My abuela, Elvira “Elvy”, didn't do half-measures. When I was six, she bought me a Build-a-Bear. When someone asked if it was just a gift card or an unfilled bear, she was genuinely horrified. "Do you think I would give my grandbaby an empty, roadkill bear?" she scoffed. Abuela proudly kissed the little cloth heart, pumped the pedal to fill it herself, and dressed that bear head-to-toe in bows, glasses, and saddle shoes. That was my Abuela. She would build the bear herself. She arrived in the US from Cuba at twenty-two, carrying a gravely ill little sister, and speaking no English. When signs in storefronts screamed “No Negroes. No Mexicans. No English. No Job.” She didn't shrink. She just rehearsed her lines: "Please. I work hard. I want job. I need job." That no-bull earnestness landed her the sixty-hour work weeks she used to carry her family. "Todo el mundo hace arrugas," she would tell me. "Sea alguien que plancha más de lo que arruga." Everyone makes wrinkles; be someone who irons more than she wrinkles. As a second-generation Latina navigating a grueling biology and chemistry major on a pre-veterinary track, I encounter plenty of wrinkles. Navigating dyslexia and an ADHD diagnosis means I have to study three times harder than my peers. There are nights when staring down a stack of complex organic chemistry reactions feels completely overwhelming, but Abuela’s sauciness emboldens me. That fiery spirit gave me the guts to pivot from my textbooks to Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico this summer for a full-time, unpaid veterinary internship. This means facing real-world hurdles. I juggle three jobs, and leaving them behind in July to pay summer tuition rather than earn an income is a massive financial sacrifice, and more frustrating than impressive to my employers. Yet, it’s an incredible opportunity to brush up on Spanish while assisting on animal surgeries and clinical procedures. Sure, traveling abroad for college credit doesn’t compare to fleeing a communist regime without a word of English. But Abuela rejected the subtle misogyny that tells young women to play it pleasing and safe, encouraging a fire in me. Because of her, I use my growing skills to smooth out the wrinkles in my community. Abuela taught me that faith and love require action. My Eagle project involved hundreds of hours designing and building a quarantine isolation area at a local animal shelter to protect vulnerable rescues and the environment. Inheriting her heart for feeding others, I also regularly lead service projects for the unsheltered with Blessing Warriors. Once, when a local company donated a mountain of raw poultry to our food drive, I lacked the oven space to cook it before it spoiled. Instead of quitting, I knocked on neighbors' doors, borrowed a turkey roaster, and turned a logistical nightmare into a neighborhood barbecue that served 80 unhoused individuals. At school, I bring that same energy to the stage, whether joining shows as a character like a sword-wielding Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, or creating and repairing costumes. I tutor English Language Learners in public schools with Casa Latina. ELL and Latine students are underrepresented in STEM and gifted programs. By building these connections, I’m pulling others forward, ensuring their voices aren't erased by institutional gaps. This summer, I will be living with Doña Pilar, a widow who runs a non-profit for low-income children. I know her positive impact on my life will be profound. She will guide me like another granddaughter, even though I’m just one student among many she’s hosted for thirty years. Doña Pilar may not serve Cuban flan or the massive one-pot meals my Abuela stretched for unexpected guests, but she uses food as a love language. Her traditional Yucatecan dishes make outsiders feel safe and valued. She is already sharply correcting my Spanish over WhatsApp. Instead of being intimidated, I am incredibly grateful. She feels like home and reminds me of sitting at Abuela’s feet, communicating in Spanglish while trying not to stab my fingers with a sewing needle while she gave me unfiltered advice in parallel to the current telenovela. I understand that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply connected. This requires technical skill and radical empathy. By building a meaningful relationship with Doña Pilar and working in the trenches of global veterinary medicine, I am preparing to become a bilingual veterinarian who can bridge the gap for communities at home. Everyone makes wrinkles. I’m setting the intention to be the one holding the iron.

Ever since I was young, I've loved working with animals and giving back to my community. As a biology major on a pre-vet track, my goal is to become a veterinarian, but I want my career to extend beyond treating pets in a standard clinic. Volunteering countless hours at local animal shelters and organizing community drives showed me early on that not everyone has equal access to resources. I put this awareness into action for my Eagle Scout project by building a dedicated quarantine area for an animal rescue. This large-scale construction project created a safe space for sick and recovering animals and taught me the practical challenges of animal welfare. I saw firsthand that rescues are stretched thin, and families struggle to afford basic pet care. These hands-on experiences made me realize my love for animals and my desire to help people do not have to be separate; I want to use my science background to bridge this gap. My commitment to supporting underserved groups extends across my campus and local communities. Whether orchestrating massive food preparations for Blessing Warriors to serve the unsheltered, mentoring Roanoke freshmen, or tutoring ESL learners alongside Casa Latina and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, I have learned to build inclusive environments and advocate for those often overlooked. These roles have strengthened my ability to connect with diverse populations, laying the groundwork for the community-focused veterinary care I intend to pursue. Looking ahead, I plan to partner directly with non-profit organizations to establish accessible care programs, ensuring pet owners can get medical help regardless of their financial situation. This July, I will put my advocacy and cultural competency into practice during a veterinary internship in Mérida, Mexico, working with animals in a different economic setting. When I am not studying, my work history includes balancing three jobs: working in food service, providing clinic animal care, and substitute teaching, alongside unpaid lab research. Even with this demanding schedule, my passions outside of school are theater and club rugby. I love the stage and have performed in university productions, recently playing Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, and will soon direct Just Like Us, a play highlighting the dignity of undocumented immigrants. During summers, I bring theater opportunities to youth in underserved communities. Theater builds empathy and forces you to think on your feet. Rugby provides balance, pushing me physically and teaching resilience. Both demand trust, clear communication, and teamwork, giving me the practical foundation to coordinate large volunteer projects and navigate a busy veterinary clinic. My mother’s boundless compassion makes her my greatest motivator. As a special education teacher and active community volunteer, she instilled in me the value of hard work and taught me to advocate for others. At home, her selflessness is profound. After caring for my grandmothers through cancer until their passing, my mom still serves as the guardian and primary caregiver for my uncle with significant cognitive and emotional needs along with my little brother. She also tends to my grandfathers, remaining steadfast as she navigates their advancing dementia and belligerence. While these responsibilities stretch our family financially, meaning I must fund my own path through work and scholarships, our home never lacked love or wisdom. Even as I learned and provided vital caregiving skills by her side, my mother never let me be tethered to our challenges. Instead, she pushed me to seize every opportunity, from leading my Eagle Scout project and campus activities to competing for the Mérida internship. Witnessing the selfless energy she pours into others drives me to bring that tireless dedication to veterinary medicine and non-profit work.

