I started playing softball in second grade, and what began as a fun after-school activity quickly grew into a lifelong passion. Now, as a sophomore in college, my love for the sport is stronger than ever. I couldn’t walk away from it after graduating high school, so I joined my university’s club softball team; a perfect balance that allows me to continue doing what I love while focusing on my Human Services degree. This year, I was proud to be named to the National Club Softball Association Academic All-America Team, reflecting both my dedication to the sport and my commitment to academics. Throughout my eleven years of playing, the most valuable lesson softball has taught me is perseverance. In high school, I didn’t get much playing time. I showed up to every practice, gave my best effort, and tried to prove myself to my coaches. Still, I found myself ride the bench for most games. It was frustrating and sometimes discouraging, but instead of giving up, I chose to stay positive, support my teammates, and keep working on my skills. That experience shaped my character in ways I couldn’t see at the time. I learned how to be a true team player, even when things weren’t going my way, something that continues to guide me both on and off the field. I also came to understand something I’ll carry into my future coaching philosophy: players can’t be developed, or realize their full potential, without playing time. Practice is essential, but it’s game day experience that builds confidence and helps players grow. Watching from the dugout helped me see that good coaching means creating opportunities, not just giving orders. Now in college, that persistence has paid off. I’ve earned a starting position and play in every game. My teammates have asked me to help run practices next season, a meaningful opportunity on our athlete-led team that does not have a formal coach. I’ve also been encouraged to run for club president, a role I view not just as an honor, but as a chance to support and uplift other players in ways I wish someone had done for me during my high school years. I’ve had a wide range of coaches, some incredibly skilled, and others less so. One of the biggest takeaways from those varied experiences is how much leadership and morale affect a team. I’ve seen firsthand how the same group of players can achieve vastly different results depending on the guidance and energy of the coach. My high school team made it to the State Championships two years in a row. That success wasn’t just about talent, it was about trust, encouragement, and the way we played for each other. Looking ahead, I plan to become a school district social worker and eventually a middle school softball coach. My dream is to create a positive and inclusive environment where every player feels seen, valued, and supported, both on the field and off. I believe in equal playing time, skill development, and recognizing effort over final scores. I want to help athletes believe in themselves, just as this game has helped me. Softball has taught me resilience, leadership, and the power of community. These values have become part of who I am, and I’m committed to carrying them forward in my future career and in every team I’m lucky enough to be part of. The Brett Brakel Memorial Scholarship honors the very qualities that have shaped me, and I would be honored to continue that legacy of mentorship, perseverance, and community.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help people receive appropriate assistance in ways that allow them to maintain dignity in their time of need. While volunteering, I have learned how important it is to build relationships, so community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust in my community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. Just because issues do not affect me directly, does not mean that I will ignore the impact they have on others. I strive to be a loving, kind, safe person for those facing social injustices. My community action work coincided with my search for colleges; gradually shifting my childhood dreams of being a NICU nurse into a strong desire to focus on Medical Equity. Our healthcare system is in great need of reform. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it, while also providing me with a strong understanding of the equitable and ethical standards we should aspire to. As part of my college search, I audited a lecture, given by York's department head, and feel confident that this program will prepare me to achieve my career goals. Over lunch, the dean and I spoke about ways the program, originally designed as an alternative Premed program, can be altered toward a medical equity program that meets my career goals. We are both excited to explore other ways this field of study can be applied because our world needs more people focused on making it a more equitable place. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level. Through my volunteer work, I have seen the strong, immediate impact small, local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. While equitable healthcare is a national issue, rural communities like my own face added challenged. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County, Pa has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. The Career Test Scholarship would help fund my efforts to earn an education that will allow me to work toward improving medical access to the community I love.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help people receive appropriate assistance in ways that allow them to maintain dignity in their time of need. While volunteering, I have learned how important it is to build relationships, so community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust in my community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. Just because issues do not affect me directly, does not mean that I will ignore the impact they have on others. I strive to be a loving, kind, safe person for those facing social injustices. Moving forward, I plan to focus my efforts on Medical Equity. Our healthcare system is in great need of reform. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it, while also providing me with a strong understanding of the equitable and ethical standards we should aspire to. I audited a lecture, given by the department head, and feel confident that this program will prepare me to achieve my career goals. Over lunch, the dean and I also spoke about ways the program, originally designed as an alternative Premed program, can be altered toward a medical equity program that meets my career goals. We are both excited to explore other ways this field of study can be applied. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my volunteer work, I have seen the strong, immediate impact small, local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. While equitable healthcare is a national issue, rural communities like my own face added challenged. