I like to believe my path to medicine is truly unique. It shows what it means to know yourself and believe in yourself. I am the daughter of first-generation immigrants from Cameroon. My father never graduated from college, and my mother earned her degree at 34 years old. So, like many African parents, they wanted me to become a doctor because they wanted me to have a better future than they did. But from a young age, I never believed I was smart enough, so I pushed the idea out of my mind. Throughout the years, I explored various career paths, such as teaching and accounting. But they didn't fulfill me. A big part of my story is the fact that I have a very motherly personality by nature. I have always had a heart for children, so I started working at a daycare. I became a certified daycare teacher. I got CPR certified and completed Medication Administration Training for young children at 18. Outside of my job, I babysat and volunteered at my Church through VBS (Vacation Bible School). My aunt also gave me a volunteering opportunity at the clinic she owned in Cameroon when I was 17. All of these activities I was doing were catered towards kids and serving them. I mention this to show that my purpose was always within me; I just did not recognize it yet. To get to the point, my choice to pursue medicine wasn't like an epiphany. It did not come to me in a dream or through a sign. It wasn't because of my grades, because even then, I was never the smartest or the wittiest. I chose medicine because of my passion. Because of the love that I have for infants. With this said, I'm not pursuing Pediatrics, but Obstetrics. Because I am passionate about women's health. I am passionate about pregnancy and delivery. I am passionate about helping mothers bring life into this world. I realized that this motherly nature I had wasn't just good for babysitting or volunteering. This nature is what is making me fall in love with Obstetrics. I'm not the smartest or the most intelligent. I've failed more tests than I would love to admit, and sometimes I do not feel like doing my homework. But I have passion. And with passion comes discipline. I chose medicine because I see the end goal. When homework doesn't motivate me, love does. When studying doesn't motivate me, passion does. There's a statement in the Black community that says, "Black women are treated by OB-GYNs like black men are treated by the police". And that sentence speaks volumes. As stated before, I am the daughter of Cameroonian immigrants. As a black young girl, I have heard countless stories of black women being neglected by their OB-GYNs. Black mothers are losing their lives during childbirth because of "carelessness". Black girls are not being treated correctly because of underlying presumptions. My mother was subject to this treatment in 2005 when she gave birth to my brother. When I become an OB-GYN, I want to be an ear and a voice for black women in the women's health industry. I want to advocate for them. I don't have exact plans yet, but I know this: I was meant to do it. I'm not saying I'm the only one, I'm not saying that all black women are treated like this. But it's too many. I want to speak up for the quiet. I want to be the eyes for the blind. Thank you for reading my story.

My decision to pursue medicine was not linear. I didn't always know I wanted to become a doctor. My story is a story of intuition and passion. For a while, it seemed like I was destined to become a teacher because I loved to teach and I loved to write lessons on my pretend chalkboard. Turns out I was just bossy. But like any other girl, I also loved dolls and baby dolls. I saw these dolls as my children. I would always copy what I saw real mothers do with their children to my dolls. Looking back, this is a clear sign that points to where I'm at now. As I grew out of the baby doll phase, I entered a new phase. Now, to be honest, this is not a normal phase for an 11 year old girl. It's really just a result of unsupervised internet access. I started watching pregnancy and birth videos. I was drawn to the way women could sustain life for 9 months and eventually bring life to this world. As I learned about menstruation, the woman's cycle, birth and more, I was empowered by the power that a woman's body held. It grew an interest in me. And I thought that was all it was, just an interest. As time went on, I had to start thinking about what I wanted to study. It was a truly troubling time for me. I didn't know what I wanted for my future. I felt alone because it seemed like everyone knew who they wanted to be. Everyone but me. I didn't even want to entertain medicine because it was..."too much school". I also didn't think I was smart enough. I had always struggled with math, and science was not my best subject either. I ended up choosing Accounting because I didn't know what else to do. But I wasn't at peace. I knew it wasn't the right path for me. I wish the path of me choosing Obstetrics was like an epiphany. I wish I could say it came to me in a dream. But it didn't. It was quiet revelation. It took me having to go back to my little self and track patterns of my loves and interest. It took me realizing that watching birth videos and learning everything I could about the woman's body wasn't just a hobby or an interest. It was a passion. I learned that I didn't need to be good at math or to be smart. I needed the passion. And I had it. I also learned this: sometimes a passion isn't loud and flashy. It's something that sits within waiting to be discovered. When I think of becoming an OB/GYN, I think of the honor that I get. The honor to be able to aide these moms in protecting life and giving life. I want to listen to these women. I want them to know that when I'm their doctor, I'm not the star. They are. I'm simply there to help. To encourage. To assist. I've learned that with being an OB/GYN, you're not the main character. You're the helper. The real star is the woman bringing life to the world.