The Mathematics of Change: Why Calculus is Essential in STEM and Veterinary Science I double major in Biology and Chemistry with a minor in Spanish. I am also deeply involved in community service and theater. Just last February, I won an on-site dramaturgy award at the American College Theater Festival. I love the creative, vibrant, and messy parts of the human experience. Calculus seemed like the exact opposite. Rigid. Cold. Detached. I was wrong. Calculus is the profound language of change. In the STEM fields, change is exactly what we need to understand. Nothing in my science coursework stands still. Life is in constant motion. At the lab table, I watch enzymes break down substrates second by second. I track the explosive growth of bacterial colonies. Grasping these dynamic processes requires a mathematical tool that captures fluidity. You need to measure the exact rate of change at any given moment. That is the magic of calculus. It takes abstract biological theories and makes them quantifiable. This predictive power is crucial in veterinary medicine. My community service and theater work share a common thread with my career goals. They all require empathy and advocacy. Theater requires stepping into another's experience. Veterinary science requires advocating for patients who cannot speak. I work in a veterinary clinic as an assistant veterinary technician and for a company that provides at-home care for pets that need specialized care. When I look at these pets - Ramon with feline HIV, Missy with diabetes, or any animal needing pre- and post-operative care - I still see a beloved family member. But a veterinarian must also see and understand their highly complex biological needs. Animals cannot advocate for themselves. They cannot articulate their symptoms or tell us if a medication is wearing off or causing dizziness. Because our patients cannot speak, veterinarians rely on flawless mathematical modeling for critical care: - Pharmacokinetics: Modeling exactly how an anesthetic is absorbed, metabolized, and excreted over time to keep an animal safely asleep during surgery. - Fluid Therapy: Calculating precise intravenous drip rates using differentiation. - Safe Dosages: Ensuring medications hit the exact therapeutic window without toxicity. My appreciation for this math did not come easily. My first attempt at learning calculus was a genuine struggle. I would get lost in the equations, transpose figures, and struggle to connect what was on the page to the living science I loved. I finished that semester with a D+ despite a lot of effort and utilizing support resources. It stung deeply. I questioned my path. Giving up on my veterinary dreams was simply not an option. I swallowed my pride and signed up to retake the exact same class. I practically lived in tutoring sessions. I practiced until my hands cramped. Slowly, the numbers started to tell a story I could read. I finished that second attempt with a B+. It remains one of the proudest moments of my academic career. That hard-fought B+ taught me true grit. The veterinary field is demanding and unpredictable. It requires immense resilience. Mastering calculus proved I can tackle deeply intimidating challenges if I am willing to push through the frustration. Calculus maps the beautiful, constant changes of the natural world. For me, it is a daily reminder that growth is a continuous process.

My Abuela often told me, "Todo el mundo hace arrugas. Sea alguien que plancha más de lo que arruga." Everyone makes wrinkles; be someone who irons more than she wrinkles. I have adopted this as my personal mandate to solve problems and actively pull others forward, the very spirit of Pa'lante. As a Latina studying biochemistry on a pre-veterinary track, I use my STEM education and analytical skills to "iron out" systemic inequities in my community. My commitment to public health became critical during the pandemic. Recognizing that nutritional deprivation disproportionately impacted marginalized groups, I organized food drives and delivered groceries to diverse families facing severe hunger. This work required profound, compassionate discretion, as many of these families were in precarious positions due to their immigration status and did not qualify for established social services. Ensuring they had safe access to sustenance without fear was a fundamental health intervention. I also strive to amplify underrepresented voices through education and the arts. At Casa Latina, I tutor culturally and linguistically varied elementary students, fostering the critical thinking skills essential for STEM. Latine students are vastly underrepresented in gifted programs, and I work to ensure their unique perspectives are not overlooked. This commitment extends to Roanoke College, where I mentor multicultural peers, which led me to found Tangles, an organization where I apply my biology and chemistry background to advocate for inclusive skincare and textured hair resources on campus. Building on this advocacy, next semester I am collaborating with both the theater and Spanish departments to direct Karen Zacarías's play Just Like Us. By staging these narratives, I aim to cultivate empathy, confront misunderstandings regarding immigration status, and challenge the societal biases that marginalize our communities. In the applied sciences, I lead projects that directly benefit animal and environmental welfare. For my Eagle Scout project, I utilized environmental assessment and structural planning to construct a quarantine isolation facility for a local humane society. As a biology research assistant, I continuously bridge ecological health with scientific data. These experiences are grounded in the "One Health" framework, the understanding that human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably linked. Historically, a lack of diversity in STEM has led to colossal oversights in medicine and technology. My goal is to become a bilingual veterinarian, returning to underserved communities to bridge communication gaps for Spanish-speaking pet owners and to advocate for equitable public health. To move Pa'lante is to ensure no one is left behind. I am committed to advancing representation in STEM, smoothing the path for those who follow, and using my scientific expertise to uplift my community.

