially, I learned that it’s easy and convenient to get a cat or dog emergency medical help, but the same cannot be said of guinea pigs. Because of my guinea pig, I want to dedicate my future to helping someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot, not turning them away. For the rest of my life, I want to provide equal medical care to as many species as possible, making my community more inclusive. My contribution to the world will directly make a difference because I can enter a niche where there is a lack of professionals. Becoming a veterinarian now has a new importance for me and I intend to contribute all that I can. This also includes education, whereby I can act as a teacher. Exotic companion animals have unique husbandry requirements that differ with the species. What may be common for dogs and cats could be toxic and dangerous for exotics. Through educating the public, I can contribute to veterinary medicine in another way. I know I can and will make a positive difference.

Growing up, I was always mesmerized by nature and the animals around me. I became fascinated by the way squirrels nibbled on acorns, how birds built their nests in the same location year after year, and the idea that bats use echolocation to navigate their surroundings. My parents would often comment that I spent more time with the family pets than I did with other kids my age. Rather than spending summer days playing at the local park, I would instead choose to cuddle with my dog and teach my guinea pig tricks. But what my family didn’t realize was that without the presence of animals, I would have to face a darkness that consumed my life. I would be left in a state of depression with no hope of escaping. Every day I face an internal struggle between participating in life or isolating myself to the side, between following my dreams or letting them fade away, between choosing life or choosing death. I am not ashamed to mention that I have been diagnosed with a mental illness because I understand that it’s not a choice; however, it’s not easy to deal with it at times. This is why I take shelter in animals because my lifelong love of animals has been the motivator that has kept me focused on living my ultimate professional and personal goal of becoming a veterinarian. I am proud to say that I have been accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and will begin in the Fall 2023 semester. Receiving the call from the school’s Dean made me break out in tears, but at the same time, I became extremely scared. I ask myself how I will function in veterinary school while suffering from a mental illness. The suicide rates for veterinarians are one of the highest for any profession and the current trends project this number to rise. As someone who personally struggles with suicidal thoughts, I understand the risk I am taking by entering the veterinary field; however, I have managed my health up to this point by always being around animals. From working as a kennel attendant and veterinary assistant, I have learned firsthand how to manage my mental health in the stressful environment of a veterinary hospital. The veterinarians I work with explain how they personally deal with the stressors of the job, and I have learned a great deal from them. One of the most important tips is to prioritize time for yourself and practice mindful activities. I have been able to continue working at the hospital because in my free time, I prioritize cuddling with my pets or taking a walk in nature. I complete Sudoku puzzles and listen to country music. I garden and lay on the couch to read books. Because I take time for myself, I have been able to achieve my goals at a high level, such that I have been offered a spot at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine which I graciously accepted. I hope that people can look at me as an inspiration because I am a testament to the fact that dreams can come true for people suffering from a mental illness. The illness doesn’t have to define my life and a happy life can exist without the presence of depression. I want people to understand that it’s okay to ask for help and that we can break the stigma surrounding mental health. Recovery is possible and I know for me that my future as a veterinarian will be full of life and love.

Growing up, I was always mesmerized by nature and the animals around me. I became fascinated by the way squirrels nibbled on acorns, how birds built their nests in the same location year after year, and the idea that bats use echolocation to navigate their surroundings. My parents would often comment that I spent more time with the family pets than I did with other kids my age. Rather than spending summer days playing at the local park, I would instead choose to cuddle with my dog and teach my guinea pig tricks. But what my family didn’t realize was that without the presence of animals, I would have to face a darkness that consumed my life. I would be left in a state of depression with no hope of escaping. Every day I face an internal struggle between participating in life or isolating myself to the side, between following my dreams or letting them fade away, between choosing life or choosing death. I am not ashamed to mention that I have been diagnosed with a mental illness because I understand that it’s not a choice; however, it’s not easy to deal with it at times. This is why I take shelter in animals because my lifelong love of animals has been the motivator that has kept me focused on living my ultimate professional and personal goal of becoming a veterinarian. I am proud to say that I have been accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and will begin in the Fall 2023 semester. Receiving the call from the school’s Dean made me break out in tears, but at the same time, I became extremely scared. I ask myself how I will function in veterinary school while suffering from a mental illness. The suicide rates for veterinarians are one of the highest for any profession and the current trends project this number to rise. For someone who personally struggles with suicidal thoughts, I understand the risk I am taking by entering the veterinary field; however, I have managed my health up to this point by always being around animals. From working as a kennel attendant and veterinary assistant, I have learned firsthand how to manage my mental health in the stressful environment of a veterinary hospital. The veterinarians I work with explain how they personally deal with the stressors of the job, and I have learned a great deal from them. One of the most important tips is to prioritize time for yourself and practice mindful activities. I have been able to continue working at the hospital because in my free time I prioritize cuddling with my pets or taking a walk in nature. I complete Sudoku puzzles and listen to country music. I garden and lay on the couch to read books. Because I take time for myself, I have been able to achieve my goals at a high level, such that I have been offered a spot at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine which I graciously accepted. I hope that people can look at me as an inspiration because I am a testament to the fact that dreams can come true for people suffering from a mental illness. The illness doesn’t have to define my life and a happy life can exist without the presence of depression. I want people to understand that it’s okay to ask for help and we can break the stigma surrounding mental health. Recovery is possible and I know for me that my future as a veterinarian will be full of life and love.

Growing up, I was always mesmerized by nature and the animals around me. I became fascinated by the way squirrels nibbled on acorns, how birds built their nests in the same location year after year, and the idea that bats use echolocation to navigate their surroundings. My parents would often comment that I spent more time with the family pets than I did with other kids my age. Rather than spending summer days playing at the local park, I would instead choose to cuddle with my dog and teach my guinea pig tricks. But what my family didn’t realize was that without the presence of animals, I would have to face a darkness that consumed my life. I would be left in a state of depression with no hope of escaping. Every day I face an internal struggle between participating in life or isolating myself to the side, between following my dreams or letting them fade away, between choosing life or choosing death. I am not ashamed to mention that I have been diagnosed with a mental illness because I understand that it’s not a choice; however, it’s not easy to deal with it at times. This is why I take shelter in animals because my lifelong love of animals has been the motivator that has kept me focused on living my ultimate professional and personal goal of becoming a veterinarian. I am proud to say that I have been accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and will begin in the Fall 2023 semester. Receiving the call from the school’s Dean made me break out in tears, but at the same time, I became extremely scared. I ask myself how I will function in veterinary school while suffering from a mental illness. The suicide rates for veterinarians are one of the highest for any profession and the current trends project this number to rise. As someone who personally struggles with suicidal thoughts, I understand the risk I am taking by entering the veterinary field; however, I have managed my health up to this point by always being around animals. From working as a kennel attendant and veterinary assistant, I have learned firsthand how to manage my mental health in the stressful environment of a veterinary hospital. The veterinarians I work with explain how they personally deal with the stressors of the job, and I have learned a great deal from them. One of the most important tips is to prioritize time for yourself and practice mindful activities. I have been able to continue working at the hospital because in my free time, I prioritize cuddling with my pets or taking a walk in nature. I complete Sudoku puzzles and listen to country music. I garden and lay on the couch to read books. Because I take time for myself, I have been able to achieve my goals at a high level, such that I have been offered a spot at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine which I graciously accepted. I hope that people can look at me as an inspiration because I am a testament to the fact that dreams can come true for people suffering from a mental illness. The illness doesn’t have to define my life and a happy life can exist without the presence of depression. I want people to understand that it’s okay to ask for help and that we can break the stigma surrounding mental health. Recovery is possible and I know for me that my future as a veterinarian will be full of life and love.

Growing up, I was always mesmerized by nature and the animals around me. I became fascinated by the way squirrels nibbled on acorns, how birds built their nests in the same location year after year, and the idea that bats use echolocation to navigate their surroundings. My parents would often comment that I spent more time with the family pets than I did with other kids my age. Rather than spending summer days playing at the local park, I would instead choose to cuddle with my dog and teach my guinea pig tricks. But what my family didn’t realize was that without the presence of animals, I would have to face a darkness that consumed my life. I would be left in a state of depression with no hope of escaping. Every day I face an internal struggle between participating in life or isolating myself to the side, between following my dreams or letting them fade away, between choosing life or choosing death. I am not ashamed to mention that I have been diagnosed with a mental illness because I understand that it’s not a choice; however, it’s not easy to deal with it at times. This is why I take shelter in animals because my lifelong love of animals has been the motivator that has kept me focused on living my ultimate professional and personal goal of becoming a veterinarian. I am proud to say that I have been accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and will begin in the Fall 2023 semester. Receiving the call from the school’s Dean made me break out in tears, but at the same time, I became extremely scared. I ask myself how I will function in veterinary school while suffering from a mental illness. The suicide rates for veterinarians are one of the highest for any profession and the current trends project this number to rise. As someone who personally struggles with suicidal thoughts, I understand the risk I am taking by entering the veterinary field; however, I have managed my health up to this point by always being around animals. From working as a kennel attendant and veterinary assistant, I have learned firsthand how to manage my mental health in the stressful environment of a veterinary hospital. The veterinarians I work with explain how they personally deal with the stressors of the job, and I have learned a great deal from them. One of the most important tips is to prioritize time for yourself and practice mindful activities. I have been able to continue working at the hospital because in my free time, I prioritize cuddling with my pets or taking a walk in nature. I complete Sudoku puzzles and listen to country music. I garden and lay on the couch to read books. Because I take time for myself, I have been able to achieve my goals at a high level, such that I have been offered a spot at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine which I graciously accepted. I hope that people can look at me as an inspiration because I am a testament to the fact that dreams can come true for people suffering from a mental illness. The illness doesn’t have to define my life and a happy life can exist without the presence of depression. I want people to understand that it’s okay to ask for help and that we can break the stigma surrounding mental health. Recovery is possible and I know for me that my future as a veterinarian will be full of life and love.

Living a healthy lifestyle and staying fit are important in my everyday life but for me, the words “healthy” and “fit” have a complicated meaning. As someone who is battling an eating disorder, I am still learning what it means to have healthy eating habits. My interpretation of food has changed and instead of enjoying it, it now brings me anxiety and stress. There are some foods that I consider “safe” and others that I label as “bad”. However, many of the foods I label as “bad” are part of a healthy diet. I have come to the realization that I have an unhealthy relationship with food, but this doesn’t mean I can’t change for the better. Recovery will take a long time and the journey will be arduous, but in the end, food is fuel. Food is energy and energy is what I will need if I am to become a future veterinarian. Due to my eating disorder, I have had to stop much of my exercise because my body cannot afford to burn any excess energy. This has been difficult because the urge to go outside and walk is intense, but I know that the decision to not go will only help me in the end. With this said, the benefits of exercise and healthy eating speak for themselves—you have more energy, a stronger heart, mental clarity, decreased risk for depression, and a better mood. I know firsthand that these are real benefits of exercising, but my situation requires me to put recovery before exercise. Thus, my healthy lifestyle requires me to implement a new plan of healthy eating. I need to build back the muscle I lost and replenish the nutrients I am deficient in. I need to regain a love of food because as I mentioned previously food is our body’s fuel. Being healthy in the future will mean I am at a weight that is sustainable for my height, age, gender, and body type. As of now, I am still incorporating this new mindset into my everyday life. I am attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine to obtain my professional degree. Since I was a little girl, becoming a veterinarian has been my dream and I have now acknowledged that the journey and profession are daunting. The job will take an enormous toll on both someone’s physical and mental health. This puts into perspective the importance of healthy eating. I need to be able to withstand the rigor of life as a veterinary student and future professional. For example, if I cut out certain groups of foods from my diet, such as carbohydrates, how will I have the energy to function? How will my brain have the fuel it needs to keep my body running? By cutting back on calories, I have lost muscle mass and the effects of this have affected my heart. Nevertheless, change can happen. By practicing healthy eating habits, I can restore my body back to where it should be. I can once again exercise, think more clearly, feel more confident in my own skin, and regain my life back. I believe that our society needs to be reeducated about nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. I am confident that in the coming years, I can become an advocate for healthy eating and show people that eating disorders are not forever. I can be a testament to the resiliency of the human spirit and inspire others that their life can change for the better. But it will begin when I practice healthy eating habits and this begins now.

Why am I learning this? It’s not like I will be grocery shopping and must use the Pythagorean Theorem to choose which bunch of bananas to buy. Thoughts like these would run through my young mind when in school. I could not grasp the importance that math has in society and would have in my future. I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in pursuit of a doctorate degree. Even though it’s true that the Pythagorean Theorem will have little relevance in the veterinary field, I will still need to know how to perform calculations. Math has uses in drug doses, dilutions, IV fluid therapy, determination of caloric intake, diagnostic testing, and in the financial aspect of the profession. I could continue this list that illustrates math's importance in veterinary medicine. But do I personally love it? Yep. My love for math took off when I was in middle school and it was thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Gruber. She was the first math teacher I had who made it fun. I remember the time around the holidays when Mrs. Gruber would bring the class cakes and cookies. Of course, we could eat these delectable desserts, but they had a purpose and reason for being there. From the cookies, I learned how to calculate the circumference of a circle and from the cakes, I learned about fractions. My relationship with math changed during this time and I really began to enjoy it. From interacting with my peers, I was not afraid to speak up if I needed help. I was not afraid to ask my teacher how to calculate the circumference of a cookie because who could get mad when they are eating cookies? I am telling you that teenagers learn best when they are having fun. Hands-on activities are best and this is true in my life because I am a visual learner. As the years passed, my love for math never waned and I actually began to gain a new understanding of it. One of the most challenging math courses I have taken has been college calculus and although I was stressed in most classes, I remembered Mrs. Gruber and her desserts. I remembered that I learn best when I am having fun. Therefore, math for me means fun and it’s not a skill that is lost, never to be practiced again. In fact, I feel sorry for my young self who believed math to be unimportant. I love math.

Many books have passed through my life but none have stuck with me long after I read the final page. That is until I read Bronwen Dickey's, Pit Bull: The Battle Over an American Icon. Published in 2016, this novel illustrates how pitbulls became demonized in society and explains the role that humans have played in advancing this unfavorable narrative. It delves into the history of pitbulls in America using research that has spanned over seven years. Based on scientific data coupled with personal experience, Dickey exposes harsh realities and hopeful beginnings. In a truly eye-opening manner, Dickey’s novel has made a significant impact on my life. While reading this novel, I frequented a local animal shelter where I volunteered. From reading the novel, and from prior experience of volunteering at an animal shelter, I could see firsthand that the most common breed of dog in shelters are pitbulls. Even though a “pitbull” is not a breed, dogs that fit the stereotype of blocky headed, large, aggressive, and muscular are labeled as such. Did you know there is a 93% euthanasia rate for pitbulls in shelters with only 1 in 600 finding a forever home? Roughly 40% of the total number of dogs that are euthanized every year are pitbulls and approximately 2,800 pitbulls are killed every day just for being classified as a pitbull. This means many dogs are mistakenly labeled as pitbulls when they aren't, which significantly lowers their chance at being adopted. With my eyes verifying the harsh truth that Dickey illustrates in her novel, I began understanding that pitbulls are the most misunderstood breed of dog. Far from the demonizing characteristics often used to describe them, pitbulls became love at first sight for me. In fact, I fearlessly entered their cage, sat down, and was “attacked” with wet kisses on my face. These dogs wanted to be loved and they wanted to be given a chance to prove their loyalty and affection. Hence, Pit Bulls: The Battle Over an American Icon is an exceptional, emotional novel that I will never forget. Pitbulls were created to love. It’s as simple as that. They were meticulously created to be companions to humans and we have a duty to give them our love. Read this novel so we can change the narrative of these dogs. Pitbulls are not dogs to be feared, rather they are dogs to be loved.

“Shake it off.” “You can do it Cami. Just focus on your balance and remember to bend your knees. You got this.” “Great try Cami.” “Shake it off. Try again.” Learning how to ice skate was a monumental accomplishment of mine. Because my dad was a hockey goalie, he began teaching me at a young age how to ice skate. However, I never seemed to be interested in the activity. Instead of skating around the rink, feeling the cool breeze blow across my face, I would make “snow angels” on the ice. Although my dad was disappointed, he never let it show. He understood that he couldn’t force me to do something I wasn’t interested in and maybe someday I would consider ice skating. Only then could he become my teacher once again, this time with me as a pupil. I am not sure why, but it was during middle school when I decided I wanted to learn a new athletic skill. Maybe it was because I ended my “soccer career”, one that I was involved with for the last ten years. When I told my dad my plans, he was ecstatic and immediately took on the role of a teacher. Starting the next day, he took me to a local sporting goods store so I could buy hockey skates and later that week he drove me to the ice rink. This is where my arduous journey began. Life is not perfect, and I can attest that nobody is perfect as well. If I had expected to learn how to ice skate in one day, I would have been left greatly disappointed, but luckily, I understood reality. I knew it would take time and I would have to make many mistakes along the way if I wanted to be successful. One of the first lessons my dad taught me was to bend my knees. This action is essential because it ensures balance and allows you to maintain your center of gravity. However, I never made it to this step. When I first stepped out onto the ice, I immediately fell like a sack of potatoes. Whoops. “Shake it off” became my dad’s new motto. I would fall down many more times but, under the encouragement of my dad, I got back up. He persuaded me that I didn’t need to hold onto the wall of the rink, rather I should learn by doing. This is why he taught through mimicry. I noticed how he pushed off with one foot, transferred his body weight, and then pushed off with the other foot. His knees were always bent to maintain a low center of gravity. I tried doing the same, but most of the time I ended up falling. “Shake it off” my dad would say, smiling all the while. During these sessions, I enjoyed the time spent with my dad because this was one of the only places where we could have quality time together. He showed me sides of him that I never saw at home and vice versa. One thing I learned about him was that he was a secret Taylor Swift fan! At one of our sessions, “Shake It Off” began playing over the loudspeaker and my dad lit up with joy. He immediately started singing and this made me smile. Although I lost my balance and fell, I began belly-laughing while laying sprawled out on the ice. Hence, my favorite song on Taylor Swift’s “1989” album is “Shake It Off”. It is my dad’s motto and when listening to it, I will always be reminded of him.

