Last year, I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (formerly Asperger's) and sensory processing disorder. These diagnoses has been a long time coming. It was extremely difficult to get an appointment, and I was lucky to get one before moving off to college. I also have schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, generalized anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, and likely complex posttraumatic stress disorder. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. Autism is a developmental disorder that is present from birth, so it was hard to even grasp the reason behind my struggles as a child. I was diagnosed with Autism and sensory processing disorder not even one week ago, but now I find so much sense as I reflect upon my adversity. I have improved a tremendous amount with all of my disorders due to medication and CBT/DBT. Although I do not feel that I am fully recovered from this adversity, nor do I believe that I will ever be "cured," I know that I can live a life that is just as fulfilling as any neurotypical person. I am proud of my differences and now understand that it is perfectly appropriate to reach out for help. The experience taught me that I am stubborn, both in good and bad contexts, but how to seek out and approach the good. Motivation was and will continue to be vital to my recovery process as well as pursuing my academic and career goals. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. As I continue to explore the world through a lens of neurodiversity, I look forward to utilizing all the skills I have learned to lead a fulfilling life, where I continue to learn and love every day.

My dream is to earn a masters in art studies, perhaps interdisciplinary with math, and become a university professor that publishes my own original artistic work and studies through my university. I dream to open the realm of art and creativity to all students, no matter their internal or external aspects and encourage students in the area that I was often discouraged in by teachers and other mentors. Above all, I want to remove the stigma that art is a fruitless area of expertise through my guidance as a university professor and abolish the disillusionment that I felt as a teenager considering the arts as a career path. The world can only be changed with creativity, so my goal is to give back my own to make change within my realm of influence. My goal to make art accessible to all, no matter socioeconomic class, race, disability, or any other internal or external feature. Art is universal to the human race, and creativity is inherent to our thought processes as human beings. I have been drawing with a professional intent since I was nine years old, my first artistic interest being the Pokémon cartoon series and other animated series. Since then, I have advanced towards original creation and professionalism. Art, and more broadly creativity, are my true areas of expertise. I see myself as strong in both the academic and artistic realms, and I do not believe that they should be inherently separable. With my skill, I want to make an impact among both my generation and those that come after me. I want to spark artistic ambitions in all students, no matter their majors, because ambition and passion are some of the best feelings in the world. I think my grasp of this philosophical concept qualifies my decision making.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey takes place in a psychiatric hospital in Oregon and critiques the methods of psychiatric treatment during and before 1962, when it was published. I first read this novel as an eighth grader struggling with early-onset mental illnesses, and, although I did not know at the time, autism spectrum disorder. In line with my parents, I strongly advocated for justice for those in psychiatric hospitals and believed that treatment for mental health was just as important as physical health. With this passion, I read Ten Days in a Madhouse shortly before this novel, and already knew of the historic ills of psychiatric hospitals. Above all, I truly connected with Kesey's writing and recognized immediately that he had direct experience with these facilities. The characters are lovable, intensely interesting, and there is an unshakeable sense of righteousness behind them. It was one of the first books that I was technically required to read for school that I truly fell in love with, as was the case for most books thereafter in which I was allowed to choose. As an 18 year old now, I would love to reread it as the details are a bit unclear in my memory. I know for a fact that I will cry at the end, and likely have to go to my mom once more to console me. Though tearful, the ending was very well earned, one of the most fitting endings I have ever read in my life. I cannot wait to reconnect with my favorite novel now as someone who now understands their mental disabilities and enjoy it outside of the classroom.

Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night" has always been incredibly inspiring to me, despite the fact that it is also lauded by others so heavily. In an objective sense, the colors and painterly aspect to the painting always inspire me to create my own art my own way. There is a particularly wonderful contrast created between the blues and bright yellows that catches the eye. The eye wants to spin around and follow each brush stroke, brilliantly crafted by such a troubled hand. I empathize with van Gogh. It has been suspected that he was suffering from some kind of mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, both of which I have. I want to become what van Gogh suffered too much to become, a renowned artist that lived a long, happy life. When I look at "The Starry Night" poster that is in my workroom back at home, I see the pain in each of his strokes. I want my digital works to be filled with emotion too, but not necessarily pain, rather, love. With improved mental health care, I was able to access phenomenal treatments for my disorders than van Gogh likely wished for deeply. I would say that I generally feel happy now. I am able to express love with my art, and my strokes no longer hold pain. Each time I sat back in my chair and looked at "The Starry Night," it inspired me to be a better artist and better person.

