A piece of ancient literature that has resonated with me the most is Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, presented in Book VII of The Republic. Framed as a dialogue between Socrates and Glaucon, the allegory presents a deeply political and moral narrative to reflect the human condition in relation to knowledge, truth, and political responsibility. Through its setting, symbolism, and striking warnings about hostility toward enlightenment, the allegory articulates Plato's political philosophy of philosopher-kings and justice, reflects the social structure and corruption of Athens, and continues to resonate within today’s polarized political climate. The allegory’s setting is deliberately dystopian and unsettling. It showcases prisoners who have been chained since birth in an underground cave, their legs and necks fixed so that they can see only the wall before them. Behind them burns a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners is a raised walkway along which others carry objects that cast shadows on the wall. The prisoners, knowing nothing else, take these shadows to be reality itself. This cave serves as a representation of a distorted political world, where the darkness embodies ignorance, and the chains symbolize unexamined assumptions, social conditioning, and institutional constraints that limit thought. The shadows are not outright lies but partial truths, underscoring how pieces of reality can be warped to normalize ignorance. When one of the prisoners is freed and ascends towards the light, their slow and painful journey symbolizes a transition towards truth. When finally facing the light, his eyes ache and he initially resists the new reality. But eventually, he comes to understand the world as it truly is, culminating in his ability to look directly at the sun, which Plato identifies with the Form of the Good: the ultimate source of truth, justice, and intelligibility. He is now holds a responsibility to inform the other prisoners of the truth, something Plato captures in his quote: “It is the task of the enlightened not only to ascend to learning and to see the good but to be willing to descend again to those prisoners and to share their troubles and their honors, whether they are worth having or not. And this they must do, even with the prospect of death.” This embodies Plato’s definition of political responsibility: it is not a private achievement or a license to rule for personal gain, but a moral obligation to better the lives of others. Plato’s language is deliberate: “whether they are worth having or not” strips political honors of intrinsic value, and further outlines his definition of justice. Not everyone is equally equipped to grasp the Forms, just as not everyone can endure the ascent out of the cave. Yet Plato does not advocate for abandoning the prisoners but rather, insists on the enlightened returning to serve them. Justice lies in each individual fulfilling the role suited to their nature guided by those who truly know, underscoring his belief that although not everyone is equal in ability, everyone deserves the equal opportunity to fulfill their purpose. Education is thus not vocational or technical, but moral and philosophical. Its purpose is to turn the soul toward the Good, justifying the philosopher’s rule by insight and obligation. This reflects his argument for philosopher-kings. In The Republic, Plato contends that societies will remain unjust until philosophers rule or rulers become philosophers. However, he acknowledges a paradox: philosophers, having seen the Good, often have the least desire to govern. Their return to politics is therefore an act of sacrifice, not ambition. Both the ascent and descent thus mirror the two different aspects of this political responsibility: the ascent is the responsibility of the philosopher to better his own knowledge, and the descent is the responsibility to use that knowledge to enlighten others, even if it is against their desire or entails hostility. This potential hostility from the prisoners is captured in Plato’s quote: “Most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance, but hostile to anyone who points it out.” Upon returning to the cave and informing the other prisoners of the true reality outside, the enlightened prisoner is mocked for his vision, questioned for his sanity, and even threatened with death. This hostility is one of the allegory’s most important insights: ignorance is not merely a lack of knowledge, but a condition bound up with identity, security, and power. The shadows provide the prisoners with a shared framework of meaning. To challenge that framework is to destabilize their entire understanding of the world and, by extension, their sense of self. Plato suggests that enlightenment threatens more than false beliefs, but social order as perceived by those within the cave. Those who benefit from the shadow-world, or who have built their authority upon it, have the strongest incentive to resist change. This dynamic reveals Plato’s skepticism toward mass opinion and democracy as practiced in 4th-century BCE Athens, where persuasive rhetoric often outweighed truth and where popular sentiment could condemn a philosopher to death. Athens had prided itself on democratic participation, yet simultaneously threatened violence against those who challenged its social norms. Plato’s teacher, Socrates, was executed by the Athenian state for allegedly corrupting the youth and