While reading Kalia's biography, I was touched deeply. She sounds like such an incredible person who seemed like she was full of joy and zest for life. While I never ran track, or worked as a desk clerk, or ever plan on joining the military, I do believe that Kaila and I have one similarity: we both have an ambition for our goals in life. Kalia had big goals for her life and I feel so terrible that she didn't have the chance to accomplish those goals. But her story inspires me to reach for the stars. To work hard and to be ambitious. I am currently 19 and I go to Northern Virginia Community College and am majoring in Biology. With my Biology degree, my dream is to become an OB/GYN with a focus in Obstetrics. I am so passionate about the woman's body and its ability to sustain and bring life into this world. I am that weirdo that will randomly bring up facts about pregnancy, or periods, or labor and delivery lol. While I'm just a freshman and getting started on my journey, I'm so excited. I'm so excited to be able to pursue my dreams and chase after the stars. I will admit that sometimes, like everyone else, I lose motivation. I lose motivation to study, or do my homework, or keep going with school. But after reading about Kalia's life, I am truly inspired. I realize that I have a long way to go. I have to finish undergrad, then medical school, then residency, and much more. I know that. I know have I have a long road to go on. But I am ready. I'm ready to continue what I started. And a motivation factor for me now is Kalia. Her story motivates me to keep going. Not out of pity or sadness. But out of honor. I plan to honor her life with my life. Earlier, I said that we both have an ambition for life. But I know that Kalia's was much bigger than mine. I know she would've accomplished so much with her life. I plan on bringing honor to her name through my life. And so here I am applying for this scholarship. Recently, my dad, the sole provider of our household, lost his job. It has been really hard for our family. My older brother is in college, and I'm also in college. It's really tense and everything about my education is up in the air. But I know that I won't let anything get in the way of the pursuit of my goals. Just like I know that Kalia didn't let anything get in pursuit of her goals.

As I have grown up, I have realized the importance of education and the role it's played in my life. My whole life, there has been a constant, and it has been the "student" title. Ever since I started going to school at 4 years old, the title of "student" has never been stripped from me. And for that, I am forever grateful. I believe that once a student in North America graduates from high school and chooses to go to college or pursue a higher education, there's a mind switch. Legally, education up until high school is mandatory. But to pursue a college degree, or a certification, or trade school, there is mental light switch that turns on. What I mean by that is, the goal is different, the motivation is different. It's no longer your parents forcing you to go to school, there's no friends that you see everyday that makes you excited, there's no field trips, pep rallies, spirit days, or activities that push you. There's something else that is a motivation. That something else is you. That something else is your career. It's your goal. The only motivation factor at this point is you. And that's when you get to see how much you really want this. That's when you get to see if you're capable to self discipline. Because now, your parents aren't behind your back chasing you with homework, your friends aren't at school making it fun for you. There's a realization that settles in where you see that in this moment, for however long you're going to be chasing this degree, your end goal is the motivation. Through the late nights, the mental breakdowns, the loneliness that settles in, the hard exams, the times where you're comparing yourself, the times where you're doubting yourself, the time where you think "this is it, I've failed", you look up. You look up to see the end goal waiting for you to grab it. When you don't have the strength to push yourself, that's when the motivation pushes you. I am currently in school to become an OB/GYN. I'm only a freshman, and I'm studying at Northern Virginia Community School. And everything that I've written about is what I've experienced. It's the realizations that had settled in after my high school graduation. And it's what has carried me so far. Though I am not far into my college education, and I have many more years ahead of me, I know that this will keep me pushing. My education has shown me that I am strong. My education has shown me that I am resilient. Even when it gets so hard and challenging. Even when I start doubting myself, I know I can keep pushing. When I was a junior in high school, during one of my hardest academic times, I was taken advantage of by a boy, for lack of better terms. I was really struggling in school. I was balancing taking a pre-calc class that was diminishing my self-worth, overwhelmed with college choices, SAT's, and trying to balance it all. Getting sexually assaulted was the last thing that I needed on my plate. It's what no one needs on their plate. But it happened. And I didn't know how to handle it. It is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to grow through. But I overcame. I overcame because I realized that through what had happened, I was not ruined. I was not broken. I was not ashamed. I am whole. I am mended together. Through that experience, I was able to see that even with all the academic struggles I was going through, I was beyond that too. While education is important and necessary, it wasn't all that I was. I was more than my bad pre-calc grade. I was more than my struggling "B" in honors history. I was more. And I am still more. I am an aspiring OB/GYN. This means that I have a lot of education ahead of me. But I see beyond the schooling. I see beyond med school, and residency. I see that when I finally get to where I aspire to be, I can help others. I love to learn and study women's health. I love to learn about pregnancy and childbirth. And I am so excited to be able to help future mothers in whatever way they need it. And I know that what will get me there is my education. I know that what will push me to accomplish that goal is my education. That is why I take education seriously. Education isn't just going to school and getting good grades. It's more than that. It's being resilient. It's being strong. It's being honest. That is why after all these years, I have grown so grateful to be able to carry the title of "student". It means much more than going to school and going to classes. It means that because of the financial resources I have been given, I can show people that I pushed through. Because anyone who has ever gone to school will know that it's not easy. It's not a walk in the park. To pursue education is hard. But it's so worth it.