I am a white artist. As such, I have a particular privilege that I must use to better the world and allow for equity for those around me. One of the ways I do this is through diverse, intriguing, identity-driven character design. I am also a disabled artist. I have several invisible disabilities, including but not limited to Autism Spectrum Disorder. As such, I have the disadvantage of not being able to directly help the community as I might prefer to, due to my troubles with social interaction, verbalization, and sensory processing issues. Therefore, I am making the move from indirectly helping to directly helping my community through art. The piece I am submitting features a character of African (Egyptian) descent. It is entitled “A Lone Traveler on the Western Landscape,” and is set in the western United States in 1848. For a bit of historical context, this is just before the California gold rush and right in between the first and second industrial revolutions. The aftermath of rampant industrialization was apparent, including extreme air pollution and disgusting violations of human rights in labor. The character I feature is of African descent and has become a traveler to escape the terrors of industrialized American society, focusing on authentic blacksmith work to escape from machine standardization and drear. The United States and its territories were not kind to people of color during this time, and racial inequity continues to be a struggle every single day in this nation. This character can find justice through purity of the air untouched by pollution in western territories relatively unscathed by these ills. It serves as a reminder of his inherent connection to the earth, and relief from the social strife so prominent in the established United States. As we view this from our modern lens, we can recognize the inherent darkness of the historical context behind the piece as well as what we understand to be the future of the United States from that point. Through this piece and my realistic yet kind depiction of other cultures, I intend to serve my community by erasing biases and hate. Though I do this indirectly now and only share my work with a few peers, I hope to expand. I want to become a professor after getting my PhD and teach a class on identity-based character design, as well as the complexities of privilege and storytelling. Though this is fairly far into the future, I believe that this direct action will influence students in generations after me to take actions as I have.

A daydream that I always have about my future is standing in front of a room of college students lecturing on what I love most other than my significant other: character design. After my bachelors degree, I plan to jump right into a PhD program in art and research character design in popular media and portrayals of identities. After I finish my PhD, I want to become a professor of the arts, soon to create my own upper-division course on character design in the arts department. Aside from my career and educational aspirations, I want to create a life for my girlfriend, who I hope will become my wife in the coming years. I dream of living in a little cottage in the woods or by the sea with her and having everything we need. I want to become a messy academic, loved by her for my wild ideas and skill. I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 (formerly Asperger's) right after I turned 18 years old. Nearly a year later, I still consider how the disorder has impacted me my entire life, even before I suspected I had autism. I became so enveloped in things, TV, music, art, you name it, that it was impossible to drag me out. I developed an intense love for art and digital drawing in particular, so much so that my own series that I write with my girlfriend became a special interest. I suffered greatly during this time, as well. In addition to ASD, I have schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), anxiety, and sensory processing disorder. My inability to understand social cues and difficulty interacting with others led me to believe I would not have the future I desired. I hated working in groups, talking to people I didn't know, and being a living person in general. I often wished I was a hermit vampire living in a dark manor (incidentally, one of the plots from my stories). But, love from another led me to accept myself and what I saw as my flaws. I aspired to be better, and though I don't have many friends, I have learned to open up more to others. I find great joy when people find me funny! I am in my first year of my undergraduate education, though I am technically a sophomore due to AP credits. I plan to graduate in three years and begin my PhD program. Post secondary education will objectively lead me to where I need to go. However, it will also provide me the necessary experience I need in the world to become a successful researcher and professor. I am quite the amateur at research, and I know I can grow. I know I can grow as an artist, too. Upper division post-secondary education will allow me to do just that. As a "high-functioning" autistic (though, I hate that term), I was able to effectively communicate my thoughts, ideas, and feelings, even with a few jokes thrown in. I believe that I can achieve my goals because of my privilege of being high-functioning, as well. However, I'll need a little help along the way.

I am a vampire, and not a living person or human being. As a creature, this scholarship would be vital to my plans of "stay in my manor all night and paint meticulously and ominously." As an artist, I plan to abuse my skill by graffitiing all over the college I attended once I have graduated and propose this for my PhD "research." The only obstacle I've ever had to overcome is a formidable one: should I use auburn or sienna for the hair base tone? I shiver at the thought today, but this scholarship will help me recover from this treacherous feat.

