My mother immigrated to the United States from Morocco at the age of 30, hoping for a fresh start and a blossoming career. Back in her home country, she attended a form of trade school for cosmetology and fashion. She technically did not finish high school, as her trade school started in the tenth grade, further preventing her from attaining a high school diploma. Her credentials never transferred over when she arrived in the United States, cutting her off from any possibility of earning a credential-based career here. After marrying my father at 31, she transitioned into the role of a housewife and remained so after she had me at the age of 33. While her life transformed quickly, my mother adjusted well at the time because she had a husband that ensured a roof over her family's head. After my father passed away in 2012, my mother was 38 and suddenly everything was ripped from under her feet. She had no diplomas proving education and could not try to seek such higher education because her hands were tied with taking care of a five-year-old. I could not see the direct effects of my mother not getting the chance to have an education when I was five, but I was soon very able to see the effects because they caused me and my mother to live in constant financial jeopardy. I would watch my mother struggle in applying to jobs simply because she doesn't have a "education". Watching her journey in the United States has also been very difficult because she faces prejudice as a non-native English speaker. Her Arabic is much better than her English and she struggles communicating because of the difference between those two languages. This drawback also holds her back from getting a job because employers assume she will not be a reliable worker. My mother's journey pushes me to work hard to make up for the experiences she may have not had the chance to live through. Because she was taking care of me, she could not get an education nor a job, which also significantly impacted her mental health. My father, in his lifetime, never earned a college degree and worked in the trades. Coming from both parents who have never had a college education, it is difficult to take the first step as I always witness other peers who have college life and finances figured out because their parents have prepared for it. I am extremely concerned about entering the higher education from a financial standpoint; I cannot afford it on my own and I am not eligible to take out loans either. Through it all, I remain dedicated to attempt to continue university because it means a clearer path to my future. It means I would have to remain motivated and dedicated, but it is possible because of my parent's choices--and mine--to want a more successful future for myself, my mother, and future generations.

For my future, I plan on becoming a Pharmacist. Not many members of my family work in the field of medicine, but my aunt; who I currently live with; is a pediatrician and has served as my inspiration for what I want to be in the future. Being part of a two-year pharmacy technician program at my high school, I was also able to learn about different careers in medicine; and I found that being a Pharmacist is a passion and goal of mine. While I acknowledge it is a long path, I have already started the first step, which is going to college. I currently am a licensed Pharmacy Technician, which enables me to gain additional insight into the actual roles of a Doctor of Pharmacy. Education-wise, I plan on continuing on completing my undergraduate degree in Biology while on the Pre-Pharmacy Track. After gaining my undergraduate degree, I plan on going to pharmacy school.