impiety, charges rooted in his insistence on questioning conventional beliefs. This profoundly shaped Plato’s distrust of popular rule and his belief that uneducated masses are vulnerable to manipulation by demagogues and sophists. In Plato’s time, sophists claimed to teach virtue and wisdom but often focused on rhetorical success rather than truth. The cave’s shadow-puppeteers echo these figures: they shape perceptions without offering genuine knowledge. The prisoners’ acceptance of shadows as reality mirrors a society content with appearances, persuasion, and convention rather than philosophical inquiry. And the hostility towards the prisoner who descends back into the cave highlights the same fate as Socrates: persecution by those who feel threatened by truth. Thus, the allegory is not an abstract thought experiment, but a real-life critique of Athenian political life. Plato uses it to argue that without proper philosophical education oriented toward the Good, political systems will inevitably perpetuate injustice. Knowledge must precede power, or power will corrupt knowledge. The Allegory of the Cave remains strikingly relevant today. In an age of misinformation, algorithmic echo chambers, and polarized political discourse, Plato’s cave can be read as a metaphor for media environments that reward emotional resonance over truth. Shadows now take the form of curated news feeds, viral content, and ideological pipelines that feel real because they are constantly reinforced. The hostility Plato describes toward those who “point it out” is visible in modern-day reactions to whistleblowers, commentators, scientists, and educators who challenge dominant narratives. Rather than being welcomed, they are often accused of elitism, bias, or betrayal. As in the cave, truth-telling is perceived as an attack rather than an invitation to understanding. The first quote’s emphasis on the duty to descend also resonates today. Intellectuals and the educated are frequently criticized either for withdrawing from public life or for engaging in it. Plato anticipates this tension: engagement is necessary but costly. To participate in politics with integrity is to risk reputation, comfort, and safety. Yet Plato’s allegory also offers hope: enlightenment is possible, even if difficult. Education can transform perception, and justice can be pursued, even in the face of resistance. The allegory challenges modern readers not only to seek truth, but to ask what responsibilities come with knowing it. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is an incredible synthesis of literary imagery, philosophical argument, and political critique. Through its dystopian setting and powerful narrative, it exposes the fragility of human understanding and the dangers inherent in challenging collective illusions. The quoted passages underscore Plato’s belief that enlightenment carries moral responsibility and that ignorance often defends itself violently. Rooted in the political failures of Plato’s Athens yet uncannily applicable to the present, the allegory endures because it confronts a timeless dilemma: how to live justly in a world that may neither recognize nor welcome the truth. Plato does not offer easy solutions, but he makes one demand unmistakably clear: those who have seen the light must re-enter the cave, even when the descent is dangerous.

The effects of ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder on my life were quiet, yet significant. On the surface, I appeared completely normal, having strong academics and a well-mannered personality. Yet this all covered up my incredible difficulties in retaining information, anxiety in engaging with others, and constant dissociation into my imagination. With ADHD, my mind was always racing. Compulsively drifting into vivid daydreams during class always required me to teach myself all the material again at home, spend hours on assignments that only took my peers 15 minutes, and constantly struggle with time limits during exams. These symptoms were heightened by my anxiety, making me afraid of speaking up, persistently self-doubting, and incredibly avoidant of any social situation. Every academic task felt overwhelmingly difficult, unfamiliar activities were relentlessly stress-inducing, and friendships felt unobtainable from nonstop anxiety and dissociation. I used my imagination as an escape from all of this, building characters that gave me comfort when the world around me didn’t. I didn’t realize this was maladaptive daydreaming - a symptom of ADHD - at the time, but the security this gave me encouraged me to bring my imagination to life through art. This quickly became ingrained in every part of my life. Whether it was dissociating during class, sitting alone at lunch, or distracting myself from family hardships, I drew. Constantly enhancing this skill slowly developed my distinctive creative style, gave me confidence in my art and ability to improve, and eventually, motivated me to incorporate my real-life struggles and emotions into my work. This was crucial in helping me make sense of my experiences and eventually, begin to heal from them. Art thus became my source of self-confidence, my tool for healing, and the bridge between my internal conflicts and reality. In finally starting to gain esteem in who I was, I began pushing myself in different ways. I began seeking connection with my Korean heritage, experimenting with new hobbies and extracurriculars, but most