My father, a contributor to our household income, is unable to work due to a severe car accident and subsequent medical complications and surgeries. The car accident and initial hospitalization occurred on June 3, 2024, and readmission to the hospital on July 2, 2024, for around 132 days due to severe infection and sepsis requiring a below-the-knee amputation during his stay until November 11, 2024, when he was discharged and returned home. This medical emergency has caused my father’s wages and other earned income reported in 2024 of $12,775 to drop to $0 and is expected to remain $0 for the 2026-2027 academic year. As a result of the length of the hospital stay exceeding 4 months and the complexity of the surgeries, the final out-of-pocket costs are currently unknown, and we cannot provide a final out-of-pocket medical cost estimate, as insurance claims are ongoing with no clear end date. We are facing imminent, unbilled costs for a prosthetic limb, specialized physical therapy, and other accommodations for his permanent disability. Between injuries, legal meetings, and hospital visits, school became impossible to concentrate on. I remember being dropped off at school after being told of the complications of my dad’s surgery, only to walk into AP Calculus and face a derivative exam. My mind was elsewhere; I couldn’t even read the instructions. I felt hopeless. Then, I saw my dad take his first steps in physical therapy. I was holding my breath, terrified he would fall, but he didn’t. He made it across the room. That moment didn’t erase the pain of this year, and instead, I regained hope. Proof that we would be alright and that we’re a resilient family who could overcome this challenge. I returned to school with a new mindset. I rebuilt my focus and reengaged in learning. Last year tested me, but also solidified my vision for myself regarding a career in medicine. With the help of this scholarship and newfound confidence, my commitment will be stronger than ever. I know who I want to be, someone capable of turning pain into purpose, alleviating it for others so they don’t suffer as I did.

My passion for an education in STEM is driven by career goals and aspirations for medical advancement through leveraging knowledge of engineering and biology. I am aware that mastering coding languages, computational modeling of biological systems, developing diagnostics and surgical robotics, creating software for medical devices and interfaces, and improving bioinformatics for analyzing complex data allows me to ensure public health improves, but achieving this requires a deeper foundational understanding, as it has evolved into a core infrastructure for modern healthcare. With a biomedical engineering degree, I can advance research in medicine and technology, developing innovative solutions to address existing health challenges. I am determined to learn to manage multiple data pathways, blending technology, data, and clinical judgment to deliver life-saving information. Overall, I aspire to improve and optimize patient care, ensuring accessibility and high-quality medical treatment to all, no matter their background. Growing up in a family with recurring health issues and limited access to technology. I had to become the bridge between my relatives and this digital age. I assisted my family in multiple ways, from processing legal documents and financial accounts to scheduling medical appointments online. This role lit a genuine interest in biomedical engineering, as technology becomes a core part of society, those unable to keep up are left behind. My greatest influence is my father. Arriving in the U.S. at 14 years old, he traveled the states alone looking for work, and later overcame a life-changing accident and amputation. His travels taught me the virtue of endurance and courage through sacrifices to build and provide a better life for his family without wavering. I hope to make him proud, with a resilient mindset that no matter what happens in life, to not let anything hold me back from following my dreams. A drive to honor him through my actions and accomplishments, overcoming any obstacle I may face, with "failure" being just another bug in a code, While I have known ever since I was young that I wanted to go into a career containing computer science, I just never knew which one. But now, my desire to pursue this degree is driven by the evolution of its role in the healthcare industry. With a family history of illness and their struggle to understand modern technology, I feel personally connected to this field. I hope to use my education to design accessible healthcare technology to help anyone in need of life-saving care.