I want my legacy to be defined by the way I make people’s lives easier, safer, and more dignified. For me, that begins with medical devices. I’ve seen firsthand how confusing and overwhelming healthcare can be for families who don’t have resources, support, or medical knowledge. I’ve translated instructions for my abuela, helped my mother through surgeries, and cared for my younger sister who has Down Syndrome. Those experiences didn’t just shape my career goals; they shaped my purpose. I want to create medical technologies that bring clarity where there is confusion, comfort where there is fear, and independence where there is limitation. One day, I hope to build a company focused on accessible rehabilitation devices and assistive technologies. Not the kind that cost thousands of dollars and require specialists to operate, but the kind that real families can use at home. My dream is to design tools that help children with disabilities move more freely, help caregivers manage daily routines with less stress, and help patients feel seen and supported. I want my business to be a place where engineering meets empathy. A place where innovation is guided by the people who need it most, not just by profit or prestige. I want to build something that makes people feel comfortable in their own bodies. Too often, people with disabilities are forced to settle for devices that are functional but not dignifying, affordable but not comfortable, necessary but emotionally heavy. I want to change that. One day, I hope to launch a company that designs rehabilitation devices and prosthetics that people want to use, not just tolerate. Tools that don’t remind them of what they lost, but support who they are. Devices that are accessible without sacrificing comfort, identity, or confidence. No one should have to choose between affordability and dignity. I shine my light through the way I show up for others. I’ve volunteered at shelters, supported nonprofit organizations, and taught STEM to young women who don’t have access to resources. I shine my light when I help my sister through her routines, when I advocate for my family in medical spaces, and when I listen to people who feel overwhelmed or invisible. I’m someone who notices the quiet struggles: the frustration of a caregiver, the fear behind a diagnosis, the exhaustion of a parent. No matter the obstacle, I try to turn them into solutions. I also shine by refusing to let my circumstances limit my ambition. My family came to America with nothing. With our house getting flooded and my mother's cancer diagnosis, money became tight. And instead of working to save money, I spent much of my childhood helping care for my sister. But those sacrifices didn’t hold me back, they grounded me. They taught me resilience, compassion, and the belief that you can build something meaningful even when you start with very little. My legacy won’t be measured by titles or recognition. I want it to be measured by the families who feel supported, the patients who feel understood, and the communities who finally have access to the tools they deserve. I want my work to outlive me, leaving an impact of making healthcare more humane, accessible, and centered on dignity. That’s the future I hope to build and the light I plan to leave behind. Thank you so much for this scholarship opportunity. :)

Engineering, to me, is not just a career path. It is a service to mankind, a core value that has been instilled in me since I was a little kid. As a Biomedical Engineer in the making, my goal is to improve patient outcomes and save lives. I hope to focus on rehabilitation medicine and device development, to restore mobility, dignity, and accessibility for people who need it most. Growing up, I carried a responsibility that shaped me in ways a job never could. My sister has Down syndrome, and caring for her has been a central part of my life. I learned patience, empathy, and what it means to show up for someone. Because of this, I wasn’t always able to work the way other students could. My time went toward my family, not paychecks. While it meant I couldn’t save money for college, it also taught me the kind of strength and compassion that no job could ever teach. Those experiences are a big part of why I want to become a Biomedical Engineer: to create technologies that support families like mine, families who give everything they have even when resources are limited. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my studies, research, and hands‑on experiences instead of worrying about my financial situation. It would bring me one step closer to becoming the kind of engineer who uses their skills to uplift others and create meaningful change in the world. Thank you for this opportunity. :)

