As my dying aunt lay in her hospital bed, she looked at me breathlessly. “You are going to do great things, Jessica.” She spoke to me weakly, her hair stark white and her cheekbones sunken in from the chemotherapy. She suffered from stage four breast cancer, and on November 30th, 2018, her life was extinguished like a candle being blown out. Beginning then, I understood my wish to assist individuals facing difficulties like my aunt, even though I never found a solution. My name is Jessica Costa. I am an undergraduate student at George Mason University, a daughter of two immigrant parents from the country of Bangladesh, along with my older brother, and a transfer undergraduate junior with a major in Medical Laboratory Science. Because I had immigrant parents, I realized at a young age that residing in the United States as a person of color would present obstacles. I learned to take responsibility early on, having to help my brother with his homework or how to use the computer for my parents, or having to translate from Bangla to English and vice versa. Because of this, it created my sense of selflessness laced with ambition to become greater than my parents had hoped. The question was “how”? As stated earlier, I wanted to help people. I was unsure how, where, or when to commence assisting people meaningfully. But the death of my aunt, the emotional backbone of the family on my father’s side, I had the epiphany. Now, let’s face the fact: Cancer blows, both for the victim and the family who are suffering alongside it; it strikes fear into the hearts of many like the plagues of Exodus. The worst thing is, there is little to no cure for it aside from chemotherapy to go into remission. I realized from that death of my aunt that I would dedicate my life to preventing the cause of cancer early on, from when the cells started to mutate and go haywire. Cancer in the United States, unfortunately, comes at a very steep price. Not just emotionally, and physically, but financially. If I had the power to make a difference in the medical field in this area, I would want to make cancer treatments more accessible, abundant, and affordable. Most importantly, I would invest in research to target the core of the cancer cells to stop it early on, but also be able to work around the patient's genetic makeup. Additionally, I would push legislation to invest in both life-saving drugs and early detection programs to lessen the risk of all possible common cancers. That way, it would push more advocacy on individuals in the United States to go check in for cancer screening, and the fear would be significantly lowered. How I chose this field of study was actually not out of my own volition, but was convinced by a significant other I had. At first, I was following my mother's advice and pursuing a career in nursing. However, something in my heart was absolutely dreading at the thought of going to there. I have a strong feeling of introversion, and the thought of talking to tens of thousands of strangers five days a week seemed like a nightmare to me. Before we parted ways amicably, he stated to me, 'Jessica, I know you can do better' and suggested that I try my hand at becoming a pathologist. I researched into the career, saw that it was perfect for my needs of introversion, my love of science and experiments, and my desire to help others and finding a way to reduce cancer, and knew I had to go that route. Even through my mother's initial dismay. Like any recruiter, the dreaded question follows. "What will you do in the next five years?" Many people know that our children are our future but sometimes our children do not know the direct stepping stones to secure that future. For once, I have an answer. My main objective is to gain hands-on experience in the laboratory, whether it be through internships or clinical experiences post-graduation. Through that hands on experience, it helps one become a leader for they have the tools to help others to become their own leader. Once I gain the knowledge of education, as well as finding conclusions first hand, I will fulfill my desires to lead my own board of researchers to find ways to make a difference not only in the medical industry but for the United States. As of December 2024, I have received my Associates of Science. But how did that change me for the better or worse? Firstly, it made me realize that studying is not everything that is needed. I understand that you may be asking yourself, 'But it is everything', but that's a misconception they teach you from a young age. Education is half of that, but you also need experience to fulfill the other half. Whether that experience comes from a job, personal challenges, or family responsibilities, it teaches you real-world skills that classrooms can’t always provide. Through these combined academic and personal experiences, I learned how to think critically, adapt under pressure, and build a strong foundation for my future in the medical field. For as long as I knew, STEM was often seen as a career field only for men. Many of my uncles on both of my mother's and father's side were either engineers or businessmen. As well as gaining