My Abuela instilled in me a lifelong lesson to always advocate for the "little guy" and lift up the voiceless. For a long time, I viewed this strictly through the lens of companion animal care. However, as I have deepened my pre-veterinary, biology studies at Roanoke College, I have come to realize that the voiceless also includes our fragile ecosystems. True conservation efforts cannot exist without a foundation of rigorous animal care and welfare. The health of a single species is inextricably linked to the health of its broader environment. I envision contributing to the field of conservation by bridging the gap between clinical veterinary medicine and environmental fieldwork. The intersection of animal welfare and conservation is most apparent to me in the laboratory. Working alongside Dr. Steven Powers, I analyze environmental samples and dissect river fish to track ecological stressors. This research demands precise tissue analysis and data interpretation, but more importantly, it provides a real-time assessment of how pollution and habitat degradation impact local wildlife populations. By monitoring the physical health of these aquatic animals, we are essentially taking the pulse of the entire river system. Protecting these ecosystems is the critical first step in ensuring the welfare of the animals that rely on them. I plan to continue using biochemistry and rigorous research to inform proactive, science-based conservation strategies. My vision for contributing to conservation also heavily involves public health and the management of communicable diseases. The welfare of domestic animals directly impacts local wildlife. When diseases run rampant in companion animal or rescue populations, there is a severe risk of spillover into vulnerable wild species. For my Eagle Scout project, I addressed this specific intersection by leading the construction of a fenced quarantine area at the Hanover Humane Society. Navigating logistical hurdles, I coordinated over 226 volunteer hours to build a facility designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The project also required me to implement targeted soil and water conservation measures to protect the surrounding environment from harmful runoff. This experience proved to me that large-scale animal welfare initiatives are fundamentally conservation initiatives. While research and public health management provide the framework, individual clinical care remains the beating heart of animal welfare. My hands-on experience as a kennel assistant at Hanover Green Veterinary Clinic and my specialized in-home caregiving work with Leash and Lead have taught me the practical realities of medicine. I know how to administer precise treatments, monitor subtle physiological shifts, and adapt to unpredictable environments. In the field of conservation, whether treating an injured wild animal or managing a disease outbreak in a protected habitat, these hard-earned clinical skills are vital. Ultimately, I hope to be a veterinarian who operates at the vital crossroads of ecosystem health and clinical medicine. By combining my biochemistry background, my environmental research experience, and my project management skills, I aim to advance conservation efforts from multiple angles. I am ready to apply concrete science and deep empathy to protect our planet's biodiversity, serving as the highly skilled, fiercely dedicated voice for the voiceless that my Abuela always knew I could be.

My passion for animals is the most consistent thread in my life. At five years old, I confidently declared I would be a veterinarian. By middle school, however, I had unconsciously absorbed the idea that STEM was too mathematical and distant for me. It took my high school IB biology teacher to prove that rigorous science was exactly where my heart belonged. She helped me unlock my scientific mind, and in doing so, solidified my childhood aspirations. It turns out my five-year-old self had more clarity than my fourteen-year-old self. My Abuela instilled in me the importance of advocating for the "little guy" and lifting the voiceless. Because animals cannot verbalize their pain, veterinary medicine is the ultimate application of her lesson. However, I know that compassion alone cannot heal an animal; it requires concrete, hard-earned skills. I chose to study biochemistry on a pre-veterinary track to build a formidable foundation in the biological and chemical processes that govern health, disease, and pharmacology. I have actively sought out opportunities to apply this academic coursework to real-world complexities. Working alongside Dr. Steven Powers at Roanoke College, I analyze environmental samples and dissect river fish to track ecological stressors. This research demands precise laboratory techniques, tissue analysis, and data interpretation. It also grounds me in the broader perspective of ecosystem health, teaching me that safeguarding our environment is the critical first step in protecting all animals, including our companions. While the lab provides the "why," my hands-on clinical experience has taught me the "how." As a kennel assistant at Hanover Green Veterinary Clinic, I learned the fast-paced flow of diagnostics, animal handling, and the profound emotional weight of end-of-life care. I recently expanded my clinical skill set through my job at Leash and Lead, providing specialized in-home care to pets with complex medical needs. Managing these routines outside a highly controlled clinic environment, such as administering precise medications, monitoring subtle physiological shifts, and adhering to strict physical therapy protocols, requires a high level of independent problem-solving. It also demands immense empathy, as I must clearly and confidently communicate medical realities to anxious owners in their own living rooms. That empathy is rooted in my daily life. Whether I am coming home to my own Great Pyrenees mix, Nova, or watching therapy animals assist students while I substitute in special education classrooms, I see firsthand the profound bond we share with animals. Knowing that exceptional therapy dogs like Crosby can be lost to sudden, complex illnesses is exactly what drives my pursuit of advanced diagnostics. I want to build the clinical expertise required to catch and treat these conditions early, ensuring that both cherished family companions and vital working dogs receive the highest standard of care. Beyond individual care, I am committed to large-scale animal welfare and project management. For my Eagle Scout project, I led the construction of a fenced quarantine area at the Hanover Humane Society to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Navigating limited volunteer availability and logistical hurdles, I coordinated over 226 service hours, managed material budgets, and addressed critical soil and water conservation needs. That experience proved my ability to lead teams and execute complex public health projects with tangible results. What do I hope to accomplish with my education? I want to be a veterinarian who seamlessly blends clinical precision with deep compassion. By combining my studies in biochemistry, environmental fieldwork, independent caregiving experience, and project management skills, I aim to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care. I am ready to be the highly skilled, fiercely dedicated voice for the voiceless that my Abuela always knew I could be.

