Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. However, I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I wanted to take this chance to grow. With this, I was eager to begin my journey. At sixteen, I took a test to finish high school and began as a pre-nursing major at Golden West College. However, I was overwhelmed by all the challenges college presented. But I refused to keep hiding behind the safe and the known. This inspired me to join different organizations on my campus. This taught me that service for others can motivate you to strive for your best. Through my involvement on campus, I hope to help other students who may feel just as lost as I did when I began college. In my time at Golden West College, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. These experiences inspired me to pursue healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that Nursing school has presented me, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. This has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

She’ll Take You to the Moon You look at her and see the moon You see how bright she shines I look at her and see just why So why ignore these signs You love her more than stars above, A thousand miles from me You love her, who’s to say that’s wrong? She’s more than I could be And as you smile and laugh with her, I guess I’ll just let go This pointless love I fight to hold Yet deep inside I know I’ll love you for forevermore My heart will be with you I hope she keeps your heart as well And never leaves you blue She knows you more than I could hope Well, this I can’t deny And I do hope she loves you true In ways that I can’t try

Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. Because of this, my parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I wanted to take this chance to grow. With this, I was eager to begin my journey. At sixteen, I took a test to finish high school and began as a pre-nursing major at Golden West College. However, I was overwhelmed by all the challenges college presented. But I refused to keep hiding behind the safe and the known. This inspired me to join organizations on my campus. I served as the Secretary of the campus honors society for three semesters. Along with this, I served as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Student Interest Committee for two semesters and Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Publicity Committee for four semesters. These organizations taught me that service for others can motivate you to strive for your best. As I was surrounded by all these inspirational people, I worked hard and graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Golden West College. Through my involvement on campus, I hope to help other students who may feel just as lost as I did when I began college. The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that Nursing school has presented me, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. Because of this, my parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I wanted to take this chance to grow. With this, I was eager to begin my journey. At sixteen, I took a test to finish high school and began as a pre-nursing major at Golden West College. However, I was overwhelmed by all the challenges college presented. But I refused to keep hiding behind the safe and the known. This inspired me to join organizations on my campus. I served as the Secretary of the campus honors society for three semesters. Along with this, I served as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Student Interest Committee for two semesters and Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Publicity Committee for four semesters. As I was surrounded by all these inspirational people, I worked hard and graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Golden West College. Through my involvement on campus, I hope to help other students who may feel just as lost as I did when I began college. The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. These experiences inspired me to go into healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that Nursing school has presented me, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. Because of this, my parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I wanted to take this chance to grow. With this, I was eager to begin my journey. At sixteen, I took a test to finish high school and began as a pre-nursing major at Golden West College. However, I was overwhelmed by all the challenges college presented. But I refused to keep hiding behind the safe and the known. This inspired me to join organizations on my campus. I served as the Secretary of the campus honors society for three semesters. Along with this, I served as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Student Interest Committee for two semesters, and as the Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Publicity Committee for four semesters. These organizations taught me that service for others can motivate you to strive for your best. As I was surrounded by all these inspirational people, I worked hard and graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Golden West College. Through my involvement on campus, I hope to help other students who may feel just as lost as I did when I began college. The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. These experiences inspired me to pursue healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey.

The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that Nursing school has presented me, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that Nursing school has presented me, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. I believe that nursing education is heavily centered around lifelong learning. New studies, procedures, and processes change so quickly, and I want to make sure that I’m always using the best practices when taking care of patients. With this, I plan to learn everyday, with every step of my career. I plan to one day get a Ph.D. in Nursing. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey.

Learning and higher education are important to me because it paves a path for dreamers to reach their goals. Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. My parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I also wanted to take this chance to grow. I promised myself that I would rise above these challenges and take each opportunity that comes my way. The first event that helped me find my passion was when I went back to the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage, helping us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes at Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. My experiences have taught me that each student can reach their goals with enough motivation, empathy, and support. I want to spread the reach of higher education in STEM and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can, and I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that it has presented, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.

I face the challenges that college brings by finding a community that supports me. Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. Because of this, my parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I also wanted to take this chance to grow. I promised myself that I would rise above these challenges and take each opportunity that comes my way. With this, I joined the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society. As the secretary for three semesters, I help create, organize, and attend volunteering events and donation drives for the community. I also invite guest speakers to inform the club about opportunities they can utilize and raise awareness for, like tutoring services, résumé and interview strategies, transfer applications, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), and more. I also joined the Publicity Committee and was elected Vice-Chair and Secretary. As I attend the events we publicize, I’m always overjoyed to see the committee's hard work helping students feel welcome on campus. I also serve as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Student Interest Committee. Here, I help develop events to reach out to students and discuss issues that affect us all. With this, I aim to help students create the changes that they want to see in the world. I also volunteered for the non-profit, Theory of Joy, which aims to reduce poverty in the Philippines by improving education in indigenous communities. Here, I help raise funds for projects like providing meals, digging sustainable water wells, building schools, and inspiring interest in STEM. Through this non-profit, I also published a children’s book that educated kids on how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about this would have helped me understand my own increased risk of diabetes and what I could do to help my health. Knowing the challenges that come with these courses, I wanted to use what I learned to help other students. This inspired me to be an Embedded Tutor for Chemistry 110, English 100, and English Language Learning. Aside from helping students with their coursework, I’ve also taken note of how to connect students with campus resources for food, clothes, hygiene items, and more. My 750 hours as an Embedded Tutor showed me the learning challenges students encounter. This inspired me to join the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. With the many opportunities college has presented, I now know that I can work hard to achieve all of my goals. I earned a 4.0 GPA in college STEM courses while balancing work, leadership positions, and volunteering from the age of 16. These changes once terrified me, but now they’re the part of college that I look forward to every day. These experiences have shown me so many ways to better the community, campus, and myself as well along the way.