Growing up in a Christian home, one would think that I entered the faith at a young age. But that’s not the case. I gave my life to Jesus Christ officially at 17 years old even though I’ve known about God since I could gain consciousness. I was born into a Catholic home but later my family converted to Christianity and that is how my mom raised my brothers and me. I even went to a private Christian School. But I still didn’t know Jesus. Since I was 12, I let the voices of the world influence and direct my life. I was influenced by my worldly friends, the media, and whatever else. I rejected Jesus continuously. But he never rejected me. I ended up living in a complete lifestyle of sin. I fell into it all. To keep a very long story short, I became saved 2 weeks before my 18th birthday, and here I am at 19 talking about the influence of my true faith. My faith in Jesus Christ is not a part of my life; it IS my life. Jesus is my Savior, Jesus is my Redeemer, Jesus is my Abba. It has infiltrated every crevice of my life. I think, talk, and act differently. I am no longer a part of the world. Through my faith walk, Jesus has revealed to me things that I used to do that I needed to stop. Drinking, smoking, lusting, getting angry is no longer part of my lifestyle. That is how faith has impacted my life. Within my life, my faith has impacted my career and education choice. I am a freshman at Northern Virginia Community College studying Biology. With my biology degree, I plan on continuing my education through medical school to become an OB/GYN. My passion for carrying and bringing life into this world is a seed that I believe God has planted into my heart. I am in love with the process of how God has given women the power and the ability to carry life. I know God makes no mistakes and He is the author of life. I intend to be reminded of that every step of the way. Even when the world is constantly telling me that life has no value. I know life has value because God told Jeremiah that before He had formed him the womb, He knew him. God has not planted this zest for life for no reason. I also know that because God has given me a passion for life, the enemy is constantly at my ear trying to tell me that life is worthless, but also that my life is worthless. Someone who has inspired me through this journey is my mother. My mother Nathalie is a pillar of strength, resilience, and favor. She has shown my countless times what it means to trust God and have the peace of God. She pushed me beyond my limits but has been there every step of the way. My mother graduated with her B.S. in Business Management in 2009 with a husband, two kids, and a career. Years later, she felt that God was calling her to more, so she pursued her Masters in Christian Marriage Counseling in 2025, this time with 3 kids, a husband, and an even more demanding career. My mother has shown me that when God calls you to something, walk in obedience and leave the rest to Him. And that’s what I intend to do. She has shown me what it means to walk in obedience, and I choose to do the same. I will walk in obedience to what God has called me to do. This scholarship would be a huge resource for me. This scholarship would go towards paying for my 4-year university, whichever one I choose to go to. Thank you for reading and listening to what I have to say. My Instagram is @felicia.kamga.

