I'll never forget the feeling I felt, looking up at a billboard in Times Square and realizing, in disbelief, that I had helped create what was on it. I knew how much work went into those images, how many people worked long hours, and how many small decisions led to something people might only glance at for a few seconds. The same campaign showed up in subway stations across the city, tucked into people’s daily commutes. That experience didn’t change everything, but it clarified something I had been building toward. I liked being part of something that comes together piece by piece. I liked knowing how content is developed, created, and then shared, but I still felt like I was only seeing part of it. That curiosity is what pushed me to apply to graduate school for media at Fordham University, where I could better understand not just how things are made, but how they reach people and why they matter. Right now, I’m balancing graduate school with freelance work in creative production, and no two days really look the same. Some weeks are packed, others are uncertain, and I’ve had to figure out how to stay steady through both. There isn’t a perfect routine to rely on, so I’ve had to build one for myself. I’ve gotten used to working in fragments of time, finishing assignments in between other responsibilities, and staying focused even when I’m tired. It’s not a system that looks impressive from the outside, but it works, and it’s what’s allowed me to keep moving forward. When I first started working on set, most of what I did was behind the scenes and easy to overlook. I was the person making sure things were where they needed to be, catching small details before they became problems, and paying attention in ways that weren’t always visible to anyone else. Over time, I found myself becoming more involved in how things actually looked and felt, not just how they functioned. I started thinking more about the visual side of a shoot, how a space is arranged, how small changes can shift the tone of an image. That shift didn’t happen all at once, but it changed how I saw my role and what I wanted to grow into. At the same time, some of the most meaningful work I’ve done hasn’t been tied to big campaigns or visible outcomes. I volunteer with Show Brain, helping organize free music events in New York City parks. People bring blankets, sit on the grass, and listen. There’s no cost to be there, which changes the kind of space it becomes. I have also worked with high school students through a poetry outreach program, helping them write and perform their first poems. Watching someone stand up and share something they wrote, especially when they’re unsure of themselves, stays with you in a different way. Being in both of those spaces has shaped how I think about the kind of work I want to keep doing. There’s something valuable about creating work that reaches a wide audience, but there is also something just as important about smaller moments where the impact is immediate and personal. I’ve learned to pay attention to both. They ask for different things, but they both require care, attention, and follow-through. Academically, I’ve tried to bring that same consistency into my work. I graduated cum laude with my bachelor’s degree, and I currently hold a 4.0 GPA in graduate school. Those outcomes didn’t come from having extra time or an easy schedule. They came from learning how to stay focused and follow through, even when everything else is competing for my attention. School has become part of how I ground myself, even when other parts of my life are less predictable. Paying for school while working freelance has been one of the harder parts of this process. Income isn’t always consistent, but tuition and expenses don’t adjust to match that. I’ve taken on as much work as I can and tried to plan ahead, but there are limits. There are times when I have to choose between taking on more work or protecting time for school, and neither choice feels easy. This scholarship would make that balance more manageable. It would give me room to focus on my coursework without constantly recalculating what I can afford. It would also allow me to keep building the kind of work I care about, both professionally and in the community, without having to step back from one to support the other. I don’t think of where I am right now as a starting point. It feels more like something already in progress. School, work, and the choices I’ve made around both are all connected. I’ve built a way of moving through them that depends on consistency more than anything else. Support like this would not change that approach, but it would make it easier to sustain.

Sabrina Carpenter has been a source of inspiration for me since I first saw her on Girl Meets World. Her character of Maya Hart always made me laugh; I loved her sarcasm and quick wit. But what has stayed with me about Sabrina is her sense of confidence. She owns every scene, every word, every choice, every lyric! Watching her, I realized that talent alone is never enough. You need drive, ambition, and the willingness to take risks. Years later, that same ambition comes through in her music. Songs like Please Please Please and Espresso are honest, and empowering. They make you feel like it is okay to be yourself, to speak for yourself, and to go after what you want. Sabrina’s career transition from acting to music inspires me. Personally, after working in creative production for more than four years, I decided to return to school for a master’s degree in communications. It felt very scary and risky. I was stepping into the unknown, just like Sabrina stepping into a music career. But witnessing her fearlessness reminded me that growth comes from embracing change and taking chances. Her drive motivates me to push toward my own goals and to approach new challenges with the same determination. The way she conducts herself in interviews has taught me too. She motivates me to display my authentic personality when I do interviews and reporting in the future. Ambition is not just about achieving. It is about being authentic and letting your personality shine while pursuing your goals. Honestly, Sabrina Carpenter has influenced me more than I expected. She has shown me that it is possible to follow your passions (even if they shift) and always embrace change. Every time I listen to her music, I am reminded that pursuing your goals with confidence, ambition, and heart is worth the risk.

This story begins and ends with a yellow journal. The one I kept as a child became my safe space, where I could question the world around me without judgment. Growing up in a Caribbean-Asian, multi-generational household in New York City, I was immersed in diversity from an early age. However, coming from a low-income, multi-heritage background, I found it difficult to define my identity. Driven by curiosity, I turned to my immigrant elders for their guidance. Their stories of resilience and determination to build better lives moved me. My journal became more than a place for questions; it evolved into a tool for recording and preserving my family history. In high school, my passion for storytelling grew alongside my commitment to community service. I volunteered with Green Guerrillas, a nonprofit dedicated to tackle urban decay through community gardens. While working with the locals to transform abandoned lots into green spaces, I was inspired by their resilience and hope. In my journal, I reflected on the absence of these stories in the media and became determined to improve multi-cultural representation. As a result of my service with Green Guerrillas, I was honored with a Youth Fellowship Award. During college, I channeled my passion for creative writing into tutoring low-income students in language arts. Their untapped potential mirrored my own struggles growing up, and I was honored to help unlock their voices through writing. Graduating Cum Laude and earning Dean's List recognition further reinforced my belief in the power of education. My recent experiences in the production industry have shown me the influence media can have on society. This awareness inspired me to pursue journalism, where I can use both storytelling and the media as instruments for social change. Therefore, I’ve enrolled in a master’s program at Fordham University to enhance my training and skills. Receiving this scholarship would provide invaluable financial support and allow me to fully dedicate myself to my studies this fall. Through my community service, I’ve seen firsthand how uplifting others can create lasting change in their lives. I am confident that this scholarship will play a similar role in shaping my education and helping me reach my goals. My goal as an aspiring journalist is to bridge the divide in our country by producing impactful stories that spark meaningful conversations, challenge perspectives and foster a more informed and compassionate society. Ultimately, I am committed to shaping a media landscape that authentically reflects the diversity of the human experience. As a first-generation student, I’ve had the opportunity to redefine success for my family. When I shared the news of my graduate school acceptance, my mother gave me a gift: a brand-new yellow journal. It was a reminder of my roots in storytelling and that my future is a blank page waiting to be filled.