My favorite scientific discovery comes my favorite scientist, Marie Curie. One of her biggest discoveries was radiation, specifically the elements polonium and radium. I greatly appreciate her progress in radiation and even find myself interested in the nuclear sciences because of her research. Nuclear fusion, fission, classification, and decay are all fascinating to me, made available to me because of her work. It is important to understand her nature past her discoveries. She was also the first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and the only woman to win two. From a young age she was curious and ready to break boundaries. I see much of myself in her in my readings of her, absolutely unable to be distracted when in the presence of books and starkly opposed to the idea that she was limited in her endeavors. Marie Curie was extremely intelligent, often interacting proudly with Einstein and other renowned scientists. Although my choice of study is mainly art, I hope to be just as profound and intelligent as her one day, and I seek out every opportunity to learn. Above her intelligence was morality and honesty, turning down awards in favor of benefitting her associated scientific institutions. Though intelligence is important to me, I try to live as an honest and giving person to follow her legacy. Marie Curie was not just another famous scientist for schools to teach about or for books to celebrate. She was a strong, hard-working, and honest woman with a strong passion. Though her intelligence is one of her most defining aspects, her morals and loving attitude cannot be ignored. Albert Einstein once mentioned that he thought that Marie Curie was the only person that would not let fame go to her head. Naturally, he was proven right.

My favorite piece of art is "The Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh. Though famous and endlessly reproduced, the piece never loses its charm. It may be thought that I should choose a more sophisticated piece as an art major, but I believe the value of art comes from passion and should never be pretentious. The piece has very fine details and unique brushwork that are indicative of a piece by van Gogh. Also indicative of his style is his genius representation of light and understanding of refraction in his stroking and color application. Contrast of blue and yellow and the movement created by each curling stroke allows for a marvelous representation of the night just before sunrise. Though not entirely realistic, stylization allows for a particular emotional quality not achieved by realistic pieces. It is truly a post-impressionist masterpiece. Another reason why this is my favorite piece is as a result of the connection that I feel to van Gogh. Aside from also being an artist, I struggle with my mental and physical health. Most prominently I have autism (formerly Asperger's), schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. It is widely agreed that van Gogh also had bipolar disorder as well as other psychiatric conditions that influenced his art. Art has been a therapeutic tool for me, and I imagine that it was for van Gogh as well, even if not all of his artistic coping mechanisms were healthy. Though van Gogh tragically committed suicide, I am working to keep myself alive and continue sharing my art with the world in the hope that I may inspire someone like van Gogh inspires me.

I have always been a teacher of sorts to my peers, as a more knowledgeable other, in virtually any subject matter. However, I realized that the one unifying factor of all of my teaching instances was creativity. Art is my most loved subject, especially in the realm of illustration and character design. I always thought that my fellow students found some hilarity in the fact that the "art kid" was able to help them with calculus. Calculus is not lovable in the same way that art is. There are limits of ambition to math. With my skill, I want to make an impact among both my generation and those that come after me. I want to spark artistic ambitions in all students, no matter their majors, because ambition and passion are some of the best feelings in the world. I think my grasp of this philosophical concept qualifies my decision making.

