It was when I saw my uncle's convulsing body on my grandma's kitchen floor, that my love for science and inquisition became a need for it. For his sake, and for the sake of many others suffering with epilepsy, there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers. I knew then that I wanted to be part of that narrative and that going to college would be my ticket into paving my path towards this goal. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more invested in becoming a biomedical engineer. Keeping up with medical progressions and journals, I found that the discovery of something or even the absence of it allowed for valuable progression that could save the lives of many. Inspired by this, in highschool, I took a research class and performed my own study. Though my study delved into the psychological and monetary influences on welfare support, it gave me a taste for how I could research in college with far more access to technology, people, and information. As a naturally curious person, I am excited for the opportunities college will grant me to partake in more studies like this, especially in the field of biomedical engineering. As a future woman in STEM I am prepared to take initiative in my education and be part of the group that makes these impactful changes. Majoring in biomedical engineering and later specializing in neuroengineering I am excited to learn more about the brain and lead advancements in my field. In doing so I also hope to encourage other girls to pursue engineering and especially biomedical engineering. The representation that comes with more diversified groups of researchers especially in a male dominated field like biomedical engineering, will allow for broadened perspectives that may prove crucial when targeting issues that commonly affect women differently from men. College will allow me to be part of the diverse group of people that take charge toward uncovering these nuanced issues that might not impact everyone in the same fashion. I find it important that testing and research be done with both women and men in mind as conditions may affect each differently. By taking charge and leading by example, the young women in my community will feel more driven to pursue these difficult jobs and also strike change in the world and themselves. Being a leader in this way and pushing forward in science will in turn positively influence the outcome of research in time and also the outlooks that young girls have when choosing science. As such research becomes ever crucial in an aging population, I strive to make a splash in STEM and pave the way for other future researchers to do the same. In time, I will change the lives of people like my uncle who inspired me to push for change.

“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine” —Bruce Lee. I have always felt the heaviness of my parent’s expectations; their eyes stuck on me like tar on hot pavement. I moved with the fuel they had for me but I lacked vigor for myself. No longer was education the bright light of curiosity that had me wanting more. It became the sum of numbers and letters on a page. I found I lost the motivation to learn rather than memorize and my mental health declined as I became buried under the high expectations of my parents. With immigrant Caribbean parents, it wasn't easy to break away from their expectations. So, for a time I merely succumbed. But as I became more invested in biomedical engineering I realized that this charade couldn't continue for longer. To my parents, my intended career was too risky and unknown for me not to struggle like they did. As a low income black family with parents who didn't go to college, they fervently wanted better for me than they had. Still I had to push forward with my passion. My love for science and inquisition became a need for it and I knew there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers in the scientific community. I wanted to be part of that narrative. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more in love with becoming a biomedical engineer and especially neuroengineering. Driven with passion, I took several science courses. Whatever my school didn't offer I took with flvs, and whatever flvs didn't have i took with Broward college. I knew early on that if I wanted to be part of that narrative, I had to take the steps to write my name in that book. Though the extra classes and studying I've done are only an inch forward in the grand scheme of things, I'm confident that taking initiative in this way will help me take even bolder strokes to success in college. On top of courses like AP biology, Intro to computer programming, and my career certification courses for my EKG certification, I took extra math and English courses. Doing this did not only build my technical skills but also my skill of time management and well thought out planning. Tackling these courses along with clubs required great attention to deadlines and a respect to responsibility. The dedication I've built in high school will carry me and grow with me as I take on bigger challenges in college. Outside of school I have also gained a lot from organizations like Big brothers Big sisters and Junior Achievement Career Bound which have further instilled the principle in me to dream bigger, bolder, and better. Each day I am more motivated to reflect on myself and grow and rise above what I thought my potential ever was. Going to college for my bachelors in Biomedical engineering will only further my growth and I will be able to be part of the diverse group of people that take charge toward uncovering the nuanced issues in the brain through engineering. This scholarship will help me achieve this and apply the skills I've learned without worries about finances. By taking charge in my life and in my community, I will be able to strengthen the skills I've learned and spark change and inspiration among my peers.

