In the past years, I have volunteered at multiple community organizations locally, and when I studied abroad. These experiences allowed me to broaden my horizon and gain a deeper sensitivity to the needs of people in my community who may be disadvantaged or struggling with personal challenges. I've been volunteering for a local nonprofit organization that supports adults struggling with addictions, developmental disabilities, mental health challenges and more. When I studied abroad, I volunteered as a mother's helper every week for an underprivileged family with many children. They were extremely poor and had very little financial means to provide for their family. However, they were so positive and so grateful to my friend and I for coming to help take care of the children. This was a humbling experience, as it taught me to focus on the positive in tough circumstances. It also highlighted the importance of being there for others who are in challenging or vulnerable situations. Experiences like these have inspired me to pursue a career in occupational therapy so that I can support my clients by helping them enhance their quality of life through occupational exploration and engagement. I am relying on personal and parent-plus loans to finance my education because neither my parents nor I have the financial means to pay for my education, but I do not want this to prevent me from reaching my goal. I am working part-time as a respite care provider while in school full-time to pay my bills. It is challenging to balance school and work life while living in Brooklyn. Therefore, I would be extremely grateful to receive the Laruen Czubatel Scholarship as it would greatly assist me in covering the costs of my education. I would be honored to carry on Lauren's legacy as someone who cares for the needs of others and is passionate about supporting my peers and future clients, like Lauren. I am a hardworking student who takes my studies seriously, which is reflected in my 4.0 GPA. I hope to win this scholarship and make Lauren's family proud of the impact that her memory is having on students like myself. Lauren and her family's partnership in my career will inspire me to always look out for my clients, advocate for them, support them and help them become the best version of themselves as she did with her friends, family and peers. I hope to make her proud in my future work as an occupational therapist.

Art is a huge part of my life. My mother is an artist and grandfather was an artist, so it's as if art is in my DNA. Growing up, I loved to watch my mother paint and create masterpieces from a blank canvas. My favorite memory as a child was when she would let me paint a few brushstrokes on her painting and I felt that I contributed in helping her artwork come to life. In college, I took an oil painting class where I created the attached painting. It was based on the famous painting "Ryder's House", by Edward Hopper. I chose it as a reference because it gives me a sense of relaxation and inner peace. When creating my own painting, my vision was to create that same energy of peace and relaxation, and a love and appreciation for nature. The simple house on the beautiful landscape under the bright sky is very symbolic to me. The house represents my life. The landscape represents the circumstances that bring me inner peace and calmness. When my life circumstances contribute to good mental health, I can take care of my self, which brings me happiness, contentment and tranquility. The bright sky represents the support and guidance that God shows me in every step of my life. My life experience that has molded this vision is my upbringing. A big part of my childhood was family trips in nature. I always left feeling inspired and rejuvenated to take care of my responsibilities. This painting reflects my childhood experiences that have molded my vision for this painting. My artistic dreams for the future are to use art when treating my clients, to foster their creativity and self esteem. This will help them stay inspired to work hard in achieving their recovery goals.

Art is a huge part of my life. My mother is an artist and grandfather was an artist, so it's as if art is in my DNA. Growing up, I loved to watch my mother paint and create masterpieces from a blank canvas. My favorite memory as a child was when she would let me paint a few brushstrokes on her painting and I felt that I contributed in helping her artwork come to life. In college, I took an oil painting class where I created the attached painting. It was based on the famous painting "Ryder's House", by Edward Hopper. I chose it as a reference because it gives me a sense of relaxation and inner peace. When creating my own painting, my vision was to create that same energy of peace and relaxation, and a love and appreciation for nature. The simple house on the beautiful landscape under the bright sky is very symbolic to me. The house represents my life. The landscape represents the circumstances that bring me inner peace and calmness. When my life circumstances contribute to good mental health, I can take care of my self, which brings me happiness, contentment and tranquility. The bright sky represents the support and guidance that God shows me in every step of my life. My life experience that has molded this vision is my upbringing. A big part of my childhood was family trips in nature. I always left feeling inspired and rejuvenated to take care of my responsibilities. This painting reflects my childhood experiences that have molded my vision for this painting. My artistic dreams for the future are to use art when treating my clients, to foster their creativity and self esteem. This will help them stay inspired to work hard in achieving their recovery goals.