The first time I realized the weight of educational inequity, I was sitting at the kitchen table with my parents, staring at a FAFSA form none of us knew how to fill out. My father never attended high school, and my mother, despite her intelligence and ambition, could not pursue college due to financial struggles. Conversations about money were often tense, the bills, rent, and unexpected expenses were constant worries. When it came time to apply for college, my parents encouraged me but were unfamiliar with the process. I quickly realized I had to navigate this journey on my own, and that one but critical moment made me understand that educational inequity wasn’t just about access to schools. It was also about knowledge, resources, and financial literacy, things many first-generation students, including myself, lacked. Despite excelling academically and graduating in the top 2% of my high school class, I felt uncertainty when planning my future. Unlike some peers with parents guiding them, I had to piece together information from mentors, teachers, and online research. This challenge wasn’t just unique to me, it was a shared experience among many first-generation classmates. I saw how access to resources and guidance played a major role in student success, strengthening my resolve to help others facing similar challenges. During my first semester at the University of Minnesota, I struggled with balancing coursework, financial stress, and the pressure of being the first in my family to attend college. I also battled anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Despite these challenges, I achieved a 3.8 GPA, proving to myself that I could excel. This experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of seeking support. It also reinforced my commitment to addressing educational inequity, turning my struggles into motivation to uplift others. To contribute to solving this issue, I became involved in initiatives that support underrepresented students. As an ambassador for ServeMinnesota - AmeriCorps, I promote civic engagement and service opportunities, helping students build strong networks beyond the classroom. I will also serve as a University Leader for College Possible, mentoring incoming low-income and first-generation freshmen to ensure they have access to support and resources. My commitment extends beyond my university involvement. This summer, I will intern as an Enrichment Support Intern for Urban Ventures, a nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty through education, family support, and community engagement. This opportunity will allow me to work directly with underprivileged students, deepening my understanding of the systemic challenges they face and equipping me with the skills to drive meaningful change. I firmly believe every student deserves an equal opportunity to succeed. I envision a future where first-generation students have access to support systems, financial literacy, and mentorship programs to navigate their educational and professional journeys with confidence. Through my studies in Business and Marketing Education with a minor in Communication Studies, I aim to develop initiatives, promotions, and community events that bridge the gap between underserved students and the resources they need to succeed. Solving educational inequity is my mission, driven by personal experience and a deep desire to uplift others. My journey has shown me the power of resilience, community, and advocacy. Through education and leadership, I am committed to breaking barriers and ensuring future generations of students have the tools, knowledge, and support to turn their aspirations into reality.

Growing up, I often felt like a bridge between two worlds: the world of my immigrant parents, who worked tirelessly to build a better life, and the world outside, where dreams of a brighter future were alive. When my parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico, they didn’t have much, just hope and the will to provide for their family. My mother worked as a nanny, while my father, who never had the chance to attend high school, cleaned offices as a janitor. Their jobs were physically demanding, low-paying, and often thankless. But despite these hardships, they taught me that education was the key to unlocking a life far beyond the one they had. Their sacrifices and limitations became my own determination to pursue higher education. I understand the experience and struggle that many go through with immigrant families, being their translator, interpreter, advocate. Growing up, I was often the bridge between my parents and the world around us, helping with everything from filling out forms to navigating complex systems. Although my family had little in terms of material wealth, they instilled in me a sense of gratitude and determination. Their sacrifices have inspired me as I work toward my educational goals. As a first-generation college student, the journey to higher education has been both exhilarating and challenging. The path to college wasn’t always clear, and I had to navigate the college applications and financial aid without much guidance. But through every challenge, my family’s sacrifices and the knowledge that I was representing them kept me moving forward. I was accepted into the University of Minnesota, where I am pursuing a degree in Business and Marketing Education, with a minor in Communication Studies. It is here that I plan to further my mission: to create positive change through my education, empowering others as my family has empowered me. During my first semester, I encountered significant academic and diagnosed mental health struggles. By seeking support, utilizing resources, and developing effective strategies, I was able to achieve a 3.8 GPA. A physical and mental challenge, but rewarding. For this reason, I am committed to giving back to my community. I aspire to become a University Leader for College Possible in the 2025-26 term, where I can work with low-income and first-generation students to help them achieve academic success, explore career interests, develop personal skills, and build a strong network. This is a direct reflection of my own experience, where guidance and support were critical. Through my education in Business and Marketing, I aim to create platforms and initiatives that promote inclusion and empowerment for underrepresented communities. I want to focus on programs that highlight the importance of education for underserved students, especially those who may lack resources. My long-term goal is to work on initiatives that build environments where immigrant families and first-generation students can thrive. Through my current role as an on-campus Ambassador for ServeMinnesota - AmeriCorps, I have worked to create partnerships with student organizations to raise awareness and support for students facing challenges similar to mine. These experiences have strengthened my belief that service and education are powerful tools for creating change, and I will continue to use my education to make a meaningful impact. The Goobie-Ramlal Education Scholarship would ease the financial burden of my education and enable me to continue my mission of helping others achieve academic success. I am determined more than ever to create a positive impact and create a bridge for future generations to succeed, that is who I am.

I love math because it gave me power when I felt powerless. It helped me make sense of struggle, especially when I watched my mom battle with bills, trying to stretch every dollar to keep our family afloat. Some of my earliest memories are of her sitting at our kitchen table, surrounded by papers filled with numbers, electric bills, rent notices, grocery receipts. They weren’t just pieces of paper, they were problems waiting to be solved, equations that determined whether we would have enough to get by. She’d press the buttons on her calculator over and over, hoping the numbers would change, that somehow they would work in her favor. But they rarely did. She never said much about how hard it was, but I could see it in her tired eyes. At first, I didn’t understand what she was doing. I just knew that numbers seemed to control everything. Whether we had enough food that month, whether we could keep the lights on, whether we could afford the things other families seemed to have so easily. But as I got older, I started paying attention. I wanted to take away some of the weight she carried alone. So, I learned. I studied percentages to understand interest rates on overdue bills. I learned how to break down expenses like algebraic equations, finding ways to balance the numbers so that every dollar stretched further. I started double-checking numbers with her, catching errors, calculating savings, and strategizing the best way to pay off debts. Math wasn’t just a subject at school, it was, and still is, a lifeline. Math gave me certainty in a life that often felt unstable. It was a set of rules I could follow when nothing else made sense. Unlike the unpredictability of our financial struggles, math had answers. It taught me that numbers aren’t just abstract symbols, they reflect reality, and can create change. Now, as I study business and marketing, I see math everywhere. It’s in budgeting, in financial forecasting, in analyzing trends that shape industries. It’s about survival and creating opportunities. It’s about people like my mom, who never had the privilege of a financial education but fought anyway. I love math because it gave me the power to fight with her. And one day, I hope it gives me the power to make sure others who are underserved, never have to fight alone.