“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine” —Bruce Lee. I have always felt the heaviness of my parent’s expectations; their eyes stuck on me like tar on hot pavement. I moved with the fuel they had for me but I lacked vigor for myself. No longer was education the bright light of curiosity that had me wanting more. It became the sum of numbers and letters on a page. They'd expected me to become a doctor, working in a traditional hospital with a respectable title. With immigrant Caribbean parents, it wasn't easy to break away from their expectations. So, for a time I succumbed. As I became more invested in my dreams I realized that this couldn't continue for longer. To my parents, my intended career was too risky and unknown to them. As a low income black family with parents who didn't go to college, they fervently wanted better for me than they had. Still, even with realizing I should forge my own path, I’d already internalized the messages of self doubt and my own perfectionism limited how far I could go. One instance, during my 9th grade year, I found myself overcome with anxiety as my science teacher announced our grades on our recent chemistry test. Like many other times, I was tear-stucken with my heart beating out my chest. Over a simple test I felt the weight of the world coming down on me over a letter on a paper. I had gotten a B. Though this was above passing, I knew I’d be scolded for slacking off and getting distracted. Throughout my first two years of highschool, I worked robotically. I may have worked hard but I did not for once enjoy it. I found I dreaded going to school as well as back home as the pressure seemed to follow me everywhere. At the time, I developed a deep anger towards myself and I constantly berated myself, questioning if I deserved to be regarded as one of the ‘smart students’. I was in a very bad place mentally, but I refused to seek help nor shed the obsession with what others thought of me. As this charade of genius continued I became bitter towards other students whose parents would support them no matter what. I noticed how my friend’s parents uplifted them into working harder while also encouraging their current hard work. I also noticed my own parents' treatment towards my younger siblings and how they had much more leeway than I ever did growing up. With endless comparison, I spiraled into further dissatisfaction with myself and became hopeless about my success in the future. It was only after realizing that my parents’ reactions were the same regardless of how well I did, that I decided It wasn't worth it to live a life not feeling proud of myself because of expectations that didn't matter. I began to forge my own expectations and adopted a mentality to lift myself up in both my successes and failures. Now I am empowered to take an active role in my life and push forward to the success I know I can achieve. Truly, it is just within reach.

“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine” —Bruce Lee. I have always felt the heaviness of my parent’s expectations; their eyes stuck on me like tar on hot pavement. I moved with the fuel they had for me but I lacked vigor for myself. No longer was education the bright light of curiosity that had me wanting more. It became the sum of numbers and letters on a page. I found I lost the motivation to learn rather than memorize and my mental health declined as I became buried under the high expectations of my parents. With immigrant Caribbean parents, it wasn't easy to break away from their expectations. So, for a time I merely succumbed. But as I became more invested in biomedical engineering I realized that this charade couldn't continue for longer. To my parents, my intended career was too risky and unknown for me not to struggle like they did. As a low income black family with parents who didn't go to college, they fervently wanted better for me than they had. Still I had to push forward with my passion. My love for science and inquisition became a need for it and I knew there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers in the scientific community. I wanted to be part of that narrative. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more in love with becoming a biomedical engineer and especially neuroengineering. Driven with passion, I took several science courses. Whatever my school didn't offer I took with flvs, and whatever flvs didn't have i took with Broward college. I knew early on that if I wanted to be part of that narrative, I had to take the steps to write my name in that book. Though the extra classes and studying I've done are only an inch forward in the grand scheme of things, I'm confident that taking initiative in this way will help me take even bolder strokes to success in college. On top of courses like AP biology, Intro to computer programming, and my career certification courses for my EKG certification, I took extra math and English courses. Doing this did not only build my technical skills but also my skill of time management and well thought out planning. Tackling these courses along with clubs required great attention to deadlines and a respect to responsibility. The dedication I've built in high school will carry me and grow with me as I take on bigger challenges in college. Outside of school I have also gained a lot from organizations like Big brothers Big sisters and Junior Achievement Career Bound which have further instilled the principle in me to dream bigger, bolder, and better. Each day I am more motivated to reflect on myself and grow and rise above what I thought my potential ever was. Going to college for my bachelors in Biomedical engineering will only further my growth and I will be able to be part of the diverse group of people that take charge toward uncovering the nuanced issues in the brain through engineering. This scholarship will help me achieve this and apply the skills I've learned without worries about finances. By taking charge in my life and in my community, I will be able to strengthen the skills I've learned and spark change and inspiration among my peers.

