My passion for technology stems from my fascination with answering the simplest questions in the most creative ways and turning those innovative ideas into reality. I'm positive that people like Chadwick can relate when I say that self-growth and learning contributes to a big part of what makes pursuing the art of computer science enjoyable and inspirational. On top of this, I believe that what makes him a good programmer is that not only does he possess the skills and abilities it takes to become an elite software developer, but he has the mindset of a hero to put his technological skills to be an outstanding member of his community. I am on the right track to being a good programmer. I can confidently say this because of my experience on a project I was recently involved with, which we called Resume Revamper. Our team began with brainstorming ideas for a semester-long project in our computational linguistics class, starting with a few simple questions: "What do I wish I had known earlier to make my college experience easier?", "What do aspiring students like us need to reach our full potential?", and "What will benefit us the most in the long run?". These questions guided our creative process and ultimately shaped the development of Resume Revamper. We wanted to put our technical and engineering skills to good use, to make a product that people like myself would make great use out of. The project consisted of the following end-to-end workflow. Users would input their resume file into our program and with the help of Claude's AI, we built an assistant that would recursively revise their resume to fit the needs that they specified in order to guarantee satisfaction from the user. Afterwards, our product created a well-edited, clean, and professional resume back to the user for them to use. Being able to create something from a small idea we had and turning it into a project that we were passionate about not only for class completion but to engage with self-improvement and the idea of building something for people is what inspired me the most. These feelings solidified my ambition to pursue my education in computer science. However, I still have a ways to go until I become a good programmer. This scholarship would allow me to reach that goal by funding my master's program in Computer Science at the Laney Graduate School that I will be pursuing after my undergraduate studies conclude. To improve myself for the future of computer science is what the scholarship would allow me to do, and I've never been more excited to move forward and reach my full potential as a great programmer and upstanding member of my community.

The reason computer science exists is for talented, caring individuals like Shakil Dost to create solutions to the problems we face every day. I, too, share the same dreams and aspirations to bring about positive change and to foster impactful advancements to the field of software development. Growing up in Saipan which is a close-knit an island community and coming from a Filipino family where emphasis on relationships was important, what sets me apart from a regular computer science major is that I believe that we have a duty to put our skills and tools to use to help those around us in need. The most important aspect of software and its relation to problem solving is that it's up to the creativity of the developers themselves to create the best way to make use of technology to solve problems. I've learned that to be a good programmer one must not only rely on knowledge of computer science and the current tech trends, but to be able to apply these skills and tools to practical use. This way, it's up to the creativity of the programmer themselves to translate their ideas to applicable software. Being proficient in coding languages is a trait of a good programmer, but to be a great programmer is to go beyond technical knowledge and to possess traits of leadership, empathy, and responsibility. I am a great programmer. Not only am I on track to completing my BS in computer science at Emory University, but I involve myself with opportunities to push for missions that better my community. From my time and effort in activism and advocacy with Emory's Filipino Student Association, I have been able to see growth in the Fil-Am community of Georgia. Helping found Emory's PROJECT club, I've also been able to be a part of a growing computer science community on campus. These experiences have given me the skills needed to be a problem solver, which is crucial to what it takes to be a great programmer outside of the technical side of things. In terms of projects, my most recent computer science project that I worked on directly solves a problem present amongst people like myself, who are in need of career counselling and guidance. In the span of a semester, my team and I developed a tool called the Resume Revamper, where we leveraged the use of Claude AI to improve resume contents to provide users an easy way to make themselves more appealing and marketable in their job searches. For problems as simple as these, I have learned how to use innovative software methods to provide efficient solutions. This scholarship will help me further my education going forward, as I plan to complete a master's degree in computer science at the Laney Graduate University. The opportunity to help fund my education will be a stepping stone towards improving myself through research and refining my skills in order to carry out the mission that Shakil Dost envisioned for himself and his family, but also the most important personal goal of mine to make the world a better place.