importantly, engaging with those around me. Through shared stories, openness, and understanding, I was able to meet people who experienced life the same way I did and for the first time, feel truly seen. I learned to stop seeing my challenges as reflections of personal flaws but rather, as outcomes of conditions that required medication and the right support. I finally found acceptance within myself. And that acceptance emboldens me to pursue graphic design at university, where I aim to use design to help those struggling alone feel seen and supported. I plan to create design work for nonprofits, implement creative therapy in health centers, and launch community art projects that spread education on mental health and learning disabilities, foster communities of shared struggle and understanding, build confidence and esteem through self-expression, and promote wide-spread accessibility to treatment. I now realize that my learning disabilities have formed both my greatest accomplishments and most difficult hardships. The maladaptive daydreaming from my ADHD has fueled my creativity and artistic drive, and my anxiety has fostered my understanding and incredible empathy for others. Yet because of the lack of widespread education on these disorders, particularly in women, I spent most of my life undiagnosed, unmedicated, and believing that I was fundamentally flawed for my challenges. Nobody deserves to feel this way about themselves. I’m therefore determined to combine visual storytelling with impact, helping others feel understood for their conditions and inspired to preserve in spite of them. This is why I know I’m a good candidate for this scholarship: college isn’t just a degree to me, it's an opportunity to transform hardship into impact.

My biggest inspiration has always been myself. That’s because I never followed anyone’s journey: I built my own. I never had a community or meaningful relationship in any part of my life growing up: I lacked a genuine connection with my family, I was made fun of in school, and I had no close friends or role-models to look up to. I therefore endured my ever-present internal struggles of insecurities of my Korean identity, anxieties of meeting new people, and depression in feeling inherently unlovable all alone. I used art as an escape from all of this, drawing characters that gave me comfort, company, and a sense of belonging when the world around me didn’t. The impact this had was quiet, yet significant. I slowly began to develop a distinctive creative style, gain confidence in my art and ability to improve, and started incorporating my struggles and complex emotions into my work. This was crucial in helping me make sense of my experiences and eventually, begin to heal from them. As a result, I slowly built the confidence to try discovering who I was outside of my art, encouraging me to seek connection with my Korean heritage, experiment with new hobbies and extracurriculars, and start engaging with the people around me which ultimately, led to building genuine friendships for the first time in my life. These friendships were transformative. In finally feeling truly seen and accepted for who I was, I became motivated to use my art to connect with others. I therefore became the designer of the school and art logo for Queens Valley School of the Arts, an underprivileged art school in New York. Shortly after, I became a mentor for a performing arts organization called ArtStream, where I assisted adults with disabilities in rehearsing their lines and performance on stage. I then served as a student ambassador for a North Korean human rights nonprofit called No Chain, where I created advocacy artwork to be sent directly into North Korea. I found newfound fulfillment and purpose in seeing my art’s role in helping these diverse communities. That’s why I’m now pursuing a degree in graphic design at the University of Florida, eager to expand my ability to positively impact the world through art. I plan to work with nonprofits of diverse missions, people, and cultures, designing logos and outreach materials that visualize their objectives and magnify their impact in countless social equity initiatives. I plan to work in hospitals and community health centers, creating art activities that help patients facilitate resilience through trauma, build a strong support-system, and ultimately discover self-acceptance, inner-strength, and hope. I plan to work with underserved communities in addressing their issues, launching public art projects that foster connection, facilitating community art workshops that spark civic engagement, and spreading art education that emboldens students to share their unique stories, struggles, and perspectives through design. I’ve come to realize that my artistic gift is both distinctive and profound. It can serve as an outlet of self-expression, a tool for social justice, and a powerful source of connection all under one illustration. I therefore have taken incredible pride in my art: it’s something I built entirely independently, holds boundless potential for positive change, and fully represents my authentic sense of self. As a student funding my entire tuition independently, receiving this scholarship would give me the necessary funds to make my ambitions a reality, and continue developing my creative voice and impact. I look at university with a profound sense of optimism, ready to use design to turn isolation into belonging, and adversity into strength.

