I am Hillary Penaloza, a high school senior and rising college freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I plan to study Aerospace Engineering starting in the Fall of 2026. I plan to advance aerospace innovation, improve aviation safety, and inspire young Latina women to pursue STEM careers confidently. Growing up, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I always knew I wanted to be like my mom. Living in a single-parent household, I have learned the importance of hard work and determination. Watching my mom come home after working long, exhausting hours, I saw firsthand how much dedication she has so that my two older brothers and I could be okay. Watching my mom balance work, keep our household afloat, and still be present in our lives has inspired me to change the future of my family. As a female Latina pursuing interests in a competitive and often male-dominated field like cybersecurity and aerospace engineering, I have experienced moments where I felt like I did not belong because I wasn't smart enough or capable. Like my immigrant mom, who faced challenges being judged by her appearance and accent, I have learned that hard work will always create opportunity. From a young age, my mom taught me discipline and honesty, and that nothing is given; you have to earn it and prove that you are capable. Because of that, she has pushed me to succeed academically and in leadership roles, such as being president of FCCLA and earning gold champion in cybersecurity for SkillsUSA, while also balancing sports like golf and tennis and working as a residential cleaner. A specific moment where I faced adversity was during my SkillsUSA cybersecurity competition. I was the only girl in the room and felt extremely nervous. I doubted myself so much, even though I knew everyone there had learned the same material. I felt like the boys in the room judged me and didn't even see me as competition. Despite that, I had to focus and prove that I belonged. When the challenge began, I worked without paying attention to the scoreboard. About 30 minutes before lunch, I noticed I was in first place. Then, not even 3 minutes later, I saw that I had dropped to almost last place. At that moment, my stomach sank. To be fair, I wasn't sure if I was hungry or genuinely shocked. But nevertheless, I knew I had a fair shot. Then it was lunch time, and everyone had to leave the competition room. During lunch, I started to feel confident that I was able to at least compete with my peers. I came back after lunch and got to work. For a while, I struggled to make progress, but eventually, I solved a challenge that no one else had completed. I quickly moved up the ranks and was in 1st place. The other competitors tried to catch up but couldn't. In the end, I won 1st place by a long shot. This challenge helped prove to myself that I am capable and that hard work will lead me to success. I am excited to pursue a career where I can demonstrate the values my mom instilled in me and show how being a minority is not a limitation, but a motive to continue to succeed and prove how we, first-generation students, are our family's pride and our family's evidence of generational change. My message to someone who is facing the same challenges as I am, is to never give up. Someone's misjudgment shouldn't define who you are it should fuel your success instead.

I am Hillary Penaloza, a high school senior and rising college freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I plan to study Aerospace Engineering starting in the Fall of 2026. Growing up, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I always knew I wanted to be like my mom. Living in a single-parent household, I have learned the importance of hard work and determination. Watching my mom come home after working long, exhausting hours, I saw firsthand how much dedication she has so that my two older brothers and I could be okay. Watching my mom balance work, our household afloat, and still be present in our lives has inspired me to change the future of my family. As a female Latina pursuing interests in a competitive and often male-dominated field like cybersecurity and aerospace engineering, I have experienced moments where I felt like I did not belong because I wasn't smart enough or capable. Like my immigrant mom, who faced challenges being judged by her appearance and accent, I have learned that hard work will always create opportunity. From a young age, my mom taught me discipline and honesty, and that nothing is given; you have to earn it and prove that you are capable. Because of that, she has pushed me to succeed academically and in leadership roles, such as being president of FCCLA and earning gold champion in cybersecurity for SkillsUSA, while also balancing sports like golf and tennis and working as a residential cleaner. A specific moment where I faced adversity was during my SkillsUSA cybersecurity competition. I was the only girl in the room and felt extremely nervous. I doubted myself so much, even though I knew everyone there had learned the same material. I felt like the boys in the room judged me and didn't even see me as competition. Despite that, I had to focus and prove that I belonged. When the challenge began, I worked without paying attention to the scoreboard. About 30 minutes before lunch, I noticed I was in first place. Then, not even 3 minutes later, I saw that I had dropped to almost last place. At that moment, my stomach sank. To be fair, I wasn't sure if I was hungry or genuinely shocked. But nevertheless, I knew I had a fair shot. Then it was lunch time, and everyone had to leave the competition room. During lunch, I started to feel confident that I was able to at least compete with my peers. I came back after lunch and got to work. For a while, I struggled to make progress, but eventually, I solved a challenge that no one else had completed. I quickly moved up the ranks and was in 1st place. The other competitors tried to catch up, but couldn't. In the end, I won 1st place by a long shot. This challenge helped prove to myself that I am capable and that hard work will lead me to success. I am excited to pursue a career where I can demonstrate the values my mom instilled in me and show how being a minority is not a limitation, but a motive to continue to succeed and prove how we, first-generation students, are our family's pride and our family's evidence of generational change. My message to someone who is facing the same challenges as I am is to never give up. Someone's misjudgment shouldn't define who you are. Someone's prejudice is your purpose for success.