“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine” —Bruce Lee. I have always felt the heaviness of my parent’s expectations; their eyes stuck on me like tar on hot pavement. I moved with the fuel they had for me but I lacked vigor for myself. No longer was education the bright light of curiosity that had me wanting more. It became the sum of numbers and letters on a page. I found I lost the motivation to learn rather than memorize and my mental health declined as I became buried under the high expectations of my parents. It was only after reading this quote that I considered melting away from their expectations and forging my own. Only then was I free to reclaim the joy that I once had for learning. With immigrant Caribbean parents, it wasn't easy to break away from their expectations. So, for a time I merely succumbed. But as I became more invested in biomedical engineering I realized that this charade couldn't continue for longer. To my parents, my intended career was too risky and unknown for me not to struggle like they did. As a low income black family with parents who didn't go to college, they fervently wanted better for me than they had. Still I had to push forward with my passion. My love for science and inquisition became a need for it and I knew there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers in the scientific community. I wanted to be part of that narrative. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more in love with becoming a biomedical engineer. Keeping up with medical progressions and journals, I found that the discovery of something or even the absence of it allowed for valuable progression that could save the lives of many. As a future woman in STEM I am prepared to take initiative in my education and be part of the group that makes these impactful changes. Majoring in biomedical engineering and later specializing in neuroengineering I am excited to learn more about the brain and lead advancements in my field. In doing so I also hope to encourage other girls to pursue engineering and especially biomedical engineering. The representation that comes with more diversified groups of researchers especially in a male dominated field like biomedical engineering, will allow for broadened perspectives that may prove crucial when targeting issues that commonly affect women differently from men. Being a leader in this way and pushing forward in science will in turn positively influence the outcome of research in time and also the outlooks that young girls have when choosing science. It is ever more important that we encourage not only the continuation of education but also the courage to start. As such research becomes ever crucial in an aging population, I strive to make a splash in STEM and pave the way for other future researchers to do the same. In turn, I will be the splash that turns into a wave and changes the lives of both others and myself. I've also promised myself not to forget the people who struggle alongside me. Pursuing a career in STEM isn't easy especially as a black girl. By joining forces with people who are also facing these struggles we can help each other become the best versions of ourselves and spark discovery.

“I am not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine” —Bruce Lee. I have always felt the heaviness of my parent’s expectations; their eyes stuck on me like tar on hot pavement. I moved with the fuel they had for me but I lacked vigor for myself. No longer was education the bright light of curiosity that had me wanting more. It became the sum of numbers and letters on a page. I found I lost the motivation to learn rather than memorize and my mental health declined as I became buried under the high expectations of my parents. They'd expected me to become a doctor, working in a traditional hospital with a respectable title. However, the passion that struck within me after I saw my uncle's convulsing body on my grandma's kitchen floor led me away from their goals and towards my own. With immigrant Caribbean parents, it wasn't easy to break away from their expectations. So, for a time I merely succumbed. But as I became more invested in biomedical engineering I realized that this charade couldn't continue for longer. To my parents, my intended career was too risky and unknown for me not to struggle like they did. As a low income black family with parents who didn't go to college, they fervently wanted better for me than they had. Still I had to push forward with my passion. My love for science and inquisition became a need for it and I knew there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers in the scientific community. I wanted to be part of that narrative. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more in love with becoming a biomedical engineer. Keeping up with medical progressions and journals, I found that the discovery of something or even the absence of it allowed for valuable progression that could save the lives of many. As a future woman in STEM I am prepared to take initiative in my education and be part of the group that makes these impactful changes. In doing so I also hope to encourage other girls to pursue engineering and especially biomedical engineering. The representation that comes with more diversified groups of researchers especially in a male dominated field like biomedical engineering, will allow for broadened perspectives that may prove crucial when targeting issues that commonly affect women differently from men. I find it important that testing and research be done with both women and men in mind as conditions may affect each differently. By taking charge and leading by example, the young women in my community will feel more driven to pursue these difficult jobs and also strike change in the world and themselves. Being a leader in this way and pushing forward in science will in turn positively influence the outcome of research in time and also the outlooks that young girls have when choosing science. It is ever more important that we encourage not only the continuation of education but also the courage to start. As such research becomes ever crucial in an aging population, I strive to make a splash in STEM and pave the way for other future researchers to do the same. In time, I will change the lives of people like my uncle who inspired me to push for change.