The piece that resonates with me the most is my illustration “Youth’s Solace,” capturing my childhood hardships, and my source of resilience in overcoming them. For most of my life, I felt disconnected from everything - my peers, my culture, and even my own identity. Yet entering high school was what pushed me to challenge myself: to engage with those around me, to connect with my Korean heritage, and to become someone I could be proud of. And through that journey of uncertainty and fear, my bunny became my rock. He was my only constant source of comfort, support, and resilience, and I wanted to showcase that in “Youth’s Solace.” Yet the resonance of this illustration isn’t just its visualization of my own story, but its ability to encapsulate the different stories of others as well. For some, it encapsulates the comfort and fondness of their carefree youth. For others, it encapsulates the loneliness and struggle of their childhood adversity. Yet this illustration embodies both experiences, all conveyed under the name “Youth’s Solace.” This is why I am pursuing a graphic design degree: to expand my ability to unite the diversity of our journeys under one illustration. Being an independent student funding my entire tuition, receiving this scholarship would give me the necessary funds to explore my work’s full potential for positive change. I am determined to become someone who finds solidarity in differences, fosters resilience in hardship, and designs a world of community, compassion, and creativity.

My drive to create a positive impact through design began with McLean ArtPals, my non-profit dedicated to creating art opportunities for students with special needs. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life: when handed a brush or marker, I witnessed children who had trouble communicating light up, expressing their happiness and creativity in ways that words couldn't portray. Art became a source of confidence, introverted students now emboldened to share their work with us, self-doubting students now overjoyed when admiring their finished illustrations. I gained a newfound fulfillment in helping these students find the same self-empowerment through art that I had, and this fulfillment is what inspires me to pursue a graphic design degree at the University of Florida. At university, I am determined to create designs that build self-confidence, foster community, and catalyze social change. I am eager to understand visual storytelling, study user-centered design, master all digital tools, and expand my skill set across multiple industries. Yet most importantly, I am eager to fulfill my purpose: to help others feel truly seen and supported through design. I therefore envision myself pursuing information design, creating campaigns and infographics that support social justice initiatives, uplift marginalized voices, and expand access to mental health resources, education, and community engagement. I see myself pursuing product design, enhancing interfaces and designing websites that spread education on mental health practices, create accessible wellness content for youth, and build online communities of shared stories and emotional support. I see myself pursuing art therapy, creating group therapy sessions in low-income communities that facilitate resilience through trauma, a strong support-system, and self discovery and acceptance through creative expression. I even see myself expanding McLean ArtPals, broadening our impact through expanding the marginalized communities we work with, the areas we go to, and the creative opportunities we provide. Being an independent student funding my entire tuition, receiving this scholarship would give me the necessary funds to make this aspiration a reality. I know my art can positively change the world in a way that transcends any specific field, and I am determined to develop my full potential at university. I therefore look at this next chapter of my life with a profound sense of optimism, ready to design a world where people can feel truly seen through community, compassion, and creativity.