I face the challenges that college brings by finding a community that supports me. Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. Because of this, my parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I also wanted to take this chance to grow. I promised myself that I would rise above these challenges and take each opportunity that comes my way. With this, I joined the Alpha Gamma Sigma Honors Society. As the secretary for three semesters, I help create, organize, and attend volunteering events and donation drives for the community. I also invite guest speakers to inform the club about opportunities they can utilize and raise awareness for, like tutoring services, résumé and interview strategies, transfer applications, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), and more. I also joined the Publicity Committee and was elected Vice-Chair and Secretary. As I attend the events we publicize, I’m always overjoyed to see the committee's hard work helping students feel welcome on campus. I also serve as Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Student Interest Committee. Here, I help develop events to reach out to students and discuss issues that affect us all. With this, I aim to help students create the changes that they want to see in the world. I also volunteered for the non-profit, Theory of Joy, which aims to reduce poverty in the Philippines by improving education in indigenous communities. Here, I help raise funds for projects like providing meals, digging sustainable water wells, building schools, and inspiring interest in STEM. Through this non-profit, I also published a children’s book that educated kids on how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about this would have helped me understand my own increased risk of diabetes and what I could do to help my health. Knowing the challenges that come with these courses, I wanted to use what I learned to help other students. This inspired me to be an Embedded Tutor for Chemistry 110, English 100, and English Language Learning. Aside from helping students with their coursework, I’ve also taken note of how to connect students with campus resources for food, clothes, hygiene items, and more. My 750 hours as an Embedded Tutor showed me the learning challenges students encounter. This inspired me to join the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. With the many opportunities college has presented, I now know that I can work hard to achieve all of my goals. I earned a 4.0 GPA in college STEM courses while balancing work, leadership positions, and volunteering from the age of 16. These changes once terrified me, but now they’re the part of college that I look forward to every day. These experiences have shown me so many ways to better the community, campus, and myself as well along the way.

The first event that helped me find my passion was an outreach I did in the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage to help us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. I have seen so many people suffer because they don’t have access to the proper medical attention and education they needed. If there was a way to prevent this, I had to help make it happen. During that visit to the Philippines, my previous science teacher also gave me the chance to teach a seventh-grade science class at an all-girls school. This inspired me to tutor for STEM and English classes when I started attending Golden West College. With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. Along with this, I also published a children’s book that teaches kids how sugar affects the body. Growing up in a family with a history of diabetes, I know that a book about sugar would have helped me understand my increased risk for diabetes and what I could do to help my health. I saw my parents suffer from numerous health conditions because of diabetes, some of which I also live with today. With this book, I hope to help the children of my generation avoid this outcome. These experiences inspired me to go to healthcare. Growing up in the Philippines, I’ve seen people suffer awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about choices to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. I believe that education goes deeper than simply helping students learn. My experiences have thought me that with enough motivation, empathy, and support, each student can reach their goals. I want to continue spreading STEM education and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey.

Higher education is important to me because it paves a path for dreamers to reach their goals. Growing up in the Philippines, I found comfort in following routines. Because of this, my life was shaken as my family moved to America. My father never finished college and knows the setbacks that come with lacking proper education. My parents hoped to get me and my siblings a better education by immigrating. I was worried about the change in country, culture, language, and many other former constants. No matter how scared I was, I also wanted to take this chance to grow. I promised myself that I would rise above these challenges and take each opportunity that comes my way. The first event that helped me find my passion for my field was when I returned to the Philippines. The American Chemical Society funded a science event my family hosted in Hospicio de San Jose Orphanage, helping us spread education and interest in STEM. As I talked to the kids, I found out that many of them became orphans because their parents died from treatable diseases. Their stories developed my passion for the healthcare field. This experience inspired me to go to healthcare. I’ve seen people suffer from awful repercussions if they are unable to receive healthcare. As a nurse, I hope to make a difference with my patients and spread education about how to protect our health. I believe in the power of health education and how it can help the world. This inspired me to raise awareness about the importance of healthcare and education to as many diverse audiences as I can. I hope to continue this as I study to become a Registered Nurse. After receiving a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree, I plan to ultimately pursue a Ph.D. in Nursing. With this, I want to ensure that everyone has access to effective and reliable healthcare. Knowing the challenges that come with college courses, I also wanted to use what I learned to help other students. This inspired me to be an Embedded Tutor for Chemistry 110, English 100, and English Language Learning (ELL). With more than 750 hours as a tutor, I joined the AB705 faculty-led task force to increase course enrollment and retain students in STEM. To further understand campus policies and how to help students, I represented GWC at the ASACC National Student Advocacy Conference in March 2022. I flew to Washington DC to learn and advocate for federal legislation and policies that impact community college students. My experiences have taught me that each student can reach their goals with enough motivation, empathy, and support. I want to spread the reach of higher education in STEM and inspire the next generation of scientists. With this, I hope to one day help in the higher education of future nurses by becoming a clinical instructor in a hospital. I’ve seen firsthand how attending college can forge the path to our goals, and I want to guide others as they go through this journey. Although I was once afraid of changes, they have shaped who I am today. I started college doubting myself at every turn. However, with the many opportunities that it has presented, I now know that I can work hard to achieve every single one of my goals. Attending college has shown me so many ways to better the campus, community, and myself as well along the way.