My lifelong passion for helping others and caring for animals, initially sparked in kindergarten, has evolved into a pursuit of veterinary medicine while still driven by a desire to bridge gaps and dismantle systemic inequities. This journey, however, was not without detours. During middle school, I unconsciously internalized societal biases, believing STEM was too complex. My high school IB program, particularly my biology teacher, Mrs. Berlinghoff, rekindled my love for science, proving its inherent accessibility and relevance. My work as a kennel assistant further solidified my aspirations, showcasing the tangible impact of veterinary care on both animals and their human companions. My Abuela instilled in me the importance of advocating for the voiceless, a principle I aim to embody as a veterinarian and community leader. My commitment to animal welfare extends beyond clinical practice. My Eagle Scout project, building a quarantine area at the Hanover Humane Society, demonstrated my ability to lead and execute projects with tangible results and contributed over 226 service hours. Currently, I am pursuing a biochemistry degree on a pre-veterinary track while conducting environmental and animal welfare research, laying a strong foundation in the biological and chemical processes essential for community health. My short-term goal is to complete my undergraduate studies and gain admission to a prestigious veterinary program, such as Virginia Tech or Clemson University. My long-term goal is to practice veterinary medicine while also engaging in research that addresses the intersection of human, veterinary, and environmental health, contributing to a healthier future for all. As a Latina woman, I am acutely aware of the underrepresentation of minorities in STEM fields. This lack of diversity leads to critical oversights in research and technology. For instance, heart disease research predominantly focuses on white males and overlooks the unique needs of women and minorities. CDC data indicates that heart disease is the leading cause of death for US women, yet they receive less timely care. Black Americans also face disproportionately higher rates of heart disease, but targeted research is limited. Additionally, technological biases, such as soap dispensers failing to recognize melanin and scanners misinterpreting Asian faces, highlight the urgent need for diverse perspectives in STEM. My presence in this field will contribute to addressing these disparities and ensuring that research and technology serve all populations equitably. My experiences with Roanoke College’s Building on Diversity (BonD) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), including leadership on service trips to St. Croix and the Dominican Republic, have deepened my understanding of cross-cultural communication. My involvement with Mosaic, supporting LGBTQIA+ students, and Casa Latina, providing academic support to Latine elementary students, demonstrates my dedication to creating inclusive and supportive environments. My volunteer work with Blessing Warriors and community cooking projects to serve the unsheltered further showcases my commitment to addressing food insecurity and serving the underrepresented. These experiences have instilled in me the importance of mentorship, guidance, and creating a sense of belonging. Receiving the SigaLa Education Scholarship would be an immense blessing, easing the financial pressures of my education. This generous support would grant me the invaluable opportunity to fully dedicate myself to my academic pursuits and community service initiatives. I am deeply grateful for the prospect of focusing my energy on achieving my academic goals and serving my community. I believe my unwavering dedication to service, and my commitment to improving outcomes for underrepresented minorities combined with my fervent academic aspirations, align with the values of the SigaLa Education Scholarship. With this support, I can make a meaningful and lasting impact on the veterinary field and the human communities I am privileged to serve.

My passion for animals is a thread woven through the fabric of my life. In kindergarten, I confidently declared my future as a veterinarian with a love for animals rooted in curiosity and empathy. However, as I navigated middle school, something shifted. The girl engrossed in science became a pre-teen who unconsciously believed that STEM was too mathematical, too distant. Yet, the reality is that STEM fields thrive on diversity, needing the unique perspectives of all genders and ethnicities. My high school IB program became my scientific homecoming. I entered with a desire for the most diverse, challenging learning opportunities my school offered. My biology teacher, Mrs. Berlinghoff, rekindled my love and confidence for the sciences, proving that even when difficult, science was where my heart belonged. Unlocking my scientific mind alongside my enduring love for animals reignited my veterinary aspirations. Who would've thought that five-year-old me had more clarity than 13-year-old me? My Abuela instilled the importance of advocating for the "little guy," to lift the voiceless. As a veterinarian, I'll do that. Unlike humans, animals cannot verbalize their needs. My work as a kennel assistant at a vet's office has shown me the profound impact of this role. Witnessing veterinarians and technicians swiftly diagnose ailments, seeing children smile as their mended pets leave, and helping animals find loving homes - these experiences solidify my path. I've comforted families during difficult losses. This ability to aid both animals and their human companions is incredibly fulfilling. I’ll become a voice for the voiceless, ensuring the well-being of cherished animal companions, just as my Abuela envisioned. I further demonstrated my commitment to animal welfare through a significant Eagle Scout project at the Hanover Humane Society. I led the construction of a fenced quarantine area for dogs, addressing critical soil and water conservation needs to prevent disease spread. This project involved extensive planning, problem-solving, and over 226 hours of coordinated service, including 70+ of personal labor. I completed this project in July 2023, overcoming challenges with limited volunteer availability. This experience reinforced my dedication to hands-on contributions to animal welfare, showcasing my ability to lead and execute projects with tangible results. Currently, I'm pursuing a biochemistry degree on a pre-veterinary track, with plans for graduate studies at Virginia Tech or Clemson University. My major directly involves animals by providing a strong foundation in the biological and chemical processes that govern their health and well-being. This knowledge is essential for understanding animal physiology, disease, and treatment. Diversity in STEM is crucial. Lack of representation leads to research failures. Heart disease research, focused on white males, overlooks women and minorities. CDC data shows heart disease as the top killer of US women, yet they receive less timely care. Black Americans face disproportionately higher rates, but targeted research is limited. Technology also falters: soap dispensers fail to recognize melanin, and scanners misinterpret Asian faces. STEM needs diverse perspectives to prevent oversights. Beyond clinical practice, I plan to positively impact the animal world by focusing on the intersection of human, veterinary, and environmental health. My experience at Hanover Green Veterinary Clinic has provided hands-on experience in animal care, diagnostics, and compassionate end-of-life care. Additionally, my research with Dr. Steven Powers at Roanoke College, analyzing environmental samples and dissecting river fish to understand environmental stressors, has deepened my understanding of ecosystem health. This work, though less glamorous, is crucial for safeguarding the well-being of all animals, including our beloved pets. By combining clinical expertise, fieldwork, and direct care with a commitment to environmental stewardship, I aim to contribute to a healthier future for animals and humans.