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County, Pa has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. The Career Test Scholarship would help fund my efforts to earn an education that will allow me to work toward improving medical access to the community I love.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help people receive appropriate assistance in ways that allow them to maintain dignity in their time of need. While volunteering, I learned how important it is to build relationships, so community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust in my community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. Just because issues don't affect me directly, doesn't mean that I will ignore the impact they have on others. I strive to be a loving, kind, safe person for those facing social injustices. Moving forward, I plan to focus my efforts on Medical Equity. Our healthcare system is in great need of reform. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my volunteer work, I have seen the strong, immediate impact small, local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County, Pa has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. After graduation, I plan on coming back to this area, to live, work, and raise a family. The Schmid Memorial Scholarship would help bridge the gap between public and private university costs. As the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by being far away for four years. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other. Attending a cheaper school further from home would cost me valuable family time that I am not willing to sacrifice.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help people receive appropriate assistance in ways that allow them to maintain dignity in their time of need. Through my work with the Back-to-School Fair, I learned how important it is to build relationships, so that community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust with members of our community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence in the wake of George Floyd's death, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. Just because issues don't impact me directly, doesn't mean that I get to ignore the impact they have on others. I strive to be a loving, kind, safe person for those affected by social injustices. Looking forward to how I will continue to impact our community, I plan to focus on Medical Equity. Our healthcare system is in great nee do reform. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it. Equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my work with the NPC Back-to-School Fair, I have seen the strong, immediate impact that small local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. After graduation, I plan on coming back to this general area, to live, work, and raise a family.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help people receive appropriate assistance in ways that allow them to maintain dignity in their time of need. Through my work with the Back-to-School Fair, I learned how important it is to build relationships, so that community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust with members of our community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence in the wake of George Floyd's death, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. Just because issues don't impact me directly, doesn't mean that I get to ignore the impact they have on others. I strive to be a loving, kind, safe person for those affected by social injustices. Looking forward to how I will continue to impact our community, I plan to focus on Medical Equity. Our healthcare system is in great nee do reform. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it. Equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my work with the NPC Back-to-School Fair, I have seen the strong, immediate impact that small local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. After graduation, I plan on coming back to this general area, to live, work, and raise a family. The "Loving You to Wholeness" Scholarship would be meaningful in my pursuit of a college education. Unfortunately, York College of PA is a private school and comes with a private school price tag. I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by being far away for four years. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other. Attending a school further from home, while potentially financially better, would cost me valuable family time that I am not willing to sacrifice. This scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public university costs.

I am compassionate individual, who truly sees the worth in every human being. I enjoy working on initiatives that help marginalized people receive appropriate assistance in a way that helps them maintain dignity in their time of need. Through my work with the Back-to-School Fair, I also learned how important it is to build relationships, so that community members are comfortable trusting me in vulnerable situations. I continued building trust with members of our community by working with alumni and community members to welcome Lincoln University of Pa Freshmen to their first college dorms, protesting police violence in the wake of George Floyd's death, and speaking out in support of our school district librarians, migrant students, and LGBTQ+ students at contentious school board meetings. As I look forward to how I will continue to impact our world, I plan to focus on Medical Equity. There is a great need for reform in our healthcare system. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in medical outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. York College of PA’s Medical Humanities Program, with minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me contribute to improving our healthcare system by better understanding the history and social structures that have formed it. Equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my work with the NPC Back-to-School Fair, I have seen the strong, immediate impact that small local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my home in Southern Chester County has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. After graduation, I plan on coming back to this general area, to live, work, and raise a family. The Our Desitny, Our Future Scholarship would be meaningful in my pursuit of a college education. Unfortunately, York College of PA is a private school and comes with a private school price tag. I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by being far away for four years. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other’s big moments. Attending a school further from home, while financially may be better, would cost me valuable family time that I am not willing to sacrifice. This scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public university costs.

