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Jessica Airhienbuwa

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Reading
  • Painting and Studio Art
  • Drawing And Illustration
  • Cooking
  • Singing
  • Writing
  • Baking
  • Dance
  • Psychology
  • Biology
  • Crafting
  • Chemistry
  • English
  • Biochemistry
  • Physiology
  • Rafting

Reading

  • Academic
  • Adult Fiction
  • Adventure
  • Classics
  • Cultural
  • Education
  • Action
  • Biography
  • Book Club
  • Drama
  • Fantasy
  • Folk Tales
  • Horror
  • Science Fiction
  • Young Adult
  • Women's Fiction
  • True Story
  • Thriller
  • Tragedy
  • Historical
  • History
  • Health
  • Humor
  • Literary Fiction
  • Literature
  • Social Issues
  • Novels
  • Mystery
  • Psychology
  • Realistic Fiction
  • Science‎

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

Hello! My name is Jessica Airhienbuwa and I love to learn new and diverse things. I have always been interested in the medical field ever since I was a little girl. Since my dad is an Internist, my house always has medical textbooks in the family office and there is always some sort of medical mystery documentary on TV. Learning about different kinds of diseases always struck me as fascinating because I wanted to know how certain diseases came to be and how people who have said diseases live their life to the fullest. I always knew that I wanted to be an Internist and when I began volunteering in the fall of 2019 in the emergency room at Samaritan Hospital, it only solidified my aspiration to become a doctor of internal medicine. I even got to shadow technicians, nurses, and my own father to see what their evenings were usually like in the ER. Volunteering at the ER gave me valuable experience on how the hospital setting is and the safety health care providers have to take in order to ensure that everyone is safe and as healthy as possible. It also has helped me solidify that I definitely want to go into the medical field. I love to dance and I have danced in theatres and parades. I am a tap, jazz, ballet, and pointe dancer. I also play the tuba in my school band and am an alto section leader in my school choir. I am very interested in social justice and in the summer of 2020, I created a club with my friend called the Black Student Union. BSU focuses on uplifting Black voices and raising awareness about black social, political, and economic issues around the world.

Education

Guilderland High School

High School

2017 – 2021

Majors:
  • Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Minors:
  • English Composition
  • Creative Writing

