June 9th, 2019, was the day I was set free. Free of my past that I longed to escape. When I was starting the 5th grade, me and my family became homeless. Shortly after, my mom got heavily into drugs. She spent her money on drugs instead of the necessities we needed. Her being into drugs got us kicked out of several homeless shelters. We ended up living in fields. I felt ashamed. Being homeless not only affected my personal life but also affected my life at school. I got bullied for wearing the same clothes every day. I got bullied for being homeless. It was then that I realized it would always be this way. We went through the same pattern. My mom finds a house, but she runs out of money. We lose the house, and we end up back on the streets. This pattern went on until the summer after my 6th grade year. My dad heard what was happening and rushed to get custody of my sister and I. I would have to learn what it was like to not worry about making money. Most importantly, I had to learn how to be a kid again. It was a scary and very overwhelming time of my life. However, I had mixed feelings about it. I had the guilt of leaving my mom and her drug addiction becoming worse. I had the shame that I was taking the easy way out. Although these were the most devastating things that have happened to me in my life, I still got crucial lessons from it. These lessons will help me in the future of my education and career. I learned never to take anything for granted. Always be thankful for opportunities because you might never get them. I learned to be responsible and aware of everything in my surroundings. I also learned never to judge someone because you never know what they are going through. These lessons will be crucial for the future I want to have. However, this is not where my story ends. In October of 2024, after years of living in a toxic household with my dad and step-mom, I got emancipated through the district court. It was a time of overwhelming emotions, but all of the lessons I had learned I used to be successful. I now live with my aunt and uncle and have a job that I have been at for 7 months now. I bought my first car, as well as gotten accepted to a college I will be attending this fall. I will be pursuing my BA in Chemistry and going the pre-medicine track in hopes to be a doctor to help others how I have been helped in the past. Getting emancipated was the best thing for me and will always be the turning point of my life. I am solely supporting myself with the little amount of income I receive. I not only want this scholarship because of my financial needs, I want to show others who are struggling and need a way out that there is a way. I want to represent the not very known percentage of the population in the US who are emancipated making their living on their own and becoming successful adults at a young age. Thank you for your time in reading this. I really hope you take into account my financial burden as well as the message I want to convey as you are deciding whom to give this scholarship to.

My dream role in the medical field is to become a neuroscientist who specializes in neurodegenerative diseases/disorders. Additionally, I also want to contribute my time, when I am available, in working with clinical trials as well. This dream of mine to work on finding the cure for MS all started when I was old enough to understand what MS was. My grandfather was diagnosed with MS at a very early age. It has recently become worse, sadly. This has inspired me to help others with these kinds of neurodegenerative diseases/disorders. Helping my grandfather with various tasks that require mobility really showed me where I wanted to go with my life. Living with any disorder involving the degeneration ofnerves is hard physically, mentally, and hard for others supporting them. It can also make the person with the illness feel helpless and humiliated. I want to contribute my research towards a better treatment, and maybe a cure, for MS. As well as part take in clinical trials relating to neurology. I believe I can make an impact on the future in medicine and advancements in treatments for neurological disorders as a whole. My education is key for the success in my dream field. My education that I work for and receive is something that I highly value. So to be able to get the best education there is, is very important to me. I want to be well-rounded in my field as well as well-informed. That way I can make a bigger impact on medicine as a whole. Additionally, I also want to tutor students through medical school as well. One of my other great passions is tutoring. I believe that by tutoring medical students, I can help grow future doctors and be a part of their journey towards success. I also want to donate my time free to those who need tutoring because I know how money can get tight sometimes. I want to take the pressure off of them to make their years in medical school as stress free as possible. The ability to help someone else obtain their dreams and goals is a privilege and an honor. I will highly value my position as a tutor, especially since I'll be tutoring future doctors. I hope make a monumental impact in someone's life in helping them along their journey of becoming their best self. With this scholarship, I can become a step closer in achieving my goals.