I am studying Biochemistry as a way to contribute positively to my community. Biochemistry provides an amazing foundation that would allow me to attend graduate school in many fields such as medicine, pharmacy, public health and more. This journey of higher education is one that I deeply appreciate undertaking. I am especially drawn to the field of veterinary medicine because of its unique potential to make a positive impact on the community around me. I have been actively serving my community for over a decade in many ways from feeding the homeless to assisting local schools through other Eagle Projects. My Eagle project involved constructing a fence for an animal rescue shelter bolstered my aspiration to pursue higher education to improve animal and community welfare. Throughout my academic journey, I have faced various obstacles that have tested my confidence and determination. As a young student, I had difficulty focusing and with reading and I was placed in reading recovery. I felt I wasn't good enough to pursue higher education. Based on aptitude, I was encouraged to pursue cosmetology as a vocational program. Turns out my struggle was related to ADHD in addition to weak vision. I felt less ashamed and I learned compensatory skills. I also followed a strict regime of patching my eye while completing visual exercises that would physically nauseate me. Against advisement, I was determined to take classes that were prerequisites for entering the International Baccalaureate program in 11th grade. Still against encouragement, I entered the IB program without any gifted status or exposure. IB Biology would become the first time in high school I got to do hands-on learning. During the lecture, I struggled with the content being taught, but I could retain so much more and even excel during labs. IB Biology solidified my pursuit of higher education in the science fields. My biochemistry classes are still very challenging. I struggle to focus and I still must study much more than my peers. But by engrossing myself in labs and creating detailed and illustrated notes, I have allowed concepts to truly click for me. As the hardest working B student, I do not have the most exemplary talent or grades. However, my effort is notable and my lab grades have bolstered my overall grades for both Biology and Chemistry. These academic hurdles have strengthened me as a learner as well as taught me the importance of adapting and preserving when faced with adversity. I also want to use my minor in Spanish to connect with the Latino community. One requirement for the minor at my college is community engagement. In my first semester, I had the opportunity to help Latino kids with school work, which has been so important to me. Post graduation, and through my next years at school I hope to keep doing programs like this that better the Latino community. With a veterinarian degree, I hope to use my knowledge and skills to better families with pets. Animals can make a huge difference in the lives of others and I hope to keep these pets healthy for a long while or provide comfort to families if they ever lose a pet. My pursuit of higher education is a commitment to growth, the pursuit of knowledge, and the promise of contributing to my community. I am excited for the opportunities to come from college and I am confident in my ability to overcome or adapt to obstacles I may face.

In October, 2022, Rob Sheffield of the Rolling Stones magazine stunned me by placing Bad Blood as 229th in his ranking of Taylor Swift songs. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for her 1989 album and especially Bad Blood. How could anyone rank Bad Blood as dead last? The audacity! Perhaps, Bad Blood isn’t the best song from 1989? Quantitatively, my playlist shows that I listen to Wonderland and How You Get the Girl the most often. Clean is highly regarded as the most masterful song, while Style gets stuck in my head for days. Still, Bad Blood is my favorite of 1989 because it offers something more impactful than lyrics or even musicality. It’s special because it formed such a positive core memory in my childhood which became crucial to my identity. When the Bad Blood music video was released in 2015, it blew my little 5th grade mind! Watching Taylor become this epic fighter made me feel like I could do anything. This gave me a new level of confidence that got me through the rest of 5th grade and the horror that is middle school. I would get home from school and rush to the computer just so I could watch the Bad Blood video repeatedly. Even as my viewing intensity died down, I would still come back to it. Like a kitten viewing herself in the mirror as a lion, I could puff myself up with strong shoulders and a confident walk - even when I was feeling less assured on the inside. Further into the positive impact of Bad Blood was its collaborative energy. So much media focuses on pitting women against each other in frivolous competitions like, “Who wore it best?” Forever cheeky, Taylor Swift flipped this narrative with her girl squad circle and more audaciously by featuring 16 vibrant and diverse superstars in Bad Blood. It was inspiring to see so many women - Selena Gomez, Zendeya, Jessica Alba, Mariska Hargitay, Ellen Pompeo and many others being so confident, badass and, above all else, together. As Swift openly lifted other women and took back the cat-fight narrative, she also lifted me. I think of my shy, 10-year-old, tomboy self watching these ladies kill it, every time I listen to Bad Blood and the rest of 1989. Rabidly watching the Bad Blood music video may have been a glaring premonition that I especially liked and admired women. As my queerness formed in my teen years, the positivity of Bad Blood did so much to insulate me from the self-doubt and loathing offered by the homophobic messages and policies in my conservative community. I found my own squad of misfits and allies as we formed our school’s first Gay-Straight Alliance, GSA, working against stigma and promoting the well-being and mental health of LGBTQI+ youths. In juxtaposition to groups removing books, we prioritized diverse representation in our schools’ libraries. Not just for LGBTQI+ individuals, but with consideration for race, neurodiversity, class, size, and other underrepresented groups and intersectionality. We were also emboldened to successfully campaign to change the school’s Civil War name and mascot, which had been so openly hostile and unwelcoming for minorities. Yeah, we did that in a small town. Bad Blood was instrumental in giving me the confidence to be who I am while serving and lifting others. Now I am finding my voice and skills once again as a college freshman, still motivated by social justice causes. Bad Blood is my anthem because it carries invigorating fundamental core memories for me and offers empowerment to anyone.