1. Hi! My name is Ferdaous, and I am a recent high school graduate who is looking forward to going to Louisiana State University this fall to begin my university education. My mother is a Moroccan immigrant who came to the states in 2005 and married my father, who is African-American. Both sides of my family enable me to take part of two such amazing cultures, and while I live with my father’s family, constant contact with my mother and her side of the family enable me to remain connected. My mother motivates me because her experiences push me to want a successful future for myself and share that success with her. My aunt also motivates me---as my guardian for all my teenage years, I have been able to witness how well she has supported me and how it pushes me to make her proud. As my aunt was a STEM major in her college years, she has been able to use that knowledge to enter the medical field and become a pediatrician. Following in her footsteps, I imagine I would go into college as a STEM-majoring student (Pre-Pharmacy Track) to become a pharmacist in the future. As a pharmacist, I look forward to making direct impacts on the lives of others through drug counseling and drug regulation feedback. I imagine that this career would not be one that is conducted through retail pharmacies, but instead one that is more of a travel career---allowing me to visit different areas to see for myself how certain things can be improved on drug regulations in other regions. This may also be a virtual career---allowing me to speak to patients while they in their own homes to provide easy access to healthcare. 2. What excites me the most about STEM is the opportunity to make new discoveries and allow your creativity to fly. STEM has endless topics and pathways, but science excites me the most because it simply works with my brain. I love the simple logic of science, but I also love the numerous possibilities that can be achieved through science. Technology also excites me because, due to growing up in an extremely technological world, I adore the benefits it provides if used correctly. From using technology to play video games, to taking notes for a class, learning that it can be used to improve the lives of others enables me to become excited about the endless benefits of technology. Through a job in information technology, I feel that I would use my love for science and medicine to make changes on how patient privacy is handled to ensure patients’ identities are concealed even as the world becomes more digitalized and healthcare workers increasingly post on social media while in the workplace. I have already began learning about the importance of information technology in the healthcare field through the pharmacy technician program at my high school. Most hospitals have sort of system that enables them to keep patient information protected and encoded to abide by HIPAA. This system is essential for medical buildings and must be maintained as healthcare workers also use this same system to identify their patients and note down any information that is found about them. I can then make a positive impact through information technology by assisting in creating new technology that makes it easier for healthcare workers to treat patients. 3. While still a young child, I have had to overcome homelessness and instability as my mother’s financial instability worsened. Being thrown into single motherhood because of my father’s death, my mother struggled to get a job because she is not fluent in English and had to take care of a five-year-old on her own. For a couple of years, my mother and I managed to find places to live because of the survivors’ social security checks---though this changed as rent prices continued to rise and we no longer became able to afford a place to live; leaving us homeless when I was ten years old. Resulting from this, I was placed with my father’s family until my mother managed to get a job, which has not been able to happen due to her lack of fluency in English. I have been, by God’s grace, able to get past this challenge because of my family’s help. I keep in contact with my mother and try to financially help her in instances where I can provide help. This challenge has also harmed my mental health, but I am better now as I have introduced coping methods to my routine, allowing me to better manage my emotions and accept my difficult past. Today, while I still live with my aunt, I make monthly trips back to New York to visit my mother. Although my mother has not been able to be as present in my life as we both would have wished, she still provides support from afar and in person during our visits.

If selected for this scholarship, I would use the funds to pay off my tuition for this upcoming school year. I am going into Louisiana State University as a freshman this fall, and while some financial aid has helped due to my financial need, it has not covered everything. I am applying to this scholarship in hopes of winning some funds to continue my education while majoring in Pre-Pharmacy. In high school, I have joined a pharmacy technician program in hopes of getting licensed and beginning to work in the medical field. This license also helps me gain a clear view of what it may be like as a pharmacist in retail pharmacy. I have always strived to work in the healthcare profession--see 10-year-old me claiming to want to be a heart surgeon! My hard work through my high school years have prepared me for the rigorous course load that I will face as a college student, both undergraduate and graduate. I hope that you will recognize my sincerity in this application and contribute to the success of my future.

Throughout the entire series of "The Summer I Turned Pretty", it was always an internal battle of whether I rooted for Jeremiah or Conrad. Sometimes I would even root for both, and other times I would root for anyone but them. My history of watching other shows and movies that were a romance or a romantic comedy also helped me to essentially decide whose side I am currently on going into the fourth season. Simply put, I am team Conrad. While I was not consistent with this side due to the ups and downs of Conrad and Belly's relationship, it ultimately brought me life as I continued to watch for what would happen next throughout the show. Belly has been 'in love'--or infatuated, in my opinion--with Conrad since childhood, but that feeling has gotten its chance to grow into actual teenage love, once it was reciprocated. As a teen myself, my friends and I have always viewed teenage love, or puppy love, as special--it contained a special kind of naivety and carelessness that wasn't shared, in my opinion, by the love between adults that is shown in other romance series or movies. I got the chance to see that love through both Conrad and Jeremiah, but it was only shown in a special way when Belly and Conrad were together. Their love appeared to be special and lasting, as shown in the special moment when Conrad and Belly visited the summer house and got the chance to do cliche couple things such as playing in the snow and drinking hot chocolate together while bundled up on the couch. Conrad and Belly's relationship's ups and downs were also realistic and entertaining to watch. Realistically, people don't watch a romance just for its healthiness, but they watch it for the journey and the drama that happens in the middle. That is also what attracted me so much to Conrad and Belly's relationship. Their relationship was, and still is, very rocky, but it encourages the watcher to continue watching because of the teenage drama. While Belly is with Jeremiah, is it still hinted throughout the scenes that Conrad is still on Belly's mind; meaning that she never stopped loving him. The opposite does not happen though; when Belly is with Conrad, she thinks of Jeremiah as a brother figure, and treats him as a friend. Shown throughout all the scenes before Belly and Jeremiah kissed in the pool, it is apparent that Belly did not give Jeremiah a second thought in terms of their romantic potential. While my stance may change when the fourth season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" comes out, I stand firmly with Conrad because of the spice that he brings when he is with Belly. Frankly, Belly and Jeremiah's relationship is very bland, in my opinion, which also leads me to side with Conrad. Belly as a person should also reevaluate her decisions when it comes to protecting her peace, because while she experiences great moments with both Conrad and Jeremiah, it has slightly harmed her mental and social health so far.