Why am I learning this? It’s not like I will be grocery shopping and must use the Pythagorean Theorem to choose which bunch of bananas to buy. Thoughts like these would run through my young mind when in school. I could not grasp the importance that math has in society and would have in my future. I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in pursuit of a doctorate degree. Even though it’s true that the Pythagorean Theorem will have little relevance in the veterinary field, I will still need to know how to perform calculations. Math has uses in drug doses, dilutions, IV fluid therapy, determination of caloric intake, diagnostic testing, and in the financial aspect of the profession. I could continue this list that illustrates math's importance in veterinary medicine. But do I personally love it? Yep. My love for math took off when I was in middle school and it was thanks to my teacher, Mrs. Gruber. She was the first math teacher I had who made it fun. I remember the time around the holidays when Mrs. Gruber would bring the class cakes and cookies. Of course, we could eat these delectable desserts, but they had a purpose and reason for being there. From the cookies, I learned how to calculate the circumference of a circle and from the cakes, I learned about fractions. My relationship with math changed during this time and I really began to enjoy it. From interacting with my peers, I was not afraid to speak up if I needed help. I was not afraid to ask my teacher how to calculate the circumference of a cookie because who could get mad when they are eating cookies? I am telling you that teenagers learn best when they are having fun. As the years passed, my love for math never waned and I actually began to gain a new understanding of it. One of the most challenging math courses I have taken has been college calculus and although I was stressed in most classes, I remembered Mrs. Gruber and her desserts. I remembered that I learn best when I am having fun. Therefore, math for me means fun and it’s not a skill that is lost, never to be practiced again. In fact, I feel sorry for my young self who believed math to be unimportant. I love math.

A veterinarian who passionately dedicates my time, strength, money, emotions, and focus on healing, treating, saving, and improving the lives of animals regardless of the outcome because maintaining the health of all animals is what will give my life a purpose.

My name is Cami Contestabile, and I am an avid animal lover. It doesn’t matter the species because I love them all. The word “animal” for me has many different meanings, but one fact that I know for sure is that I think of them as part of the family. My dogs and guinea pigs are my brothers and sisters and provide me with unconditional love and companionship. Each interaction I had was special and contributed to the person I am today and the one I want to be in the future. I learned and absorbed lessons as I encountered them and never stopped asking questions. Moving into elementary school and then middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—I wanted to become a small animal veterinarian. I remember one day when I was in the seventh grade looking up on the internet how to get accepted into veterinary school. If I could, I would have applied right then and there. In the spring of 2023, I will graduate from La Roche University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. Throughout my time in undergraduate school, I have been working as a kennel attendant and as a veterinary assistant at a local animal hospital. This experience that I have gained has only strengthened my desire to enter the veterinary field to make a positive difference in the lives of both people and animals. I enjoy learning new things every day because I consider myself to be a very inquisitive person. My family has also noticed that I am an inquisitive person who always asks for the “why”. I never seem to be complacent with answers because I always want to know more than what can be found on the surface. This is what probably made it difficult for me to choose essay topics in undergraduate school because I was interested in everything—I could not narrow down my focus! To me, school is fun and exciting because I get to learn and challenge myself in new ways. I get to take classes that both test my current knowledge and teach me something new. For example, as a biology major, I have taken my fair share of science-related courses. Each class seemed to compound on the other, reviewing information from the previous year. As a result, I have attained a strong foundation in biology from the many years I have been taking those classes. When I am not working, I enjoy completing Sudoku puzzles to practice mindfulness and challenge my brain as well as volunteer my time at a local animal shelter. Giving back to my community is important to me because I am grateful for everyone who comes into my life. Beginning in the fall of 2023, I will be attending Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I am proud of my hard work and commitment to making my dreams become a reality because the path toward veterinary school has been arduous. It has taken much effort and money to get to where I am now, and I am excited about my future role as a veterinarian. I could not imagine myself not pursuing veterinary medicine because then I would not be genuinely happy. Everybody should follow their dreams and be happy for doing so. Life as a veterinarian is the path for me and I cannot wait for it to begin in the fall of 2023!

Pancakes, while steamy, syrupy, buttery, and sweet are covered in fear, shame, guilt, and dread. This is food that my childhood self would have drooled over, begging for my parents to make for me. But now years later, I have a very different reaction. My current relationship with food is unhealthy for it no longer brings pleasure. However, I am getting help, wanting to love and enjoy food again. I have recently come to an epiphany while watching my dad make his breakfast—life is not a perfect stack of pancakes. This is a life lesson that I have learned through the culinary arts. I have always set high expectations for myself—be perfect and don’t make mistakes. Whenever I set goals, I intend to do everything in my power to achieve them. Perfection is everything and this quality that I value so highly in myself is causing me to miss out on life. My inner voice constantly beats me down, telling me I am worthless, a failure, and a loser. It makes me hate my body and the way I look—it distorts my perception of my true self. Perfection can be a useful quality to have in a person, but for me I am stuck in its endless grip and I cannot visualize myself getting free. That is until I watched my dad one morning as he was making his breakfast. As I saw him flipping the first batch of pancakes, I saw they were all misshapen, malformed, and burnt. Just imagine a sweet, perfect stack of pancakes on a pristine white plate. All perfectly round, steaming, and golden brown, with syrup and butter streaming down the side. This was not what I witnessed that day. But life is not a perfect stack of pancakes! From the culinary arts, I have learned that life has its trials, tribulations, obstacles, and disasters. Just like every pancake you make will not turn out to be perfect, that is the truth about life. No matter how hard you try to be flawless, unfortunately that reality is unattainable. I learned that I must be less critical of myself for if a mistake is made, that is okay. This lesson has had an impact on my recovery because I am more willing to experience life’s ups and downs. The goal is not about achieving the most perfect or successful life, it is about existing in the moment. Just like not every pancake will be perfect, not every day will be perfect and this is okay. Now imagine a fallen over stack of malformed, black, raw pancakes on a dirty, cracked plate. Although bitter, they are still pancakes and you love them. Even that fallen over stack of pancakes nourishes your body and however imperfect they are, they still serve their function—you love them just as you would any other pancake. I have come to these conclusions and applied them to my own life. I may not love myself right now, but that does not mean I am permanently unlovable. It is not outward appearance that determines worth, but rather what constitutes the inside. I want to one day be able to express my true self to those around me, instead of hiding behind a “perfect” persona. I need to realize that mistakes will be made. One small step I can take today is challenging myself at breakfast, purposefully malforming every pancake and cooking them unevenly. I can prove to myself that life is not perfect, but I will still be loved either way. Life is sweet, just like a stack of pancakes!

Since I was younger, anything having to do with biology fascinated me. As I got older and began to think more seriously about my future, I knew I wanted to major in a STEM field. Currently, I am attending La Roche University and there I am obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology. I will apply this degree in the future to become a small animal veterinarian because of my immense love for all animals. In light of the global pandemic, STEM occupations have been extremely important in helping people adapt and thrive. One of the most important applications of a STEM occupation in a post-pandemic world is healthcare. Our healthcare professionals risk their lives everyday by working in hospitals and taking care of those affected by COVID-19. Researchers worked tirelessly trying to create a vaccine and distribute it around the country. It is thanks to these professionals that a vaccine has been created and it is saving the lives of many people. Fast forward to today’s world and healthcare is still just as important. My career as a veterinarian is not any less crucial than a human doctor and I know that there will be a need for them in the future—as with the majority of STEM professions. For me personally, my education is of great importance since I want to always be a lifelong learner. In fact, I currently work in a veterinary hospital as a veterinary assistant, where I have gained many hours of hands-on experience. I have been soaking up all new knowledge and this is where my biology degree can be applied. Because I can remember the classes I took in college, I can apply the knowledge I learned. For instance, I have taken Endocrinology and Genetics courses, so if I am looking at a dog that has a hormone deficiency, I could consider that genetics played a role in its development. Nobody knows what a post-pandemic world will look like, but one thing is known—the healthcare field has a whole new importance. I believe that more people will enter STEM occupations in the future and that more people will enter the healthcare industry, hoping to make a difference. Ultimately, my future job in STEM will allow me to help animals by putting their needs above my own. Because I believe that every animal deserves to live a safe and healthy life, a career in veterinary medicine is right for me. Graduating from La Roche University with my bachelor’s degree will enable me to achieve this goal by giving me foundational knowledge that I can build upon. My current job will afford me hands-on experience in a clinic, where I can continue to learn. Overall, the STEM field will give me much opportunity to make a difference in the future. I hope I can make my family proud by achieving the goals I have laid out for myself.

Community service, volunteering, and my job are great ways to learn the importance of leadership. This virtue is important to me when I consider the career I am pursuing—small animal veterinarian. my future career in the veterinary field will enable me to serve the greater community by providing them access to veterinary care. For me, I want to be a compassionate leader and change the lives of animals and people for the better. For example, many years ago my grandmother’s cat had an emergency. She was coughing up blood, an immediate cause for concern. My grandmother then called an emergency veterinary hospital and hung up in tears—the cost was too much. She just could not afford the veterinary bill, so she made the tough decision to wait until the next day when she could walk into her regular veterinarian’s office. Unfortunately, her cat did not survive the night and passed away. Hearing this for the first time, I was heartbroken. Money should never be the reason that an animal does not receive medical care. This is why I also want to make it a priority to travel to underserved communities and provide medical care at little to no cost. I believe that all animals deserve to be healthy—no exceptions—for it is a problem that money has to be the reason why some animals pass away. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise would not have this opportunity, I can ensure that I am making a difference in the world. Being a leader and serving the less fortunate or the sick are important to my life. I want to take the initiative of finding problems in my community that need to be addressed and then offer solutions. Since a problem lies in the excessive costs of veterinary care, a plausible solution would be to offer care at lowered prices to make it more affordable. I will work towards this goal. Additionally, leadership in my life is exhibited when I go to my job at a local veterinary hospital. I have the ability to improve my communication and teamwork skills—skills that are important for a veterinarian to have. Being a strong leader allows me to gain confidence in myself, enabling me to tackle my future with more self-assurance—and hopefully success. Doing so builds meaningful connections and relationships with other people. The work I am completing—although I do not consider it work, rather it is my life’s purpose—is meaningful to me, because I want to make a positive difference in the lives of all animals. This is a form of service that can truly change how you view the world around you—making an egotistic person become more compassionate. From this job, I am able to be a leader, such that I have a certain role in the hospital’s operations. Therefore, community service, volunteering, and my job are important activities that allow me to become a leader. Through school and my career goals, I have been able enact changes that are positively impacting the lives of others. Overall, I am a better person for serving my community and volunteering my time to benefit other people and animals. I will continue to be a leader, maybe even inspiring others in the process.

Imagine that you are throwing a frisbee for your dog to catch, but instead of soaring through the air, your dog ends up stepping in a hidden hole and breaking his carpal joint. What do you do now? Technology has played a major role in veterinary medicine and veterinarians cannot imagine their lives without it. Look around any practice and you will see what I mean. From x-ray machines, anesthesia, microscopes, ultrasounds, CTs, MRIs, 3D printers, lasers, centrifuge machines, blood sample analyses, microchips, marketing, and patient history records, the list seems endless. For me personally, my favorite tech innovation of the last 10 years has revolved around an activity monitor and location tracker for dogs. Released, in 2013, Whistle has transformed the way that people care for their pets, offering a wearable device for our pets. I do not know about you, but as an owner of three pets, I want my babies to be safe and healthy at all times. Whistle offers a solution because the owner can remain connected 24/7 to their pet and this includes real-time location tracking. Whistle’s abilities even cover exercise oversight so that owners are able to track the activity level of their pet. As an aspiring veterinarian, the health of animals is a top priority for me and Whistle has given me peace of mind. Through my studies and impending career, I intend to enact change in the veterinary field. The prevalence of exotic veterinarians is lacking and I want this to change. Any species of animal deserves an equal opportunity at receiving medical care and through my education I can gain the necessary tools to do this. In the future, I envision a world where the quality of care that animals are receiving is of a much better status that in the past. Similar to how phones have become more complex as the technology in them has evolved, veterinary medicine is expanding and adapting to the age. For example, 3D printing is now being used to model various parts of the body, allowing veterinarians to show owners how a specific surgical procedure will be done or what certain internal structures look like. 3D printing is also used to create prosthetics—this I find to be amazing! I believe that there needs to be a fine line between harnessing the beneficial utilization of technology without becoming too reliant on it. But honestly, technology in veterinary medicine has changed it for the better. I cannot wait to see it expand into the future and be a part of it. As a young adult who has grown up surrounded by technology—practically born with a phone in my hand—I feel comfortable with it. I understand it both as a gift and a curse to humanity, but I know that if used correctly, the benefits of technology outweigh the risks. Technology, coupled with my studies and impending career will allow me to achieve success and promote peace in this chaotic, unpredictable world. Animals are not just animals to me, rather they have given my life meaning. They have given me personally a purpose and I intend to pursue my dream career with all my heart. I know that one day I will achieve the ultimate goal and be able to provide medical care to as many species as I can.

Unfortunately, animals do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by my guinea pig Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, an exotic veterinarian diagnosed him with bumblefoot and sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine. Moo took these, however the bumblefoot persisted. Seeing him covered in his own blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him because they were unfamiliar with his species’ anatomy. As more time elapsed, Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. and holding him close to my heart, he took his final breathe—crossing the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day but I know that a piece of my heart left with him. I believe that someday, I will be reunited with him again—this I take great comfort in. From this traumatizing event, my passion to pursue a career in veterinary medicine has been strengthened. But that is not to say that I am always in high spirits. I beat myself up internally every day because I could not save Moo. I still feel helpless and find myself contemplating my career choice. What if my actions result in the death of another animal—I would not be able to live with myself. Depression has settled over me and with it came suicidal thoughts. I often contemplate the idea that my life is worthless, for Moo gave me a reason for living. Without him here with me, the urge to be with him is overpowering—this is scary. Depression is a serious illness and I am trying to pull myself free from its grasp by remembering my ultimate goal in life—small animal veterinarian. I must remember the good moments with Moo—the times I held him close to my heart, the times he licked my finger since it smelled like watermelon, the times he would greet me in the morning with a wheek. Animals are not just animals—they are my family and I love them. I cherish the time spent with them because I have a difficult time connecting with other people. Animals don’t judge me or disappoint. They are full of unconditional love and this love is something that I lack towards myself. I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted—Moo’s death furthered this belief to the point where suicidal thoughts almost turned into action. As someone who was close to death, I know from experience that mental health is a serious subject in our society. There are some people who suffer in silence and I was one of them. That is until I began to openly talk about my suffering to my twin sister. I would hold private conversations with her where I would share my heart with her, telling her when I had strong urges to harm myself. Speaking aloud to her in the presence of my pets are factors that have played into my ability to refocus my attention back on my life’s passion. There are many times when I find myself in a dark place but standing atop to light my path forward is the realization that I have the ability to become a veterinarian. As a vet, I can enact change in the world by healing God’s greatest creations. Even though Moo could not be saved, another animal can. If I am not here on this Earth, who will save the next guinea pig diagnosed with bumblefoot? My personal struggle with my mental health is far from over and I have accepted the fact that it is something I will be dealing with for years to come. However, it is up to me to determine how I will react. Animals are my saving grace and have prevented me from spiraling further into the darkness. When I eventually become a veterinarian, I can then enact direct change in the profession by giving companion animals a chance at life. No person should have to suffer and sit by while their pet is in pain. No person should have to suffer in silence. No person should have to suffer alone. I have found safety among animals and I sincerely hope other people find their own equivalence. Help is there and healing is possible.

I Was not Ready to Say Goodbye The word “animal” for me has many different meanings, but one fact that I know for certain is that I think of them as part of the family. My dog Jesse and guinea pig Moo are considered to be my brothers. Another dog Jazmine was akin to my mother. From growing up with animals all my life, each experience I have had with them at that young age compounded throughout the years. Moving into elementary school and then middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—I wanted to become a small animal veterinarian. I remember in seventh grade looking up on the internet how to get accepted into veterinary school. If I could, I would have applied right then. My passion to attain my dream career is extremely powerful, so strong that it is pulling me though some of my darkest times. Unfortunately, animals do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to an exotic veterinarian after I discovered he had bumblefoot on one of the pads of his front feet. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pig’s feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine, and Moo was kept on these; however, the bumblefoot was not going away. He was still himself and still ate, drank, and cuddled with me A few hours before I found him covered in blood, I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him because they were unfamiliar with his anatomy. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day, knowing that a piece of my heart left with him. My belief about death is that whenever my time comes, I will be reunited with him again—this I take great comfort in. When I thought things could not get any worse, Jesse began dry coughing. He would do this constantly all day, so I knew something was wrong. After taking him to the vet’s office, the veterinarian told my family that Jesse is in heart failure. His lungs are filling up with fluid and this excess pressure on his lungs are pushing on his trachea, making him cough. His heart also is enlarged and his life expectancy is not much longer. While I am dreading life without him, all that we can do for Jesse is keep him on medication to make the rest of his life as comfortable as possible. This means spoiling him every day with treats, toys, kisses, belly rubs, and unconditional love. From these traumatic events, my passion for veterinary medicine and enacting change in the world is stronger than ever. I beat myself up internally every day because I could not save Moo, even though there was nothing anybody could have done for him—not even an exotic veterinarian. I beat myself up internally every day because I cannot reverse Jesse’s heart failure. Essentially, I feel helpless. This is why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small and exotic animals. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot or someone else’s dog who is in heart failure. I do not want to sit there and feel as though I am doing nothing. For the rest of my life, I want to work with animals and make them healthy. I want to fight to make medical care for pets more affordable for people, because saving an animal’s life is more important than all the money in the world. I am grateful for Jazmine, Moo, and Jesse for being in my life and showing me what love truly is. They are the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Animals are not just animals. They are my family and I will always love and fight for them.