Older Spanish-language telenovelas may feature clichés - a girl from humble origins meets a wealthy man; they fall in love and peripheral characters try to stop them. Contemporary telenovelas bridge the generational gap with intense storylines of trauma, revenge and murder. Once a chore among chores, I came to appreciate telenovelas, and how they are inextricably linked to my Latine identity, when Netflix gifted me with Jane the Virgin. Jane was unapologetically immersed in a fun telenovela; I already knew her as Juana la Virgen. I then realized such simple or outrageous stories thrive because they present us with shared tales of perseverance. Historically watched during tasks like cooking or laundry, telenovelas appeared to reinforce the housework gender gap. Yet bonding is essential. Feminist that I am, I’m grateful for the times I’ve spent working alongside my Abuela while following these storylines. As my Abuela taught me essential skills, we had our stories. My tenuous grasp of Spanish was challenged while I begrudgingly avoided stabbing my finger with a sewing needle or burning myself with caramelized sugar for flan. Abuela’s wisdom was bestowed in parallel to each telenovela. She provided unfiltered advice such as keeping my “purse” closed because consequences would be carried by me. She helped me become a centered person who can say no in any uncomfortable situation. My father was mortified that his 9-year-old was watching Vinceta’s cartel rise in Señora Acero, yet the American D.A.R.E program couldn’t touch the anti-drug lessons Abuela imparted during this series. All good telenovelas were aired again or rebooted; this allowed us to share Abuela’s favorite story. Dubbed from Brazilian Portuguese, El Clon was the first telenovela to feature a Muslim protagonist; improving Latine awareness of Islam. With a debut in October of 2001, its immediate, post-9/11 release was surprisingly providential. As many shunned Muslim communities, Latin Americans became enthralled with the beauty of Islamic customs and tenets. This debunked the media’s narrative of terrorism. During the 2010 Spanish-language reboot, my Abulea proudly shared how she was an emboldened ally when an Islamic woman was confronted in the grocery store for wearing a hijab. Still too young to fully appreciate this lesson, we’d have the opportunity to watch El Clon again on Netflix in 2016. While the story of Jade’s love triangle with Lucas and his younger clone should not be taken as a primer on Islam, it is respectful. These lessons of understanding and speaking up for any marginalized community only grow in relevance. As my Abuela declined from dementia, she would be excited by familiar and scandalous contemporary stories we’d share via Netflix whenever I provided care for her. Even though she’s now passed, I still pair many tasks with edgier telenovelas found on Netflix. Toiling through chemistry in preparation for an exam, I can smile thinking about Abuela’s notions of romantic chemistry, bad decisions and resilience. The skills and lessons Abuela shared remain intertwined with telenovelas. They will be relevant as I teach my daughters - and sons - to gain fluency in Spanish, to learn skills like cooking or chemistry, and to be stronger in the face of adversity. Scandalize your honorary Abuela as you’re enthralled by Barbara de Regil, absolutely killing it as assassin, Rosario Tijeras. Resolve fabulous family dysfunction through the dark comedy-drama, Casa de Flores. Maybe organ trafficking and vengeance in Colombia’s, The Marked Heart is your next obsession. Netflix’s wide selection of exciting telenovelas are available with dual subtitles through the Chrome extension, Language Learning with Netflix. Given the bite-sized seasons of telenovelas, you can learn or polish Spanish with repeated binges!

I recently reread The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and found myself connecting deeply with the main protagonist, Charlie. The Perks of Being a Wallflower impacted me when I first read it and I find myself relating to Charlie even more and being grateful for its positive influence as I begin a new phase in my life. Charlie is a socially awkward, introverted high school freshman on a journey of self-discovery. I feel myself relating to his struggle with anxiety and mental health. Charlie wanted to find a place of acceptance and genuine connection. His desire for a sense of belonging struck a chord with me. I clawed my way up from a reading recovery program in elementary school to my high school’s IB program. I had never been placed among gifted students and I had high levels of impostor syndrome. There were subtle, and often blatant, suggestions that I was in the program as a token Latina. I found myself constantly code-switching in an attempt to fit in. I struggled to maintain my voice and perspective while adapting to the hidden rules of this environment. This dichotomy fueled my ADHD and anxiety. Like Charlie, I constantly felt I would say or do the wrong thing and I was exhausted from carefully crafting my interactions. The way Chbosky explores mental health through Charlie is also relatable, Chbosky shows the darkness that comes with the transition from childhood to adulthood. The way Charlie grapples with his depression and his family dynamic resonates with me. The underlying theme of desperately trying to hide an intense inner struggle helps normalize mental health issues so readers can begin to open up and seek help. One reason this book is so impactful is due to its relatability one can come back to at different points in life. When I first read The Perks of Being a Wallflower in 10th grade, my mental health was precarious as I struggled with ADHD, anxiety and depression - I saw myself in Chbosky's pages. As a freshman in college, my mental health has improved with therapy but I still relate to Charlie's journey of mental health. Chbosky's writing style greatly contributes to why this book has stuck with me for so long. By formatting his book as letters I felt I had a more personal connection with Charlie, which helped me examine my mental state. The novel encourages me and other readers to have healthy discussions about mental health, relationships and how to grow as a person. Although my parents scoffed at my classmates' saccharine suggestions that I was on the Autism Spectrum, I am openly exploring this as a young adult utilizing support and finding strengths in attributes I’ve wanted to hide. The invocation of empathy and understanding found in The Perks of Being a Wallflower continues to have a powerful influence on me and my understanding of mental health as I offer compassion for myself and others. This interconnection with friends, family and support groups can benefit everyone involved. When I see a friend struggling, I listen with empathy and encourage starting with one manageable self-care practice such as a target sleep time or finding an accountability buddy for harder tasks. As someone experienced in mitigating ADHD, I guide others in developing customized goals to track due dates and project benchmarks so we don’t find ourselves overwhelmed. I’m a huge advocate for utilizing university academic support before difficulties become insurmountable. Most importantly, I realize that mental health concerns should be taken seriously and I speak openly about accessing professional help as needed.