"The Office" was a show that had me entranced to the core; I would watch it whenever I had the free time and would even procrastinate some things to watch the show. Considering that, I did grow to favor and resonate with some characters, while not liking others as much. Throughout the entire show, I have always liked Pam--and even felt like I could connect with her. I empathized with her while she was in her stagnant relationship with Roy, as she remained with him even though there were apparent red flags, out of love and hope that Roy would finally step up and be the man she deserved. It was like my own hope, as I remained in a few toxic friendships out of my love for that person, and hope that it was simply a 'rough patch' to get through. Even so, the show matches my own humor, and brought me to a different view of how dynamics at an office workplace could work. Michael's scenes were a hard watch sometimes, especially during the dinner scene with Jan, Pam, Jim, Angela, and others. Other times, though, Michael brought great humor to some scenes, such as in the second episode of the first series, Diversity Day. While the show includes endless scenes of irony and sarcasm that encourage the watcher to think through certain jokes, the blunt humor throughout the show is something I adore the most--particularly when Jim and Dwight go through another one of their prank wars. "The Office" taught me that workplace dynamics weren't as boring as I once thought they were; it can introduce you to lifelong relationships that would bring you to your own happy ending. Workplace dynamics can also include fun, and while the people still must get work done, they are still able to enjoy their time with one another through the weekly meetings, pranks, and holiday 'parties'. Overall, after watching "The Office", I don't look at office jobs the same way I have before; I no longer assume that it's repetitive and boring--instead I wonder more about what experiences the workers may have had together that may resemble the tight-knit bond that is shared between the characters of "The Office".

I remember first watching Minecraft on YouTube. Nostalgia to me always included the feeling of either going on YouTube to watch Minecraft or playing it on a tablet. I can still name some YouTubers, though not as well: Stampy, DanTDM, and one couple (though I can't remember their names). I also, sometimes, got the chance to play Minecraft at the public library: there was a website you could access that would allow you to play it for free. Safe to say, I was obsessed--I would find any way to play it, and if I couldn't, I would just watch it. When I would play Minecraft, it was all about building. I barely played on the modes that included the monsters, as I was still a young child that was somehow very scared of the creepers and baby zombies (they were super-fast). Sometimes I would follow tutorials out of the Minecraft building book that I managed to get from a book fair at school, and other times I would build out of imagination or inspiration from a YouTube video. I would build anything: mansions, underground hideouts, and even schools. With creative mode, I had access to every single building block in the game I could think of. Quartz tended to be my favorite, as it gave off a clean look throughout whatever building I made. Otherwise, I would play survival mode--in peaceful. I would occupy my free time by chopping down trees, exploring caves, and building a base for myself. I admit; sometimes I would cheat to get ahead in the game. Sometimes I would give myself diamonds, other times I would give myself materials necessary to enter the End, or the Nether. All in all, I don't know if I can say there was a specific activity that was a favorite of mine; maybe it was building. My mother always described me as a curious child; one that always annoyed her by asking "Why?" all the time. I wouldn't stop until I got an answer, too. Minecraft was, and still is, a very special game because it was simple but endless. Minecraft enabled me to let my curiosity run free, and all I had to do was build.