The perfect world does not exist, but there is a way for me to make a positive difference no matter how small. Personally, the meaning of life revolves around my future career as a veterinarian. Since I was younger, any activity involving animals fascinated me. As a child, I can remember visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium where I became mesmerized by lions loudly roaring, gorillas running through the grass, penguins waddling around in the cold, elephants picking up hay with their trunk, flamingoes standing on one leg, and snakes curled around tree branches. My immense love for animals coupled with making sure they remain safe and healthy is my purpose in life. In my future, I want to travel to underserved communities and provide veterinary care at little to no cost. I believe that all animals deserve to live healthy lives—no exceptions—for it is a problem that money has to be the reason why some animals do not receive the care that they need. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise would not have this opportunity, I can ensure that I am making a difference in the world. But to achieve these great goals, I have to keep breathing. Blood needs to continue flowing through my veins. I suffer from severe anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and anorexia nervosa. Every day is a struggle, both physically and emotionally. Does my life matter? Yes it does. There are many goals that I have for my future self. My inner demons want me to fail and they want me to succumb to their demands. I allow my mind to wander to dark thoughts, believing myself to be utterly worthless. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and guinea pig—Jesse and Moo. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life—I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Jesse and Moo save me with just their presence. Knowing that they are in my life makes me want to keep fighting and claim my life back. My dream career and future goals stand as pillars of hope that keep me focused on my life’s purpose. Overcoming adversity makes up a majority of my life. Mental disorders are no joke for lives are literally hanging in the balance. To beat the demons and light up the dark that plagues my life, means everything to me. Finally being able to become a veterinarian will mean that I have achieved my life’s purpose—that I am important to this world. Thanks to the many animals that have been my companions and family. They are the ones who are helping me overcome adversity. From my personal pets to the animals that frequent my place of work, they have surrounded me with unconditional love and support—more so than my own family. In fact, there is no way that I can repay them because they have done more for me than I could ever do for them. Hence, I want people to know that overcoming adversity is possible. I am a testament to that fact.

The perfect world does not exist, but there is a way for me to make a positive difference no matter how small. Personally, the meaning of life revolves around my future career as a veterinarian. Since I was younger, any activity involving animals fascinated me. As a child, I can remember visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium where I became mesmerized by lions loudly roaring, gorillas running through the grass, penguins waddling around in the cold, elephants picking up hay with their trunk, flamingoes standing on one leg, and snakes curled around tree branches. My immense love for animals coupled with making sure they remain safe and healthy is my purpose in life. In my future, I want to travel to underserved communities and provide veterinary care at little to no cost. I believe that all animals deserve to live healthy lives—no exceptions—for it is a problem that money has to be the reason why some animals do not receive the care that they need. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise would not have this opportunity, I can ensure that I am making a difference in the world. Thus, my meaning of life revolves around helping animals. Serving the creatures that populate this world with us makes my existence matter—gives it a purpose. I do not consider myself to be a religious person, but I do believe in a higher power. Someone or something created animals and I believe that I was put here on Earth to help them. Animals have given me companionship and unconditional love throughout my life, gently guiding me into a career in veterinary medicine.

Listening is both an active and passive behavior. Biologically speaking, sound funnels into our ear canals and travels through the cochlea where impulses are sent to the brain. People can talk to you, and you listen; however, are you truly listening? Are you actively focusing all of your attention on the person in front of you to such an extent that your brain absorbs the conversation and makes sense of it? If the answer is no, then you are not actively listening, rather you are only engaging in a normal bodily process. For me personally, I suffer from a mental disorder. When I first approached my mom to tell her thoughts I had been having, she was both present and absent from the engagement. Her physical body sat in the room with me, but her attention was elsewhere. She was fiddling with her fingers, looking around at the nearby picture frame, and interrupting me from time to time. I came to her for support and love and what I got back was anything but that. Active listening can mean the difference between life and death. Whether or not she realized what she was doing, I did. I could tell that I was being heard on a biological level, but I was not truly being heard. Instead of offering love to me, the only thing she gave me was a feeling of isolation. One of my pillar of hope is my twin sister, Becca. Every time I come to her for love, she offers me her whole heart. Her eyes look into mine, her attention focused on my every word. She lets me talk without interrupting, for she always remains present. I want to emphasize the importance of active listening because it does save lives. Please listen. Thank you.

In my life, my pets have gotten me through some of my darkest times. I suffer from anorexia nervosa and my dog and guinea pigs are my rocks—they are what gets me through the day. There are many days when I cannot imagine myself being free of my disorder and I voluntarily succumb myself to its urges. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and two guinea pigs. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life. I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Of importance to me is leaving a legacy. I want to know that I made a difference in the world, no matter how small. I want to be able to do what I love for the rest of my life—that will make me happy. I want to leave a legacy of compassion behind me, for I want people to remember me as someone who was willing to risk it all for the safety and health of an animal. An animal’s life is more important to me than all of the money in the world. Even the lives of wild animals have great importance, for I cannot stand by and watch them struggle. I know that I value my dreams and desires highly, because I want to do good for the world. Helping animals who are in need is something that I cannot imagine myself not doing. Giving back to the creatures who make my life and the world so much better is an act that I find to be meaningful—it gives my life a purpose.

My pets have gotten me through some of my darkest times. I suffer from anorexia nervosa and my dog and guinea pigs are my rocks that get me through the day. In moments of need, my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and guinea pigs. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life. I was born to become a veterinarian, so with just their presence I am saved. Knowing that animals are and will always be in my life makes me want to keep fighting my eating disorder and claim my life back. My dream as a veterinarian stands as a pillar of hope that keeps me focused on my life’s purpose. Of importance to me is leaving a legacy. I want to know that I made a difference in the world, no matter how small. I do not want to be the most famous or the most renowned veterinarian in the world. All I want is to be able to do what I love for the rest of my life—that will make me happy. I want to leave a legacy of compassion behind me, for I want people to remember me as someone who was willing to risk it all for the safety and health of an animal. An animal’s life is more important to me than all of the money in the world. I know that I value my dreams and desires highly, because I want to do good for the world. Helping animals who are in need is something that I cannot imagine myself not doing. Giving back to the creatures who make my life and the world so much better is an act that I find to be meaningful—it gives my life purpose.

Community service allows you to serve others before serving yourself. This virtue is important for me regarding my future career aspiration—becoming a veterinarian. I currently volunteer at a local animal shelter, Animal Friends. While there, I am able to handle the dogs, cats, and rabbits that are housed here. The work is extremely gratifying to me because any time that I can spend with animals is dear to me. For example, I love being able to show potential adopters a specific dog because that dog is one step closer to finding their forever home. Not only do I work with animals while at this shelter, but I also help run bunny yoga, birthday parties, and summer camps. Furthermore, I am currently attending La Roche University with the goal of attaining my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I am also minoring in Chemistry, which brings about more opportunities for me after my graduation. In the middle of my sophomore year, I officially became an Organic Chemistry tutor. From friends and all over the internet, I knew that organic chemistry would be a difficult course. It is extremely demanding, time consuming, and the bane of many students’ existences—essentially, it is a weed-out class. Therefore, one of my highest achievements of my college career to date is mastering the course material to a level where my professor asked me to become an Organic Chemistry tutor! Of course, this offer was voluntary, but I gladly accepted it. I am more than willing to help those who need a little—or a lot—of support. Providing my tutoring services to the La Roche community has taught me important lessons in community service, such as leadership and that helping others is not only about money. Money aside, I would still be willing to be a tutor for my peers.

I have a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. Due to anorexia’s effects on my health, functioning in daily life is difficult. There are days when I cannot imagine myself being free of it and I voluntarily succumb myself to its urges. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and guinea pig—Jesse and Moo. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life. I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Jesse and Moo save me with just their presence. Knowing that they are in my life makes me want to keep fighting my eating disorder and claim my life back. My dream career stands as a pillar of hope that keeps me focused on my life’s purpose. My love for animals is strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself. I want to empower other people to love their true-self and find their version of happiness. In fact, the one person in this world who I consider to be my hero without question is Becca. I do not say this much to her, but I love her. Becca has taught me to love myself and give myself self-compassion. Regarding Becca, she has consistently shown herself to be stronger than her own battle with anorexia nervosa and she will recover! This gives me hope for my future, and I want to be just like her—just like my “little” sister. My life would not be the same without Becca in it, because she is my role model. I look to Becca for strength, comfort, and safety. Like I mentioned before, she is recovering from anorexia nervosa, while also inspiring me that I can do the same. Essentially, she is a beacon of hope in my life—motivating me to choose life. Becca is not just my sibling, rather she is my twin—my other half—and I dearly love her. I can recover!

How was the universe created? What were the first signs of life? What did primal humans look like? The world is full of questions with too few answers to quell our hunger for knowledge. I know that in my life I tend to ask many questions. I like to know specific answers and dread those that are open-ended. My mind functions in an empirical, scientific way, rather than on that which we cannot explain. This mindset factored into my decision to pursue veterinary medicine and become a veterinarian. It would make my life meaningful if I can examine a sick animal, discover the problem, and treat it. Of course, there will be many cases where the answer may never be known and I will be left distraught. However, I am not looking at only the negatives, but rather the entire picture. I know that there will be more positive outcomes than negatives ones so I cannot dwell on every instance in which I feel as though I failed an animal. Furthermore, my personal life is guided by the premise that all lives are precious. Whether that be a human or animal, all life has a purpose and reason for existing. Therefore, it is my duty to ensure their well-being and make sure that their basic needs are being met. Pursuing veterinary medicine will enable me to follow this personal philosophy. There is, however, one intersection of science and faith that I have a strong opinion on—evolutionary theory. I am a fan of Charles Darwin and highly respect his work. Evolution through natural selection has further expanded the diversity seen in living organisms and this is a fact During the 1800s, the majority of the intellectual community believed that God created every organism personally for the tasks they were to carry out. Nevertheless, I am a firm believer in evolution through natural selection, where populations evolve through survival of the fittest. From places like the Galapagos Islands and even in your backyard, this kind of evolution is occurring. Concerning faith and science as a whole, I believe that each plays off of the other. For instance, in a difficult medical case I may need to rely on faith rather than pure medicine. I could have done all I could to help the animal—performed surgery and administered medicine—but ultimately it could be up to the animal’s body or will to live that will be the determinant factor. Sometimes I have to accept the fact that medicine cannot solve every problem and blind faith is the only option. I believe that faith and spirituality are intertwined and are one and the same. I personally do not believe in an all-knowing divine being, but I do not refute the existence of something that cannot be explained. Essentially, I just use the word faith to describe things of a spiritual nature. Hence, I realize that faith is present in veterinary medicine to a large degree. As much as doctors want explainable cases and clear, step-by-step methods, it is a fact that sometimes creativity is the key. And with creativity comes educated guesswork and the unknown. It is in these instances that veterinarians rely on faith, for retaining faith in the power of healing and medicine will help the sick animal. Thus, I may not be the typical spiritual person, but I do believe in faith. But as much as I want to have clear answers to problems, I understand that I sometimes need to rely on the unknown—for faith could be the best, or only, medicine.

I am currently attending La Roche University and there I am obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree. I will use my biology major in the future to apply to any and all veterinary schools that I can. Since I was younger, I have always had an immense love for animals and making sure they remain safe and healthy is my purpose in life. Therefore, my dream is to become a small animal veterinarian. Looking at the world laid out in front of me, it is far from perfect. From the trouble caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the issue of racism, we are more divided than united. This is why I want to make a difference, however small, that will improve the lives of animals and people for the better. Serving others before serving myself is important for me regarding my future career aspiration— veterinarian. To make the world better, change needs to occur now. Two issues that ire personal to me—ones that I want to fix—is the financial burden of veterinary care and the lacking number of clinics that treat small exotic companion animals. Many years ago, my grandmother’s cat was coughing up blood, an immediate cause for concern. My grandmother called an emergency veterinary hospital, hanging up in tears—the cost was too much. She made the tough decision to wait until the following day when she could walk into her regular veterinarian’s office. Unfortunately, her cat did not survive the night. Money should never be the reason that an animal does not receive medical care. This is why I want to make it a priority to travel to underserved communities and provide care at little to no cost. I believe that all animals deserve to be healthy—no exceptions. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise would not have this opportunity, I can ensure that I am making a difference in the world. This next story is very personal. My dog Jesse had an open abscess on his neck that required immediate care. At our regular veterinarian’s office, my family did not have the money to pay for its removal. Therefore, we searched everywhere for a practice who could do the procedure at an affordable cost. Thankfully, we found a mobile clinic who saved my dog’s life. Thanks to their affordable prices, my dog’s abscess was removed and he survived. I want to do the same in my future, saving someone else’s pet and giving them a better quality of life—I have found my purpose. However, traveling around my community I found another flaw that puts the health of animals at risk. I learned this the hard way. One day I walked by my guinea pig Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to one of the few exotic veterinarians in my community where he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection called bumblefoot. When I saw Moo covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—his heart was weakly beating. I began crying hysterically, telling my sister to call a veterinarian. Unfortunately, nobody could examine him because they were unfamiliar with his anatomy. More time elapsed—Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath, crossing the Rainbow Bridge. Alarmingly, the existence of exotic veterinarians is practically nonexistent in my community. My beloved guinea pig—my best friend—was dying in my arms as countless clinics turned us away. Essentially, it is easier to get a cat or dog emergency medical help, but the same cannot be said of exotics. Because of Moo, I want to help someone else’s exotic pet, not turning them away. For the rest of my life, I want to provide equal, affordable medical care to as many species of animals as possible, making my community more inclusive—no animal will be turned away. Finally, as a young adult who has grown up surrounded by technology and the Internet, I feel comfortable with their use in our daily lives. I understand that they are both a gift and a curse to humanity, but I know that if used correctly, the benefits outweigh the risks. In the future, I believe that veterinary medicine will continue to improve due to advancements in technology. The next wave of the Internet will probably allow veterinarians to provide their clients access to telehealth, telemedicine, and teleconsulting—this is done remotely where the clients can be in the comfort of their own homes. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that medical care can still be accessible to people even if they are not able to travel directly to an office or hospital. For instance, schools are a good example of this. As the pandemic caused schools to close, Zoom and other online platforms became the new norm. Students opened up their laptops or sat down at their desktop computer and “went to school”. Essentially, the school system adapted to the changing environment, and this is what I think veterinary medicine will do. In fact, it will probably become more common and normal to speak with a veterinarian virtually and remotely from your home. I plan on using my knowledge and skills as a veterinarian to travel in a mobile clinic, as well as provide care remotely. I am willing to conform to the new norms and adapt to the changing environment. Hence, my interest and skills in veterinary medicine, along with my knowledge of technology, will enable me to make a difference in the world. I want to make it a better place for both people and animals by traveling to underserved communities and providing veterinary care at little to no cost. I also want to open a mobile clinic to allow me to do this, as well as accept small exotic companion animals. Veterinary medicine might have to adapt to virtual means, but as long as the animal’s health and well-being is a priority, the world will be a better place.

Serving others before serving myself is important for me regarding my future career aspiration— veterinarian. For seven years, I have been volunteering at an animal shelter, handling dogs, cats, and rabbits. I strive to change the lives of animals and people for the better. For example, many years ago my grandmother’s cat was coughing up blood, an immediate cause for concern. My grandmother called an emergency veterinary hospital, hanging up in tears—the cost was too much. She made the tough decision to wait until the following day when she could walk into her regular veterinarian’s office. Unfortunately, her cat did not survive the night. Money should never be the reason that an animal does not receive medical care. This is why I want to make it a priority to travel to underserved communities and provide care at little to no cost. I believe that all animals deserve to be healthy—no exceptions. By offering veterinary care to communities that otherwise would not have this opportunity, I can ensure that I am making a difference in the world. This next story is very personal. My dog Jesse had an open abscess on his neck that required immediate care. At our regular veterinarian’s office, my family did not have the money to pay for its removal. Therefore, we searched everywhere for a practice who could do the procedure at an affordable cost. Thankfully, we found a mobile clinic who saved my dog’s life. Thanks to their affordable prices, my dog’s abscess was removed and he survived. I want to do the same in my future, saving someone else’s pet and giving them a better quality of life—I have found my purpose. However, traveling around my community I found a flaw that puts the health of animals at risk. I learned this the hard way. One day I walked by my guinea pig Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to one of the few exotic veterinarians in my community where he was diagnosed with a bacterial infection called bumblefoot. When I saw Moo covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—his heart was weakly beating. I began crying hysterically, telling my sister to call a veterinarian. Unfortunately, nobody could examine him because they were unfamiliar with his anatomy. More time elapsed—Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath, crossing the Rainbow Bridge. Alarmingly, the existence of exotic veterinarians is practically nonexistent in my community. My best friend was dying in my arms as countless clinics turned us away. Essentially, it is easier to get a cat or dog emergency medical help, but the same cannot be said of exotics. Because of Moo, I want to help someone else’s exotic pet, not turning them away. For the rest of my life, I want to provide equal, affordable medical care to as many species of animals as possible, making my community more inclusive—no animal will be turned away.

“Life is precious.” Three simple words that mean so much. At any second—at any moment—the ones you love can be taken from you. In the blink of an eye, your entire world can flip upside down. This moment came in the year 2020. My everything was a three-pound black and white guinea pig named Moo and he was love at first sight. I immediately formed a strong bond with him and we were inseparable ever since. All my free time was spent holding him, cuddling with him, kissing his head. He was my everything and gave my life a purpose. Moo’s life was precious. Unfortunately, guinea pigs do not live forever. In the year 2020, an exotic veterinarian diagnosed Moo with bumblefoot—a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pig’s feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine; however, the bumblefoot persisted. One day I found Moo covered in blood. Earlier I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him, I immediately picked him up—Moo was limp, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. Moo was my everything and I would do anything to have him back, but the world does not work that way. The world brings the most wonderful beings into existence, but it can take them away just as easily. I am still grieving Moo’s death to this day but I know that a big piece of my heart left with him; however, I take comfort in the belief that I will be reunited with him again. Life without Moo has been extremely challenging and every day I wish he were here. From this traumatic event, my passion for veterinary medicine is stronger than ever, and this is why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small exotic companion animals because of Moo. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot, because for the rest of my life, I want to help animals—this is my purpose. No life should be wasted or disregarded. I am grateful that Moo was in my life, showing me every day what love truly is. He is the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. A guinea pig is not just an animal—he was a part of my family, a part of my heart, and I will forever love him. Moo was my everything. Right now, we have the opportunity to make the most of our lives. Cherish your loved ones and pursue your dreams, because life is beautiful, life is meaningful, life is precious.