There is a great need for reform in our healthcare system. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in patient outcomes. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, gender, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. York College of PA’s (YCP) Medical Humanities Program, with added minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me better understand how I can contribute to improving our healthcare system. Equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my work with the NPC Back-to-School Fair, I have seen the strong, immediate impact that small local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, my hometown in Southern Chester County, PA has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. I plan on being a part of the solution. I recently attended an Honors Scholar workshop at YCP’s Admitted Students Day. I’ve applied to join their Eisenhart Community of Scholars. They work in cross discipline groups to identify community needs and determine how they might meet that need. I am excited by the possibility of being a part of a group that works so collaboratively to come up with innovative ways to fix the problems we as a society face, like inequitable healthcare. I have also had lunch with Dr Rory Kraft, the YCP professor who developed their Medical Humanities Program. We discussed my desire to focus strongly on the social aspects of medicine, and how their program could be customized to do that. I believe we are both excited to see how this major can be applied, outside of a premed style program. I visited him again the following week to audit his lecture on the history of autism, and was invited to attend a guest lecture, given by Sabine Hildenbrand, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, on the ethical dilemma of medical breakthroughs made by the Nazi Regime, at the expense of Holocaust victims. The Morgan Levine Dolan Community Service Scholarship would be meaningful in my pursuit of a college education. Unfortunately, York College of PA is a private school and comes with a private school price tag, I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by going far away. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other’s big moments. Attending a school further from home, while financially better, would cost me valuable family time that I’m not willing to sacrifice. This scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public university cost.

There is a great need for reform in our healthcare system. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. The cost of preventive care has many people avoiding any type of treatment until the need has become critical. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing precious treatment time. Healthcare shouldn’t be a luxury. Being truly seen as a person with symptoms, worthy of dignified treatment should be for everyone. Access to timely healthcare should not be a limiting factor in care. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, gender, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. I think that York College of PA’s (YCP) Medical Humanities Program, with added minors in Sociology/Equity, and Human Services will help me better understand how I can contribute to improving our healthcare system. Equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I hope to be an active part in making changes on the local level, because, through my work with the NPC Back-to-School Fair, I have seen the strong, immediate impact that small local changes can have in bettering people’s lives. Lacking adequate emergency medicine, long wait times to see local specialists, and a high poverty rate, Southern Chester County has a long way to go toward equitable medical care. I recently attended an Honors Scholar workshop at YCP’s Admitted Students Day. I’ve applied to join their Eisenhart Community of Scholars. They work in cross discipline groups to identify community needs and determine how they might meet that need. I am excited by the possibility of being a part of a group that works so collaboratively to come up with innovative ways to fix the problems we as a society face, like inequitable healthcare. I have also had lunch with Dr Rory Kraft, the YCP professor who developed their Medical Humanities Program. We discussed my desire to focus strongly on the social aspects of medicine, and how their program could be customized to do that. I believe we are both excited to see how this major can be applied, outside of a premed style program. I visited him again the following week to audit his lecture on the history of autism, and was invited to attend a guest lecture, given by Sabine Hildenbrand, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, on the ethical dilemma of medical breakthroughs made by the Nazi Regime, at the expense of Holocaust victims. The Honorable Shawn Long Memorial Scholarship would be meaningful in my pursuit of a college education. Unfortunately, York College of PA is a private school and comes with a private school price tag, I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by going far away to college. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other’s big moments. Attending a school further from home, while financially may be better, would cost me valuable family time that I’m not willing to sacrifice. This scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public university cost.

I'm the oldest of four children. My youngest brother and I are three weeks short of eight years apart. He is the most imaginative kid I know. Sometimes his imaginary world seeps into the real world. We have a lot of fun stories about Michael. When he was three, he woke up from an epically long nap, in absolute tears. Now, its normal for toddlers to wake up cranky, but this kid woke up stuck in the worst nightmare any little kid could have; someone had stolen his ice cream, and I was the culprit. "No! I no like that Lizzie! Give me back my ice cream. Mommy, Lizzie stole my ice cream. Where is my ice cream?" Of course, he's three, so ice cream comes out "eyes keem," making it even more pathetically adorable. My mom spent a good five minutes calming him down, explaining that no one took his ice cream, but he can have some after dinner. Just as his little gasping sobs were starting to get under control, my eleven-year-old self walked into the room, having no idea the incredible injustice I had served him in his dream. The poor kid started crying all over again, accusing me of stealing his "eyes keem." I immediately went into apology mode for something I never did, because there is nothing more sacred to a toddler than ice cream. When Michael was four, he started introducing himself to people as Michael Jackson. His preschool teacher was rather concerned that he didn't seem to know his own name. My mom thought that while an odd choice, plenty of kids choose to assume alter egos, and we should really be worried about the preK teacher who didn't find make believe normal and developmentally appropriate. One night, I guess my dad felt like we should at least try to make sure he knew his real name, in case he got lost or something. He spent fifteen minutes trying to convince him that his name was Michael Jacob Dewees. He just kept crossing his little arms, and turning his head away, "No, my name is Michael Jackson." He did concede that Dewees is his "back name," which we figured was four-year-old speak for last name, but that was the best we got out of him. About a year later, my youngest sister informed him that Michael Jackson was dead. He absolutely freaked out, "MY MICHAEL JACKSON IS NEVER DEAD!" To this day, I don't think anyone in our home has brought up the death of the King of Pop again. By the time he was eight, it'd been years since he'd gone by Michael Jackson. It was now just a funny anecdote, like the stolen ice cream story. So, we were all surprised when sitting by the pool, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," came on the radio. He popped out of his seat and started dancing, then nostalgically said, "I remember when I came out with this song in 1976." He said that with a little too much confidence for me, so I made my mom look up the year before I completely freaked out. Her answer, "Close, 1979." Michael responded, still dancing away, "Ah, it was a long time ago. I get my dates mixed up." I don't believe in reincarnation, but I'm just saying, my brother was born about four years after Michael Jackson's death. This scholarship will help me bridge the gap between public and private school tuition, so I don't have to go far away for school and miss out on too many Michael stories.