It was when I saw my uncle's convulsing body on my grandma's kitchen floor, that my love for science and inquisition became a need for it. For his sake, and for the sake of many others suffering with epilepsy, there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers. I knew then that I wanted to be part of that narrative and with time I have come to promise myself 3 things: 1.) Even if it's hard, try. 2.) Change the world 3.) To help others with similar goals along the way. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more invested in becoming a biomedical engineer. Keeping up with medical progressions and journals, I found that the discovery of something or even the absence of it allowed for valuable progression that could save the lives of many. It is because people take charge and delve into the waters of STEM that breakthroughs like StimNets are able to bring researchers closer to alleviating and treating these issues. As a black girl in STEM its not easy paving this path for myself and I am often surrounded by doubts of whether I am equipped enough to pursue this field. Thus arose my first promise. I knew the journey wouldn't be easy but I also knew that living a life without chasing my passions would be even harder. So I decided that I could do hard things. That encouraged me to take several AP and AICE courses especially in science. In the future I am encouraged to continue taking the risk to try. This will help older me branch out of her comfort zone and make discoveries she wouldn't have otherwise. I have also promised to myself that no matter what I will change the world. I will be the splash that turns into a wave and changes the lives of both others and myself. As a future woman in STEM I am prepared to take initiative in my education and be part of the group that makes impactful changes. Majoring in biomedical engineering and later specializing in neuroengineering I am excited to learn more about the brain and lead advancements in my field. In doing so I also hope to encourage other girls to pursue engineering and especially biomedical engineering. By doing this I inspire change in STEM in its research as well as its researchers. This increased representation will also better future me as it pushes for equality in research. Finally, I've promised not to forget the people who struggle alongside me. Pursuing a career in STEM isn't easy especially as a black girl. By joining forces with people who are also facing these struggles we can help each other become the best versions of ourselves and spark discovery. This scholarship will help me stay true to all 3 promises especially as a low income student. My parents cannot afford to send me nor my other 3 siblings to college. As a first generation college student this scholarship will be life changing and help me get closer to achieving my goals with a lightened financial burden. The scholarship will allow me to be a full time student and focus on my education rather than money. In turn it will allow me to keep my promises and change not only the world but myself as I continue to grow and learn more in STEM.

It was when I saw my uncle's convulsing body on my grandma's kitchen floor, that my love for science and inquisition became a need for it. For his sake, and for the sake of many others suffering with epilepsy, there needed to be more research and more drive for finding answers. I knew then that I wanted to be part of that narrative. What started as a joyful curiosity for the merging of engineering and biology, became a fervent passion to spark change in science as I became more invested in becoming a biomedical engineer. Keeping up with medical progressions and journals, I found that the discovery of something or even the absence of it allowed for valuable progression that could save the lives of many. It is because people take charge and delve into the waters of STEM that breakthroughs like StimNets are able to bring researchers closer to alleviating and treating these issues. As a future woman in STEM I am prepared to take initiative in my education and be part of the group that makes these impactful changes. Majoring in biomedical engineering and later specializing in neuroengineering I am excited to learn more about the brain and lead advancements in my field. In doing so I also hope to encourage other girls to pursue engineering and especially biomedical engineering. The representation that comes with more diversified groups of researchers especially in a male dominated field like biomedical engineering, will allow for broadened perspectives that may prove crucial when targeting issues that commonly affect women differently from men. Looking into other fields, I find it important that testing and research be done with both women and men in mind as conditions may affect each differently. By taking charge and leading by example, the young women in my community will feel more driven to pursue these difficult jobs and also strike change in the world and themselves. Being a leader in this way and pushing forward in science will in turn positively influence the outcome of research in time and also the outlooks that young girls have when choosing science. It is ever more important that we encourage not only the continuation of education but also the courage to start. As such research becomes ever crucial in an aging population, I strive to make a splash in STEM and pave the way for other future researchers to do the same. In time, I will change the lives of people like my uncle who inspired me to push for change.