Hi there! My name is Elizabeth Betancourt. I enjoy reading, nature, and for as long as I remember, I've questioned how everything in the world works. Barbie had a secure place in my childhood. Since 1959, dolls have been created to go along with every little girl's dreams and desires. My carpet was always covered with careers: doctor, vet, teacher, farmer, and everything in between. Like Harry B. Anderson, Barbie represented endless possibilities. For me, she was an inspiration. But growing up, that made choosing a career harder. I constantly ask "why" and "how." How do our bodies work? Why do medications work the way they do? How did we get to where we are today? That curiosity followed me everywhere. I wanted to understand everything: medicine, space, technology... all of it. I knew a STEM career was for me but, traditional paths wouldn't allow me to explore everything. That was until I heard of the perfect field. My plan is to study Biomedical Engineering, one of the few fields where the possibilities feel just as wide as they did on my childhood floor. As a Biomedical Engineer, I’ll have the chance to explore the very questions that shaped me. I can study the mechanics of the human body, design devices that restore movement, develop technologies that make treatments safer, or even work on systems that support life beyond Earth. Biomedical Engineering is where creativity and science depend on each other, and where every innovation has the potential to change someone’s life. Coming from a country with little to no resources, my family taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the importance of helping others. While Barbie and Harry B. Anderson showed me I could be anything, my culture reminded me why I should become something meaningful. That value encourages and guides my actions: volunteering at shelters, non-profit organizations, and recently providing international STEM material to thousands of young women who don't have the opportunities or resources they deserve. What excites me most about STEM is the impact hidden behind the scenes. Medical devices aren’t always visible, but they’re everywhere: in operating rooms, in rehabilitation centers, and in the quiet moments when someone simply wants to live without pain. I watched people I love navigate health challenges with strength, but also with fear and uncertainty. Whether it be translating medical directions to my abuela or my mother's surgeries, those moments made me want to create tools that bring comfort, dignity, and hope to families like mine. In many ways, Biomedical Engineering feels like the grown‑up version of my childhood playsets: still full of imagination, still full of possibility, but now with the power to make a real impact. The idea that something I design could help a child walk more comfortably, or give a patient more independence, or make a diagnosis faster and safer… that’s the kind of work that feels meaningful to me. Biomedical Engineering gives me the freedom I always searched for. I don’t have to limit my interests to one field. Instead, I get to build a career that blends all of them. And now, I hope to use my STEM journey to create meaningful change as Barbie and Harry B. Anderson. Thank you so much for this opportunity and for giving students like me the chance to turn dreams into real change :)

Engineering, to me, is not just a career path. It is a service to mankind, a core value that has been instilled in me since I was a little kid. Growing up as the youngest of only girls, you can say that I was my dad’s right hand “man.” No matter the time of day, I would help him out. Together we would fix boats, roof leaks, blah. We even created projects from scratch. We made a mini house with air conditioning for our dog, a shed, and a battery-operated machine to move trailers. All these activities had something in common: they serve to help others. That is what engineering is all about. Sure, you have the technical aspects and a bunch of integrals to solve. But the reason we go through this rigorous work is to create solutions to benefit the community around us. And that is what I want my future to be. Getting to where I am today was not an easy path. On the inside, my family went through a lot of struggles. My parents came from a country with little to nothing. They had to support themselves and work 3 jobs each. A lot of health concerns and surgeries hit us, like my mom having cancer, my sister having down syndrome, etc. These events took a toll on us and limited our funds which led me to start at a community college. On the outside, societal expectations are constantly being placed on me. As a Latina in a male dominated field, I get looked down on. I often get spoken to like I am not capable of solving an engineering problem, even when my math level is higher than theirs. Now, Hispanics are getting treated as aliens. As if we are not able to help this country, as if we are not important simply because we look different and speak a different language. This acts as my motivation. On top of the desire to help others, I want to SHOW others what we are capable of. I am now studying engineering at my dream school, Texas A&M University. A place where values of respect, excellence, leadership, loyalty, integrity, and selfless service are held high. With my desired pathway being Biomedical Engineering, I hope to create prosthetics, artificial tissue, and medical devices that benefit others. In the past semester, I worked with a team to create an automated pill dispenser with a fingerprint and pin code safety authorization. We incorporated code, electrical components, and mechanical design. This was my first full engineered project, and definitely not the last. Recently, I created an umbrella that recycles rainwater and filters out debris and bacteria. In these processes, I learned various engineering tools: Fusion, AutoCAD, Soldering, and 3D printing. Through these certifications, I was able to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world. My passion for engineering may have grown since I was little, but my journey is just beginning. From all my engineering experiences, whether it be with my dad or those during my program, I witnessed first-hand the continuous design process, how it affects me, and how I will take it further. Every design I make teaches me something new. Every mistake pushes me to think differently. Every challenge reminds me why I chose this path in the first place: to help others and make a positive impact on the world. Thank you for this opportunity and your consideration! :)