There is a great need for reform in our healthcare system. Far too many people are at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing critical treatment time. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone in this country, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. In order to do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. I think that York College of PA’s (YCP) Medical Humanities Program, with added minors in sociology/equity, and human services will help me better understand how I can contribute to improving our healthcare system. I’m unsure if I’m called to work on the local, state, or national level yet, but know that equitable healthcare is something I feel very passionate about. I recently attended an Honors Scholar workshop at YCP’s Admitted Students Day. I’ve applied to join their Eisenhart Community of Scholars. They work in cross discipline groups to identify community needs and determine how they might meet that need. I am excited by the possibility of being a part of a group that works so collaboratively to come up with innovative ways to fix the problems we as a society face, like inequitable healthcare. I also had lunch with Professor Kraft at YCP on that day and was able to hear more about their Medical Humanities Degree, that he developed. I am thrilled to be a part of a program that looks at how history and social structures have shaped our medical field. It is only by understanding how we got to the system that we have that we can hope to change it. After attending one of his classes I am more committed than ever to their program. The Maxwell Tuan Nguyen Scholarship would be meaningful in my pursuit of a college education. Unfortunately, York College of PA is a private school and comes with a private school price tag, I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives by going far away to college. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other’s big moments. Attending a school further from home, while financially may be better, would cost me valuable family time that I’m not willing to sacrifice. This scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public university cost.

Avani cared about people, and diversity, and had an amazing love of life. I can’t picture her without envisioning her wide smile. Unfortunately, we lost that smile all too soon. I can only imagine how difficult navigating the medical system would have been for her family if she had an earlier diagnosis. I’m sure it wouldn’t be easy, but I would hope that medical case workers would’ve helped to alleviate the burden of navigating a broken healthcare system. There is a great need for reform in our healthcare system. Families can follow all the rules, and still be at risk of losing everything after one medical emergency because of high healthcare costs. Others fall victim to inherent biases that cause their symptoms to be dismissed or under diagnosed. Still others struggle to even get a doctor’s appointment when it is needed, losing critical treatment time. I see a massive overhaul of our medical system happening in my lifetime. I’d like to be a part of helping the system work for everyone, regardless of financial, social, or racial status. To do that, I want to learn as much as I can about Medical Sociology. I think that York College of PA’s medical humanities program, with added minors in sociology/ equity, and human services will help me better understand how I can contribute to improving our healthcare system, in the hopes of ensuring people are treated with the kindness and compassion that Avani treated others. I recently attended an Honors Scholar workshop at YCP’s Admitted Students Day. I’ve applied to join their Eisenhart Community of Scholars. They work in cross discipline groups to identify community needs and determine how they might meet that need. I am excited by the possibility of being a part of a group that works so collaboratively to come up with innovative ways to fix the problems we as a society face, like inequitable healthcare. The Avani Doshi Scholarship would help to bridge the gap between private and public college costs. I could find a more affordable program by traveling further from home, but as the oldest of four children, I would like to stay close to home so that I don’t miss out on too much of my siblings’ lives. We are a close-knit family that values being there for each other’s big moments. Attending a school further from home, while financially better, would cost me valuable family time that I’m not willing to sacrifice. Somehow, I think Avani would understand that.