Sadness is the price we pay for loving someone. My everything was a three-pound black and white guinea pig named Moo—love at first sight. I immediately formed a strong bond with him and we were inseparable ever since. All my free time was spent holding him, cuddling with him, and kissing his head. He was my everything and gave my life a purpose. Unfortunately, guinea pigs do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, an exotic veterinarian diagnosed him with a bacterial infection on one of his feet called bumblefoot. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine; however, the bumblefoot persisted. When I saw Moo covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically, imploring my sister to call an emergency veterinarian, but no one could see him. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving Moo’s death to this day but I know that a big piece of my heart left with him that day; however, I take comfort in the belief that I will be reunited with him again. From this traumatic event, my passion to pursue a career in veterinary medicine is stronger than ever, and I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Nevertheless, financial assistance will be required. Veterinary school is not only extremely difficult to get accepted into, but it is also extremely expensive. I am a twin—and she also wants to become a veterinarian—so for my family we are paying twice the amount for tuition. There is much strain, stress, anxiety, and tension in my household concerning the costs of a higher education for two people going to college at the same time— we are probably going to be in at least $500,000 of debt combined! If I could win this scholarship, our debt can be lessened. My family could then feel less pressure to continuously work in order to pay tuition costs. Ultimately, I specifically want to specialize in small exotic companion animals because of Moo. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot, making a positive difference in the world. In my future, I want to improve the lives of animals, because that is my purpose. I am grateful that Moo was in my life, showing me every day what true love is. He is the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine, but financial assistance is needed to make my dream a reality. Moo was not just an animal—he was a part of my family, a part of my heart, and I will forever love him. Moo was my everything.

Biology is the study of life and encompasses a wide variety of subtopics. Since I was younger, anything having to do with this field fascinated me, and I can remember that my science class in elementary school was my favorite. As I got older and began to think more seriously about my future, I knew I wanted to major in a STEM field. Currently, I am attending La Roche University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and there I am obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology. I will use this degree in the future to allow me to apply to any and all veterinary schools in the United States. Since I was younger, I have always had an immense love for animals and making sure they remain safe and healthy is my purpose in life. Therefore, my dream is to become a small animal veterinarian, making differences in the lives of animals. After graduating from college in two years, I imagine I will be working in a veterinary practice, gaining many hours of hands-on experience with an accredited veterinarian. I will also travel around to local practices and talk with the veterinarians there. I see myself soaking up all of this new knowledge and making good first impressions as I go. This is when my biology degree can go to good use, because I can remember the classes I took in college and apply the knowledge I learned. For example, I have taken an Endocrinology course as well as a Genetics course. So, if I am looking at a dog that has a hormone deficiency, I could consider that genetics played a role in its development. The experience and valuable knowledge that I gain will enable me to apply to veterinary school sometime in the next few years. I would love to be accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, making the final push that will allow me to graduate as an official DVM—Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. In light of the global pandemic, STEM occupations have been extremely important in helping people adapt and thrive. One of the most important applications of a STEM occupation in a post-pandemic world is healthcare. Our healthcare professionals risk their lives everyday by working in hospitals and taking care of those affected by COVID-19. Researchers worked tirelessly trying to create a vaccine and distribute it around the country. It is thanks to these professionals that a vaccine has been created and it is saving the lives of many people. In my future, I want to become a small animal veterinarian. While I would not be treating people, I would be treating their pets. As COVID-19 forced people to stay in their homes and avoid crowds, people began to utilize technology to remain connected to society. Telehealth and telemedicine began gaining attention. My vision of the future is that I would be working in a brick-and-mortar building, but some of my work might be done remotely. I want to go into the medical field and contribute to the goal of keeping all animals safe and healthy. Nobody knows what a post-pandemic world will look like, but one thing is known—the healthcare field has a whole new importance. I believe that more people will enter STEM occupations in the future and that more people will enter the healthcare industry, hoping to make a difference. Ultimately, my future job in STEM will allow me to help animals—putting others who need assistance first before me. I believe that every animal deserves to live a safe and healthy life.

Success. Achievement. Victory. Triumph. Achieving success is an important goal that nearly all people share. Some work their entire lives trying to support their families, while others are successful through their skills and abilities alone. I am considered by my family to be intelligent, for they are in awe of many of my academic achievements—4.0 GPA, Dean’s List, Honors Institute. I can remember the many instances whenever my mom would brag to her friends about these accomplishments, and I would brush them off. After all, it was what I should be doing—it was what I expected of myself. But above all, there is one achievement of mine that stands above the rest. It is the one that I am the proudest of, one that even I would brag of—learning to love myself again. I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted by anyone. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. Due to anorexia’s effects on my emotional, mental, and physical health, functioning in daily life is difficult. There are many days when I cannot imagine myself being free of it and I voluntarily succumb myself to its urges. I allow my mind to wander to dark thoughts, believing myself to be utterly worthless. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and guinea pig—Jesse and Moo. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life—I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Jesse and Moo save me with just their presence. Knowing that they are in my life makes me want to keep fighting my eating disorder and claim my life back. My dream career stands as a pillar of hope that keeps me focused on my life’s purpose. My love for animals is very strong and it has greatly helped in my recovery. How am I supposed to care and love animals if I cannot do the same thing for myself? Currently, I have learned to love myself with the same passion I have for animals and my dream career. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I am in control of my life, not my eating disorder. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to actually live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. Thus, my greatest achievement to date is learning to love myself again. I have learned that I am stronger and more intelligent than I give myself credit for. I am someone who others can brag about—I do not have to be ashamed of myself for having an eating disorder. Again, I love my blonde hair and the shape of my face. Anorexia nervosa may have caused my relationships with my family to bend, but I am the one who made them straight again. I will use this newfound confidence to tackle veterinary school and become a veterinarian. All animals deserve to live safe and healthy lives, and I intend to make sure that this goal is carried out into the future. This may seem to be a monumental task, but if I could learn how to love myself again, then I can do anything I set my mind to.

Being considered an artist is confusing to me. While I enjoy to color, draw, and do crafts, I do not consider myself to be a top-notch artist. Thinking of famous artists, such as Picasso, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, I am nowhere near that level of professionalism; however, art is a fundamental element that comprises my sense of self. In elementary school, I loved going to art class. I remember the time I weaved a basket in fifth grade, handcrafted a papier-mache robin in sixth grade, and drew a portrait of a toucan in seventh grade. I still have these three projects in my house, because they were my favorites from my childhood. Of course, I was a child during this time and any art class was better than sitting through a history or English class. Regardless, I am currently in college, and art has never left my life. I enjoy making handcrafted items for my family, such as cards and origami. During all of this, I am suffering from an eating disorder—anorexia nervosa—and functioning normally in everyday life is difficult. I get anxious very easily and it is hard for me to calm down—until I started to color. I am now a young adult and whenever people think of coloring, they think of their childhood self in kindergarten. Usually, adults are not supposed to color, but I believe this is highly false. Coloring is very therapeutic and relaxing. This is why I have bought many adult coloring books, and coloring is a favorite self-care activity of mine. This drive to be artistic allows me to push through some of my darker moments. Whenever I color, I am able to relax and focus on coloring inside the lines. I take my time, letting my hand flow across the page. I am able to add as much color as I want to the image and doing so brightens my mood—I often find my mind focusing on negative thoughts, but coloring allows me the opportunity to add color, positivity, and joy to my life. My artistic ambition is to continue coloring while enjoying the small things in life. Winning this scholarship will allow me to bring this artistic ambition to life. I plan to use my art to create change for future generations. While I understand I will never become a world-wide, well-known artist, that is not my goal anyways. I just want to make people—or at least one person—smile and feel joyful from my art. Pictures that I draw or images that I color illustrate my creative mind and highlights the way that every mind is unique. Not only can I interpret art in one context, but someone else might see the same image in a completely different light. Art is diverse, emotional, beautiful, and creative. It has affected my life in positive ways and I hope other people feel the same. I feel more confident in myself in that the world may not be as broken as the media portrays it to be. Art portrays beauty and tranquility and this is a reason why I will always express my artistic side. This scholarship can help me achieve these goals, inspiring more people to be creative.

Aggressive. Killer. Unpredictable. Devil. These are words that have been used by society to describe a specific type of dog—the pit bull. Pit bulls are the most misunderstood breed of dog, as they are portrayed in a negative light. However, I am fighting to give pit bulls the honor, respect, and positive image they most dearly deserve. I want to shout out that PIT BULLS ARE LOVING DOGS who, if given the chance, will show you their companionship and loyalty. Although once considered to be nanny dogs, society has placed negative stereotypes on these animals—tainting their reputation. For instance, critics claim that pit bulls are scary and aggressive, but the truth is that we have bred them in order to fit our criteria: large, aggressive, blocky head, and muscular. Then, people had the decency to force them to fight each other. Again, we have created the stereotype that all pit bulls are fighters whose only instinct is to kill. Not to mention, many of the problems associated with these dogs come as a result of reckless owners. If a dog is trained to guard a house or attack a human, why then do we blame the dog—and not the human—whenever an attack occurs? In my community, the country, and the world, I want to see change in the form of pit bull advocacy. Pit bulls cannot plead their case as to why they should not be feared, for we become their voice—I will be their voice. PLEASE ADOPT A PIT BULL! I volunteer at a local animal shelter and bear witness to the countless number of pit bulls that are passed by due to their classification as a pit bull. Most sit in their cages, pressed up against the wall, untrusting of most humans. Some were deserted by their owners, some found in the street all alone, some saved from being euthanized, some just plain abandoned, and some not loved anymore by their previous owners. When I walk past them, they shake from fear, because they do not know what I am going to do. Will I hit them, electrocute them, shoot them, hate them? All they want is someone -a family-to love them, but there is one gigantic problem—they are pit bulls. And when people are looking to adopt, pit bulls more often than not get overlooked. Adopters allow the stereotypes to control their choices, resulting in not giving these dogs a chance. Acting locally in my community, I encourage potential adopters to give pit bulls a chance. Give them a forever home because they will change your life for the better—I know my pit bull Jesse has. You will be given unconditional loyalty, companionship, and love from these dogs. I urge people to not let the stereotypes cloud your vision of the true nature of pit bulls. Remember that ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. We are the only ones that can change the lives of pit bulls. Dogs cannot talk, they cannot protest, they cannot speak out when they are condemned. We are their voice. I am their voice. Any dog can look threatening or be trained to look threatening, so there is no reason why prejudice can exist against pit bulls. For the rest of my life, I will continue to rescue pit bulls so that they can have a family who will love and spoil them without judgement. After all, a pit bull is not only lovable, sociable, and desirable—they are simply hug-a-bull!

My career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian and the COVID-19 pandemic has affected my current plans in a positive way. While it is harder for me to find a job working in a veterinary practice, I have been able to conduct more research into veterinary medicine. This has excited me even more to a future spent taking care of and helping animals. More specifically, I want to someday own a mobile veterinary practice, allowing me to travel to a patient’s house to provide medical care. This new aspiration of mine resulted from the pandemic because it enables people to stay at home, yet still receive veterinary care for their pet. In a world where people are making sure they protect themselves from the virus, I believe that keeping animals healthy should be just as important. I am excited for my future in veterinary medicine and the pandemic has only heightened my passion to achieve my goals in life.

My favorite scientist hands-down is western Pennsylvania native, Rachel Carson. As a resident of Pittsburgh, I can attest to the fact that there are many reminders of her in this city—for example, there is the Rachel Carson Bridge and Rachel Carson Trail. She was a big leader in the environmental movement, warning America as to the dangers of using chemical pesticides. As a fellow woman, I aspire to be like Rachel Carson and enact change in this world—she is an inspiration and leader for many generations of women to come.

Being a single mother is a difficult job to hold. I know this not from being one myself, but through the life of my cousin, Sarah Contestabile. She had a baby boy at the young age of 18. It was hard to watch her struggle through her final year of high school, while also working and preparing herself for the hardest job of all—being a mother. At age 18, people do not usually expect that they will have to change their focus in life from which college to attend to which baby crib should I buy, but this is what she had to do. Before Sarah announced her pregnancy, I had a close relationship with her—she is only two years older than I am. Every Saturday during the school year of our childhood, we would meet at my grandparent’s house and spend the day. I would talk with her and we would always have a good time either making couch forts, rolling down a grassy hill, or going to the local playground; however, after she announced she was pregnant, things changed slightly. She became more self-conscious, due in part to the fact that she was about to be a teen mom. Instead of talking to me about her plans for college and what major she wanted to pursue, she began to talk to me about diapers, cribs, pacifiers, etc. To me, I was still in high school and thinking about college, so preparing for the arrival of my second cousin was not even on my mind. I was still in shock that she was even pregnant in the first place, because I believe 18 years old is too young to be a mom. A big change in our relationship occurred from the fact that she had to hold a more mature mindset, while I was still trying to hold onto the last threads of my youth. Being close to a single mother has affected my day-to-day activities. When times seem tough for me, I am reminded of how Sarah got through her own troubles while taking care of an infant at the same time. Like I mentioned above, she was only 18 years old and had to take on the responsibilities associated with being the mother and caretaker of a child. Since the birth of her baby, she has been extremely strong and has been a wonderful mother. She inspires me every day, because she will do anything for her child—he is in good hands. With that said, it breaks my heart that she has had to put her own dreams on hold for the time being. After high school, she wanted to go to college to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant. After the birth of her baby, she had to stay at home to take care of him; therefore, going to college was out of the picture. I hope that in the future, she will reexamine her dreams and pursue them again. I always wish the best for her in her future endeavors. Thinking of my own future, I do not plan to be a mother. Although, if I were to have kids, I would strive to be just like my cousin, Sarah. Sarah has impacted the way that I think of what is to come. For her, becoming pregnant was not planned, so she was, in a way, thrown for a loop. From this I learned that life cannot always be planned out beforehand. You could know what you want to do, but then something monumental happens that changes everything. I have to understand that I have to be more flexible, such that if things do not go my way, that it okay. I do not need to become overwhelmed, rather I need to breathe and acknowledge that I will always have family who will support me. Sarah has also taught me about love. No matter how much sleep she has lost and can never get back or how much money she has spent in order to raise a child, Sarah has not complained. Her dedication to her child is tremendously strong, and I believe that she is the epitome of a good mother. Even at her young age, I believe that she was born to be a mother, although she may not have believed it in the beginning. The whole time she was pregnant, she feared that she was not ready to be a mother. She still lived with her parents, she knew nothing about raising a child, and she was not even considered to be an adult yet; however, the moment she held her baby in her arms for the first time, these worries vanished. She immediately transformed from a teenager into the most wonderful single mother any child could dream to have. I am very grateful to Sarah for still being in my life and showing me these lessons every day. Hence, winning this scholarship would change Sarah’s life for the better. She would be able to use this award to pay tuition associated with earning a degree. Finances weigh heavy in her mind, for a child is not cheap. Sarah is the most deserving mom for this scholarship, because through the many struggles she has faced in her life, her everything is her son Colton. Everything she does is for him and her love is unconditional—this is truly inspiring.

My family is anything but normal but isn’t that usually the case in most families? I am proud to say that I am mainly of Polish descent, coming from my mother’s side. I have blue eyes, blonde hair, and skin that is light in color—in the summer, I burn rather than tan. While I am not very familiar with Polish culture and traditions, I enjoy learning about it from my grandparents. It is amazing to me that my grandmother and grandfather still speak Polish to each other, so whenever I visit them, they always talk to me in Polish—knowing I have absolutely no idea what they are saying! Polish traditions are very interesting if you take the time to learn about them. For example, my grandmother buys intricately designed hand-painted Polish eggs—pisanki—every Easter from a little shop near her house. She mails them to me, and I look forward to receiving them. I am always amazed by these eggs because the unique designs look tedious to paint; however, they are truly wonderful pieces of art. I have also learned a scary part of my family’s history. Whenever my grandmother was a child, she was in the care of her aunt. At that time in history, the Germans were going around to every house and rounding up the children who had no one to take care of them. As the officers came to the residence of my grandmother, her aunt told the Germans that she was the caretaker. If this had not happened, my grandmother would have been taken and probably been killed. Learning about that piece of my family’s history really made me appreciate them even more. Additionally, my grandfather on my mother’s side moved to New Jersey from Poland, and the community he entered into welcomed him with open arms. This shows me how kind the world can be whenever people are not enacting violence on one another or culturally stereotyping. I am a believer of treating people the way you would like to be treated. Furthermore, my family’s story has shaped my career aspirations because I know from them that hard work pays off. Moving to a new country and starting a life is a daunting obstacle, but my family has managed to do just that. Their success started a cascade of events that eventually led to my birth. In particular, I want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and, while nobody in my family is a doctor, they will support me in my endeavor. Love runs rampant in my life, enabling me to feel confident about myself and my future. While my Polish blood is not apparent in my speech, it is apparent in my general appearance. I love to learn about my family’s history and where I came from. Someday, I want to visit Poland and experience their culture and traditions firsthand.

Unfortunately, animals do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by my guinea pig Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to an exotic veterinarian after I discovered he had bumblefoot on one of the pads of his front feet. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pig’s feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine, and Moo was kept on these; however, the bumblefoot was not going away. He was still himself and still ate, drank, and cuddled with me A few hours before I found him covered in blood, I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him because they were unfamiliar with his anatomy. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day, knowing that a piece of my heart left with him. My belief about death is that whenever my time comes, I will be reunited with him again—this I take great comfort in. From this traumatizing event, my passion to pursue a career in veterinary medicine is stronger than ever. I beat myself up internally every day because I could not save Moo, even though there was nothing anybody could have done for him—not even an exotic veterinarian. Essentially, I feel helpless and find myself contemplating my career choice. What if my actions result in the death of an animal—I would not be able to live with myself. However, it is in these moments when I remember Moo. He is the reason why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small and exotic animals. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot and I do not want to sit there and feel as though I am doing nothing. For the rest of my life, I want to work with animals and make them healthy. I want to make medical care for pets more affordable for people, because saving an animal’s life is more important than all the money in the world. I am grateful that Moo was a part of my life and showing me what love truly is. He is the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Animals are not just animals—they are my family and I love them. Hence, I hope that my experience with PTSD can help someone else who is suffering, because I believe that it is possible to be happy again. With help from my therapist, I am learning to lessen the guilt that I put on myself for Moo’s death. I am trying to understand that there was nothing more anybody could have done to have saved him. I must remember the good moments instead—the times I held him close to my heart, the times he licked my finger since it smelled like watermelon, the times he would greet me in the morning.