My name is Elizabeth Betancourt. I am a proud daughter, sister, Cuban American, and a young woman who wants to secure her place in the world. Growing up, I was my dad's right hand. Whether it was to cut a tree, or renovate a property, I would be there to assist him. I witnessed first-hand the creations he made when something didn't work right. These experiences taught me problem solving and shaped who I am today. I love projects, creative arts, and thinking at every possible moment. In school, I always succeeded in math and science. I am one of those people who would rather solve 100 integrals than complete a research paper. But, if there was one thing that people would know about me, it would be my love for music. CTRL. It is more than just a modifier key. It is an album that has resonated with me since its release. 14 songs. 49 minutes of empowerment, love, insecurity, and self-identity. As a hispanic woman participating in a STEM career, there are a lot of societal and cultural expectations. I often get told that I should pursue nursing, a more feminine career where there is less math. CTRL incorporates the process of understanding oneself in a personal and professional context. It encourages personal autonomy over societal pressures. It reminds me that I can define myself on my own terms. I am capable of math, I’ll succeed as an engineer, I’ll help the world. I can take control of my path, even when the world tries to write it for me. My plan is to study Biomedical Engineering. A field that binds medicine and technology together to improve the quality of life. My personal experience with healthcare encourages me to pursue this career. Coming from a family who has unfortunately spent a lot of time worrying about their health, I witnessed firsthand how important the advancement in medicine is. Medical devices are everywhere, even when they may not be visible. When people hear medicine, they often think of hospitals or doctors. But behind every diagnosis, treatment, and moment of healing, there are devices and materials working silently in the background. Whether it be an insulin pump or a prosthetic limb, these technologies shape the outcome of someone's life. I want to be a part of the change. I want patients to feel comfortable, seen, and heard. I want to take control and drive healthcare forward. Through my degree, internships, research, and early career positions, I hope to gain knowledge on medical devices to make a positive impact on the world. Everyone deserves empathy, and the feeling of comfort of their own body. As a biomedical engineer, I aim to design technologies that restore dignity and independence for those who need it most. I will also spend time doing research to implement more cures and solutions for harmful diseases. This is my path, my identity. Despite all the societal expectations I face, I know I can make a positive impact through engineering and empathy. As Solana said, “I could be your supermodel if you believe,” (Supermodel from the album CTRL). I believe in myself, and I hope you believe in me too. Thank you for this opportunity. :)

Being the “Tinkerbell” in my family meant always being called for. Always. Whether it was to find a hidden small object, or to create a solution from scratch. My family knows me for my creativity as well as my curiosity. And, I have implemented both throughout my education and personal projects. My most recent project is probably the best yet, if I do say so myself. It all began when I thought to myself, what problems do I run into that I wish were solved? A memory flashed, I was in the middle of stormy weather, and I had gotten a call. With the sound of the rain against the umbrella, I could barely hear a word. And of course, everyone knows about the puddle an umbrella leaves when it closes. My team and I wanted to be the creators of the solution: Brella Parasol. An umbrella that reduces noise as well as minimizes the mess to keep homes clean. But, the project only expanded from there. I then began to think of several cases when an umbrella is used. Day, night, on a walk, or maybe even on a bike. Each scenario resulted in a new addition to Brella Parasol. We added reflective stickers so pedestrians could be seen at night. We also added attachable parts that could be attached to bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, and more. Through each addition, we aimed to make the umbrella convenient and accessible for all kinds of umbrella users. Here is the fun part. My team and I decided to add the ability for the user to collect water! From a funnel at the top of the umbrella, to the filter, to the bottle placed above the handle, users could safely drink water while out on the streets. Now, Brella Parasol stood above the rest! Throughout the engineering design process and overall problem solving, I kept coming back to the same approach: empathy. I think about others. I look for the small frustrations people quietly accept. I also keep in mind something my professor taught me: “Say ‘yes, and.’” Throughout this project, I never denied an idea. Instead, I build on them. With each suggestion from my team, I would say “yes, and,” leading us to adding features we never would have seen coming from the start! That mindset shapes the kind of engineer I want to become: someone who listens first, collaborates openly, and designs solutions that improve the quality of life. My curiosity pushes me to ask questions, but my creativity pushes me to answer them in ways that help people. That combination shapes how I want to make a positive impact in the world, by creating solutions that are thoughtful, practical, and centered on real human needs. Thank you for the opportunity. :) P.S. : My mother would always call me her Tinkerbell like the fairy, I felt this scholarship was a perfect match. :))