An unknown person once stated, "It's not that the preborn matter more, it's that they matter just as much." I have never read a quote that explained my belief on abortion more. The unborn matter just as much as the those outside the womb because they are both a life. A life given by God. I wasn't always pro-life. While I grew up Christian, my family has never had a conversation about abortion or our views. So I took matters into my own hands. At 13 years old, in the prime of the 2020 election, I chose to do my own research on abortion. Through that, I found out that the founder of Planned Parenthood was Margaret Sanger, and she put those facilities in black neighborhoods because she wanted to decrease the black population. As a black female, I was stung but I can't say I was surprised. I also watched videos of abortions happening at different stages of pregnancies and saw babies' limbs being ripped apart from the womb. I was traumatized, to say the least. But that wasn't enough. As I grew older, the pressures of society and my secular circle got to my head. It was like I had forgotten what I researched. I fell into the lies that "the government couldn't control my body" and that it was "my body my choice". I truly just wanted to fit in. But at the bottom of my heart, I knew God's word. I knew that God told the prophet Jeremiah that before He formed him in the womb, he knew him. Meaning that God had babies in mind before even gifting them to their parents. I knew it, but to fit in, I denied it. I won't say that there was a specific time were the light just switched on and I knew. There isn't an experience that gave me a sudden epiphany. What I did was simply know God. I had to take care of my faith, and me taking care of my faith changed my worldview. As I grew to know God and love God, I grew to hate what God hated and love what God love. As I thought about abortion, my mind opened. A baby in the womb. A human life in the womb. It was simple and right in front of me. Performing an abortion is like performing a sacrificial ritual. Just like the Pagan people would do child sacrifices, it's the same thing today. To perform an abortion is to kill a human life. Plain and simple. Today, I am passionate about abortion even more because I am an aspiring OB/GYN. I have always been passionate about motherhood and pregnancy. I cannot aspire to bring life into this world while standing and supporting the termination of life in the womb. As a future OB/GYN, I refuse to stand and say that abortion is ok. Because I see through ultrasounds that God has put life into a mother's womb. My heart hurts for the women who struggle to carry life. I have attended pro-life marches at Liberty University, I talk about abortion at my Bible studies and I educate my friends on the harms of abortion. I have also attended pro-life marches in Washington DC. I write this as a testament to God's power. God has opened my eyes to the evil that is behind abortion. I thank Jesus for opening my eyes, and for giving me this passion. A passion to bring life into the world. I don't believe it's a coincidence.

"Labor and Delivery Vlog!" and "Finding out I'm Pregnant" videos were always in my YouTube search as an 11 year old. Weird right? I thought that I was just a mature girl who had an eagerness to become a mother. I didn't know that this would be a quiet trial to finding out what I am meant to do. As a senior, every college I applied to, I selected "Accounting" as my major. While I wasn't happy with my choice, I tried to convince myself that I was. I was scared because I believed that I had no passion, no meaning, and no direction because I didn't know what career I wanted. It wasn't loud to me, or bright like a light. I watched as my friends turned their hobbies into potential careers, how they talked about a field of study they'd been sure of since our younger days and wondered what was wrong with me. Why didn't I have a passion? Why didn't I know what I wanted to do with my life? Would I never have a career? Time was running out My second semester of my senior year, I found out that my parents couldn't afford to send me to a 4-year university just yet. So we decided that I would go to community college. I had the original feelings of FOMO and disappointment, but I was relieved because now I had time. Time to think about who I was truly and what I liked. I took "Who Am I ?" quizzes and "Career Tests" to grasp an idea of a passion that I had that maybe hadn't been ignited yet. "My Labor and Delivery Vlog!" My face broke into a smile when I saw the shock and joy that appeared on a woman's face when those two lines appeared on the test. I tuned into every "Pregnancy Update" or "Gender Reveal" or "Pack my Hospital Bag with me!". My eyes were filled with awe and tears when I saw the insurmountable amount of strength a woman had to pull within herself to push baby out or get sliced open. I loved anything related to a woman's health, pregnancy, labor and delivery. I was always excited about learning new things and experiences pertaining the woman's body. I wish I could say that a certain person told me about becoming an OB/GYN or that it came to me in a dream, but it didn't. It was simply a matter of me thinking and quieting my mind. I searched and I slowly realized that my 12 year old self watching those videos and me growing up being fascinated with the powerful and extensive details of who a woman is, and what becoming a mother is, my passion was slowly being manifested but I hadn't realized it. I'm not saying that everyone should have to think long and hard or go through trials and tribulations before deciding who they want to be. For some people, it's as obvious as the sky is blue. But for others, realize this: sometimes, our passions and our meanings lie quietly within us and we don't realize it yet. But they follow you. They sit in the back of your mind, waiting to be brought to light. What you have to do is quiet yourself and tap into it. With that said, I am excited to know and learn more about who a woman is and what her body can do. I am excited to accompany women in the beautiful journey of creating, carrying, and bring life into this world, no matter the struggles attached.