My name is Genevieve Hazlinger, and I recently turned 18 years old. I am enrolled at the University of California-Santa Barbara as an B. A. of Art major at the College of Letters and Science. My dream is to earn a PhD in art studies, perhaps interdisciplinary with math, and become a university professor that publishes my own original artistic work and studies through my university. I dream to open the realm of art and creativity to all students, no matter their internal or external aspects and encourage students in the area that I was often discouraged in by teachers and other mentors. I am not a mentally well person. To list, I have schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), generalized anxiety disorder, several sleep disorders, autism level one (formerly Asperger's), and sensory processing disorder in association with autism. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. Autism is a developmental disorder that is present from birth, so it was hard to even grasp the reason behind my struggles as a child. I was diagnosed with Autism and sensory processing disorder not even one week ago, but now I find so much sense as I reflect upon my adversity. I have improved a tremendous amount with all of my disorders due to medication and CBT/DBT. Although I do not feel that I am fully recovered from this adversity, nor do I believe that I will ever be "cured," I know that I can live a life that is just as fulfilling as any neurotypical person. I am proud of my differences and now understand that it is perfectly appropriate to reach out for help. The experience taught me that I am stubborn, both in good and bad contexts, but how to seek out and approach the good. Motivation was and will continue to be vital to my recovery process as well as pursuing my academic and career goals. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. As I continue to explore the world through a lens of neurodiversity, I look forward to utilizing all the skills I have learned to lead a fulfilling life, where I continue to learn and love every day. I have realized that I am an extremely strong person that can handle the most unique challenges. The way I learn and love is something to be proud of, not something to be hidden or conformed. As I continue to pursue my life aspirations, I will keep my uniqueness close to me and understand the vast influence my neurodivergence has had on me.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less." -Marie Curie Marie Curie was extremely intelligent, often interacting proudly with Einstein and other renowned scientists. Although my choice of study is mainly art, I hope to be just as profound and intelligent as her one day, and I seek out every opportunity to learn. Above her intelligence was morality and honesty, turning down awards in favor of benefitting her associated scientific institutions. Though intelligence is important to me, I try to live as an honest and giving person to follow her legacy. As a person with anxiety and several other mental disorders, I keep this quote in my head as a mantra of sorts. When I find myself anxious that I am unable to control things, I learn about them instead. It is absolutely true that learning makes us fear less, which is especially important in this era of modern science and the COVID-19 pandemic. Above all, it is special to me because it reflects the lovely thought processes of Marie Curie and her passion for understanding, driving her extremely successful career. A source of calm, comfort, and drive, this quote has helped me through the most insecure of times and reminded me of what is most important in life: learning.

My name is Genevieve Hazlinger, and I recently turned 18 years old. I am enrolled at the University of California-Santa Barbara as an B. A. of Art major at the College of Letters and Science. My dream is to earn a PhD in art studies, perhaps interdisciplinary with math, and become a university professor that publishes my own original artistic work and studies through my university. I dream to open the realm of art and creativity to all students, no matter their internal or external aspects and encourage students in the area that I was often discouraged in by teachers and other mentors. I am not a mentally well person. To list, I have schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), generalized anxiety disorder, several sleep disorders, autism level one (formerly Asperger's), and sensory processing disorder in association with autism. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. Autism is a developmental disorder that is present from birth, so it was hard to even grasp the reason behind my struggles as a child. I was diagnosed with Autism and sensory processing disorder not even one week ago, but now I find so much sense as I reflect upon my adversity. I have improved a tremendous amount with all of my disorders due to medication and CBT/DBT. Although I do not feel that I am fully recovered from this adversity, nor do I believe that I will ever be "cured," I know that I can live a life that is just as fulfilling as any neurotypical person. I am proud of my differences and now understand that it is perfectly appropriate to reach out for help. The experience taught me that I am stubborn, both in good and bad contexts, but how to seek out and approach the good. Motivation was and will continue to be vital to my recovery process as well as pursuing my academic and career goals. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. As I continue to explore the world through a lens of neurodiversity, I look forward to utilizing all the skills I have learned to lead a fulfilling life, where I continue to learn and love every day. I have realized that I am an extremely strong person that can handle the most unique challenges. The way I learn and love is something to be proud of, not something to be hidden or conformed. As I continue to pursue my life aspirations, I will keep my uniqueness close to me and understand the vast influence my neurodivergence has had on me.

Last week, I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (formerly Asperger's) and sensory processing disorder. These diagnoses has been a long time coming. It was extremely difficult to get an appointment, and I was lucky to get one before moving off to college. I also have schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, generalized anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, and likely complex posttraumatic stress disorder. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. Autism is a developmental disorder that is present from birth, so it was hard to even grasp the reason behind my struggles as a child. I was diagnosed with Autism and sensory processing disorder not even one week ago, but now I find so much sense as I reflect upon my adversity. I have improved a tremendous amount with all of my disorders due to medication and CBT/DBT. Although I do not feel that I am fully recovered from this adversity, nor do I believe that I will ever be "cured," I know that I can live a life that is just as fulfilling as any neurotypical person. I am proud of my differences and now understand that it is perfectly appropriate to reach out for help. The experience taught me that I am stubborn, both in good and bad contexts, but how to seek out and approach the good. Motivation was and will continue to be vital to my recovery process as well as pursuing my academic and career goals. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. As I continue to explore the world through a lens of neurodiversity, I look forward to utilizing all the skills I have learned to lead a fulfilling life, where I continue to learn and love every day.