Nobody in my family expected it. Whenever I came into this world, I came with a twin. My sister and I were born prematurely, and since the second I took my first breath in this world, life became a struggle; however, this is not the challenge I will be writing about. There is a disorder that I am all too familiar with—scoliosis. Scoliosis is characterized by abnormal curvature of the spine. The degree of curvature varies from person to person. Some people have a slight curvature, whereas others have a curve that is so severe that it requires surgery to “correct”. In my case, the latter held true. Growing up, I was a normal kid. I went to school, played with friends, and tried not to get into too much trouble. Life was normal until my parents began to realize that my hips were not level. One was raised higher than the other one, and you could trace the s-shape of my spine with your finger. Being a kid, I never quite grasped that I was different from everyone else—to add to my differences, I wore glasses and had speech troubles, which I was forced to overcome throughout the duration of my childhood. I wore a back brace at night, as well wearing one during the day; however, nothing was stopping the curve from getting worse. Scoliosis is not something that can be “overcome” in the sense of the word. There is no stretch I can do or medicine I can take to cure it. Truly, the only option is surgery. As the years progressed, my curve got worse. At its climax, which was why I got surgery in the first place, it was 54 degrees. If you are not familiar with how scoliosis affects your body, let me tell you that a spine with that severe a curve is not good. My organs were being pushed out of their usual places in my body, and my ribs were pressing on my lungs. Essentially, I was at the point where gravity was taking over, and there was no way for my curve to get “better”. Surgery was the only option at this point. Overall, I was not afraid of surgery, because I trusted my orthopedic surgeon. He had previously done many of these surgeries before and knew what to do. The surgery would result in two metal rods and twenty two screws in my back. After it was over, I was in the hospital for five days of recovery. It is here that my challenge begins. Learning how to walk again was the first obstacle I would face. I remember struggling to sit-up, even though multiple nurses were there helping me. I felt so weak and out of energy, not to mention the pain in my back. Putting these feelings aside, I stood up. Good. I can do this. I took my first step forward. It was a struggle, but I did it. I began to walk to the window and then back to my bed. That was enough for the moment. Later that day, I made it into the hallway, and then two doors down. Three days later, I walked up and down a flight of five stairs! Even though I was in immense pain, I pushed through it. I was determined to gain my strength back and go back home to recover. If I wanted to regain the freedom I had pre-surgery, then I was forced to teach myself how to walk again. The whole experience has affected me immensely. For one, I do not take walking for granted anymore. When not able to perform this function, I realized just how lucky I am to be able to walk, because there are many people who live their whole lives in wheelchairs, unable to walk. I also learned how to persevere through immense pain. Times may be hard and you want to give up but putting in energy and persevering can lead to positive outcomes. I pushed through all of my pain and was determined to walk again. Setting this goal for myself made the task more easily imaginable. By picturing myself walking again pain-free, I gained confidence. My family would encourage me along the way by telling me how great I was doing, as well as knowing when to back off when they could see that I was in a great amount of pain. I know that I encountered this obstacle and came out the opposite side stronger.

Being considered an artist is confusing to me. While I enjoy to color, draw, and do crafts, I do not consider myself to be an artist. Thinking of famous artists, such as Picasso and Van Gogh, I am nowhere near that level of professionalism; however, art is a fundamental element that comprises my sense of self. In elementary school, I loved going to art class. I remember the time I weaved a basket in fifth grade, handcrafted a papier-mache robin in sixth grade , and drew a portrait of a toucan in seventh grade. I still have these three projects in my house, because they were my favorites from my childhood. Of course, I was a child during this time and any art class was better than sitting through a history or English class. Regardless, I am currently in college, and art has never left my life. I enjoy making handcrafted items for my family, such as cards and origami. During all of this, I am suffering from an eating disorder—anorexia nervosa—and functioning normally in everyday life is difficult. I get anxious very easily and it is hard for me to calm down—until I started to color. I am an adult and whenever people think of coloring, they think of their childhood self in kindergarten. Usually, adults are not supposed to color, but I believe this is highly false. Coloring is very therapeutic and relaxing. This is why I have bought many adult coloring books, and coloring is a favorite self-care activity of mine. This drive to be artistic allows me to push through some of my dark moments. Whenever I color, I am able to relax and focus on coloring inside the lines. I take my time, letting my hand flow across the page. I am able to add as much color as I want to the image and doing so brightens my mood—I often find my mind in a dark environment, but coloring allows me the opportunity to ad color and joy to my life. I plan to use my art to create change for future generations. While I understand I will never become a well-known artist, that is not my goal anyways. I just want to make people—or at least one person—smile and feel joyful from my art. Pictures that I draw or images that I color illustrate my creative mind and highlights the way that every mind is unique. Not only can I interpret art in one context, but someone else might see the same image in a completely different light. Art is diverse, emotional, beautiful, and creative. It has affected my life in positive ways and I hope other people feel the same. I feel more confident in myself in that the world may not be as broken as the media portrays it to be. Art portrays beauty and tranquility to me and this is a reason why I will always keep my artistic side.

Because natural ecological systems, plants, and animals are disappearing at an alarming rate, humans must be concerned. Much of the disappearance has been directly the result of human activities. For example, the Galapagos Islands are a group of islands off of the coast of Ecuador. Many species of plants and animals on the Galapagos Islands are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. In the past, humans introduced goats to the islands and what resulted was catastrophic. The goats began to overgraze and overpopulate, allowing them to outcompete endemic species, such as the giant tortoises—eradication efforts had to be put in place to eliminate the goats. Not only that, but the introduction of humans to the islands resulted in the killing of native animals for food. Because the animals were not as scared of the human presence, they were easier to catch. As a result, species of native animals were hunted almost to extinction and the disappearance of an endemic species would result in its extinction. I believe that this example constitutes a global problem that is happening all over, not just in the Galapagos The appearance of even one alien species into a new ecosystem can unravel the whole, delicate balance. For example, elephants are a type of keystone species, that if removed from the ecosystem, will cause radical changes. No other species will be able to fill the environmental role, or niche, held previously by the elephant. Elephants held create watering holes, which are crucial for the survival of many other species in the area. They also shape the landscape to allow others to thrive—the loss of elephants will be catastrophic. Additionally, loss of species and ecosystems will result in a loss of biodiversity. This in turn has negative consequences for humans. One such consequence is decreased food security. As humans cut down forests, build dams, and clear fields for urbanization, we are causing the diminishment of places that animals call home. For example, dams do not usually include proper bypass systems to allow fish the ability to swim past them; therefore, their life cycles and breeding cycles can be restricted. A result of this is the decrease in their numbers, possibly to extinction. Another consequence of biodiversity loss for humans is the difficulty to live off the land. For example, in poor countries who live on the coast rely on the ocean for sustenance. By our human actions, we are overfishing, polluting the water, destroying the habitat, and introducing alien species. Because of us, the people and communities who rely on the ocean for their daily survival will suffer these negative effects. Plants and animals are not the only living beings who are affected by biodiversity loss. Lastly, there are strategies that we can implement to protect endangered species. One such strategy is knowledge. Knowing and learning about endangered species can be the first step towards actually protecting them. Schools should teach young kids about what they can do to help, such as recycling, using sustainable products, volunteer at a local park or wildlife refuge, or even making sure your neighborhood is safe for the local wildlife. Regarding myself, driving at night is a scary experience because my vision is reduced. Not only am I less able to see other people, but I am also less able to see animals who are in or by the road. I have made it a priority to drive slower at night, because a residential environment poses hazards for native wildlife. Another small tactic I can encourage is for people not to litter. Trash can not only attract wildlife to the side of a road, but it can also be toxic for them if ingested—trash can also kill animals as well as suffocate them. Furthermore, humans can also allocate more areas of land as national wildlife refuges to help advance wildlife conservation. Because of this, these areas can be withdrawn from the public domain to protect the species that live there. As I have mentioned previously, the Galapagos Islands has faced problems from the introduction of humans to the introduction of goats. This ecosystem must be protected if we want to preserve species for generations to come, which is why there are laws that has made it one of the largest protected marine areas in the world. I want to urge domestic and foreign governments to understand the immediate need to protect vulnerable species and their habitats. The entire world is interconnected, and loss in one area affects all other areas. I think of our entire world as a string of Christmas lights. When all of the lights are working together and healthy, the entire string is lit up and it looks beautiful; however, even if one single bulb burns out, the whole string will not work. Humans have to take control of our actions, because we are the only ones who can save our environment from our own behaviors. I hope more conservation education can be taught in schools all over the world, as well as more laws dedicated to preserving and conserving species. The world will only be as healthy as we make it—I hope future generations will get to see its beauty and impressiveness.

In my nineteen short years here on this planet, I have not traveled very far from the United States. In fact, the farthest place I have been is Niagara Falls, Canada—through New York and right over the Canadian border. Therefore, I crave the excitement and adventure of flying across the Atlantic Ocean and exploring a world that for me is cloaked in mystery. Of course, is not completely mysterious to me, but I have never seen it with my own eyes, so you never know. Before I “kick the bucket,” I would love to go to Australia as my study abroad destination. While I don’t know that much about Australian history and their culture, I am a firm believer that it is more beneficial to actually do something instead of reading about it—why would I Google Australian culture when I could go see it with my own eyes! Why would I go through the hassle of trying to make meat pies or a pavlova at home when I could go taste authentic ones in Australia! Not to mention, there is amazing wildlife that I would be so honored to see and learn about. I have never been on a study abroad trip up to this time, but I am excited for any opportunity to do so. Reminiscing on the adventures of traveling to new and exotic places is not only going to be told to future generations whenever you are grandparents, but it also gives you a great opportunity to learn more about the world around you. In the process, you can learn new things about yourself. For example, I am a shy person, but maybe I could be more sociable when placed on a new continent. In this way, I can return home feeling more confidence in myself and my social abilities. I might even get inspired by the unique, local culture or pick up a new hobby. I know that cricket is played in Australia and what better way to learn more about that sport than by actually playing it with people who themselves love to play it. Studying abroad will give me this once in a lifetime opportunity to broaden my knowledge and understanding of the world—I will find out that there is so much more to explore. I cannot wait until the pandemic passes by and people are able to travel again. There is so much of the world left for me to see and experience, it truly becomes overwhelming. I guess I have to stop dreaming it and start doing it!

Many people throughout the years have asked me what my plans are for the future. Will I still live in Pittsburgh? Will I call home every day? Will I be married? While answers to these questions may still be in the making, one thing is for certain and has been since I was younger—I intend to become a small animal veterinarian. I have an immense passion for all animals, making my decision to become a veterinarian inevitable and simple. However, choosing this future career will bring many obstacles, including, but not limited to, debt, hard work, and stress. One thing I do know is that the payoff will be worth it—achieving my dream job is something I look forward to. As of right now, winning this award can hopefully be one of many accomplishments in my life. It costs much money to go to veterinary school—not to mention the fact that there are only about 30 accredited vet schools in this country. I am scared that whenever I graduate from La Roche University, my family will not have enough money for vet school—I also want to mention that my twin sister also wants to be a veterinarian, so my family needs all the help we can get. By winning this award, I can use it to help get my bachelor’s degree. My future job will allow me to help animals—putting others who need assistance first before me. One day I want to travel to underserved communities and provide them with medical care for their pets at affordable prices. I believe that every animal deserves to live a safe and healthy life. Achieving success in my chosen career will allow me to promote peace in this chaotic, unpredictable world. Thus, my ability to enact change in the world around me is exciting. I often hear people who say that they want to leave their mark on this Earth, either by becoming wealthy, famous, or both. I, on the other hand, am not looking for this kind of life. I just want to care for God's greatest creations--animals. Nothing would make me happier than going to work everyday doing what I love. Outside of my academic life, I volunteer at a local animal shelter. I enjoy spending my free time with the dogs, cats, and rabbits who are waiting to find their forever home. This experience is extremely fulfilling for me, because I know that my presence relaxes many of the anxious animals. For example, many of the dogs there are discriminated against because of their breed, so potential adopters do not even want to ask to take them out. I, on the other hand, sit with these dogs to make them feel a human connection. I love volunteering at this animal shelter. Additionally, I am a member of the American Chemical Society as well as an Organic Chemistry tutor. Learning about science and helping my peers are important to me--I am always willing to learn something new. Hence, my ultimate goal in life is to become a small animal veterinarian. I plan to obtain a bachelor's degree in biology and then get accepted into one of the few veterinary schools in the United States to officially become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Animals are not just animals to me, rather they have given my life meaning. They have given me personally a purpose. I intend to pursue my dream career with all my heart, and I know that one day I will achieve the ultimate goal.

In my life, kind people have been few and far between. Going through elementary school, I was bullied by my peers, and I still carry the effects of the harassment to this very day. I slowly began to lose hope that any new person I would meet would be kind to me—I feared that they would judge me like my childhood bullies did. That is why an encounter with one of my college professors made me reconsider my prior beliefs about people’s kindness. Dr. Don Fujito is a Chemistry Professor at La Roche University and I initially met him during my first ever visit to the university. Upon this initial greeting, he began talking to me about what my intended major was and any future goals I had. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology because I want to become a small animal veterinarian in the future. I could tell that he was genuinely interested in what I was saying and he even introduced me to other faculty members that were in the biology department. A few years later I returned to La Roche University but this time as a student. On my first day, I passed Dr. Fujito in the main campus center and something extraordinary happened—he remembered my name, major, and future goals! I had only met him one time prior, and I was elated that he remembered who I was. Dr. Don Fujito continues to this day to support me in achieving my future goals. Every time I see him, he stops to talk to me. Of course, I have taken his classes, and they are some of my favorite ones. Dr. Fujito cares about each and every one of his students as though they are his own kids. I had never before had a professor who was this dedicated—he would bend over backward for me and he has on multiple occasions. He emails me regularly just to check up on me and discuss my future plans. He has sent my family Christmas cards to celebrate the holidays. He has given me confidence in myself and in my abilities. Organic Chemistry is an extremely difficult and demanding course, but thanks to him, I am an Organic Chemistry tutor! His kindness emanates every day, to the point where I am so excited to go to his classes—even when they are at 8 am. I have even driven through a blizzard to attend his class, because he inspires me every day. Because of him, I have belief in myself that I can accomplish my goals in life. I believe I can become a small animal veterinarian because he believes in me. His words of wisdom weight heavy in my mind, and I know that even after I graduate from La Roche University, I will still remain in contact with him. He a professor that only comes around once in a billion years, and I am so grateful that his kindness has impacted my life for the better. Thanks to Dr. Don Fujito, I now believe that people can be kind to me, because I am worthy of it.

The word “animal” for me has many different meanings, but one fact that I know for certain is that I think of them as part of the family. My dog named Jesse and guinea pig named Moo are considered to be my brothers, and another dog named Jazmine was akin to my mother. From growing up with animals all my life, each experience I have had with them at that young age compounded throughout the years. Moving into elementary school and then middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—I wanted to become a small animal veterinarian. I remember one day when I was in seventh grade of looking up on the internet how to get accepted into veterinary school. If I could, I would have applied right then and there. My passion and drive to attain my dream career is extremely powerful. It is so strong that it is pulling me though some of my darkest times. Unfortunately, animals do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to an exotic veterinarian after I discovered he had bumblefoot on one of the pads of his front feet. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pig’s feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine, and Moo was kept on this; however, the bumblefoot was not getting any better. He was still himself and he still ate, drank, and loved to be cuddled with. A few hours before I found him covered in blood, I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him, because he was an exotic animal and their practice only dealt with cats or dogs. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day and I know that a piece of my heart left with him that day. My belief about death is that whenever my time comes, I will be reunited with him again—this I take great comfort in. When I thought things could not get any worse, Jesse began dry coughing. He would do this constantly all day, so I knew something was wrong. After taking him to the vet’s office, the veterinarian told my family that Jesse is in heart failure. His lungs are filling up with fluid and this excess pressure on his lungs are pushing on his trachea, making him cough. His heart also is enlarged and his life expectancy is not much longer. While I am dreading the decision my family will have to make in the future, all that we can do for Jesse is keep him on medication and make the rest of his life as comfortable as possible. This means spoiling him every day with treats, toys, kisses, hugs, belly rubs, and love. From these traumatic events, my passion for veterinary medicine is stronger than ever. I beat myself up internally every day because I could not save Moo, even though there was nothing anybody could have done for him—not even an exotic veterinarian. I beat myself up internally every day because I cannot reverse Jesse’s heart failure. Essentially, I feel helpless. This is why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small and exotic animals. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot or someone else’s dog who is in heart failure. I do not want to sit there and feel as though I am doing nothing. For the rest of my life, I want to work with animals and make them healthy. I want to make medical care for pets more affordable for people, because saving an animal’s life is more important than all the money in the world. I am grateful for Jazmine, Moo, and Jesse for being in my life and showing me what love truly is. They are the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Animals are not just animals—they are my family and I love them.

