As a child, I did not understand faith the way my parents did. I saw instability and struggle, and being an immigrant made everything harder. In 2009, my parents moved our family to Saipan, a small and remote island in the Western Pacific Ocean, as missionaries in response to God’s calling. Although Saipan is a U.S. territory, few people know of its existence. We arrived in this unfamiliar place with no relatives, no stable income, no car, and no savings. Our home was a small one-bedroom unit attached to a neighbor’s house, where we did not have beds, air conditioning despite the tropical heat, or hot running water. All we had was faith that God would guide and provide for us. I entered kindergarten unable to speak English and spent my first day silent, isolated, and confused. I was bullied for being different, and throughout elementary and middle school, I never felt part of the community. Holidays passed quietly without celebrations. I remember asking my parents for a dollar cheeseburger at McDonald’s and slowly realizing even that small request was too much. When friends shared stories about summer trips off the island, I just listened from the sidelines, knowing that we were unable to afford such experiences. When Typhoon Yutu tore the roof off our home in 2018, we lived without electricity or running water for three months. In those moments, I blamed my parents. I blamed God. I questioned everything. If God has a plan for us, why did it feel like we were constantly surviving rather than living? Throughout those years, I prayed, sometimes with hope and sometimes with doubt, asking what God’s plan for me could possibly be. As I grew older, I felt the need to pursue higher education in the mainland United States, not just for opportunities but for purpose. My parents supported my dream, even though we all knew they could not financially sustain it. I prayed for guidance and promised God that if He opened a door, I would walk through it faithfully and allow Him to use me wherever He willed. I applied to several universities in the U.S. and was rejected from my top-choice school. I was devastated, but instead of settling, I chose to take a gap year. I worked, reflected, strengthened my application, and continued trusting that if it was meant to be, God would make a way. The following year, I applied again and was accepted into my dream school’s nursing program with scholarships. Gradually, my doubt transformed into trust. I realized that hardship was not abandonment, but preparation. Perhaps God had brought my family to Saipan so that I could one day step beyond it. Moving across the world alone brought back familiar fears of financial stress, academic pressure, and loneliness. This time, however, I recognized resilience within myself. I realized that God had been shaping me all along. Every hardship faced on that small island strengthened me and prepared me for something greater than I could have imagined. This scholarship is meaningful to me because it affirms that my journey has purpose. As a nursing student pursuing my BSN, I plan to continue into advanced practice and serve vulnerable populations with compassion and humility. From a child on a small island to a university student thousands of miles away, my journey has always been sustained and guided by faith in God. Despite the hardships, I no longer question whether He has a plan, because I trust that He does and that He is preparing me for a future greater than I can yet see.

When I was five, my family moved to a remote island in the Pacific called Saipan as missionaries. Every day was an obstacle our family had to overcome—from my parents striving to earn a source of income, my sister and I had to learn a new language, adjust to the new environment, and live in a place that was the polar opposite of where we used to live. We did not have a car, a proper bedroom, hot showers, an air conditioner, or a reliable income source to support our living. Not even having a family dinner at a diner once, my sister and I never dared to ask my parents to buy a cheeseburger that was only a dollar at that time in McDonalds. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my studies in the medical field. My ultimate goal was to return to my home island and contribute to enhancing the healthcare industry. With a goal set in mind, my first thought was to leave the small island and pursue higher education on the mainland. Knowing college tuition is excessively costly, it seemed impossible—but I did let going up be an option. Ultimately graduating in the top three of the graduating class, I got accepted to my dream college, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, as a Nursing major with scholarships to cover most of my tuition fee. I packed my whole nineteen years of life in Saipan in three suitcases and set off to the big world I had never encountered. The change in the environment, culture, people, and living styles again dragged me down, but already having the experience of overcoming hardships, I pushed through and strived even harder than anyone. Moving to a new environment without my family or anyone to guide me, my independence and resilience guided me to push through to find my place within the community as I had done before when I first moved to Saipan. Despite growing up with a severely underprivileged background, I believe it has molded me to become resilient and independent. It has also given me the courage to implement my goal and strive towards it in the face of obstacles and challenges. Attending the University of Michigan was my first step in reaching my goal, but there are still more challenges to follow in my journey of becoming a nurse—academically or financially. However, with my passion for helping enhance the medical system in Saipan and help build a strong and healthy community, I am certain that I will be able to overcome these struggles, and in the end, this experience will further provide me to become a better version of myself.