My goal to make art accessible to all, no matter socioeconomic class, race, disability, or any other internal or external feature. Art is universal to the human race, and creativity is inherent to our thought processes as human beings. I have been largely discouraged from pursuing a career in art with a focus on character design and illustration by my mentors and teachers. As a well-rounded student, I thrived in every academic area, and will likely continue to into my undergraduate and graduate years. Their discouragement shows that they do not think creatively about life and what it has to offer, while I recognize the hundreds of possibilities in front of me. Above all, I want to remove the stigma that art is a fruitless area of expertise through my guidance as a university professor and abolish the disillusionment that I felt as a teenager considering the arts as a career path. The world can only be changed with creativity, so my goal is to give back my own to make change within my realm of influence. I have been drawing with a professional intent since I was nine years old, my first artistic interest being the Pokémon cartoon series and other animated series. Since then, I have advanced towards original creation and professionalism. Art, and more broadly creativity, are my true areas of expertise. I see myself as strong in both the academic and artistic realms, and I do not believe that they should be inherently separable. My first true step in embodying this perspective is my intention to complete a B. A. in Art at the College of Letters and Science at the University of California-Santa Barbara. My current career goal is to become a professor after I finish a PhD program and continue publishing my work through the university I work with. The idea of creating my own graphic novels does pique my interest, as character design is one of my favorite areas to work with. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. My passion for art is not driven by just one aspect of life. It comes from a need to motivate and inspire others, please myself, and even act in opposition to those who believe that art is a waste of time.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey takes place in a psychiatric hospital in Oregon and critiques the methods of psychiatric treatment during and before 1962, when it was published. I first read this novel as an eighth grader struggling with early-onset mental illnesses, and, although I did not know at the time, autism spectrum disorder. In line with my parents, I strongly advocated for justice for those in psychiatric hospitals and believed that treatment for mental health was just as important as physical health. With this passion, I read Ten Days in a Madhouse shortly before this novel, and already knew of the historic ills of psychiatric hospitals. Above all, I truly connected with Kesey's writing and recognized immediately that he had direct experience with these facilities. The characters are lovable, intensely interesting, and there is an unshakeable sense of righteousness behind them. It was one of the first books that I was technically required to read for school that I truly fell in love with, as was the case for most books thereafter in which I was allowed to choose. As an 18 year old now, I would love to reread it as the details are a bit unclear in my memory. I know for a fact that I will cry at the end, and likely have to go to my mom once more to console me. Though tearful, the ending was very well earned, one of the most fitting endings I have ever read in my life. I cannot wait to reconnect with my favorite novel now as someone who now understands their mental disabilities and enjoy it outside of the classroom.

Marie Curie is, and always will be, my favorite scientist of all time. Other than discovering two radioactive elements, polonium and radium, she was the first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and the only woman to win two. From a young age she was curious and ready to break boundaries. I see much of myself in her in my readings of her, absolutely unable to be distracted when in the presence of books and starkly opposed to the idea that she was limited in her endeavors. I greatly appreciate her progress in radiation and even find myself interested in the nuclear sciences because of her research. Marie Curie was extremely intelligent, often interacting proudly with Einstein and other renowned scientists. Although my choice of study is mainly art, I hope to be just as profound and intelligent as her one day, and I seek out every opportunity to learn. Above her intelligence was morality and honesty, turning down awards in favor of benefitting her associated scientific institutions. Though intelligence is important to me, I try to live as an honest and giving person to follow her legacy. Marie Curie was not just another famous scientist for schools to teach about or for books to celebrate. She was a strong, hard-working, and honest woman with a strong passion. Though her intelligence is one of her most defining aspects, her morals and loving attitude cannot be ignored. Albert Einstein once mentioned that he thought that Marie Curie was the only person that would not let fame go to her head. Naturally, he was proven right.