Being a single mother is a difficult job to hold. I know this not from being one myself, but through the life of my cousin, Sarah. She had a baby boy at the young age of 18. It was hard to watch her struggle through her final year of high school, while also working and preparing herself for the hardest job of all—being a mother. At age 18, people do not usually expect that they will have to change their focus in life from which college to attend to which baby crib should I buy, but this is what she had to do. Before Sarah announced her pregnancy, I had a close relationship with her—she is only two years older than I am. Every Saturday during the school year of our childhood, we would meet at my grandparent’s house and spend the day. I would talk with her and we would always have a good time either making couch forts, rolling down a grassy hill, or going to the local playground; however, after she announced she was pregnant, things changed slightly. She became more self-conscious, due in part to the fact that she was about to be a teen mom. Instead of talking to me about her plans for college and what major she wanted to pursue, she began to talk to me about diapers, cribs, pacifiers, etc. To me, I was still in high school and thinking about college, so preparing for the arrival of my second cousin was not even on my mind. I was still in shock that she was even pregnant in the first place, because I believe 18 years old is young to be a mom. A big change in our relationship occurred from the fact that she had to hold a more mature mindset, while I was still trying to hold onto the last threads of my youth. Being close to a single mother has affected my dad-to-day activities. When times seem tough for me, I am reminded of how Sarah got through her own troubles while taking care of an infant at the same time. Like I mentioned above, she was only 18 years old and had to take on the responsibilities associated with being the mother and caretaker of a child. Since the birth of her baby, she has been extremely strong and has been a wonderful mother. She inspires me every day, because she will do anything for her child—he is in good hands. With that said, it breaks my heart that she has had to put her own dreams on hold for the time being. After high school, she wanted to go to college to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant. After the birth of her baby, she had to stay at home to take care of him; therefore, going to college was out of the picture. I hope that in the future, she will reexamine her dreams and pursue them again. I always wish the best for her in her future endeavors. Thinking of my own future, I do not plan to be a mother. Although, if I were to have kids, I would strive to be just like my cousin, Sarah. Sarah has impacted the way that I think of what is to come. For her, becoming pregnant was not planned, so she was, in a way, thrown for a loop. From this I learned that life cannot always be planned out beforehand. You could know what you want to do, but then something monumental happens that changes everything. I have to understand that I have to be more flexible, such that if things do not go my way, that it okay. I do not need to become overwhelmed, rather I need to breathe and acknowledge that I will always have family who will support me. Sarah has also taught me about love. No matter how much sleep she has lost and can never get back or how much money she has spent in order to raise a child, Sarah has not complained. Her dedication to her child is tremendously strong, and I believe that she is the epitome of a good mother. Even at her young age, I believe that she was born to be a mother, although she may not have believed it in the beginning. The whole time she was pregnant, she feared that she was not ready to be a mother. She still lived with her parents, she knew nothing about raising a child, and she was not even considered to be an adult yet; however, the moment she held her baby in her arms for the first time, these worries vanished. She immediately transformed from a teenager into the most wonderful single mother any child could dream to have. I am very grateful to Sarah for still being in my life and showing me these lessons every day.

Two plus two equals four. Five times two equals ten. From a young age, I was taught simple mathematical problems and I could solve them without much problem. Of course, as I went from grade-to-grade, math classes increased in difficulty; however, I was always at the top of my class as far as grades were concerned. I loved math and I still do to this very day. Many people ask, “When will I ever have to solve the quadratic formula in my adult life,” or “Why do I have to learn how to solve this integral?” The truth is you probably will not ever have to do that, unless you go into a field that requires it. Nonetheless, math is dealt with in our daily lives, even without our knowing it. For example, making a budget and managing your finances requires you to be able to subtract balances—enabling you to know how much money you have compared to how much you spent. If you are a baker, math is important in measuring ingredients so the food turns out the way it should. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology from La Roche University, because I plan on becoming a small animal veterinarian. Even though it may not be thought that math will have that much importance in this career, it will. For example, if a dog comes in who has a broken leg, I might have to solve mathematically in what position I should place a metal rod to hold the bones together. Another example is illustrated in the medicine itself. I have to have a solid foundation in math skills if I want to prescribe the appropriate dosage—failure to get the dosage correct could result in an animal overdosing. What happens if I have to weigh an animal, take their vitals over the course of a few weeks, or track the progress of a tumor’s growth? I will have to be able to compute and analyze these numbers in order to provide appropriate care to the animal. I believe that virtually every career requires you to have basic fundamental knowledge in math. Math has shaped my understanding of the world around me. For example, there are pine trees in my yard and from them pinecones fall. These pinecones are evidence of the Fibonacci sequence occurring in nature. Another interesting fact about nature is evident whenever you look at a honeycomb—it is a bunch of hexagons. Even the action of looking at up the moon at night reminds me just how far we are from it. While it looks like humans can easily reach it, it will actually take a few days. I believe that if humans did not have any math skills, then the human race would cease to exist. No innovations or inventions would have been created—think about a world with no phones, televisions, cars, or even money. Math was the foundation from which our society was born. Therefore, the world around me is extremely fascinating, and math allows me to appreciate it to a much greater degree. I find myself more and more trying to uncover the wonders of nature through the lens of math, such as with pinecones or honeycombs.

Music has always been in my life since I was a baby. My dad used to be a member of my local church’s band, and I remember as a kid watching him perform. Growing up, my family were big country music fans, and this was always the genre playing in our house, in the car, even in the shower! As I got older, I continued to gravitate towards country music, because it reminded me of my childhood. I love listening to Luke Combs, Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Hunter Hayes, and Scotty McCreery—just to name a few. Many of the songs that I listen to are extremely relatable and you can usually tell what I am feeling at the moment by only the song I am listening to. For example, I was bulled in elementary school and none of my friends or teachers would stand up for me. This made me feel invisible—even though my bully knew who I was. Therefore, I would listen to Hunter Hayes’s, “Invisible”. Music also has the ability to bring people together. Going to concerts was a great way for my family to spend quality time together and listen to amazing music. When we were at home, my dad would turn on the radio at full blast and play country music—it was loud! Other times he would take his guitar outside in the summer evenings and play the choruses of some of my favorite songs. Our neighbors would usually hear this and come over to sit, listen, and talk. Then, one of us would start a bonfire and we would listen to music until almost midnight. These were good times. Regarding me personally, I have tried to learn to play the guitar, but I truly love listening to my dad play instead. Therefore, I do not have a strong urge to learn myself. The only instrument that I played as a child was the trumpet in elementary school. I remember my school concerts where I would go up in front of the audience and play a specific song. I loved to do this, but unfortunately I stopped after I left elementary school due to financial reasons. At the moment, I still do not play an instrument, but I constantly am listening to music. Like I mentioned above, the genre is usually country, but I have recently gotten into classical music. I find it to be extremely comforting and relaxing, so I listen to it whenever I am either reading, studying, or doing homework. I can concentrate better when I listen to this type of music—Faulkner and Yiruma are two of my favorites. Overall, I could not imagine what my life would have been like had it not been for music. Music brought my family closer together, as well as providing me an emotional outlet.

Living a healthy lifestyle and staying fit are important to people in today’s day and age. There are consequences of not eating a healthy diet and of lying on the couch all day. Therefore, it is encouraged for everyone to live at least a moderately active lifestyle and eat lots of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats, and healthy carbohydrates. For me, the words “healthy” and “fit” have a complicated meaning, due in part to the fact that I have an eating disorder—anorexia nervosa. I have an unhealthy relationship with food, such that I constantly fear that it will only hurt my body and not fuel it. My recovery will take a long time and I know that I have to form a new, healthy relationship with food—viewing it as pleasurable and enjoyable. Due to my eating disorder, I have had to stop much of my exercise, because my body cannot afford to burn any excess energy. This has been hard for me, because the urge to go outside and walk is intense, but I know that the decision to not go will only help me in the end. With this said, the benefits of being fit speak for themselves—you have more energy, a stronger heart, mental clarity, decreased risk for depression, lower weight, a better mood, etc. I know firsthand that these are real benefits from exercising, but my situation requires me to put recovery before exercise. Thus, my healthy lifestyle involves forming a healthy relationship with food by viewing it both as fuel for my body and viewing it as something to be enjoyed. Being healthy means I am at a weight that is sustainable for my height and age. To be honest, right now I am being monitored by a doctor because my body is suffering the negative effects from my eating disorder—I am extremely close to being mentally unstable. Regarding my eating disorder, part of the reason I believe I am where I am is due to society. They pressure you to be the thinnest, eat only “healthy” foods, eat the fewest calories, etc. I am constantly bombarded with weight loss advertisements and many different diets. What people really need to realize is that many of these diets say it is okay to cut out certain groups of foods from your diet, such as carbohydrates—this is not safe! I believe that our society needs to be reeducated about nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle. I have learned that it is not about eating in moderation but eating intuitively. I hope people will rethink their definition of health and fitness immediately, because your thoughts could end up as an eating disorder. This is what happened to me, and I truly hope that nobody has to suffer like I am.

I want to make it clear that I do not discriminate against people based on their race. I believe that anyone, regardless of the color of their skin, should be able to apply for a scholarship about dreaming big in their life. This is why I hope that my application will be accepted by the judges. Many people throughout the years have asked me what my plans are for the future. Will I still live in Pittsburgh? Will I call home every day? Will I be married? While answers to these questions may still be in the making, one thing is for certain and has been since I was younger—I intend to become a veterinarian. I have an immense passion for all animals, making my decision to become a veterinarian inevitable and simple. However, choosing this future career will bring many obstacles, including, but not limited to, debt, hard work, and stress. One thing I do know is that the payoff will be worth it—achieving my dream job is something I look forward to. As of right now, winning this award can hopefully be one of many accomplishments in my life. It costs much money to go to veterinary school—not to mention the fact that there are only about 30 accredited vet schools in this country. I am scared that whenever I graduate from La Roche University, my family will not have enough money for vet school—I also want to mention that my twin sister also wants to be a veterinarian, so my family needs all the help we can get. By winning this award, I can use it to help get me my bachelor’s degree. My future job will allow me to help animals—putting others who need assistance first before me. One day I want to travel to underserved communities and provide them with medical care for their pets at affordable prices. I believe that every animal deserves to live a safe and healthy life. Achieving success in my chosen career will allow me to promote peace in this chaotic, unpredictable world. Thus, my ability to enact change in the world around me is exciting. I often hear people who say that they want to leave their mark on this Earth, either by becoming wealthy, famous, or both. I, on the other hand, am not looking for this kind of life. I just want to care for God's greatest creations--animals. Nothing would make me happier than going to work everyday doing what I love. Hence, my ultimate goal in life is to become a small animal veterinarian. I plan to obtain a bachelor's degree in biology and then get accepted into one of the few veterinary schools in the United States to officially become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Animals are not just animals to me, rather they have given my life meaning. They have given me personally a purpose. I intend to pursue my dream career with all my heart, and I know that one day I will achieve the ultimate goal.

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions about my identity began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, someone who was a disgusting failure, and someone who was questioning their sexuality. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward and inward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. I am still questioning my sexuality, but I know for a fact that the LGBTQ+ community has been important for me. It has shown me that it is okay to be different, to go against society's norms. They have inspired in me the drive to share my story of battling with a mental illness in the hopes that I can positively impact the lives of others. In my recovery so far, I have found that talking to other people who also have anorexia has helped me. We can relate to each other and help in ways that only we understand. Building awareness and positivity around the LGBTQ+ community can work in the same way, because making it normal to have conversations about these topics will help its incorporation into society. One of my motivating factors of recovery is that if I get better, then I can help someone else get better. If I can spread awareness about the LGBTQ+ community and spread positivity, then hopefully people will be more accepting of it. It only takes one person to have a belief in you for change to occur. I want to be that person for someone else.

In light of the global pandemic, STEM occupations have been extremely important in helping people adapt and thrive. One of the most important applications of a STEM occupation in a post-pandemic world is healthcare. Our healthcare professionals risked their lives every day by working in hospitals and taking care of those affected by COVID-19. Researchers worked tirelessly trying to create a vaccine and distribute it around the country. It is thanks to these professionals that a vaccine has been created and it is saving the lives of many people. In my future, I want to become a small animal veterinarian. While I would not be treating people, I would be treating their pets. The role of pets as therapy and support animals has always been important, but I believe their importance has increased significantly over the past year. As COVID-19 forced people to stay in their homes and avoid crowds, people began to become isolated and alone. Feelings of depression and suicide increased as time went on. Therefore, the role of therapy and support animals was crucial in literally saving people’s lives. Concerning STEM occupations, I want to go into the medical field and contribute to the goal of keeping all animals safe and healthy. Nobody knows what a post-pandemic world will look like, but one thing is known—the healthcare field has a whole new importance. I believe that more people will enter STEM occupations in the future and that more people will enter the healthcare industry, hoping to make a difference. Because I am a woman, I am aware of the differences in salaries of men compared to women. I hope that women can be recognized as equals to their male counterparts and that negative stereotypes regarding women entering STEM occupations becomes diminished. I am excited for my future in the veterinary field and hope that more people will enter into it, too. I know that my STEM studies will prepare me for a successful career. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in biology from La Roche University and this choice was the right one for me. The STEM field opens up a wide range of opportunities for me after I complete my undergraduate work--I can still pursue a career in veterinary medicine, but I also have the opportunity to explore another field if I choose to. Overall, the STEM field can provide you with foundational knowledge through which you can pursue practically any career.

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. Due to my eating disorder's effects on my emotional, mental, and physical health, functioning in daily life is difficult. There are many days when I cannot imagine myself being free of it and I voluntarily succumb myself to its urges. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog Jesse and guinea pig Moo. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life. I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Jesse and Moo save me with just their presence. Knowing that they are in my life makes me want to keep fighting my eating disorder and claim my life back. My dream career stands as a pillar of hope that keeps me focused on my life’s purpose. The word “animal” for me has many different meanings, but one fact that I know for certain is that I think of them as part of the family. My dog and guinea pig are considered to be my brothers, and Jazmine was akin to my mother. From growing up with animals all my life, each experience I have had with them at that young age compounded throughout the years. Moving into elementary school and then middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—I wanted to become a small animal veterinarian. I remember one day when I was in seventh grade of looking up on the internet how to get accepted into veterinary school. If I could, I would have applied right then and there. My passion and drive to attain my dream career is extremely powerful. It is so strong that it is pulling me though some of my darkest times. Today, my career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian with a specialty in exotic animals. My love for animals is very strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself.

Life is hard. I know this statement can resonate with virtually every person on the planet, but I can tell you from experience that life is difficult. I truly believe that I do not have to be of a minority race for me to experience hardships in my venture towards my dreams. For example, my career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian who specializes in exotics. I have had this dream for as long as I can remember and I intend to carry it out to completion. But there is one problem—life is hard. It would be so easy if the knowledge needed to become a veterinarian could just appear in my head or if the hundreds of thousands of dollars required for vet school could just appear in my savings account; however, life does not work this way. Life requires hard work, dedication, passion, tears, sweat, and perseverance in order to get to the good stuff. Just recently, I was diagnosed with the same eating disorder that my twin sister has been battling for the past seven years—anorexia nervosa. It is difficult for me right now to focus on the positive aspects of myself because I view myself in such a distorted way. Even though I strive to be the perfect student and obtain the best grades, I still think that I am a failure. My road to recovery will be long and difficult and I will get beat down over and over again; however, I have to remember to get back up every time because I was put on this Earth with a purpose—to care for animals. My parents have instilled in me the importance of helping those who are in need and about having compassion. For example, I remember a time during my childhood when my mom took my sister and I to Little Sisters of the Poor, a home for the elderly. We brought Christmas presents for each resident and distributed it to them ourselves. This work was very gratifying and I know that I made each one of their days. I also know that in my future career as a veterinarian I can humanely care for animals every single day of my life. This is my true purpose in life, for I will not live to appease my eating disorder. I have learned that along the way to pursuing your dreams, you can experience small victories in your life that boost your morale and keep you going on the right path. Winning this scholarship for me can be one such victory that I definitely will relish. Another victory that I can celebrate in the future is graduating from vet school, because I know I can do it. I aim to achieve success in my chosen career and I am empowered to be a lifelong learner. By winning this award, I can use it to continue my journey to becoming a veterinarian. I can continue to attend college at La Roche University so that I can gain my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I can use the victory of winning this award to inspire and push me forward on my long journey—including the defeat of my eating disorder for which I have much to learn. For further reiteration, life is hard; however, having a dream and experiencing small victories along the way are ways to make that dream become a reality. Look out world—there will soon be a new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine by the name of Cami Contestabile and she is ready to make a difference in this world!

The year 2020 started off for me as any other year. I stayed up until midnight to watch the ball drop in New York City, and then I went to bed. Waking up in the new year brought me to a realization that I needed to come up with a resolution. I want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, and in order to get accepted into veterinary school, I need much experience in a veterinary office. This means working alongside an accredited veterinarian or even working as a veterinary assistant. Therefore, I made plans that I would go to local practices in my community and ask if they would be willing to hire me. Then the world changed. Right whenever I began to contact practices, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Our society began shutting down and stay at home orders were mandated. I was scared because I did not know what was really happening. My college was shut down and classes that semester ended virtually. Nobody knew what the future would hold, if a vaccine were going to created, how many deaths would ensue, or when we could go outside again. I did not know when I was going to see the rest of my family, such as my cousins, aunt, uncle, and grandparents. My plan to find a job in a veterinary practice was hindered. Throughout the rest of the year, days and weeks blended together as I was stuck at home with my immediate family members. A big lesson I learned from the year 2020 was to slow down and live in the moment. Before the pandemic hit, my twin sister and I were usually on our college campus, while my mom and dad went to their respective jobs. Since the stay-at-home orders were put into effect, my family was now stuck together—although this was not a bad thing. I got to spend much needed time with them, time that I enjoyed. We would all play Scrabble in the evenings and even some rounds of chess. Of course, our society went quiet—look at pictures of New York City to illustrate a bustling place that went quiet. I am extremely grateful that nobody in my immediate family became infected with COVID-19 up to this point. My heart goes out to every family who has unfortunately lost a member, because I could not imagine what it must have been like to say goodbye through Zoom or watch your loved one struggling to breath on a ventilator. This virus is real and is very serious. It is now the year 2021. I plan to begin looking for a job in a veterinary clinic again, because I still want to become a veterinarian. Not even the pandemic can extinguish that flame in me. I hope that in the near future, people can get together again. We may have been badly bent, but we are not broken.

My experience with smartphones began a mere six years ago. My parents were initially hesitant about allowing me to get my first phone, due in part to not growing up with one themselves; however, the act of going to high school and staying after school propelled my parents to buy me my first smartphone. Since that time, I have grown to love my phone! Not only can I stay in contact with friends and family, but I also have access to the entire internet with a device around the size of my hand. I believe that my smartphone greatly impacts my day-to-day activities. Growing up, I had come to rely on physical interactions and relationships with people—this was often accomplished at school. In today’s society, in order to interact with my friends, all I have to do is pick up my smartphone and send a text. With this said, I do not like the person I am becoming. Our devices change who we are in negative ways. Face-to-face conversations turn into connections through the internet. In this way, people forget what it means to engage with others face-to-face. We would rather text someone than talk directly to them. This is true for me, as the action of texting my parents or cousins becomes more convenient than finding a time to meet them in the physical world—I am losing important qualities, such as communication skills, that is crucial to potential employers. Overall, I believe that life has been made simpler due to smartphones. I believe that technology keeps people connected and together at all times of the day. I like how I feel safer whenever my phone is with me, but I get panicked when I do not know where it is. I use my phone daily to help me complete tasks, using the calendar feature or reminders. I even use it as my alarm clock in the morning so I can get up on time for my 8:00 am lectures. It is also important to remember that this reliance on our smartphones for our daily activities has put people into danger. For example, when my parents were teenagers and were driving to someplace new, they had a paper map from which to give them directions. Nowadays, a smartphone has this ability. Not only this, but people constantly stare at their devices when driving, and this poses a serious problem. Since I got my driver’s license two years ago, I am still considered to be a new driver. Seeing people constantly staring at their phone is concerning to me, because I do not want to be involved in an accident involving a distracted driver. For me personally, I do not use my smartphone while driving, even though there are times when I want to. It is tempting whenever you get a text to immediately look at your phone, but I restrain myself until I am stopped or have arrived at my destination. Lawmakers could decide to make it against the law to text and drive, but there will always be people who will not follow these rules. Therefore, smartphone use while driving does not impact me—I do not do it—but this is due to the fact that smartphones are addicting. Human nature has shown time and again that addictive behaviors are hard to break. Smartphones are not going anywhere for a long time, so people need to understand the risks of texting and driving in order to keep everyone safe.