racist and sexist remarks from various colleagues on the career I am pursuing. Often times, I questioned why I was going this route but perseverance and resilience strengthened my determination to succeed. And that my identity as a woman will not stop me from achieving my goals and to be seen as an equal to men who rule this industry. The concept of leadership is defined by Merriam Webster as "a person who leads." However, my definition of someone who is a leader is someone who does not leave anyone behind. To me, a true leader is someone who genuinely cares about others, wants them to succeed in their own right, and isn't envious if they achieve more. It's not just about leadership in theory, but about teaching and empathizing with those you lead, empowering them to reach their full potential. The key difference I see between a good leader and a bad one is their willingness to elevate their subordinates, rather than tear others down to serve their own greed, wealth, and self gain. Moreover, a leader must demonstrate resilience and strength of character. Not only to show that they have gone through the job that they have but also to stand up to those who are being treated wrongly when no one else is. A prime example of my own resilience was during my first job as a waitress right after high school. My boss was notoriously difficult, and he treated me poorly, perhaps out of jealousy. Regardless, I managed to save $2,000 to clear my community college debt and even invest some of it. If I am awarded this scholarship, I will demonstrate resilience, grit, and leadership through the words I composed in my essay. I intend on using this money to cover my education and to find new ways to minimize the cost of cancer treatments. My ultimate objective is to contribute to this country and the growth of cancer reduction, notably to people who have been in the same position as I was and thought it was impossible to attend university owing to the costs. I will not give up on this aim, and this scholarship is a critical step in achieving it while also advocating for a system that desperately needs to change.

A common misconception about individuals suffering in poverty is that we are lazy, that we did not try hard enough to appeal to a system that is pertained to the elites. In reality, many of us work tirelessly for survival of themselves and their families. In a system that favors the privileged, we work tooth and nail to get by with the motto of the "American Dream" to uplift our spirits and give back to the community where we came from. While my story may echo those of many immigrant families striving for a better life, it is uniquely shaped by my identity as a first-generation Bangladeshi-American woman and my passion for science and medicine. My parents came to the United States in the year 2000, seeking a better future for my brother and me and despite holding degrees in their home country, their qualifications were not recognized here. But it did not stop my parents from giving a life for myself and my brother to pursue an education in the United States. Additionally, it was my mother in particular who gave me the initial idea to work in medicine when I was merely a little girl. She taught me how to check someone's heartrate, and how to find their blood pressure by playing doctor with me, never thinking that this idea would take her far. Now, I am the first in my tiny family to go to an American university with an Associates of Science degree under my belt and hopes of becoming the first licensed MD in Pathology within my generation. Throughout my school life, I always had a major interest in science. In fact, I was obsessed with all of it. I loved working with chemicals and flasks, and seeing the reaction of certain chemicals mixed together always put me in a state of wonder. If you asked that little girl one day, she would have told you she wanted to do more of it forever and ever. However in community college, I had the taste of microbiology and anatomy and physiology and I knew from then it was my calling. Sure, the information bombarded at me was as if it was a beaver collecting sticks but like a dam, the sticks are precariously piled up to create a secure foundation. I wanted more of the medical aspect, but I also loved science. That was when my boyfriend at the time introduced me to the concept of pathology: the study of diseases. Upon research of this career, I knew it was the perfect fit for my interests. The problem arose was that no matter how hard my parents worked, we were still in the middle to lower class. We could not afford to have me, or my brother, go to big fancy schools in our state. But I still relented, and I decided to take the plunge and use my Associates Degree of Science and transfer to one of the biggest schools in all of Virginia: George Mason University. My biggest goal is to show the medical industry empathetic demeanor but ambitious work ethic to give back to the community I came from. I am determined to make my family proud and earn that title of "MD" with hard work, grit, and a happy smile on my face. No matter what I do, I will make it work and I will make my family proud.