"Never miss an opportunity to save out of laziness or shyness." My mother could be considered a penny-grabber or cheapskate. I think these words were created by the rich to gawk at the less fortunate classes that they created. My parents never had much money, and as such, my mother became very skilled at prioritizing, managing, and seeking deals. Money was essential for her, as it was few and far between. By the time I was born, our family was considered lower middle class. We did not live beyond our means and utilized what we had. From a young age, I learned how to build our savings, such as with comparing price points at the supermarket and settling for, as they are colloquially called, "off-brands." Price comparison is a purposely complicated and difficult process, but I never shied away from an opportunity to save. The nice things we did have were bought with the money that was saved, and I enjoyed them just that much more for the effort. However, the largest matter that the family always saved for was my education. That is something my mother always promised that I would not have to compromise on, and I did not. I got into my dream school, the University of California-Santa Barbara, for my dream major, art. The tuition is steep even after scholarships and grants, as well as extra fees such as living. Though we are now higher on the middle class spectrum, I still am just as mindful and cautious while shopping, never wanting to miss an opportunity to save so I can live the dream.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is hate. Such a simple word can cause so much strife and hurt, and it has for centuries. Hate for science and the fellow man are certainly the most harmful in this day and age, as well as throughout history. The COVID-19 pandemic, considered the problem by many, only amplifies the biggest problem at hand, which is hate. It can be argued that hate comes from fear, only the latter being inherent to human nature. Therefore, we may focus on fear as we pursue a solution to this problem. Hate is a taught aspect of one's nature that feeds off of fear that already existed. If fears are taught to be faced rather than festered, how might that change what has become a supposed part of human nature over the years? Fear is a survival instinct, one that allowed humans to evolve and create civilization, but it also allowed for ignorance, arrogance, and hate. Schools should take a more humanitarian approach to understanding emotion and foster emotional understanding, Fear should be understood for what it is, which is possible with the world's teachers and parents. When fear is addressed and made into a productive machine, hate will dissipate, as it is not an inherent part of human nature. This is not a fast solution. It will take hundreds of years of progressive thought to smooth over what hate has been engrained in the history of so many civilizations and people. Even if it cannot be entirely combated due to the close nature of hate and fear, understanding of our own nature and the principles of equality will certainly aid in combating our biggest problem.

Although not considered practical by many, free access to multiple kinds of therapy, especially that is confidential, is fundamental to helping more people who struggle with mental health. Missions such as BetterHelp and Talkspace have already explored this possibility, but their services are simply not enough. Part of the U.S. government's action in healthcare should be mental healthcare, as it is just as important as physical healthcare. An argument against free mental healthcare as provided by the federal government lies in two places: funds and motivation. The ominous U.S. debt clock exemplifies the ever growing debts of this country in several areas, so where would the money come from if we do not even have enough to pay our massive debts? And second, without competitive incentive of payment as big business healthcare systems foster, what may be the motivation of therapists to go into the field, and secondly, try their best? These questions are simply answered by adjustment of the federal budget, both in classification and monetary areas, and an examination of human nature. The federal budget allocates more than half of the government discretionary spending each year to a large block referred to as "military." A further breakdown of this block and subtraction from areas that we have been pouring money into but not getting money out of would allow for appropriate funding of such a program and more. Secondly, the best therapists, in my experience as a person with mental disabilities, are those who went into the field with a genuine passion, regardless of monetary gain. Such a program would not be fruitful with therapist who only seek money, so the program itself would eliminate the less productive.

My name is Genevieve Hazlinger, and I recently turned 18 years old. I am enrolled at the University of California-Santa Barbara as an B. A. of Art major at the College of Letters and Science. My dream is to earn a PhD in art studies, perhaps interdisciplinary with math, and become a university professor that publishes my own original artistic work and studies through my university. I dream to open the realm of art and creativity to all students, no matter their internal or external aspects and encourage students in the area that I was often discouraged in by teachers and other mentors. I am not a mentally well person. To list, I have schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), generalized anxiety disorder, several sleep disorders, autism level one (formerly Asperger's), and sensory processing disorder in association with autism. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. Autism is a developmental disorder that is present from birth, so it was hard to even grasp the reason behind my struggles as a child. I was diagnosed with Autism and sensory processing disorder not even one week ago, but now I find so much sense as I reflect upon my adversity. I have improved a tremendous amount with all of my disorders due to medication and CBT/DBT. Although I do not feel that I am fully recovered from this adversity, nor do I believe that I will ever be "cured," I know that I can live a life that is just as fulfilling as any neurotypical person. I am proud of my differences and now understand that it is perfectly appropriate to reach out for help. The experience taught me that I am stubborn, both in good and bad contexts, but how to seek out and approach the good. Motivation was and will continue to be vital to my recovery process as well as pursuing my academic and career goals. My motivation comes from creativity, inherent to all my thought processes. I have been largely self-taught in the arts so far. My major itself certainly gives me an opportunity to further my knowledge and prepare me to create quality work for the public. I feel that I have a lot of potential to create art that everyone will enjoy and collaborate with others. As I continue to explore the world through a lens of neurodiversity, I look forward to utilizing all the skills I have learned to lead a fulfilling life, where I continue to learn and love every day.