“Can you tell her that she needs to check her blood pressure twice a day?” the nurse asked. I looked over at my abuela, waiting for me to translate. From a young age, I have been involved in my family’s health. I grew up helping my family navigate doctor’s visits, medications, and instructions that were never written with us in mind. Unfortunately, my family has faced a long list of health challenges: diabetes, arthritis, cancer, genetic disorders, cardiac issues, and more. Because of that, I was exposed early to treatments, medical devices, and the small frustrations that come with managing harsh health conditions. I saw how something as simple as a confusing monitor or a poorly designed device could make a hard situation even harder. As I saw my family struggle, I couldn't imagine how many families internationally felt the same. What could have been frightening instead became familiar, and eventually, inspiring. After graduating with a degree in Biomedical Engineering, I plan to work with a focus on developing medical devices that improve accessibility, comfort, and dignity for patients. I want to design technologies that make healthcare easier for families like mine, families who often struggle with language barriers, financial limitations, or overall discomfort from their illness. I also hope to minor in material science. With that knowledge, I hope to use certain materials in a medical manner to provide stability and comfort, like artificial limbs and bone replacements. Being that my family has personally been affected by cancer, I am deeply interested in oncology. In my life, I have had 3 lives affected by cancer, 2 lost. As I move further in my education, I hope to conduct research and experiments on cancerous cells as well as potential cures that could save many beautiful lives around the world. To get there, I’m focusing on strengthening my engineering foundation through my coursework and hands-on projects. In fact, I recently prototyped an improved automatic pill dispenser! I also hope to conduct my own research. So far, I have been performing STEM related research and sharing that knowledge with women at an international level. And of course, I hope to participate in an internship that will help me gain experience as an engineer. My family’s health challenges shaped me as much as they motivated me. They taught me perspective, responsibility, and the importance of clear communication. Most of all, they taught me that engineering isn’t just about solving problems, it’s about improving lives. That’s the kind of impact I want to make. Thank you for this opportunity. :)

Us humans have the ability to adapt to change. When we discovered that the weather could get cold, we created sweaters. When we go through grief, we learn how to continue life without our loved ones. When traumatic experiences come into play, we find ways to heal and endure the pain. No matter the challenges we face, we continue to evolve and seek paths that make survival easier. The power of adaptation is not ours alone. As we evolve, so do diseases and genetic mutations. They continue to find ways to resist our medications. Just as we innovate, nature does as well, reminding us that progress is never one-sided. This constant battle of humans VS diseases challenges us to use science to design solutions that meet the needs of both the present and the future. I plan to pursue Biomedical Engineering, a degree that ties the arts and science together. With this degree, I aim to create medical devices to help improve the quality of life. By combining creativity with science, I hope to create solutions that not only treat illness but also restore dignity, independence, and hope to patients. Biomedical engineering is not simply about machines or formulas. It is about people. It is about ensuring that technology serves humanity in ways that are accessible, and transformative. While it is known for diseases and injury to cause damage to the body, they often leave behind more than physical trauma. It creates bruising, amputations, immobility, and disabilities. Of course, with the assistance of medical technology and professionals, these symptoms are aimed to be minimized. But, what no one speaks about of the dignity of patients. Any of these symptoms could have a negative toll on someone's confidence and self-worth. A prosthetic limb may restore mobility, but if it is uncomfortable, inauthentic, or a constant reminder of their disability, it will not restore dignity. My goal is to create technologies that address both the physical and emotional aspects of trauma, ensuring that patients are not defined by their limitations but empowered by their possibilities. I see myself using what I learn to benefit my community by bridging the gap between modern medical technology and everyday needs. Whether it is developing affordable prosthetics, or sustainable medical materials for bone replacements, my vision is to make adaptation not just about survival. It is about thriving together. As humanity continues to evolve, so will the challenges we face. Biomedical engineering allows us to meet that evolution with innovation, ensuring that our progress is not only measured in survival rates, but in the dignity, independence, and confidence of patients. Thank you for this scholarship opportunity! :)