My dream role in the medical field is to become a neuroscientist specializing in neurodegenerative diseases/disorders. Additionally, I want to contribute time to working with clinical trials. This dream of mine all started when I was old enough to understand what MS was. My grandfather was diagnosed with MS at a very early age. It has recently become worse, sadly. This inspired me to help others with these kinds of diseases. Helping him with tasks that require mobility showed me where I wanted to go with my life. Living with any disorder involving nerves degenerating is hard physically, and mentally, and hard for others supporting them. I want to contribute my research towards a better treatment, and maybe a cure, for MS. As well as take part in clinical trials relating to neurology. I believe I can make an impact on the future of medicine and advancements in treatments for neurological disorders as a whole. My education is key to success in my dream field. The education that I work for and receive is something that I highly value. So to be able to get the best education there is very important to me. I want to be well-rounded in my field as well as well-informed. That way I can make a bigger impact on medicine as a whole. Additionally, I want to tutor medical students. One of my other great passions is tutoring. By tutoring medical students, I believe I can help grow future doctors and be a part of their journey toward success. I also want to donate my time to those who need tutoring because I know how money can get tight sometimes. I want to take the pressure off of them to make their years in medical school as stress-free as possible. The ability to help someone else obtain their dreams and goals is a privilege and an honor. I will highly value my position as a tutor, especially since I'll be tutoring future doctors. I hope to make a monumental impact in someone's life by helping them along their journey of becoming their best self. With this scholarship, I can become a step closer to achieving my goals. Now the Hispanic side of my family comes from my grandfather who has MS. And this has brought a lot of controversial questions up because all of his siblings have had it. So I want to go the extra step and find out whether MS affects certain ethnic groups more than others or if it's just genetic.

June 9th, 2019, was the day I was set free. Free of my past that I longed to escape. The years I spent with my mom were the most horrific years of my life. I experienced several setbacks that would have prevented me from pursuing my future. When I was starting the 5th grade, me and my family became homeless. Shortly after, my mom got heavily into drugs. She spent her money on drugs instead of the necessities we needed. Her being into drugs got us kicked out of several homeless shelters. We ended up living in fields. I felt ashamed. Being homeless not only affected my personal life but also affected my life at school. I got bullied for wearing the same clothes every day. I got bullied for being homeless. It was then that I realized it would always be this way. We went through the same pattern. My mom finds a house, but she runs out of money. We lose the house, and we end up back on the streets. This pattern went on until the summer after my 6th grade year. After my dad heard what was happening, he rushed to get custody of me and my sister. I would have to learn what it was like to not worry about making money. Most importantly, I had to learn how to be a kid again. It was a scary and very overwhelming time of my life. However, I had mixed feelings about it. I had the guilt of leaving my mom and her drug addiction becoming worse. I had the shame that I was taking the easy way out. Although these were the most devastating things that have happened to me in my life, I still got crucial lessons from it. These lessons will help me in the future of my education and career. I learned never to take anything for granted. Always be thankful for opportunities because you might never get them. I learned to be responsible and aware of everything in my surroundings. I also learned never to judge someone because you never know what they are going through. These lessons will be crucial for the future I want to have. However, this is not where my story ends. In October of 2024, after years of living in a toxic household with my dad and step-mom, I got emancipated through the district court. It was a time of overwhelming emotions, but all of the lessons I had learned I used to be successful. I now live with my aunt and uncle and have a job that I have been at for 7 months now. I bought my first car, as well as gotten accepted to a college I will be attending this fall. Getting emancipated was the best thing for me and will always be the turning point of my life. However, I have had financial issues all throughout this time. I am solely supporting myself with the little amount of income I receive. I not only want this scholarship because of my financial needs, I want to show others who are struggling and need a way out that there is a way. I want to represent the not very known percentage of the population in the US who are emancipated making their living on their own and becoming successful adults at a young age. Thank you for your time in reading this. I really hope you take into account my financial burden as well as the message I want to convey as you are deciding whom to give this scholarship to.