Miscellaneous

Majors of interest:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Career

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Medicine
Dream career goals:
I want to earn a PhD and become a Internal Medicine Physician. I also want to write and publish a book because I love reading and writing.
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
Impact Scholarship for Black Students
“That's a wrap!” my advisor proclaimed as the last member of the newly-formed Black Student Union left the Google Meet. Remaining was my advisor, vice-president, and I, the president of BSU. We had just concluded our very first informational meet, which had gone very well, and we were discussing our afterthoughts and topics for our next meeting. Our first meet was on November 19, 2020, but my idea to create BSU began in May. The first thing I felt when the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement took over cities, news outlets, and social media platforms was an overwhelming sense of dread. For weeks after the painful news of Ahmad Aubrey's was released, I felt suffocated. Not only was my state in lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19, but people were protesting about racial injustices. I was constantly educating others about racial issues I thought were common knowledge. It became apparent that not everyone understood why black people felt mistreated in America. It also became apparent that not everyone cared. I was mentally, physically, and socially exhausted. I found myself turning to my black friends who, likewise, were turning to me for emotional support. Soon my school began hosting virtual discussions to discuss BLM. After attending a few discussions, it was clear that black students were not benefiting from them. Black students were exhausted from continuously fighting for others to acknowledge their rights as American citizens. Educating people who were unwilling to change their mindset was like talking to a brick wall. Watching the media “mourn” over another black life lost became dehumanizing. I knew I had to create an environment for my school’s black community to discuss black issues. Sometime in July, I came across a YouTuber who created a Black Student Union at her school that significantly changed the way people addressed race in her community. I realized that my school didn't have a black student union. There were anti-racist and social justice organizations, however, none of them were specifically for black students, faculty, and allies to discuss issues within the black community. That same day I emailed my school's assistant principal and began the paperwork to create BSU. In a few weeks, I appointed my vice-president and advisor. We drafted our mission statement and planned our first meet for November. Now, BSU is a space for black students, faculty, and allies to share their experiences within the community and around the world about black issues and ways to help resolve these issues. It was important for black students and faculty in my school to have a club where they could discuss issues pertaining to the black community. An inclusive environment is important to have in every community. In college, I am excited to participate in social justice student organizations. I’d love to study methods to understand, explain, and solve difficult problems of racial injustice. I’d also love to join an inclusive, celebratory, and educational space to discuss various aspects of Africa. Inclusivity and diversity in any community should be encouraged and I will contribute to a welcoming environment for all students. I am also very interested in STEM. The little girl who was “trapped” in an old woman's body first introduced me to neglected and rare diseases. In the documentary I watched, the girl had Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome- a unique type of mutation that causes children to age rapidly. I was in awe when I first learned about this genetic disorder and wanted to learn more about it. However, I was only eight and had never seen such a unique person before. Intrigued, I googled more about Progeria, which sparked my deep interest in researching different diseases and conditions. While taking advanced coursework in high school, I came across Special Books by Special Kids, a Youtube channel that was dedicated to raising awareness about physical and mental conditions through interviews. I found my emotions deepen every time an interviewee was asked, “What do you want people to know about you?”. Most interviewees only wanted people to learn more about their condition so that society would be more inclusive. In junior year I began volunteering at a hospital for three hours every Friday. I learned that a high percentage of women are more likely to receive inferior care compared to men, especially black women. It was shocking to learn that many black women die every year because of racial and gender biases in medicine. I decided I wanted to major in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology on a pre-med track in college to become an internal medicine physician and help improve healthcare for everyone, regardless of their background.
Bold Activism Scholarship
“That's a wrap!” my advisor proclaimed as the last member of the newly-formed Black Student Union left the Google Meet. Remaining was my advisor, vice-president, and I, the president of BSU. We had just concluded our very first informational meet, which had gone very well, and we were discussing our afterthoughts and topics for our next meeting. Our first meet was on November 19, 2020, but my idea to create BSU began in May. The first thing I felt when the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement took over cities, news outlets, and social media platforms was an overwhelming sense of dread. For weeks after the painful news of Ahmad Aubrey's was released, I felt suffocated. Not only was my state in lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19, but people were protesting about racial injustices. I was constantly educating others about racial issues I thought were common knowledge. It became apparent that not everyone understood why black people felt mistreated in America. It also became apparent that not everyone cared. I was mentally, physically, and socially exhausted. I found myself turning to my black friends who, likewise, were turning to me for emotional support. Soon my school began hosting virtual discussions to discuss BLM. After attending a few discussions, it was clear that black students were not benefiting from them. Black students were exhausted from continuously fighting for others to acknowledge their rights as American citizens. Educating people who were unwilling to change their mindset was like talking to a brick wall. Watching the media “mourn” over another black life lost became dehumanizing. I knew I had to create an environment for my school’s black community to discuss black issues. Sometime in July, I came across a YouTuber who created a Black Student Union at her school that significantly changed the way people addressed race in her community. I realized that my school didn't have a black student union. There were anti-racist and social justice organizations, however, none of them were specifically for black students, faculty, and allies to discuss issues within the black community. That same day I emailed my school's assistant principal and began the paperwork to create BSU. In a few weeks, I appointed my vice-president and advisor. We drafted our mission statement and planned our first meet for November. Now, BSU is a space for black students, faculty, and allies to share their experiences within the community and around the world about black issues and ways to help resolve these issues. It was important for black students and faculty in my school to have a club where they could discuss issues pertaining to the black community. An inclusive environment is important to have in every community. In college, I am excited to participate in social justice student organizations and study methods to understand, explain, and solve difficult problems of racial injustice. I’d also love to be a part of an inclusive, celebratory, and educational space to discuss various aspects of Africa. Inclusivity and diversity in any community should be encouraged.