My vision is to make art accessible to all, no matter socioeconomic class, race, disability, or any other internal or external feature. Art is universal to the human race, and creativity is inherent to our thought processes as human beings. I have been largely discouraged from pursuing a career in art with a focus on character design and illustration by my mentors and teachers. As a well-rounded student, I thrived in every academic area, and will likely continue to into my undergraduate and graduate years. Their discouragement shows that they do not think creatively about life and what it has to offer, while I recognize the hundreds of possibilities in front of me. Above all, I want to remove the stigma that art is a fruitless area of expertise through my guidance as a university professor and abolish the disillusionment that I felt as a teenager considering the arts as a career path. The world can only be changed with creativity, so my goal is to give back my own to make change within my realm of influence. This piece, entitled "A Lone Traveler on the Western Landscape," is set in the western United States in 1848. I used a variety of natural photo references from both California and Arizona deserts and mountains to construct the piece, painted digitally on a drawing tablet. The character I feature is of African descent and has become a traveler to escape the terrors of industrialized American society, focusing on authentic blacksmith work to escape from machine standardization and drear. My vision is diverse and strives to reveal true history through my storytelling and diverse representation.

Gravity Falls is an animated cartoon series of two seasons created by Alex Hirsch that piloted on the Disney channel. Intended for older children, it featured a set of tweenaged twins sent to the fictional Oregon town of Gravity Falls to stay with their great uncle for the summer. They soon discover that the sleepy town is more than it seems, rife with supernatural occurrences. The main antagonist, Bill Cipher, became my muse of sorts throughout my artistic career. I drew him everywhere, humanized or not, and he became essential to my introduction into diverse and creative character design. Without a canon human design, he truly became my first character. My first writing drabbles and comics were fan related to the show, heavily influencing my thinking about what my true career path was. Thanks to Gravity Falls, I became an artist, in writing and illustration.

My favorite artist is Gerard Way, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance, an independent musical artist, and the creator of The Umbrella Academy and Danger Days comics. Although caught up with drug and alcohol addictions as well as several other health problems in the early 2000s, he became healthy and acknowledges the importance of taking care of oneself. Above all, he is an extremely well-rounded talent in musical composition, linguistics, illustration, and storytelling, and I greatly admire this as a fellow well-rounded person. He is the epitome of growth, skill, and artistic endeavors.

My passion for art is not driven by just one aspect of life. It comes from a need to motivate and inspire others, please myself, and even act in opposition to those who believe that art is a waste of time. Their discouragement shows that they do not think creatively about life and what it has to offer, while I recognize the hundreds of possibilities in front of me. Above all, my artistic intent and passion comes from my desire to remove the stigma that art is a fruitless area of expertise and abolish the disillusionment that I felt as a teenager considering the arts as a career path. The world can only be changed with creativity, so my goal is to give back my own to make change within my realm of influence. I have been drawing with a professional intent since I was nine years old, my first artistic interest being the Pokémon cartoon series and other animated series. Since then, I have advanced towards original creation and professionalism. Art, and more broadly creativity, are my true areas of expertise. I see myself as strong in both the academic and artistic realms, and I do not believe that they should be inherently separable. My first true step in embodying this perspective is my intention to complete a B. A. in Art at the College of Letters and Science at the University of California-Santa Barbara. My current career goal is to become a professor after I finish a PhD program and continue publishing my work through the university I work with. The idea of creating my own graphic novels does pique my interest, as character design is one of my favorite areas to work with. This scholarship could be one of the most important enabling factors of my education. The coronavirus pandemic has made it quite difficult to obtain scholarships, and as a student from a middle class family, this has been daunting. We are witnessing the death of affordable public higher education, especially with tuition hikes. As someone attending a University of California school, I am facing a tuition hike of five percent this year, and the board has approved of further hikes in the future. Despite the unsettling nature of the situation, I returned to the one aspect of my personality that has propelled me through everything: my creativity. This scholarship is a perfect fit for my purpose as it allows me to utilize my ever persistent creativity in earning money for my biggest artistic ambition. Thank you very much.