I am a hodgepodge of Cuban and southern culture that comes together in Christianity. These sometimes seemed conflicting - Cafecito vs. Mountain Dew - yet both give me momentum. My abuela helped me become a centered and confident person that can say no in any uncomfortable situation. My Abuelo helped shape my values. He is the reason I voice my beliefs when I see injustice and ignorance. My grandparents are southern. PawPaw is from Appalachia and has taught me pride in physical labor. My Gram has fostered my love of the outdoors and appreciation of Creation. Overall, I would say my abuelos and grandparents guided me in my Christian faith. This has all shaped me to become an advocate in my community that is led by Faith. The past few years have been important to me insofar as my spiritual growth. I studied and journaled as I completed Confirmation as a near-adult with knowledge and fervent love of Christ. I also earned the religious emblems Ad Altare Dei and Mary the First Disciple which involved a year of study each to bring me deeper I. Faith. I also focused on service. A lot of my service and leadership hours since high school, totaling 500, have been spent in Scouting organizations, church, parks, and educational groups. But my deepest spiritual project has been for access to food in my community. During the earliest days of the pandemic groceries were particularly hard to access for families with limited resources. I worked on food drives and sorting to deliver food to many diverse families in Henrico experiencing serious hunger. This became especially important for families that didn’t qualify for other services because of status in the United States. These families needed compassionate discretion in addition to food. As COVID restrictions eased, more families were able to go back to work and established food pantries were able to open again. But nutritional deprivation hasn’t been eliminated in my community. I’m honored to prepare food a couple of times a month for Blessing Warriors serving unsheltered individuals in some of the harshest circumstances. Sometimes this involves moving quickly through large food donations that must be served the same day because there isn’t refrigeration space available. One time, I agreed to cook a case of chicken that a company was donating. While my parents were at work I was faced with one dozen WHOLE chickens. I had to safely thaw, separate and cook them. I didn’t have the oven space to cook them all on time but couldn’t let this food go to waste so I knocked on neighbors’ doors during peak COVID lock-downs to carry this out together. In serving the homeless on my own or guiding other youth, I have ensured safety and dignity. Blessing Warriors to assure this for my Abuela. As her dementia progressed, she needed a lot of supervision and care which made it difficult to do any activities outside the home. Although she could no longer help directly, she was happy to be included as we prepared things like hot meals, sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs. Be it my work for Blessing Warriors or leading others to build a large fence for my Eagle project, I’ve strived for positive servant leadership. This involves taking advice and having the integrity to know what needs to be done to ensure tasks are completed well. This does not come easily, but good intentions without productivity does not serve others well. I hope I can continue to serve and meet needs with integrity and Christ who strengthens me.

In kindergarten, I enthusiastically presented myself as a veterinarian for career day. I was sure about this goal. Yet in middle school, I shifted from being the girl engrossed by science to a pre-teen who unconsciously thought science was too mathematical and out of reach. In reality, the STEM fields need gender and ethnic diversity to serve communities well. It was only in the IB program in high school that I came back to my love of science. I entered IB without any notion of being “gifted” but knowing IB would give me the most diverse, fascinating and challenging learning opportunities that my school had to offer - even if I couldn’t be the most dazzling fish in the pond and even when viewed as a token Latina allowed in the program. I couldn’t breeze through any of the work of IB classes but I wasn’t intimidated by the lack of immediate success. My biology teacher Mrs. Berlinghoff made me realize I still loved science even when it was difficult. I grew to love the challenge. Unlocking my scientific mind along with my love of animals made me want to be a vet. Who would’ve thought that five-year-old me had more clarity than 15-year-old me? The younger me also spent a lot of time with my Abuela. Before she was very ill, she would always tell me to stick up for the “little guy“ and to use my voice to lift the voiceless. As a veterinarian, I’ll be able to do just that. Most humans can communicate when something is wrong and they need medical attention but animals cannot. Recently, I’ve started working as a kennel assistant at a local vet’s office and it’s so amazing to see the veterinarians and the vet techs be able to identify what is wrong with an animal so quickly. I’ve been able to see little kids smile when their pets walk out of the office mended and well. I've been able to see dogs find new homes in just a short time. I’ve been able to demonstrate the special care a pet may need to continue a long and happy life. At times, I’ve been able to comfort a family and pet when going peacefully was the most humane thing that could be done. This opportunity to help both humans and animals has made me realize I am choosing the right career. As a vet, I’ll be able to be a voice for the voiceless just like my Abuela wanted. More importantly, I’ll be able to ensure that someone’s best friend is well. I am now attending university studying biochemistry on a pre-veterinary track. For graduate school, I intend to go to Virginia Tech or Clemson University as both schools have an amazing veterinary program. As a STEM major, I know it’s essential that people from marginalized communities are involved in planning, leading and interpreting research studies. There have been colossal failures from a lack of representation. Treatment and identification of heart disease is centered on white males, but early signs and optimal treatment differ for women and for other ethnicities. Technology has also failed marginalized groups - from automatic soap dispensers that are unable to recognize hands with melanin to photo scanners that interpret Asian faces as having closed eyes. STEM fields need gender and ethnic diversity to avoid such oversights and limited thinking. There are ways to integrate human medicine, veterinary medicine, and environmental science to improve the health of people, animals and ecosystems. I see my veterinary career being shaped by those crossroads.