I am proud to be a woman, because our bodies can create, support, nurture, and bring new life into this world. Women are smart, brave, determined, strong, and can do anything we set our minds to. It is also interesting that all humans are initially female, so only those people who are strong stay as female--males are thus proven to be inferior!

Many people have entered my life, but nobody has inspired me and made me a much better person than my twin sister, Becca. Becca and I are fraternal twins who have spent practically every day of our lives together. Whenever we were babies and my parents separated us, we would cry until we were together again. Growing up, we were inseparable—to the point where even my uncle had a hard time telling us apart. It was no wonder that we both decided independently of each other that we both wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Animals have always been a big part of our lives, as we have not gone a single day without them. Both Becca and I do nearly everything together. We share a room, commute to college together, take all of the same classes—the list goes on forever. All was well until (year) whenever my Becca was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. It was heartbreaking to watch her struggle with her eating disorder and it seemed as though there was nothing I could do to help her. While my family was focused on her, there attention was taken off of me. As the years progressed and she kept relapsing, I began to exhibit the same behaviors as she did. Not too long after, I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa—just like my twin. I do not blame her for my eating disorder, because there was nothing anybody could have done. With this said, I am a long way from recovery, but the same cannot be said about Becca. Becca is so much stronger than I am—and I am the older twin! She shows me every day how motivated she is to recover. She constantly pushes through her inner demons and tries her hardest to support me in any way that she can, even if at times she puts her own recovery in jeopardy. Whenever I am in distress and want to give up, she expresses love that only a twin sister can. I cannot express the words to tell her how grateful I am that she is in my life and I know that she will continue to be. After we both graduate from college, we have plans to go to veterinary school together—and maybe even open up our own practice. Using lessons that I have learned from her, I will continue to try to recover from my eating disorder, just like she is doing. If I did not have her in my life, I would probably be in a worse situation regarding my eating disorder, because she is providing me love and support that nobody else has. Overall, the one person in this world who I consider to be my role model without question is my twin sister, Becca. I do not say this much to her, but I love her. Without her I would not have the motivation to recover from my eating disorder and my chances at becoming a small animal veterinarian would be slim. Looking forward, I will encourage people to believe in yourself because everyone is stronger than they realize. In times of distress, strength will persevere. Becca has taught me to love myself and give myself self-compassion. These are important facts to remember and I hope that everyone can learn to love themselves. Regarding Becca, I know she is stronger than her eating disorder and she will recover. This provides me hope for my future, and I want to be just like her. Becca is not just my sibling, but she is my twin—my other half—and I love her.

The word “legacy” can have many meanings, but to me I think of it as something that you leave behind whenever your time in this world ends—it is how you will be remembered by friends, family, or compete strangers. Leaving a legacy is important to me, because I want to know that I made a difference in the world, no matter how small. I have a passion to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, providing medical care to animals in need. I do not want to be the most famous or the most renowned veterinarian. All I want is to be able to do what I love for the rest of my life—that will make me happy. I want to leave a legacy of compassion behind me. I want people to remember me as someone who was willing to risk it all for the safety and health of an animal. An animal’s life is more important to me than all of the money in the world. I remember a time when I was growing up of seeing a bird in the grass with its head stuck in a small hole. It was struggling to free itself but could not on its own. I immediately ran over when I saw this and freed the bird who flew off and was okay. Even the lives of wild animals have great importance to me and I cannot just stand by and watch them struggle. There is also another type of legacy that people can leave behind. For example, Michael Vick will always be remembered by me as a monster. His involvement in the atrocious sport of dogfighting has ruined his reputation for me—the extent to which I can never forgive him. I hope that other people will feel the same way as I do and, as a result, his legacy will not be something to remember generations from now. In essence, it only takes one terrible decision to ruin your legacy for future generations. With all of this said, my interpretation of a legacy remains the same—it is how you will be remembered and can be either positive or negative. I want people hundreds of generations from now to associate my name with the actions of caring for animals and exhibiting compassionate behavior towards them. I hope I can inspire at least one person to pursue a career in veterinary medicine or to motivate others to follow their dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may sound. You do not have to make some monumental discovery or be the richest person in the world in order to have a lasting legacy. I believe that I can accomplish small actions that impact the lives of many people and animals for the better and this is what I want my legacy to be.

Many people have entered my life, but nobody has inspired me and made me a much better person than my twin sister, Becca. Becca and I are fraternal twins who have spent practically every day of our lives together. Whenever we were babies and my parents separated us, we would cry until we were together again. Growing up, we were inseparable—to the point where even my uncle had a hard time telling us apart. It was no wonder that we both decided independently of each other that we both wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Animals have always been a big part of our lives, as we have not gone a single day without them. Both Becca and I do nearly everything together. We share a room, commute to college together, take all of the same classes—the list goes on forever. All was well until (year) whenever my Becca was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. It was heartbreaking to watch her struggle with her eating disorder and it seemed as though there was nothing I could do to help her. While my family was focused on her, there attention was taken off of me. As the years progressed and she kept relapsing, I began to exhibit the same behaviors as she did. Not too long after, I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa—just like my twin. I do not blame her for my eating disorder, because there was nothing anybody could have done. With this said, I am a long way from recovery, but the same cannot be said about Becca. Becca is so much stronger than I am—and I am the older twin! She shows me everyday how motivated she is to recover. She constantly pushes through her inner demons and tries her hardest to support me in any way that she can, even if at times she puts her own recovery in jeopardy. Whenever I am in distress and want to give up, she expresses love that only a twin sister can. I cannot express the words to tell her how grateful I am that she is in my life and I know that she will continue to be. After we both graduate from college, we have plans to go to veterinary school together—and maybe even open up our own practice. Using lessons that I have learned from her, I will continue to try to recover from my eating disorder, just like she is doing. If I did not have her in my life, I would probably be in a worse situation regarding my eating disorder, because she is providing me love and support that nobody else has. Overall, the one person in this world who I consider to be my role model without question is my twin sister, Becca. I do not say this much to her, but I love her. Without her I would not have the motivation to recover from my eating disorder and my chances at becoming a small animal veterinarian would be slim. Looking forward, I will encourage people to believe in yourself because everyone is stronger than they realize. In times of distress, strength will persevere. Becca has taught me to love myself and give myself self-compassion. These are important facts to remember and I hope that everyone can learn to love themselves. Regarding Becca, I know she is stronger than her eating disorder and she will recover. This provides me hope for my future, and I want to be just like her. Becca is not just my sibling, but she is my twin—my other half—and I love her.

The word “animal” for me has many different meanings, but one fact that I know for certain is that I think of them as part of the family. My dog named Jesse and guinea pig named Moo are considered to be my brothers, and another dog named Jazmine was akin to my mother. From growing up with animals all my life, each experience I have had with them at that young age compounded throughout the years. Moving into elementary school and then middle school, I already knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life—I wanted to become a small animal veterinarian. I remember one day when I was in seventh grade of looking up on the internet how to get accepted into veterinary school. If I could, I would have applied right then and there. My passion and drive to attain my dream career is extremely powerful. It is so strong that it is pulling me though some of my darkest times. Unfortunately, animals do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, I took him to an exotic veterinarian after I discovered he had bumblefoot on one of the pads of his front feet. Bumblefoot is a bacterial infection that shows up on guinea pig’s feet, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and potential death. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine, and Moo was kept on this; however, the bumblefoot was not getting any better. He was still himself and he still ate, drank, and loved to be cuddled with. A few hours before I found him covered in blood, I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him, because he was an exotic animal and their practice only dealt with cats or dogs. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day and I know that a piece of my heart left with him that day. My belief about death is that whenever my time comes, I will be reunited with him again—this I take great comfort in. When I thought things could not get any worse, Jesse began dry coughing. He would do this constantly all day, so I knew something was wrong. After taking him to the vet’s office, the veterinarian told my family that Jesse is in heart failure. His lungs are filling up with fluid and this excess pressure on his lungs are pushing on his trachea, making him cough. His heart also is enlarged and his life expectancy is not much longer. While I am dreading the decision my family will have to make in the future, all that we can do for Jesse is keep him on medication and make the rest of his life as comfortable as possible. This means spoiling him every day with treats, toys, kisses, hugs, belly rubs, and love. From these traumatic events, my passion for veterinary medicine is stronger than ever. I beat myself up internally every day because I could not save Moo, even though there was nothing anybody could have done for him—not even an exotic veterinarian. I beat myself up internally every day because I cannot reverse Jesse’s heart failure. Essentially, I feel helpless. This is why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small and exotic animals. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot or someone else’s dog who is in heart failure. I do not want to sit there and feel as though I am doing nothing. For the rest of my life, I want to work with animals and make them healthy. I want to make medical care for pets more affordable for people, because saving an animal’s life is more important than all the money in the world. I am grateful for Jazmine, Moo, and Jesse for being in my life and showing me what love truly is. They are the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Animals are not just animals—they are my family and I love them.

In light of the global pandemic, STEM occupations have been extremely important in helping people adapt and thrive. One of the most important applications of a STEM occupation in a post-pandemic world is healthcare. Our healthcare professionals risked their lives every day by working in hospitals and taking care of those affected by COVID-19. Researchers worked tirelessly trying to create a vaccine and distribute it around the country. It is thanks to these professionals that a vaccine has been created and it is saving the lives of many people. In my future, I want to become a small animal veterinarian. While I would not be treating people, I would be treating their pets. The role of pets as therapy and support animals has always been important, but I believe their importance has increased significantly over the past year. As COVID-19 forced people to stay in their homes and avoid crowds, people began to become isolated and alone. Feelings of depression and suicide increased as time went on. Therefore, the role of therapy and support animals was crucial in literally saving people’s lives. Concerning STEM occupations, I want to go into the medical field and contribute to the goal of keeping all animals safe and healthy. Nobody knows what a post-pandemic world will look like, but one thing is known—the healthcare field has a whole new importance. I believe that more people will enter STEM occupations in the future and that more people will enter the healthcare industry, hoping to make a difference. Because I am a woman, I am aware of the differences in salaries of men compared to women. I hope that women can be recognized as equals to their male counterparts and that negative stereotypes regarding women entering STEM occupations becomes diminished. I am excited for my future in the veterinary field and hope that more people will enter into it, too.

Many people have entered my life, but nobody has inspired me and made me a much better person than my twin sister, Becca. Becca and I are fraternal twins who have spent practically every day of our lives together. Whenever we were babies and my parents separated us, we would cry until we were together again. Growing up, we were inseparable—to the point where even my uncle had a hard time telling us apart. It was no wonder that we both decided independently of each other that we both wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Animals have always been a big part of our lives, as we have not gone a single day without them. Both Becca and I do nearly everything together. We share a room, commute to college together, take all of the same classes—the list goes on forever. All was well until (year) whenever my Becca was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. It was heartbreaking to watch her struggle with her eating disorder and it seemed as though there was nothing I could do to help her. While my family was focused on her, there attention was taken off of me. As the years progressed and she kept relapsing, I began to exhibit the same behaviors as she did. Not too long after, I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa—just like my twin. I do not blame her for my eating disorder, because there was nothing anybody could have done. With this said, I am a long way from recovery, but the same cannot be said about Becca. Becca is so much stronger than I am—and I am the older twin! She shows me everyday how motivated she is to recover. She constantly pushes through her inner demons and tries her hardest to support me in any way that she can, even if at times she puts her own recovery in jeopardy. Whenever I am in distress and want to give up, she expresses love that only a twin sister can. I cannot express the words to tell her how grateful I am that she is in my life and I know that she will continue to be. After we both graduate from college, we have plans to go to veterinary school together—and maybe even open up our own practice. Using lessons that I have learned from her, I will continue to try to recover from my eating disorder, just like she is doing. If I did not have her in my life, I would probably be in a worse situation regarding my eating disorder, because she is providing me love and support that nobody else has. Overall, the one person in this world who I consider to be my role model without question is my twin sister, Becca. I do not say this much to her, but I love her. Without her I would not have the motivation to recover from my eating disorder and my chances at becoming a small animal veterinarian would be slim. Looking forward, I will encourage people to believe in yourself because everyone is stronger than they realize. In times of distress, strength will persevere. Becca has taught me to love myself and give myself self-compassion. These are important facts to remember and I hope that everyone can learn to love themselves. Regarding Becca, I know she is stronger than her eating disorder and she will recover. This provides me hope for my future, and I want to be just like her. Becca is not just my sibling, but she is my twin—my other half—and I love her.

Biology is the study of life and encompasses a wide variety of subtopics. Since I was younger, anything having to do with this field fascinated me, and I can remember that my science class in elementary school was my favorite. As I got older and began to think more seriously about my future, I knew I wanted to major in biology in college. Currently, I am attending La Roche University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and there I am obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology. I will use this degree in the future to allow me to apply to any and all veterinary schools in the United States. Since I was younger, I have always had an immense love for animals and making sure they remain safe and healthy is my purpose in life. Therefore, my dream is to become a small animal veterinarian and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in biology from La Roche University is a big step towards this goal of mine. After graduating from college in two years, I imagine I will be working in a veterinary practice, gaining many hours of hands-on experience with an accredited veterinarian. I will also travel around to local practices and talk with the veterinarians there. I see myself soaking up all of this new knowledge and making good first impressions as I go. This is when my biology degree can go to good use, because I can remember the classes I took in college and apply the knowledge I learned. For example, I have taken an Endocrinology course as well as Genetics. So, if I am looking at a dog that has a hormone deficiency, I could consider that genetics played a role in its development. Overall, the experience and valuable knowledge that I gain will enable me to apply to veterinary school sometime in the next few years. I would love to be accepted into Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, making the final push that will allow me to graduate as an official DVM—Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. While the future is still clouded in a veil because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I do not know if or what veterinary medicine will evolve to; however, I am not that concerned about there not being enough jobs available in this field, due to the fact that our pets are not in danger of becoming extinct anytime soon, so in the next five years I see pieces falling into place for me. I can begin to actually imagine myself living out my dream, instead of right now only picturing it in my mind as a faraway dream. Hence, I am excited for the future, but to get there, I must first graduate from La Roche University with my bachelor’s degree. With it, I can tackle veterinary school and finally become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine!

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Our relationship began to suffer as a result. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. Due to anorexia’s effects on my emotional, mental, and physical health, functioning in daily life is difficult. There are many days when I cannot imagine myself being free of it and I voluntarily succumb myself to its urges. I isolate myself from my family and do only what my eating disorder is telling me to do. It is in these moments that my saviors come along and drag me back into the light—these saviors are my dog and guinea pig—Jesse and Moo. Looking at them, I am reminded of my purpose in life. I was born to become a veterinarian, to help those animals who need it. Jesse and Moo save me with just their presence. Knowing that they are in my life makes me want to keep fighting my eating disorder and claim my life back. My dream career stands as a pillar of hope that keeps me focused on my life’s purpose. My love for animals is very strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. I want to improve my relationship with my mom, because she tries to support me, even though I may not see it that way. My eating disorder has distorted the way I think and behave, such that there are times when I cannot even distinguish it from my recovery voice. Nonetheless, everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself as well as attain my dream of becoming a small animal veterinarian.

In my life, kind people have been few and far between. Going through elementary school, I was bullied by my peers, and I still carry the effects of the harassment to this very day. I slowly began to lose hope that any new person I would meet would be kind to me—I feared that they would judge me like my childhood bullies did. That is why an encounter with one of my college professors made me review my prior beliefs about people’s kindness. Dr. Don Fujito is a Chemistry Professor at La Roche University and I initially met him during my first ever visit to the university. Upon this initial greeting, he began talking to me about what my intended major was and any future goals I had. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biology because I want to become a small animal veterinarian in the future. I could tell that he was genuinely interested in what I was saying and he even introduced me to other faculty members that were in the biology department. A few years later I returned to La Roche University but this time as a student. On my first day, I passed Dr. Fujito in the main campus center and something extraordinary happened—he remembered my name, major, and future goals! I had only met him one time prior, and I was elated that he remembered who I was. Dr. Don Fujito continues to this day to support me in achieving my future goals. Every time I see him, he stops to talk to me. Of course, I have taken his classes, and they are some of my favorite ones. Dr. Fujito cares about each and every one of his students as though they are his own kids. I had never before had a professor who was this dedicated—he would bend over backward for me and he has on multiple occasions. He emails me regularly just to check up on me. He has sent my family Christmas cards to celebrate the holidays. He has given me confidence in myself and in my abilities. Organic Chemistry is an extremely difficult and demanding course, but thanks to him, I am an Organic Chemistry tutor! His kindness emanates every day, to the point where I am so excited to go to his classes—even when they are at 8 am. I have even driven through a blizzard to attend his class, because he inspires me every day. Because of him, I have belief in myself that I can accomplish my goals in life. I believe I can become a small animal veterinarian because he believes in me. His words of wisdom weight heavy in my mind, and I know that even after I graduate from La Roche University, I will still remain in contact with him. He a professor that only comes around once in a billion years, and I am so grateful that his kindness has impacted my life for the better. Thanks to Dr. Don Fujito, I now believe that people can be kind to me, because I am worthy of it.