Throughout high school, I've joined many clubs to put more effort into community service. NHS being one. I remember when I got inducted into NHS, being so excited to volunteer and share love to my community as someone who just loves to share a helping hand. I noticed how unmotivated my peers were. I ran for an officer role and I'm lucky to have been elected. I have contributed many ideas of service for students. I was able to share the passion for service to those around me by hosting food drives, events for elementary kids, tutoring sessions and more. Aside from hosting events, participating and encouraging others to do the same, I volunteer at animal shelters to spread love to beings aside from humans. I also create handmade cards in Spanish to nursing homes and share a helping hand when I visit, since community service should not be bounded by language. Each of these acts make me feel happy knowing I've made a difference in someones life and used my resources to share to others who may not have any. In college, I plan to continue taking part in community service and hopefully encouraging others to do the same.

The whistle blows. The game starts, kicking off the season. I take a deep breath as I step onto the field, a place not just for a Soccer match but to grow and shape my character. When I was younger, joining a team of strangers was my greatest fear. My anxiety would rise at the thought of making a mistake. On the field for the first time, my body felt electrified with nerves. What if I didn't score any goals? Would my team hate me? I can't play badly… To make matters worse, I was placed as the goalie. All I could think about was the ball coming toward my face. My teammate, Joshua, was positioned in defense in front of me. He sensed my fear. He looked at me and asked, “Have you played Soccer before?” I must have been visibly nervous. “Yeah, but I’m a bit scared, to be honest.” “That’s okay. I was like that my first time too. Don't worry. I'll be here to help you out, we all will be. And remember, pretend you are like a Crab. That helped me get the goalie position down. All you have to say is, ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme ball’,” he said, moving side to side with his hands up like a Crab. “I'll try to be the best Crab,” I laughed. As the game progressed, my nerves relaxed. The ball is inching towards me. Joshua is trying to keep the ball from getting into my territory. I take a deep breath, knowing the game can’t just be on him. I yell, “Joshua, I'm ready!” The ball gets launched to me. ‘Gimme ball’ I thought to myself. My hands reach out and I close my eyes in preparation for face impact. “ELIZABETH, YOU GOT IT,” I heard Joshua yell. I opened my eyes to see the ball in my hands. My team rushed to me, celebrating the first block of the season, with many more to come. Throughout the season, I never forgot Joshua's words: “I'll be here to help you out, we all will be.” With each game, I connected more with my team, realizing they were there for me, and I was there for them. Seasons passed, each with different teammates. In 2021, I became the captain of my Soccer team. One day, during practice, I met Valerie, a girl who reminded me of my younger self. I realized I gained responsibilities along with leadership, and it was my chance to use what Soccer had taught me. “Valerie,” I said, “I know it can be scary at first. But we're all here to support you. Just give it your best and trust that we have your back.” Some skills I gained from my Soccer experience branch into my daily life. My leadership I achieved from being captain shine through when I lead food drives in my community. My problem solving abilities from navigating the field aid me today in working out and adapting to tough situations. I also developed empathy and sportsmanship from working with my team allowing me to understand different perspectives. In every challenge, I remember the lessons from the field: to stay calm under pressure, trust my teammates, and always strive for improvement. Soccer has not just been a sport for me; it has been a training ground for life, shaping me into a stronger, more empathetic, and more resilient person. Whether on the field or in my community, these lessons continue to guide me, pushing me to be the best version of myself.