I grew up on one of the small islands in the Western Pacific. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. In high school, my father was diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, round-trip plane ticket fee, including surgical bills in Korea were significant burdens to our family; however, since there was no option to get surgery on the island, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. Realizing the significant shortage of health professionals and quality care, I decided to pursue a degree in Nursing as I believed that all individuals should have access to affordable and dependable healthcare anytime and anywhere. I desire to become a nurse as I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system on the island. With only one hospital and several clinics in operation, healthcare professionals and equipment are insufficient. Due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgery or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland, Hawaii, or Guam. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should at least be a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. My future goal is to earn a Nursing degree and return to contribute to the island community by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments; therefore, this scholarship opportunity means a lot to me as it would support my passion for becoming a nurse.

I grew up on a small isolated island in the Pacific. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, round-trip plane ticket fee, including surgical bills in Korea, were significant burdens to our family; however, since there was no option to get surgery on the island, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my studies in the medical field. As a junior high student, I believed all the plans I made in my life would go on wheels, but soon enough, reality crashed upon me. I did have a big dream, but the environment to support my goal was not large enough. I knew attending a college would financially burden my parents, especially since I did not qualify for any scholarship as an immigrant back then. Despite the drawbacks, I managed to apply to several colleges, but I had to turn them down regardless of acceptance. My older sister and I had to stay back after high school because my family could not afford our college expenses. This year, we both reapplied to colleges again in better terms for Fall 2023. However, being aware that it is a double burden for my parents, who also wish us to explore the world outside this small island in the Pacific, financial distress has been inevitable for my family. When I got accepted with scholarships to the University of Michigan School of Nursing, I was thrilled; however, the excessive tuition fee was a factor I could not avoid. I aspire to join the healthcare industry as I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system on the island. With only one hospital and several clinics in operation, professional medical staff and equipment are severely lacking. Due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgery or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland, Hawaii, or Guam. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should at least be a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. My future goal is to earn a Nursing degree and return to contribute to the island community by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments; therefore, this scholarship opportunity means a lot to me as it would support my passion for becoming a nurse.

I grew up on a small, isolated island called Saipan. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, a round-trip plane ticket fee, and surgical bills in Korea were significant burdens to our family; however, with no other options, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my studies in the medical field. As a junior high student, I believed all the plans I made in my life would go on wheels, but soon enough, reality crashed upon me. I did have a big dream, but the environment to support my goal was not large enough. I knew attending a college would financially burden my parents, especially since I did not qualify for any scholarship as an immigrant back then. Despite the drawbacks, I managed to apply to several colleges, but I had to turn them down regardless of acceptance. My older sister and I had to stay back after high school because my family could not afford our college expenses. This year, we both reapplied to colleges again in better terms for Fall 2023. However, being aware that it is a double burden for my parents, who also wish us to explore the world outside this small island in the Pacific, financial distress has been inevitable for my family. When I got accepted with scholarships to the University of Michigan School of Nursing, I was thrilled; however, the excessive tuition fee was a factor I could not avoid. Living on an island, I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system as there is a significant shortage of professional medical staff and equipment. Clinical fees are overpriced since there is only one hospital, and due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness, considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgeries or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland; in most cases, patients have to pay for plane tickets out of their pocket to get treatment overseas. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should be at least a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. This scholarship would help me achieve my goal since my mission is to earn a Nursing degree and return to the island to support the island's healthcare industry by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments to the community.