There are many reasons to love math. Some including the organization, the formulas, and the dedication it takes to master it. However, I like math more than these reasons. Math to me is therapy to someone in need. Math has been and always will be my outlet for whenever I am feeling stressed in life. It has made my life better. I love learning the new formulas, how to solve difficult problems, and learning certain steps you have to take. With other subjects, the answers are always ambiguous. However, with math, there is always a single answer. I believe the structure of math is what makes it so calming. Having OCD has never been easy, but math helps me handle it on an everyday basis. Whenever I walk into the math department, I always feel complete. Here, I know all the answers. There are no questions that demand answers with several different answers that have nothing to do with each other. Additionally, I also like the use of calculators. When I was a Sophomore, I would carry a calculator in my back pocket as if it were a phone. I would make calculations all day. I would fidget with it whenever I got anxious. It was always something to fall back onto. Then I upgraded my calculator and have fallen even more in love with math. So if you could some up how math has impacted my life, I would say this. Math has been the only reason why I was able to stay focused throughout my entire high school life. I was able to make it through a day knowing I would have a math assignment to do at home for relief. Math has been a key factor in my life and will be a major influence on my future career.

My personal and deeply rooted journey to make a difference in the field of medicine and in the lives of those affected by Multiple Sclerosis is deeply personal and profoundly rooted in my experiences. This exposure right from childhood has motivated me with an unrelenting passion to seek out knowledge and solutions that may mitigate suffering for the myriad numbers afflicted by this relentless disease. In this journey, I have learned that from our personal struggles, a higher purpose can be born, an inner fire lit which flames the need for change and healing. Education is going to be my foundation. This is well reflected in my undergraduate major in chemistry with a focused pre-medicine track, through which I equipped myself with the necessary knowledge and skill to understand such complexities of neuromuscular diseases-particularly MS. I am aware that road to discovery is long and tedious. However, this only serves to heighten my resolve to push scientific knowledge beyond its boundaries. To support my studies, I will ensure that I join any available research studies dealing with MS. This will be a great avenue through which I will work with renowned experts in this area and make relevant contributions to various projects and studies that are being undertaken to find the details of this illness. Finally, I wouldn't want to fail to talk about empathy in a clinical setting. It is not just the scientific breakthroughs that will bring about effective change but the ability to reach out to the patients at a personal level. Each of these patients with MS has a different story to narrate, and each one of them requires a different listening, understanding, and voice lifted for their needs. So, while I relate to the patients, I would like to make them feel valued, listened to, and empowered. This is the commitment that goes beyond advice on medication to include emotional support and instilling hope in their struggles. This will be the comprehensive journey in medical excellence, and at the same time, creating awareness about multiple sclerosis for the sake of understanding and acceptance of the condition. It is my hope that community outreach and education will raise awareness about what life is really like for those affected by MS and point to the need for professional care, resources, and support. Let us share our stories and knowledge to engender understanding and elevate the profile of this disease, which is sure to promote increased funding toward research and more creative treatment modalities. Further still, I plan to extend my reach through the use of modern technologies and social media for advocacy and education. This enables me to engage the community on a whole new digital level and connects me with other advocates, researchers, and people who are living with MS. We can develop a robust online community where there is knowledge sharing, activism, and a connection to help alleviate feelings of isolation associated with one's struggles. Ultimately, my vision for the future surpasses personal success in medicine, extending into higher commitment for improving the lives of those with MS and further commitment to research pursuits aimed at a cure. All I can innately feel is that with persistence, compassion, and collaboration, amazing strides will take place in the fight against the disease.

My dream role in the medical field is to become a neuroscientist specializing in neurodegenerative diseases/disorders. Additionally, I want to contribute time to working with clinical trials. This dream of mine all started when I was old enough to understand what MS was. My grandfather was diagnosed with MS at a very early age. It has recently become worse, sadly. This inspired me to help others with these kinds of diseases. Helping him with tasks that require mobility showed me where I wanted to go with my life. Living with any disorder involving nerves degenerating is hard physically, and mentally, and hard for others supporting them. I want to contribute my research towards a better treatment, and maybe a cure, for MS. As well as take part in clinical trials relating to neurology. I believe I can make an impact on the future of medicine and advancements in treatments for neurological disorders as a whole. My education is key to success in my dream field. The education that I work for and receive is something that I highly value. So to be able to get the best education there is very important to me. I want to be well-rounded in my field as well as well-informed. That way I can make a bigger impact on medicine as a whole. Additionally, I want to tutor medical students. One of my other great passions is tutoring. By tutoring medical students, I believe I can help grow future doctors and be a part of their journey toward success. I also want to donate my time to those who need tutoring because I know how money can get tight sometimes. I want to take the pressure off of them to make their years in medical school as stress-free as possible. The ability to help someone else obtain their dreams and goals is a privilege and an honor. I will highly value my position as a tutor, especially since I'll be tutoring future doctors. I hope to make a monumental impact in someone's life by helping them along their journey of becoming their best self. With this scholarship, I can become a step closer to achieving my goals. Now the Hispanic side of my family comes from my grandfather who has MS. And this has brought a lot of controversial questions up because all of his siblings have had it. So I want to go the extra step and find out whether MS affects certain ethnic groups more than others or if it's just genetic.