Undiscovered Brilliance Scholarship for African-Americans
“That's a wrap!” my advisor proclaimed as the last member of the newly-formed Black Student Union left the Google Meet. Remaining was my advisor, vice-president, and I, the president of BSU. We had just concluded our very first informational meet, which had gone very well, and we were discussing our afterthoughts and topics for our next meeting. Our first meet was on November 19, 2020, but my idea to create BSU began in May. The first thing I felt when the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement took over cities, news outlets, and social media platforms was an overwhelming sense of dread. For weeks after the painful news of Ahmad Aubrey's was released, I felt suffocated. Not only was my state in lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19, but people were protesting about racial injustices. I was constantly educating others about racial issues I thought were common knowledge. It became apparent that not everyone understood why black people felt mistreated in America. It also became apparent that not everyone cared. I was mentally, physically, and socially exhausted. I found myself turning to my black friends who, likewise, were turning to me for emotional support. Soon my school began hosting virtual discussions to discuss BLM. After attending a few discussions, it was clear that black students were not benefiting from them. Black students were exhausted from continuously fighting for others to acknowledge their rights as American citizens. Educating people who were unwilling to change their mindset was like talking to a brick wall. Watching the media “mourn” over another black life lost became dehumanizing. I knew I had to create an environment for my school’s black community to discuss black issues. Sometime in July, I came across a YouTuber who created a Black Student Union at her school that significantly changed the way people addressed race in her community. I realized that my school didn't have a black student union. There were anti-racist and social justice organizations, however, none of them were specifically for black students, faculty, and allies to discuss issues within the black community. That same day I emailed my school's assistant principal and began the paperwork to create BSU. In a few weeks, I appointed my vice-president and advisor. We drafted our mission statement and planned our first meet for November. Now, BSU is a space for black students, faculty, and allies to share their experiences within the community and around the world about black issues and ways to help resolve these issues. It was important for black students and faculty in my school to have a club where they could discuss issues pertaining to the black community. An inclusive environment is important to have in every community. If admitted to Boston University, I am excited to participate in social justice student organizations. I’d love to be a part of the Center for Anti-racist Research and study methods to understand, explain, and solve difficult problems of racial injustice. I’d also love to join the African Students Organization and create an inclusive, celebratory, and educational space to discuss various aspects of Africa. Inclusivity and diversity in any community should be encouraged. If given the opportunity to attend Boston University, I will contribute to a welcoming environment for all students. I am also very interested in STEM. The little girl who was “trapped” in an old woman's body first introduced me to neglected and rare diseases. In the documentary I watched, the girl had Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome- a unique type of mutation that causes children to age rapidly. I was in awe when I first learned about this genetic disorder and wanted to learn more about it. However, I was only eight and had never seen such a unique person before. Intrigued, I googled more about Progeria, which sparked my deep interest in researching different diseases and conditions. While taking advanced coursework in high school, I came across Special Books by Special Kids, a Youtube channel that was dedicated to raising awareness about physical and mental conditions through interviews. I found my emotions deepen every time an interviewee was asked, “What do you want people to know about you?”. Most interviewees only wanted people to learn more about their condition so that society would be more inclusive. In junior year I began volunteering at a hospital for three hours every Friday. I learned that a high percentage of women are more likely to receive inferior care compared to men, especially black women. It was shocking to learn that many black women die every year because of racial and gender biases in medicine. I decided I wanted to major in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology on a pre-med track in college to become an internal medicine physician and help improve healthcare for everyone, regardless of their background.
Prime Mailboxes Women in STEM Scholarship
The little girl who was “trapped” in an old woman's body first introduced me to neglected and rare diseases. In the documentary I watched, the girl had Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome- a unique type of mutation that causes children to age rapidly. I was in awe when I first learned about this genetic disorder and wanted to learn more about it. However, I was only eight and had never seen such a unique person before. Intrigued, I googled more about Progeria, which sparked my deep interest in researching different diseases and conditions. While taking advanced coursework in high school, I came across Special Books by Special Kids, a Youtube channel that was dedicated to raising awareness about physical and mental conditions through interviews. I found my emotions deepen every time an interviewee was asked, “What do you want people to know about you?”. Most interviewees only wanted people to learn more about their condition so that society would be more inclusive. In junior year I began volunteering at a hospital for three hours every Friday. I learned that a high percentage of women are more likely to receive inferior care compared to men, especially black women. It was shocking to learn that many black women die every year because of racial and gender biases in medicine. I decided I wanted to major in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology on a pre-med track in college to become an internal medicine physician and help improve healthcare for everyone, regardless of their background.
Jessica Airhienbuwa Student Profile | Bold.org