I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural and multilingual environment has shaped my understanding and love of diversity. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background are the basis of my multicultural foundation. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. My family is a complex system. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background were the basis of my multicultural foundation. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. When we moved to Kansas in 2015, adapting to the new norms was more difficult than brain surgery. Fast forward a decade or so. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. My family is a complex system. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background were the basis of my multicultural foundation. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. When we moved to Kansas in 2015, adapting to the new norms was more difficult than brain surgery. Fast forward a decade or so. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. My family is a complex system. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background were the basis of my multicultural foundation. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. When we moved to Kansas in 2015, adapting to the new norms was more difficult than brain surgery. Fast forward a decade or so. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. My family is a complex system. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background were the basis of my multicultural foundation. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. When we moved to Kansas in 2015, adapting to the new norms was more difficult than brain surgery. Fast forward a decade or so. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I have a complicated relationship with Tchaikovsky. A few years ago, I was completely humbled by the difficulty of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Despite this initial struggle in the Youth Symphony of Kansas City’s most advanced orchestra, this program has become one of my favorite activities. The true reason I’ve auditioned for the past six years (and keep attending every Sunday from 4-7pm) is to grow together with a dedicated community of musicians. The camaraderie we’ve built has cemented lifelong friendships. Orchestra has taught me to embrace persistence—making each practice an opportunity to better my musicianship and leadership. As the viola section leader within my school’s Chamber Symphony, I am responsible for mentoring underclassmen. One of my favorite memories is workshopping my mentee’s solo: Telemann’s Concerto in G. Finding time between my swim practices and her softball games, our sessions evolved from technical improvements to mutual encouragement. During her final performance, I proudly watched her hard work come to fruition. In Chambers, we joke that our tight-knit group’s camaraderie elevates our performances. At the statewide Small Ensemble Festival, we played the Elegie from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings and earned a perfect score. We also take time to prepare for All-District and All-State auditions, as well as Solo and Ensemble Festivals. I have received All-State honors for three years in a row and Outstanding ratings at all individual performances for solos and ensembles. One of the most notable performances at a state festival was during my sophomore year– my quartet received a perfect score for Schubert's "Death and the Maiden." Outside of class, I lead over 20 musicians within our 100% student-led organization—Mustang Musicians. As president, I manage rehearsal times, select pieces, and schedule chamber music performances for senior homes. It’s rewarding to bring moments of live music and friendly conversations to these communities. On weekends, I play in the Youth Symphony of Kansas City (this will be my sixth season) and in my church’s orchestra. Last year, I revisited “Tchaik4” at the All-State clinic, where my fingers could fly at the speed required for the intense finale. My personal growth and commitment allowed me to enjoy the music—as evidenced by my bright-red-lipstick smile during the ten minutes of pure adrenaline. Although I won’t major in viola performance in college, I still hope to share music within multiple communities, including more performances of Tchaikovsky’s literature with new friends in campus-wide orchestras.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. My family is a complex system. I was born in Hong Kong and adopted there as a baby. My parents, although not Asian, deliberately nurtured my Hong Kong identity while immersing me in their own distinct cultures. My mom’s Mexican heritage and my dad’s American background were the basis of my multicultural foundation. I absorbed Spanish and English at home, and Mandarin Chinese at the local school. When we moved to Kansas in 2015, adapting to the new norms was more difficult than brain surgery. Fast forward a decade or so. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.

I’m fascinated by many things: black holes, filoviruses, statistics, Shakespeare, ethics, harbor seals. I find connections in scatterplots with seemingly uncorrelated data, yet long to understand what humanity knows as truth. But what’s in a truth? It’s what our brains make of it. Neuroscience combines my passion for understanding complex systems and solving the mysteries of human behavior. Two years ago, I found myself in a heated debate about the ethics of gain-of-function research with my classmates at a Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. As we lit up with counterarguments and cross-examinations about experimental genetic modifications, I realized that viruses had impacts beyond our mask-wearing and social distancing—they were catalysts for complex scientific discussions. Driven by curiosity, I dove into the world of infectious diseases. I devoured Richard Preston's "The Hot Zone," my heart racing as he described Ebola outbreaks in Kenya, Africa, and Reston, Virginia. Then, Kimmery Martin’s novel, “Doctors and Friends," captivated me with her description of the long-term effects that a virus can have on the brain. When I stumbled upon research about the Borna disease virus, the idea that a virus could dramatically alter brain function and behavior by breaching the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. I have a relative who struggled with long Covid symptoms, including brain fog, for over a year, and I have been interested in recent research discussing how disruptions to the BBB may play a significant role in that comorbidity. I began to see fascinating connections between seemingly disparate fields—virology, neuroscience, and human behavior. When mentoring for Girls Night Out, a University of Kansas Medicine intervention program for neurodivergent teens, I helped create a nurturing community where the participants’ confidence positively transformed. As a future physician, I hope to establish similar support systems and effectively advocate for diverse patients by leveraging my multicultural and multilingual background. In college, I wish to study the brain from multiple perspectives, including psychology and philosophy, but I also plan to pursue a minor in Spanish alongside my pre-medical studies. This combination will allow me to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures, enabling me to provide more culturally sensitive care in my future medical career. My upbringing as an international adoptee in a multicultural family environment has instilled these values in many ways. We celebrate our cultural diversity when Thanksgiving, Nochebuena, and Chinese New Year come alive every year, each with their own unique traditions. Beyond cultural festivities, we frequently serve meals together at local food kitchens, and I am able to speak Spanish to the individuals who come through the line. Serving in this community spurred me to start volunteering at a Catholic Charities citywide support center to help immigrant families register for food and clothing assistance. Using my native Spanish language skills and cultural awareness, I am able to serve these families in respectful ways. I am eager to listen to their stories of hope and make small contributions to their well-being. Although my family members will provide some financial assistance during college, the career path I would like to pursue requires schooling beyond an undergraduate degree. Receiving scholarship money would not only allow me to save money for further education but would also allow me to seek unpaid internships or research opportunities in order to prepare for medical school or a graduate degree. Through my academic pursuits, community involvement, and future medical practice, I aspire to make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our society.