"Hope is a waking dream." – Aristotle. Growing up in Nigeria was the best part of my life. Every day was a new experience. I was surrounded by people who looked like me, spoke like me, and understood me. So when I moved to the United States, I was excited for more new things—new people, new culture, new life. I had no idea how difficult that transition would be. They say to embrace life with an open mind and a positive perspective. At least that’s what I was told. But no one talks about how hard it is to do that when you’re a 12-year-old girl dealing with a language barrier, anxiety, and puberty—all at once. Starting high school in 10th grade felt like being thrown into the deep end. I had to change everything—my accent, my clothes, the way I carried myself. Back in Nigeria, the uncles and aunties only ever talked about the great opportunities in America. They said, "If you work hard, you’ll succeed." And they were right, in a way. But they never mentioned the community I would have to leave behind. They didn’t tell me how much I would miss a familiar hug, or how the distance and economy would keep me from the people I love most. That’s when the loneliness began to settle in. Even when I made friends and had conversations, they felt shallow, empty, even. I carried that loneliness into every space: my home, my school, my heart. It wasn’t until I got involved in my church that something shifted. We’ve always been a Christian family, but before then, it was just a label to me. At church, I was encouraged to step out of my comfort zone, to talk, to serve, to connect. And slowly, I began to see what I hadn’t before—my community was right in front of me. People who cared. People who listened. People who reminded me that I wasn’t alone. Volunteering with my church’s fully furnished team changed everything. We helped families move into their first or forever homes with love—and with furniture. Every smile I saw reminded me that kindness is powerful. The relationships I built while lifting couches or sharing barbecue on Saturdays taught me that connection isn’t just about where you’re from—it’s about being present, being open, and giving back. For a long time, I was too focused on what I had lost to see what I had gained. But that church community helped me redefine what “home” and “family” really mean. I’ve grown in ways I never imagined—emotionally, spiritually, and socially—because I found people who genuinely cared. And that’s what gave me hope. Hope that the community can be found in unexpected places. Hope that kindness still matters. Hope that even when things fall apart, there’s always the chance to begin again. Hope, as Aristotle said, really is a waking dream—one I get to live every day now.

In the book "The Thing Around Your Neck" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it explores the importance of identity and the struggle to maintain a sense of self in the face of cultural dislocation as applied to my current situation as an immigrant. I have learnt to apply these lessons to my life as an immigrant to the United States, where I have seen and experienced numerous situations of how the complexities of migration have impacted one's understanding of home and belonging. Upon coming to the US, I was admitted into the 10th grade at Decatur High School. This was followed by my admission as a fellow of the 2024 US CDC detective program. My admission to the School of Public Health of Georgia State University for a degree in Public Health (Pre-med) is a major step toward achieving my dream of becoming a Public Health Physician. Currently, I am the first in my family to attend an undergraduate college program in the United States and the first female in my nuclear and extended family to make this achievement. As a pacesetter in the family, I will be a role model for my siblings to pursue their educational desires confidently. I see the United States as a land of opportunities, in contrast to the challenges we face in Africa. For example, teenage marriage is common in northern Nigeria, where I come from. This affects the teen girls’ schooling with the resultant effect of maternal and child health problems, a high number of deaths of women during delivery, and poverty resulting from their lack of financial independence. Girls are expected to go into marriage at an early age to have children, a practice which leads to a shortage of female health workers both at the local and global levels. My qualification as a Public health practitioner will help address the gender imbalance here in the US and globally. To pursue this target, I am combining my academic pursuits with community engagement activities. I recently graduated from the US CDC disease detective program in year 2024 session which gave me a good insight into the field of public health. I am actively engaged in several community-based engagement activities, including serving as a volunteer with the Fully Furnished Ministries in Norcross, where I volunteer every month to move furniture to families in need. I have contributed over 45 hours of community volunteering activities since the beginning of the year. Qualifying as a Public Health Physician will enable me at the local level to work in rural areas of the United States, to address the health challenges of the minority and vulnerable groups. I will raise community engagement to a higher level at the international level by working with government agencies, like CDC, and the National Institute of Health, to address international health challenges like pandemics. Finally, I would say that before coming to the US, has further broafen my horizon of understanding on he value of education and self-empowerment as a future female health worker to contribute in improving the health outcomes of of the country; most especially to address the gap of the health needs of the minority and vulnerable groups.

I am currently a Senior at Decatur High School and recently got admission into the School of Public Health of Georgia State University for a degree in Public Health (Premed). I am the first in a family of four children with three girls and a boy. I am the first in my family to attend an undergraduate college in the United States. As a pacesetter in the family, I consider myself a role model for my siblings in their cause to be useful citizens of Georgia and the US. Immigrating to the US has been challenging. First, the large size of our family of six has made it difficult to meet the family's needs; my parents work harder and for longer hours, but meeting the demands of the family has been challenging. This is further compounded by the young age of the children below the working age. Another factor is the African extended family system, which requires children to care for their aged parents. Even though we are new immigrants, my grandparents still expect my parents to give them economic support since they are all old. My parents are also responsible for other burdens besides our care. My target is to excel academically and get many scholarships to augument the high cost of my education. A scholarship will help address most of the above-listed financial gaps. It will help me pay the cost of lodging in school, subsidize my tuition fees, cost of books, and upkeep while in school.