My dream role in the medical field is to become a neuroscientist who specializes in neuro degenerative diseases/disorders. Additionally, I also want to contribute time in working with clinical trials as well. This dream of mine all started when I was old enough to understand what MS was. My grandfather was diagnosed with MS at a very early age. It has recently become worse, sadly. This inspired me to help others with these kinds of diseases. Helping him with tasks that require mobility really showed me where I wanted to go with my life. Living with any disorder involving nerves degenerating is hard physically, mentally, and hard for others supporting them. I want to contribute my research towards a better treatment, and maybe a cure, for MS. As well as part take in clinical trials relating to neurology. I believe I can make an impact on the future in medicine and advancements in treatments for neurological disorders as a whole. My education is key for the success in my dream field. My education that I work for and receive is something that I highly value. So to be able to get the best education there is, is very important to me. I want to be well-rounded in my field as well as well-informed. That way I can make a bigger impact on medicine as a whole. Additionally, I also want to tutor students through medical school as well. One of my other great passions is tutoring. I believe that by tutoring medical students, I can help grow future doctors and be a part of their journey towards success. I also want to donate my time free to those who need tutoring because I know how money can get tight sometimes. I want to take the pressure off of them to make their years in medical school as stress free as possible. The ability to help someone else obtain their dreams and goals is a privilege and an honor. I will highly value my position as a tutor, especially since I'll be tutoring future doctors. I hope make a monumental impact in someone's life in helping them along their journey of becoming their best self. With this scholarship, I can become a step closer in achieving my goals.

June 9th of 2019 was the day I was set free. Free of the past I had longed forever to escape from. The years I spent with my mom were the most horrific years of my life. I experienced several setbacks that prevented me from pursuing my education and future. When I was starting the 5th grade, me and my family became homeless. We had no other choice but to live in a homeless shelter. In this environment, my mom got heavily into drugs. Sadly, this is a problem she still faces today. She would spend her money on drugs instead of the necessities we needed. Due to her being into drugs, we got kicked out of several homeless shelters and ended up living in a field. That was the time I felt most humiliated. How could my mother not know when to stop? How could she not try and do better? This not only affected my personal life, but it also affected my life at school. I was constantly made fun of at school for wearing the same clothes because of my lack of inventory. I got made bullied for being the child of a drug addict. It was then when I realized it would always be this way. We went through the same pattern. Find a house, she runs out of money, we lose the house, and we end up back on the streets. This went on until the summer after my 6th grade year. My sister had contacted my father to see if we could stay for the summer. I went, not realizing that my future would change forever; for the better. I would have to learn what it was like to not worry about making money. I wouldn’t have to worry about being robbed anytime we went to sleep. I had to learn a lot of skills that I didn’t have. Most importantly, I had to learn how to be a kid again. After my dad heard what had happened, he rushed to get custody of me and my sister. It was a scary and very overwhelming time of my life. However, I had mixed feelings about it. I had the guilt of leaving my mom and her drug addiction possibly becoming worse. I had the shame that I was taking the easy way out. Then I feared the same thing would happen again in my new home. Although this was probably one of the most devastating things that have happened to me in my life, I still got crucial lessons out of it. Lessons that will help me in the future of my education and career. I learned never to take anything for granted. To always be thankful for any opportunity because you might never get it again. I learned to be responsible and to be aware of everything in my surroundings. I also learned to never judge someone because you never know what they are going through. These lessons will always be close to my heart. These lessons will be crucial for the future I want to have. I have been inspired to help others when they most need it. Like so many others did when I needed the help. I want to use my past experiences, not as an excuse, but to put them towards something greater in my future. A future in medicine.