Literature provides an outlet while boosting intelligence and imagination. The best books provide a message that can be applied decades after their release. Although released in 1949, Orwell’s 1984 is relevant to current trends. In 1984, Orwell warned against totalitarianism and the loss of freedom and democracy. For this reason, everyone should read 1984 to gain important insights. One major theme is how a corrupt government can take control of the people and abuse their power. Many dictators like Kim Jong Un maintain power over people by manipulating media and history through propaganda. Countries like North Korea and Russia restrict access to literature and media to limit people's knowledge and beliefs making it easier for their leaders to remain in power. The abuse of power in North Korea has gotten so bad that many scholars and North Korean refugees have said living there was like being in 1984. If everyone in the world was able to safely read 1984, then perhaps the situation in North Korea and other countries ruled under a dictatorship could change. Sadly, in many of these countries reading such insightful books could result in harsh punishment. In the United States, we are free to read 1984 yet we still have waves allowing the insidious things Orwell warned us against. Censorship and restricting access to books are used to retain power. Today we see an increasing amount of book bannings occurring in many US districts. To “protect the children” from gaining compassion and understanding about marginalized communities or difficult circumstances, legislation is passed to remove books from school libraries. The authors, whose words are taken out of context from unread books, often come from underrepresented communities. Yet unsurprisingly, 1984 also faces another wave of banning in the US including my community, Hanover, Virginia, for being “pro-communist propaganda”. In the USSR it was banned for being anti-communist. In reality, it’s simply anti-totalitarianism. By banning 1984 and other books, school boards are proving Orwell's point. I believe that if a book is banned it should be read - 1984 is at the top of this list as it calls out the dangers of book bans altogether Orwell based 1984 on the political climate of Nazi Germany, warning how dangerous totalitarianism can be. Everyone should read Orwell’s 1984 to make sure it remains a warning and not a blueprint for what governments could do.

Después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, los Estados Unidos se encontró en medio de la Guerra Fría. Durante este tiempo, muchos estadounidenses temían al comunismo. Un hombre, el senador Joseph McCarthy, sacó provecho de este miedo. Debido a las acciones de McCarthy, el macartismo se generalizó en todo EE.UU. Hoy en día, muchos estadounidenses recuerdan macartismo y ven su impacto negativo. Sin embargo, el macartismo todavía puede enseñar muchas lecciones. Lo primero y más importante que podemos aprender del macartismo es no dejar que el miedo y los prejuicios nos controlen. El macartismo se volvió monstruoso porque la gente tenía miedo de lo que no era familiar. Hizo que muchos atacaran a los vecinos porque pensaban que ser diferentes los hacía comunistas. Esta inclinación y miedo se ha visto a lo largo de la historia. Después del 11 de septiembre, la cantidad de crímenes de odio hacia los musulmanes subió dramáticamente. Muchos estadounidenses temían otro ataque terrorista y tenían odio de sus vecinos musulmanes aunque que vivían vidas similares a las suyas y sin conexión con Al Qaeda. La ignorancia del Islam y los prejuicios raciales permitieron que creciera el miedo y la desconfianza. Cuando mucho era desconocido con respecto a CoViD-19, se intentaron ganancias policiales hablando sin sentido del "viró de China." La violencia contra las personas asiáticas y de herencia del pacífico creció exponencialmente. Hoy hay legalización que restringiría los derechos de la comunidad LGBTQ (lesbiana, gay/homosexual, bisexual, transgénero). La razón por la que se presentan muchas de estas leyes discriminatorias es porque los legisladores no entienden a la comunidad LGBTQ, lo que genera prejuicios y miedo. Crear miedo a cualquiera que sea “otro” permite un resurgimiento de las tácticas del macartismo. La segunda lección que podemos aprender del macartismo es el peligro de la censura. En la década de 1950, muchos miembros del Congreso se unieron a la cruzada anticomunista de McCarthy, uno de estos hombres fue George A. Dondero. Antes de ser elegido para el Congreso, Dondero era un abogado sin experiencia en las artes. Dondero lanzó la campaña en contra de lo que consideraba un frente comunista. Creía que el Arte moderno del tiempo era comunista ya que no glorificaba la belleza de Estados Unidos. Atacó y censuró a muchos artistas, incluidos Picasso, Braque y Dalí. Dondero no tenía idea de lo que estaba diciendo y usó su plataforma para tergiversar el arte. Otra forma de censura vista en este momento fue por parte del comité de actividades anti-estadounidenses de la casa, que persiguió a Hollywood y llevó a la lista negra de muchos actores, guionistas, directores y músicos. Además de esta película en la lista negra, guiones de cine tuvieron que ser revisados para asegurarse de que no tuvieran ninguna “ideología comunista". Hoy vemos una cantidad de prohibiciones de libros en muchos distritos del país. Con el ardid de “proteger a los niños,” evidentemente para que no ganen compasión ni comprensión sobre las comunidades marginadas o las circunstancias difíciles, se aprueba leyes para quitar libros de bibliotecas escolares. Los autores, de palabras sacadas de contexto de libros no leídos, son de comunidades subrepresentadas como LGBTQ, latinos y negros. Esto es tan peligroso como lo era en los años cincuenta. Provoca el entendimiento limitado sin permitirnos ver a los demás como seres humanos con valor. Si nosotros recordamos el macartismo, veremos las consecuencias de dejar que el miedo nos dicte. Si usamos las lecciones del macartismo podemos deconstruir nuestro miedo y prejuicios para mejorar el país en lugar de vilipendiar a los vecinos, y censurar el arte y la literatura como hicimos durante el macartismo.