"You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction." - The Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 47: In Chapter 2, Verse 47 of the sacred Hindu text “The Bhagavad Gita,” the protagonist Arjuna is paralyzed by the agony of fighting his loved ones in the opposing army of the battle of Kurukshetra. In being torn between his moral duty to uphold justice and his emotional attachment to his loved ones, he searches for counsel from his charioteer and guide, Krishna. Through warning Arjuna of the dangers of seeking control over the outcomes of the battle, Krishna highlights the importance of tying the ego to righteous motive over results, redefining human freedom as disciplined action without expectation. This teaching strikes at the core of Arjuna’s internal conflict: his fixation on outcome. Krishna’s use of the word “right” in describing Arjuna’s ability to work emphasizes his notion that Arjuna only has control over his actions and motives, and therefore, only has the “right” to feel conflicted over the intentions for what he does rather than its result. On a surface level, this may seem absurd - how can one act with righteousness without considering the consequences? However Krishna’s insight is not a call to act with recklessness, but rather, reframes the obsession with consequence as both a repression of personal freedom and barrier to preserving morality. Therefore by separating action from result, Arjuna can liberate himself from the tyranny of anticipated guilt and instead, intentionally pursue what is right. Krishna separates this fixation on outcome into two distinct facets: acting in vain, and avoiding action altogether. Krishna firstly warns Arjuna of “acting for the sake of reward”: letting the expectation of personal gain dominate his actions. This is meant to directly challenge the human impulse of bolstering the ego through praise or success, further trapping human will in a detrimental cycle of expectation and disappointment. This results in seeking gratification solely through self-serving rewards, allowing greed to obstruct the true fulfillment gained from acting with integrity. This warning therefore reinforces Arjuna’s noble motives in order to encourage him to preserve through the upcoming battle, reminding him that the battle isn’t for shallow personal gain, but to reclaim justice, uphold moral order, and discover true fulfillment. Krishna furthermore warns Arjuna against the opposite extreme: “nor should you long for inaction.” Here, Krishna highlights the destructiveness of inaction from the expectation of results, something just as dangerous as acting in vain. This passivity prevents one from pursuing what is right out of fear of failure or negative outcome, resulting in preserving personal comfort over upholding ethical duties. Krishna therefore creates an important distinction between detachment and disengagement: acting detached from selfish motivation does not entail lack of action altogether. This serves to urge Arjuna to rise above his impulse of avoiding emotional distress, as his inaction directly prevents him from upholding his moral responsibility to fight against injustice. One is therefore not free when seeking authority over all variables, but rather, when ceasing to be limited by them. Krishna’s guidance showcases that highest spiritual discipline is reached by fully engaging with life without attachment to outcome, both through selfless actions and avoiding passivity. This is crucial to obtaining personal freedom: the soul becomes immune to both anticipation and fear, and can be guided solely by integrity and righteousness. Krishna therefore offers a paradox that liberates human will: in surrendering ownership of results, we find not loss, but the highest form of virtuous mastery.

I am determined to pursue a degree in graphic design because of art’s fundamental role in shaping who I am today and my purpose in the world. Many people’s identities are shaped by a specific person, but I never felt like I had this. My entire adolescence was completely isolated and controlled by insecurity: I was insecure of my personality so I never talked to anyone, I was insecure of my grades so I never challenged myself, I was insecure of my Korean identity, so I never learned Korean. I didn’t have any friends to share this with and instead used my imagination to cope, creating characters that accompanied me and embodied the traits I wish I had. I never felt like I had a sense of self, and therefore never thought I could be anything beyond my imagination. But pursuing art in 6th grade changed everything for me. My ability to grow as an artist was the first thing that proved to me that I was in control of who I was: if I was capable of improving myself in graphic design, I could prove my worth in other aspects of my life as well. As I entered high school, I began to challenge myself socially, initiating conversations and further developing friendships with my peers. I became diligent in academics, pursuing new extracurriculars and APs in subjects that I struggled in. I sought to discover myself culturally, pushing to learn Korean and the intricacies of my culture. As I continued to develop my life in these other areas, I gained the confidence to send my art to different organizations in need of design assistance. By doing so, I became the designer of the school and art logo for Queens Valley School of the Arts, an underprivileged art school in New York. Shortly after, I became a mentor for a performing arts organization called ArtStream, where I assisted adults with disabilities in rehearsing their lines and performance on stage. I then served as a student ambassador for a North Korean human rights nonprofit called No Chain, where I created advocacy artwork to be sent directly into North Korea, as well as spread awareness of North Korean issues at my high school. The diverse yet powerful impact I was able to have on these communities inspired me to eventually co-found McLean ArtPals, my non-profit dedicated to creating art opportunities for students with special needs. Me and my co-founder Logan Sumida led an