As my mother sat me down on our old brown living room sofa, the sound of her soft voice but urgent tone rung in my ears. "My sweet girl, you make sure you have a good education so you can leave this place." I was thirteen years old hearing that notion and I made a promise to myself, no matter the hardships, I will make it. Now, I know what you are thinking that this person is probably going to write down her experiences in a monotonous manner. You may be right or you may be wrong. However, all my life education has been my biggest priority. I am a student at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia with the pursue of pathology. I have always loved science as a course, and a concept, ever since I was a young child. Subsections of science such as microbiology, chemistry, and mathematics has always piqued my interest and like many I have always wanted to make a difference. But the reason I decided to pursue this career, and not that of a doctor like my parents wanted me to be, is to actively find new information and techniques to benefit the medical industry. Internships, courses, fellowships they have all been a plan for myself to pursue my dreams to work in clinical testing and to be part of a research team to find new ways to fight cancer brings my motivation to study. The biggest obstacle in my way, and for many, has been financially. Studies have shown that the United States has been the highest achiever for student loan debt with a whopping $1.80 trillion dollars worth of it. Tuition fees, loan fees, every fee it stacks on each other like a Jenga block tower. But how can we avoid it? Many students and families, like myself, have to work two jobs in order to make ends meet and even then it often is not enough. Does that stop me however? No it does not. In fact, it strives me to push harder in my life to not fall into that statistic. In five years, my biggest dream is to work at a big clinical setting such as John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. To be the unsung hero behind the face of doctors and nurses, and provide accurate diagnostics to patients. But I also want to give back to the community I have lived in for years and represent and mentor students who come from a low income background. It gives me hope to see more people like myself strive with their ambitions and see their hard work pay off. This journey that I am on is far from easy. Each challenge I face whether it is financial, academic, or personal it reinforces that promise I made to my mother on that living room sofa. Whenever I feel my doubts start to creep in, I remember her voice and that keeps me going further beyond. Not just for myself, but for the others who doubted me, who thought because of my financial background I was not able to become the person I am today. This is not just a job I want, it is a calling and I am ready to fulfill it no matter how long it takes.

My name is Jessica Costa. I am an undergraduate student at George Mason University, studying Medical Laboratory Sciences, and I have been suffering my whole life. From the constant bullying I faced when I was younger, to being hindered with chronic asthma, to always being poor and still considered poor to this day, to finding out I have bipolar disorder during my later years in life. But one thing that has always stayed with me throughout my life is science and medicine. To this, I made a promise to myself that I would make it out of there and prove all the doubters wrong. That someone who was South Asian, where her parents took out all their money to come to the United States of America to give a better life for their children and make them American Citizens. My love for medicine always stemmed from my mother. She was a nursing assistant, and she had big aspirations to become a doctor. Unfortunately for her, those dreams were crushed as soon as she became a citizen herself, along with my father. Their degrees were deemed "unimportant" since we came from a very small country called Bangladesh. My mother taught me how to take blood pressure, how to check someone's heartbeat, and how to find out if someone's reflexes were working. She was my idol, and I made that promise because I wanted my mother to go to an accredited university and start her business. I was employed for a short while, working part-time as a waitress while hunkering down and studying for exams. My parents worked two jobs each, and I wanted to work and provide too, but every time they would say no. However, they would follow up with "Once you get into your dream university, you will make as much money as you want." I took their advice to heart and went all in on my studies during High School. I graduated with honors and while it was not valedictorian or suma cum laude, it was enough for me to be noticed by top universities in Virginia. So now we come to her, and you may be wondering, "Why should you give this person this scholarship?" You do not have to, but my parents are still struggling to find the money to pay for my tuition at George Mason. Furthermore, their savings are draining quickly due to car expenses, lawyer fees, and overall inflation. Receiving this scholarship would help reduce my parents' stress on trying to bring food to the table without worry. As well as prove my worth and ambition to the school board, my overarching goal is to help others substantially. My whole life was surrounded by ambition, knowledge, and the drive to make an impact and make the world a better place, and I believe this essay will reflect that. Thank you for allowing me to apply.