Today, I was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (formerly Asperger's) and sensory processing disorder. These diagnoses has been a long time coming. It was extremely difficult to get an appointment, and I was lucky to get one before moving off to college. I also have schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, generalized anxiety disorder, sleep disorders, and likely complex posttraumatic stress disorder. With all of this weighing on my shoulders, I felt as if I could make no positive impact, related to mental illness or not. I sank deep down, being unable to understand myself, and isolated myself from others. I am still isolated, but am moving to be more sociable as I begin to understand my conditions and diagnoses. The closest positive impact I can make to someone else battling mental illness is to my dad, who I live with as well as my mother for another month or so. My dad and I have practically the same brain, to which I joke mine is his, except "a little bit to the left." My dad is also nearly 63 years old, and has a much different perception of mental illness than I do. Today, I was able to educate him about my conditions and he understood that he likely has the same ones. I have improved a tremendous amount due to medication and CBT/DBT. I believe he can too, which begins with erasing his misconceptions about mental health and our conditions. After our separate and shared struggles, it is joyous to see his understanding. It gives me hope that there is improvement for him, be it through medication, therapy, or my education.

Other than creating a legion of original characters to be by my side, I have realized that my purpose in life is to create a generation after me that is much more confident than myself. As such, my primary goal after graduate school is to become a professor of the arts at a post secondary research institution. I appreciate and divulge in every type of art, but I have found that illustration and character design is my favorite realm of art. With my characters and writing, I want to portray comedy, angst, horror, and everything in between. However, I feel that an extremely wide knowledge base is necessary to create accurate characters that address world issues while remaining sensitive to those who have suffered in the face of strife. I want every person to be able to see themselves in one of my characters, to feel comforted by their struggles, and feel seen in the artistic world as their ancestors have never been before. More than an existing knowledge base, an artist must have an open mind to everything and be able to listen to groups that they are trying to portray. I believe I have the ability to do all of these things. For years, I have been able to see myself in characters, both with good and bad representation. However, the comfort they have brought me is priceless, and I believe this requires a continuum to the rest of society. I will be the medium through which this is possible. As a professor, I will show my works to my students and continue publishing through the university. It is necessary for the world to see my creation so the fire can be started in other future creators, and the cycle can continue. I will not live forever, and I will not be able to see the extent of the effects of my work. However, more than anything, my wish is to create a more equal, loved, and understanding society, which is probable, if not possible, through the world of art.

The reduction of a person to a label, even positive labels that perpetuate creativity, is inherently uncreative. I am a person that hates to be put in a box. With every element of life, even in objective areas such as math and science, I have urged myself to look outside the box. My greatest artistic ambition, to become a professor of the arts at a post-secondary research institution, exemplifies my feelings in this area. One may think that this ambition is peripherally artistic at best, but I believe that is what classifies is as ambitious. I want to decimate the expectations of the hundreds of people who believe that I should have a "backup plan" or that art is a useless subject to pursue. I love art because I love to have the freedom to break rules that need to be broken. If I say my ambition is simply to become a freelance artist, I am met with scoffs and frowns. Rather, I want to teach the generations that come after me that none of their perusals are without courage and value. I have always been a teacher of sorts to my peers, as a more knowledgeable other, in virtually any subject matter. However, I realized that the one unifying factor of all of my teaching instances was creativity. Art is my most loved subject, especially in the realm of illustration and character design. I always thought that my fellow students found some hilarity in the fact that the "art kid" was able to help them with calculus. Calculus is not lovable in the same way that art is. There are limits of ambition to math. With my skill, I want to make an impact among both my generation and those that come after me. I want to spark artistic ambitions in all students, no matter their majors, because ambition and passion are some of the best feelings in the world. I think my grasp of this philosophical concept qualifies my decision making. This scholarship could be one of the most important enabling factors of my education. The coronavirus pandemic has made it quite difficult to obtain scholarships, and as a student from a middle class family, this has been daunting. Despite the unsettling nature of the situation, I returned to the one aspect of my personality that has propelled me through everything: my creativity. This scholarship is a perfect fit for my purpose as it allows me to utilize my ever persistent creativity in earning money for my biggest artistic ambition. Attached is one of my favorite pieces of mine, "A Lone Traveler on the Western Landscape." The story I based the character and landscape off of is largely realistic with a hint of unnerving fantasy, which I tried to capture in my digital painting.