outreach to the special education departments of schools throughout Northern Virginia, designing art prompts spreading awareness of current events and then working directly with the students in guiding them through the corresponding artwork. This experience solidified my desire to pursue graphic design at university, and continue to explore the different ways my art can create positive impact. I am therefore committed to pursuing a Graphic Design degree at the University of Florida, my dream school that perfectly aligns with my career and interpersonal aspirations. From a career standpoint, pursuing a BFA degree in Graphic Design will cultivate my skills in design process, critical thinking, and creative investigation, expanding my ability to use design to address modern day issues across a multitude of industries. The UF graphic design curriculum’s emphasis on community involvement furthermore will create a collaborative environment with other designers, allowing us to learn from each other's distinctive ideas and styles, as well as connect with the rest of the UF student body through our artwork. As I continue to diversify and expand my portfolio, I plan on utilizing UF’s dedicated studio spaces and extensive internship opportunities in order to gain crucial work experience and forge strong connections with various organizations. By the time I graduate, I will have the sufficient internship experience and portfolio to begin working at graphic design agencies across countless specific industries. I will furthermore have the key interpersonal skills to forge strong relationships with all these agencies and facilitate collaborative and efficient work environments. I therefore envision myself traveling the world and working with a multitude of organizations of diverse missions, people, and cultures post graduation. I see myself pursuing information design, creating campaigns that spread awareness of issues in underrepresented communities. I see myself pursuing product design, enhancing the inclusivity of digital tools for users of all cognitive abilities and language backgrounds. I see myself pursuing fashion design, traveling to South Korea and designing clothes that break rigid social norms and promote body diversity. Because graphic design is ever present in all industries and has a unique power to transcend individual differences in cognitive abilities, languages, and experiences, my potential for positive impact through graphic design is both distinctive and boundless. From an interpersonal standpoint, UF’s vast and diverse student body will give me the opportunity to connect with countless other students of all majors and backgrounds. I plan to join clubs, attend all social events, and work on-campus jobs in order to meet and build strong, long lasting relationships with my peers. I am ecstatic to be able to meet people that I both share common interests with and still differ from in distinct ways, allowing us to connect in important aspects while still constantly learning and growing from each other. I am therefore committed to both meaningfully contribute to the diverse student body at UF, as well as gain important perspective from it. These invaluable friendships I will build at UF will further develop my ability to create a positive impact on an intimate, personal level. While graphic design is my outlet to connect with others in a widespread way, I aspire to become a source of support, acceptance, and optimism for those close to me. My close relationships with my peers and the communities I volunteered with throughout high school were fundamental in developing my deep love for connecting with and helping others. My desire to utilize my art as a tool for positive change is therefore rooted in my ability to positively influence those I know in my personal life. I want to continue to meet and foster connections with new people, working together to build environments where we can share, learn, and grow from each other. I want to become someone meaningful, not just because of my art, but because of the personal impact I have on those who truly know me. Whether it's something big like my art being showcased on billboards advocating for social change, or something smaller like writing a personal birthday card for my friend, facilitating positive change is possible in so many distinctive yet powerful ways. I therefore know I deserve to receive this scholarship because of my determination to become a source of positive change both through my art and my personal relationships. This scholarship is furthermore vital in making it financially possible for me to attend university. Due to several drastic household financial concerns, I have abruptly become responsible for funding the entirety of my own tuition without assistance from my family. I have diligently worked my way up to a full-time shift leader position at my current job, always trying to stay past my shifts, cover my coworkers, and work at other locations when I’m needed. I’ve been especially proactive in applying for scholarships, contacting my financial aid office, and seeking part time employment once I move to Gainesville, yet it still falls short in being able to financially cover everything. However despite all of this, I’m still choosing to remain optimistic. I know I will make a positive impact on student life at UF, uphold its academic integrity, and proactively utilize all of its opportunities and connections, and am therefore determined to make this critical next chapter of my life financially possible. UF’s graphic design department would open the door to explore a multitude of careers, work with and learn from countless communities and perspectives, and develop my art’s ability to have a wide-scale, tangible impact. I don’t want this to just remain an aspiration; I want this to become my reality. Art is my way of leaving a permanent mark in the world as a source of light and inspiration, and I am determined to make a positive impact in any way possible. This scholarship is more than just getting through college for me: it’s making it possible for me to become the change I want to see.