How I lost Myself During the year of 2025, I lost myself. I became someone I didn't recognize, I started doing and thinking things I didn't recognize. This is the story of me losing myself. I grew up in a Catholic Family but I didn't know who God was. I knew about the idea of God, but I didn't know Him. This continued for a while until I was about 10. At around 11 years old, I started living with my mom, and she had converted from Catholicism to non-denominational Christianity. While this transition was happening, I was becoming a pre-teen and teen who was being influenced by her peers. I started cursing and watching porn. I was doing that on Monday through Friday but on Sunday, I was going to Church. This is where my double life began, at the young age of 12, and I struggled with this till 17 years old. When I was 13, COVID hit. This brought a period of depression. But I didn't even know what that was. All I knew was that I didn't want to exist, I barely got out of bed, and I was calling Suicide Hotlines. I blamed myself because I believed that I was not being a good Christian. If I just prayed more or read my Bible more, I wouldn't be depressed. I suddenly pushed God away because I was swimming in shame, guilt, and confusion. As COVID kind of disappeared and the world came back to normal, I again, got into the wrong crowd. I was still watching porn, I was still cursing, but I was introduced to a new world of promiscuity and sexual pleasures. I dove right in. I thought I had found myself. I was a promiscuous girl struggling with severe insecurities and using my body to get all these boys but on the surface, I seemed confident. I was living in lust and rebellion. I had completely abandoned the idea of growing a relationship with God, and had turned myself over to the world. At 16 years old, I was molested by an ex boyfriend whom I loved. This person took a part of me that I didn't know how to get back. I was carrying wounds of hurt, confusion, anger and pain. But I refused to heal, to turn to God. I dug the pain and dove deeper into sexuality and lust. I was also experiencing with drinking, smoking, and rebellion. This continued till I was 17. Again, I was living a double life. The double life I had started living at 12 years old. God called my name numerous times, but I refused to listen. I kept choosing the world because I thought the world had greater things to offer even though it was failing me and hurting me. A month before my 18th birthday, my second life was brought to light to my parents. If you ask me, I'm still not 100% sure how they found out, but I have a praying mom who is inspired by the Holy Spirit. I was kind of forced into salvation. So I gave my life to Jesus and got baptized 2 months later. I didn't know the journey I was embarking on, but it would be a tumultuous one. I had knowledge of God but I had to rebuild my relationship with God. I had moments of failure, disappointment, and silence, but I persevered. God exposed to me the dangers of my past life, God showed me the path I was headed, but He also showed me healing and patience. He showed me love and acceptance. I didn't recognize who this new Felicia was, I had become someone different. And so I lost myself.. But, I gained Jesus. I lost my sinful desires and gained God's desire. I lost my anger and unforgiveness and gained Jesus' forgiveness and healing. I lost my depression and gained Jesus' joy. Transitioning to today, a year after giving my life to Christ, I am now stepping into the purpose that the Creator has for me. I am in school to become an OB-GYN. I am studying Biology, and planning to transfer to a University. My family has experienced setbacks, like my dad, being the sole provider of our household, losing his job. I now have to take my education costs into my hands. This money would be beneficial for my future education. This money could bring me far into God's purpose for my life.

A black historical figure that has inspired me is Maya Angelou. She was an author, poet, actress, and civil rights activist. She has written books like “And I Still Rise”, “Graduation”, and “On the Pulse of Morning” One of the books that she has written, a memoir, is “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. A memoir describing her life growing up as a black girl and facing racism and disfunction in her family and social life. In the book, Angelou talks about a specific issue that she had to go through. Being molested and raped by an adult from a young age. Maya talks about how she handled that incident and how it affected her. I read this book when I was really young, maybe 12 years old. At the time, I didn’t understand the severity of the book and what Angelou had to go through. I didn’t know that at a later stage in my life, this book would mean so much to me. At 16 years old, I was sexually assaulted. I wasn’t as young as Angelou, but nevertheless, it is an experience that affects someone in a tragic way no matter the age. Being sexually assaulted is something that had broken something inside of me. I was taken advantage of in a horrible way. I didn’t know how to handle it or how to even get past it. I felt stuck. Then, I remembered reading the book “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”. I had remembered that Maya Angelou talked about being molested and raped. And so, I reread the book. And she inspired me. Not the way she had handled it, but how she used that experience. Maya Angelou became a stronger person after that happened to her. She used her voice to change lives and circumstances for black Americans. She inspired me to use my voice too. Maya Angelou inspired me to be bigger than what happened to me. To move past, to accept and heal. I have always loved Maya Angelou, and I have always appreciated her work. She was a woman of great courage and strength. After my incident, I felt inspired by her to be bigger. 41% of black women experience sexual coercion, assault, rape, or molestation. When something like this happens to some people, they consciously or unconsciously choose to stay stuck. Because of Maya Angelou, I chose not to stay suck. I chose to be bigger, to use my voice. To use the bad and turn it into good.