Community service is a great way to serve others before serving yourself. This virtue is important for me regarding my future career aspiration—becoming a small animal veterinarian. Not only will I be treating animals who need medical care, but I will also be serving the greater community by providing them access to exceptional veterinary care. I would be directly affecting the lives of animals for the better. I also have plans to travel to lower income communities and provide them with affordable medical care. I want every owner to be able to get their pet help without the stress of how they are going to be able to pay the bill. With that said, I am currently attending La Roche University with the goal of attaining my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I am also minoring in Chemistry, which brings about more opportunities for me after my graduation. In the middle of my sophomore year, I officially became an Organic Chemistry tutor. From friends and all over the internet, I knew that organic chemistry would be a difficult course. It is extremely demanding, time consuming, and the bane of many students’ existences—essentially, it is a weed-out class. Therefore, one of my highest achievements of my college career to date is mastering the course material to a level where my professor asked me to become an Organic Chemistry tutor! Of course, this offer was voluntary, but I gladly accepted it. I am willing to help those who are in need of a little—or a lot—of support. I also want to mention that in high school, I was a member of my school’s National Honor Society. For Thanksgiving one year, we all decided to collect food from our neighborhoods and donate it to a local food pantry. This work was very fulfilling. I did not care that I had to walk around in the cold weather and ask people if they would be willing to donate food. I did not care that for three hours I helped sort out the food and prepare it for drop-off. I just knew that for every house that said yes and for every box I prepared, families in need were going to enjoy a warm Thanksgiving meal. This is a form of service that can truly change how you view the world around you—making an egotistic person become compassionate. Therefore, community service means a lot to me and through school, I have been able to continue doing this wonderful work. Overall, I am a better person for doing it and I will constantly be striving to make this world a better place for both people and animals.

Community service is a great way to serve others before serving yourself. It is important for people to be involved in their communities, because it builds character and shows compassion. This virtue is important for me regarding my future career aspiration—becoming a small animal veterinarian. Not only will I be treating animals who need medical care, but I will also be serving the greater community by providing them access to exceptional veterinary care. With that said, I am currently attending La Roche University with the goal of attaining my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I am also minoring in Chemistry, which brings about more opportunities for me after my graduation. In the middle of my sophomore year, I officially became an Organic Chemistry tutor. From friends and all over the internet, I knew that organic chemistry would be a difficult course. It is extremely demanding, time consuming, and the bane of many students’ existences—essentially, it is a weed-out class. Therefore, one of my highest achievements of my college career to date is mastering the course material to a level where my professor asked me to become an Organic Chemistry tutor! Of course, this offer was voluntary, but I gladly accepted it. I am willing to help those who are in need of a little—or a lot—of support. I also want to mention that in high school, I was a member of my school’s National Honor Society. For Thanksgiving one year, we all decided to collect food from our neighborhoods and donate it to a local food pantry. This work was very fulfilling. I did not care that I had to walk around in the cold weather and ask people if they would be willing to donate food. I did not care that for three hours I helped sort out the food and prepare it for drop-off. I just knew that for every house that said yes and for every box I prepared, families in need were going to enjoy a warm Thanksgiving meal. This is a form of service that can truly change how you view the world around you—making an egotistic person become compassionate. Therefore, community service means a lot to me and through school, I have been able to continue doing this wonderful work. Overall, I am a better person for doing it.

My everything was a three-pound black and white guinea pig named Moo and it was love at first sight. I immediately formed a strong bond with him and we were inseparable ever since. Going to school was painful because I could not take him with me. The whole day I would think of him and long to be home. As I stepped off the school bus, I would race home, where he would always greet me with a wheek. All my free time was spent holding him, cuddling with him, kissing his head—I even took him on vacation to the Outer Banks twice where he got to experience the beach! He was my everything and gave my life a purpose. Unfortunately, guinea pigs do not live forever. One day in September 2020, I walked by Moo’s cage and found him covered in blood. Two months prior, an exotic veterinarian diagnosed him with a bacterial infection on one of his feet called bumblefoot. The veterinarian sent us home with antibiotics and pain medicine; however, the bumblefoot was not getting any better even after two months. A few hours before I found him covered in blood, I had held him for around an hour, never even imagining that this would be the last time I would get to do this. When I saw him covered in blood, I immediately picked him up—he was limp in my arms, but I could tell that his heart was still weakly beating. I began crying hysterically and telling my sister to call an emergency veterinarian. Unfortunately, no veterinarian could see him. As more time elapsed, I could tell that Moo’s breathing was getting shallower. I held him close to my heart as he took his final breath and went across the Rainbow Bridge. I am still grieving his death to this day and I know that a big piece of my heart left with him that day; however, I take comfort in the fact that I will be reunited with him again. Life without him has been extremely challenging and every day I wish he were here. From this traumatic event, my passion for veterinary medicine is stronger than ever, and this is why I am now more dedicated to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. I specifically want to specialize in small and exotic animals because of Moo. I want to help someone else’s guinea pig who has bumblefoot and not sit there and feel as though I am doing nothing. For the rest of my life, I want to work with animals and make them healthy, because that is my life’s purpose. I am grateful that Moo was in my life, showing me every day what love truly is. He is the reason why I am pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. A guinea pig is not just an animal—he was a part of my family, a part of my heart, and I will forever love him. Moo was my everything.

Chess is an entertaining game that is filled with much action, strategy, and competitiveness. I do not think I would have loved the game had it not been for my dad. He was the one who first introduced me to it whenever I was in elementary school. Of course, the first time I played I did not know what a rook was or how to move a knight. I did not comprehend that the objective is to capture the opponent’s king or that the most powerful piece is the queen. I remember one time I inadvertently sacrificed my queen at the beginning of the game because I had no idea of its importance. Through all of my many mistakes, my dad continued to teach me the rules and I began to play more strategically—instead of sacrificing my queen, I would now gladly sacrifice a pawn. From this game, I also became more of a visualize thinker and learner. As I was playing a game of chess against my dad, he taught me to visualize my next move and its consequences on the game. Not doing so could lead to your opponent capturing your pieces, so it was important to be strategic. The game of chess has also taught me important life lessons that I intend to apply to my future goals. I want to become a small animal veterinarian and the job will require me to be able to think calmly under pressure. Just like in chess, you have to strategize and plan out your moves. This fact is true concerning veterinary medicine—if I freak out and do not plan my next move in a difficult surgical procedure, I could risk hurting or possible killing an animal. Strategy is important in both chess and veterinary medicine, such that the big picture has to be seen. If I am trying to diagnose a dog who comes into the office with common symptoms of many diseases, then I will have to look at the big picture. The ability to do this could be the difference between life and death for that animal. Another life I learned from chess is to take risks. There is much uncertainty towards the future right now, part of which is the result of the coronavirus pandemic. With this said, I intend to apply to veterinary school sometime in the next five years. I am very anxious as to how I will pay tuition if I do get accepted, not to forget the amount of time and hours of studying it will entail. Becoming a veterinarian is not an easy task and I am scared of failing; however, chess has taught me to take risks. For example, making a bold move and moving my rook all the way to my opponent’s side of the board to induce checkmate—even though I run the risk of it being captured. In chess, I am able to make risks, because, after all, it is just a game. Failure could happen, but that is just a part of the game. Concerning my future, if I want to achieve my dream career of a veterinarian, then I have to take risks and apply to veterinary school. I have to worry about the costs and obstacles afterward, because money should not be the reason why I should not try to pursue my dreams. If I fail the first time, then I can reapply the next year—what I cannot do is give up. Hence, chess has had an impact on my life. I intend to apply these lessons to achieving my dream career of a small animal veterinarian.

Chess is an entertaining game that is filled with much action, strategy, and competitiveness. I do not think I would have loved the game had it not been for my dad. He was the one who first introduced me to it whenever I was in elementary school. Of course, the first time I played I did not know what a rook was or how to move a knight. I did not comprehend that the objective is to capture the opponent’s king or that the most powerful piece is the queen. I remember one time I inadvertently sacrificed my queen at the beginning of the game because I had no idea of its importance. Through all of my many mistakes, my dad continued to teach me the rules and I began to play more strategically—instead of sacrificing my queen, I would now gladly sacrifice a pawn. From this game, I also became more of a visualize thinker and learner. As I was playing a game of chess against my dad, he taught me to visualize my next move and its consequences on the game. Not doing so could lead to your opponent capturing your pieces, so it was important to be strategic. The game of chess has also taught me important life lessons that I intend to apply to my future goals. I want to become a small animal veterinarian and the job will require me to be able to think calmly under pressure. Just like in chess, you have to strategize and plan out your moves. This fact is true concerning veterinary medicine—if I freak out and do not plan my next move in a difficult surgical procedure, I could risk hurting or possible killing an animal. Strategy is important in both chess and veterinary medicine, such that the big picture has to be seen. Another life I learned from chess is to take risks. There is much uncertainty towards the future right now, part of which is the result of the coronavirus pandemic. With this said, I intend to apply to veterinary school sometime in the next five years. I am very anxious as to how I will pay tuition if I do get accepted, not to forget the amount of time and hours of studying it will entail. Becoming a veterinarian is not an easy task and I am scared of failing; however, chess has taught me to take risks. For example, making a bold move and moving my rook all the way to my opponent’s side of the board to induce checkmate—even though I run the risk of it being captured. In chess, I am able to make risks, because, after all, it is just a game. Failure could happen, but that is just a part of the game. Concerning my future, if I want to achieve my dream career of a veterinarian, then I have to take risks and apply to veterinary school. I have to worry about the costs and obstacles afterward, because money should not be the reason why I should not try to pursue my dreams. If I fail the first time, then I can reapply the next year—what I cannot do is give up. Most importantly, chess has allowed me to spend quality time with my dad that I will cherish forever. My family is a close-knit group, but we do have our own lives. The time I spent playing chess with my dad allowed us to enjoy each other’s presence and company. During the daytime, I was at school while he went to work. He would not be home until after dark, which was past my bedtime; therefore, the weekends were our dedicated time to being around each other and playing chess. I love how as time went by and I got better at the game, we constantly challenged each other to do better. If I lost a game, I immediately wanted a rematch—I am not going to lie, but my dad won way more than I did. As my dad and I are getting older, I know that quality time with each other is going to become fewer and far between. Nonetheless, I want to continue visiting him in the future and playing a quick game of chess. This I know for a fact. Chess is not just a game of strategy for me, but rather it has allowed me to bond and form a stronger relationship with my dad. For this I am grateful.

This meme means a lot to me, because I adopted a pitbull from a local animal shelter. In doing so, I was aware of all of the negative stereotypes associated with this breed of dog. Society says they are aggressive, unpredictable monsters and nothing else. I, on the other hand, know for a fact that pitbulls are gentle, lovable angels. Since I volunteer at an animal shelter, I constantly see that by far the most common breed there are pitbulls. It breaks my heart whenever I see this breed passed over by prospective adopters, because they associate them with danger. I chosen this meme to emphasize to people that pitbulls are not dogs to be feared. They need love, just like any other dog. Seeing someone else adopt this breed makes my day, because that is one less pitbull in an animal shelter and one more who now has their forever home. I personally will always adopt pitbulls for the rest of my life, because I know the true nature of this dog. These are lovable creatures who will make your day with only a wag of the tail and a smile.

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. It is important to me to share my story of battling with a mental illness in the hopes that I can positively impact the lives of others. In my recovery so far, I have found that talking to other people who also have anorexia has helped me. We can relate to each other and help in ways that only we understand. This is one of my motivating factors, because if I get better, then I can help someone else get better. Without help, anorexia is a deadly eating disorder with a high mortality rate. Therefore, in order to recover help is required. It only takes one person to believe in you for change to occur. I want to be that person for someone else.

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. My career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian with a specialty in exotic animals. My love for animals is very strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. Through my everyday struggles, one thing that I have not done is lost sight of my dream. That is something my eating disorder will never be able to take away. From watching my dog and two guinea pigs look at me as though I am the only human being on this planet, they have allowed me to feel loved. While my eating disorder is trying to control me from the inside, my pets are fighting for me from the outside. I want to have confidence in myself that I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself. One day I will become a veterinarian and exhibit love for both myself and for animals.

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. My career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian with a specialty in exotic animals. My love for animals is very strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself.

My interpretation of doing something bold was voting in the 2020 Presidential Election between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. This election was fraught with drama, however I was not deterred from carrying out my right to vote. I want to mention that in this picture, I had just voted for the first time! I was so excited that I could participate in our democracy. Being bold to me is not necessarily about doing something dangerous, but rather going out and trying to make a difference. In this election, every vote counted.

Life is hard. I know this statement can resonate with virtually every person on the planet, but I can tell you from experience that life is difficult. For example, my career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian who specializes in exotics. I have had this dream for as long as I can remember and it started whenever I first was born and was introduced to the family dog. I intend to carry my dream out to completion, but there is one problem—life is hard. It would be so easy if the knowledge needed to become a veterinarian could just appear in my head or if the hundreds of thousands of dollars required for vet school could just appear in my savings account; however, life does not work this way. Life requires hard work, dedication, passion, tears, sweat, and perseverance in order to get to the good stuff. Just recently, I was diagnosed with the same eating disorder that my twin sister has been battling for the past seven years—anorexia nervosa. Even though I strive to be the perfect student and obtain the best grades, I still think that I am a failure. My road to recovery will be long and difficult and I will get beat down over and over again; however, I have to remember to get back up every time because I was put on this Earth with a purpose—to care for animals. My family has instilled in me the importance of helping those who are in need and about having compassion. I know that in my future career as a veterinarian I can humanely care for animals every single day of my life. This is my true purpose, for I will not live to appease my eating disorder. I have learned that along the way to pursuing your dreams, you can experience small victories in your life that boost your morale and keep you going on the right path. Winning this scholarship for me can be one such victory that I definitely will relish. Another victory that I can celebrate in the future is graduating from vet school, because I know I can do it. I strive to achieve success in my chosen career and I am empowered to become a lifelong learner. By winning this award, I can use it to continue my journey to becoming a veterinarian. I can continue to attend college so that I can gain my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I can use the victory of winning this award to inspire and push me forward on my long journey—including the defeat of my eating disorder for which I have much to learn. For further reiteration, life is hard; however, having a dream and experiencing small victories along the way are ways to make that dream become a reality. Look out world—there will soon be a new Doctor of Veterinary Medicine by the name of Cami Contestabile and she is ready to make a difference in this world!

I have had a complicated relationship with a word called self-love. When I was a little girl, I loved myself. I loved my body, my naturally curly hair, my blue eyes, my uniqueness—everything about me seemed perfect. But as I got older, these perceptions began to change. I started to view myself as overweight, someone with stringy hair, and someone who was a disgusting failure. Essentially, I believed that I was someone unworthy of self-love and of being accepted. I began to push people, such as my family, away, and I started to become annoyed whenever someone tried to help me. I could not accept myself as perfect anymore regarding my outward appearance. For example, I remember yelling at my mom for no reason except the fact that I was unhappy with myself, so I took out my anger on her. Recently, I was officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and I have accepted the fact that I need external help to allow me to gain my life back. Instead of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing things that I am not happy with, I want to see myself as beautiful—someone who is worthy of self-love and acceptance. My career aspiration is to become a small animal veterinarian with a specialty in exotic animals. My love for animals is very strong and one day I know I will learn to love myself with the same passion. I am beautiful, strong, and worth it. I want to control my life and not be controlled by my eating disorder anymore. Life is beautiful and I want to not only be along for the ride, but I want to live it. Everybody deserves to love their true self and this is something that is extremely powerful. One day I hope—no, I know—I will obtain this for myself.

Many people throughout the years have asked me what my plans are for the future. Will I still live in Pittsburgh? Will I call home every day? Will I be married? While answers to these questions may still be in the making, one thing is for certain and has been since I was younger—I intend to become a veterinarian. I have an immense passion for all animals, making my decision to become a veterinarian inevitable and simple. However, choosing this future career will bring many obstacles, including, but not limited to, debt, hard work, and stress. One thing I do know is that the payoff will be worth it—achieving my dream job is something I look forward to. As of right now, winning this award can hopefully be one of many accomplishments in my life. It costs much money to go to veterinary school—not to mention the fact that there are only about 30 accredited vet schools in this country. I am scared that whenever I graduate from La Roche University, my family will not have enough money for vet school—I also want to mention that my twin sister also wants to be a veterinarian, so my family needs all the help we can get. By winning this award, I can use it to help get me my bachelor’s degree. My future job will allow me to help animals—putting others who need assistance first before me. One day I want to travel to underserved communities and provide them with medical care for their pets at affordable prices. I believe that every animal deserves to live a safe and healthy life. Achieving success in my chosen career will allow me to promote peace in this chaotic, unpredictable world. Thus, my ability to enact change in the world around me is exciting. I often hear people who say that they want to leave their mark on this Earth, either by becoming wealthy, famous, or both. I, on the other hand, am not looking for this kind of life. I just want to care for God's greatest creations--animals. Nothing would make me happier than going to work everyday doing what I love. Hence, my ultimate goal in life is to become a small animal veterinarian. I plan to obtain a bachelor's degree in biology and then get accepted into one of the few veterinary schools in the United States to officially become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Animals are not just animals to me, rather they have given my life meaning. They have given me personally a purpose. I intend to pursue my dream career with all my heart, and I know that one day I will achieve the ultimate goal.

Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming. What image comes to your mind whenever you hear these words—I am going to guess it was a blue-tang fish who has short-term memory loss and is voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. My all-time favorite film hands down is “Finding Nemo,” which was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. This film has been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. It is filled with much humor, action, and adorable fish that I wish I could have as pets. Every time I watch this movie, I am taken back to my childhood years and I feel as though I am a kid again. “Finding Nemo” is more than just a film for me, rather it has provided me with an important life lesson that I will never forget—Just Keep Swimming! When life gets you down, and it will, you have to remember to keep pushing forward. If Marlin would have given up the search for Nemo in the beginning of the film, then Nemo would never have been reunited with his dad. If I decide that college is too hard and give up, then I will never achieve my dream career of a small animal veterinarian. Perseverance is especially needed in these difficult times of your life, and Dory gives me the motivation to keep going. Who knew a small blue animated fish would have such a big impact on me? Life tosses me around and pounds me with its unending struggles, just like the raging ocean does to a small raft during a hurricane. But still I will come out victorious because I will continue to repeat to myself these same three words over and over. Just Keep Swimming. Just Keep Swimming.