Life contains many lessons, and one core lesson that I have learned from my experiences is independence. My core memories include my father's death when I was five, and learning how my mother struggled in managing our lives without his presence---then my separation from my mother when I was ten years old. I will be focusing on my separation from my mother, as it has one of the largest impacts on my life. Due to a medical issue, my mother was hospitalized, and I was placed with the family members who lived closest in distance, which were my father's family, more specifically, my uncle. While it was at first assumed that I would return to live with my mother, the contrary occurred; I remained with my father's family, and still am with them until this day--I am now seventeen years old. My mother's distance was something I've never experienced before; it forced me to try to find comfort in myself rather than my family during emotional situations. It also forced me to increasingly depend on myself instead of another figure. Meanwhile ability to truly stand up for simple things became truly negatively impacted. I became too shy to ask for simple necessities like a toothbrush, and even struggled to do my own hair as no one else in the household knew how to do hair. Through it all, I was able to look back and gain inspiration from both of my parents. My father never went to college, but he was able to start his own business and successfully manage it throughout his life. My mother never went to college either, as it was harder for her to start anew as an immigrant, but she consistently encouraged me to put all my focus into education to create a better future for myself and the next generation. The experiences I went through that initial separation phase subsequently forced me into a position where I could flourish and gain inspiration from both of my parents. I was able to gain more of an outside view of both since I wasn't living with either of them. The independence that I gained from the experiences allowed me to excel in school, and eventually learn how and when to ask for help. I would be able to learn, through the internet, about how to do certain tasks; like apply for a job, create a resume, or implement a hairstyle. Even with learning how to do hairstyles, with enough learning, I became able to manage my own braided hairstyles throughout the year; I can put different styles in my hair and do other people's hair. While what I went through was not an easy couple of years, I am now able to see what good those years have brought me. I still communicate with my mother constantly--every day--and while we are at a distance, I can gain that same amount of wisdom as if I am still ten years old.

I do not know many adults in my life that work in the STEM field. As a female born into an African American family, the aspect of working in the STEM field was not particularly pushed on me either. While my father was a plumber and engineer, he passed away at a young age--impacting how I would be influenced in terms of future career options. Despite that, I have always felt a pull to medicine since childhood; that would be my introduction to STEM. I aspire to go into the biomedical field to try to discover more about disease and life so I can improve the lives of others out in the world. While I do have this aspiration, it feels that it is not as attainable because of the lack of representation in that field. Even while researching colleges, or articles about biomedical science, I scarcely see photos of people that look like me--even if they share the same race, they would not be an African American woman. If you cannot see yourself doing something, then you will be more likely not to do it; this is the same with the STEM field. This idea itself may also be why diversity within the STEM field is low; if the African American youth do not see themselves in the field, then they may not pursue a degree in that field--therefore, the diversity remains low. Diversity in STEM is extremely important to me, because it means that, with others of the same race, a young person can feel safe in the fact that they will be comfortable in their job--and may even be able to be friends with coworkers because of similar backgrounds. Greater diversity will give me the sense that while I may feel accomplished that I have achieved my dream career, there will be something to keep me going--the fact that I am not alone and singled out in my work. In addition to the general issue of lack of diversity in the STEM field, the wage gap is also an issue because it can also discourage youth from entering the field. If the Black youth are not addressed in a manner equal to that of how the white youth are addressed, why would the Black youth even put themselves in a position where they would continue to be treated unequally? The system itself was made to be a barricade against African American growth, and I think now--after 400 years--it is (and has always been) the time to break down that barricade and address our current societal problems in order to improve the lives of not just African American people, but also other people of color. The STEM field is incredibly massive, and being able to increase the diversity in that field opens African Americans to endless opportunities for growth. Being able to increase that diversity encourages the youth, including me, to take a glance of what working in that field might offer. Being able to increase that diversity gives us youth the chance to be seen, and therefore a part of improving lives across the country. I hope that, for the future, I will get the chance to teach my own children about the STEM field because it will no longer be a distant dream for them; instead it will be a possible reality.