STEM, the internet, and computers are an essential part of being me. I would argue that without it, I would be a completely different person. Growing up, most of my youth was spent in and out of mathematics competitions because math came easy to me, and when I wasn't being drilled by my father with practice problems I would likely be spending my time gaming or surfing the web. Being able to explore so much about the world through tech and the fascination I experienced seeing the countless possibilities that tech offered me, I knew that this field was right for me. Coming into college and taking my first computer science class, I found the major that would harmoniously integrate both my problem solving and critical thinking skills that I developed from being a STEM kid and my passion for tech, securing my goal towards pursuing a computer science degree. Being able to solve real world problems using the tools and technologies that I have access to through studying computer science is what drives me to pursue my education. Not only will I be pursuing a Bachelor's of Science degree along with Emory's CS Honors Program for my undergraduate education, but I wanted to bring my academic journey a step further and was able to get into the Laney Graduate School's CS 4+1 program, where I will be refining my skills and pursuing further research into the field. Afterwards, I'll be better equipped to contribute professionally to both the field and my community as a software developer creating solutions and tools to support others. I believe that I am the best candidate for the Chris Jackson scholarship as I embody the same qualities and aspirations that an amazing human being like him had. Being able to wield my gifts of technological aptitude to make an impact in the field is a dream that many computer science majors share, but few realize the importance of additionally being a great person and using your talents to serve your community. I share the dream that Chris Jackson had, so the scholarship would help me further his legacy and the future of tech and most importantly those around me.

To overcome adversity, one must undergo an inner transformation to grow, learn, and to ultimately find the path to success. My story begins with overcoming my biggest weakness, which was that I was always quick to lose the drive or motivation to do things if they weren't exciting to me. The only thing I wanted to do all day was to play games and spend my time online, because school wasn't incredibly important to me and the things I wanted to do felt so comfortable. Even though my family was a low-income household, I never felt like we were in dire need of anything. This completely changed when I was faced with the biggest responsibility that was dropped on me, which was a way for me to fund my college education. In order to make my family proud of me by succeeding in my life after high school, I couldn't afford to stay stuck in my comfortable bubble of video games and loafing around. Things needed to change. This is when I took on a different perspective to all the work that seemed tedious to me, by giving myself a purpose. The newfound ambition of wanting to not only do this for my family, but also to give me a chance to explore my interest and curiosity in STEM, particularly in computer science, mathematics, and physics, since they fell in line with my hobbies of technology. Being able to overcome something as simple as the mental barrier to put in the time and effort to achieve something has led me to where I am today in my educational career, as a QuestBridge Scholar with a full-ride scholarship at Emory University. In my time at Emory I found many things that have turned into dreams and goals that I am passionate to further pursue, which includes computer science. Mathematics and physics came easy to me throughout my education, and discovering computer science in university led me to a field where the perfect harmony of my technical skills and creativity would prosper. Being able to solve real world problems using the tools and technologies that I have access to through studying computer science is what drives me to pursue my education. Not only will I be pursuing a Bachelor's of Science degree along with Emory's CS Honors Program for my undergraduate education, but I wanted to bring my educational journey a step further and was able to get into the Laney Graduate School's CS 4+1 program, where I will be refining my skills and pursuing further research into the field. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have received and I am on track to achieve so much more. Though my financial circumstances may make it difficult to fund my graduate school program, I have succeeded before. I have the determination to keep on pursuing my educational goals. This scholarship would allow me to achieve my goal of a master's degree in computer science and to make my family proud, since they have always supported me and were the reason I was able to make it this far. I still have much more room to grow, learn, and to succeed, which I am incredibly excited for.

Samasnan mu. Without fail, my mother would always end our video call conversations and remind me in her Kapampangan catchphrase to always do my best. That was her way of sending me love and support despite the 14-hour time difference, and it has been the main motivator for me to fulfill my purpose. To do well in school and to succeed in my academic pursuits, to give back the many opportunities I have been blessed with and support from my kababayan, and most importantly to return all the love that I have received from my pamilya and to make my nanay proud, is my why. Growing up in a Filipino family of first-generation immigrant parents to Saipan came with a lot of interesting experiences. My identity was shaped around these experiences, where I became a person who had a little bit of everything. I was taught the importance of family and what it meant to be away from where my parents originally called home, but together as a family we built a new home surrounded by Pacific Island culture. Our roots and ideals further pushed the agenda of why my identity is so important to me, defining who I am today. I have grown up to become someone that my family can wholeheartedly say that they are proud to have raised, but I can aspire to do more. Not only will a scholarship to further my education help push me to succeed in my pursuit of a Masters degree in Computer Science, but I will additionally be provided with more opportunities to share the love of my culture and build the community around me. I have found my own small pamilya away from home through the Filipino Student Association at Emory, and my many contributions to our mission have grown the club to a bigger part of the Fil-Am community in Georgia. I eventually want to become the reason "why," for many aspiring and like-minded people, where I am able to give the same love and support that my mother has given me.