I grew up on a small, isolated island called Saipan. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, a round-trip plane ticket fee, and surgical bills in Korea were significant burdens to our family; however, since there was no option to get surgery on the island, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my studies in the medical field. As a junior high student, I believed all the plans I made in my life would go on wheels, but soon enough, reality crashed upon me. I did have a big dream, but the environment to support my goal was not large enough. I knew attending a college would financially burden my parents, especially since I did not qualify for any scholarship as an immigrant back then. Despite the drawbacks, I managed to apply to several colleges, but I had to turn them down regardless of acceptance. My older sister and I had to stay back after high school because my family could not afford our college expenses. This year, we both reapplied to colleges again in better terms for Fall 2023. However, being aware that it is a double burden for my parents, who also wish us to explore the world outside this small island in the Pacific, financial distress has been inevitable for my family. When I got accepted with scholarships to the University of Michigan School of Nursing, I was thrilled; however, the excessive tuition fee was a factor I could not avoid. Living on an island, I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system as there is a significant shortage of professional medical staff and equipment. Clinical fees are overpriced since there is only one hospital, and due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness, considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgeries or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland; in most cases, patients have to pay for plane tickets out of their pocket to get treatment overseas. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should be at least a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. Thus, my mission is to earn my Nursing degree and return to the island to support the island's healthcare industry by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments to the community.

I grew up on a small, isolated island called Saipan. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, a round-trip plane ticket fee, and surgical bills in Korea were significant burdens to our family; however, since there was no option to get surgery on the island, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my studies in the medical field. Living on an island, I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system as there is a significant shortage of professional medical staff and equipment. With only one hospital and several clinics in operation, clinical fees are overpriced, and due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness, considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgery or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland, Hawaii, or Guam. In most cases, patients pay for plane tickets out of their pocket to visit hospitals in the Philippines or Korea. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should be at least a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. Thus, my mission is to earn my Nursing degree and return to the island to support the island's healthcare industry by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments to the community.

I grew up on a small isolated island in the Pacific. When I was six years old, my family moved to an island that anyone hardly knew at that time. Traveling to a mysterious yet beautiful place, just like any movie would do, I was a kid full of excitement and dreams. Immediately welcomed by the blue ocean waves and the sun blazing over my head—glistening under the horizon, everything about the island seemed perfect and mesmerizing in my little child's eyes. The excitement did not last long as my family struggled financially. Back then, even if my sister and I wanted a cheeseburger that was only a dollar, my parents could not afford it. Moving on to middle and high school, the reality of living on an island became more evident as my father got diagnosed with a cyst in his jaw that had to be surgically removed in Korea since the only hospital on the island could not perform complex surgeries. The check-up fee at the hospital, round-trip plane ticket fee, including surgical bills in Korea, were a significant burden to our family; however, since there was no option to get surgery on the island, we had to get financial assistance from our church organization. With the lack of professionals in all study areas, especially in health care, I gradually developed a goal of acquiring further education abroad and pursuing my study in the medical field. As a junior high student, I believed all the plans I made in my life would go on wheels, but soon enough, reality crashed upon me. I did have a big dream, but the environment to support my goal was not large enough. I knew attending a college would financially burden my parents, especially since I did not qualify for any scholarship as an immigrant back then. Despite the drawbacks, I managed to apply to several colleges, but I had to turn them down regardless of acceptance. My older sister and I had to stay back after high school because my family could not afford our college expenses. This year, we both reapplied to colleges again in better terms for Fall 2023. However, being aware that it is a double burden for my parents, who also wish us to explore the world outside this small island in the Pacific, financial distress has been inevitable for my family. When I got accepted with scholarships to the University of Michigan School of Nursing, I was thrilled; however, the excessive tuition fee was a factor I could not avoid. I aspire to join the healthcare industry as I have always felt the need for a strengthened healthcare system on the island. With only one hospital and several clinics in operation, professional medical staff and equipment severely lack. Due to this factor, many residents, including my family, tend to be hesitant to visit the hospital despite any illness considering the amount of bill for a proper and efficient treatment they could receive. Since the healthcare industry in Saipan lacks professional doctors or nurses who can perform complex surgery or treatments, many patients get referred to hospitals in the mainland, Hawaii, or Guam. Although many people on the island live in scarcity, I believe there should at least be a reliable healthcare system where people can get appropriate medical treatments on time. My future goal is to earn a Nursing degree and return to contribute to the island community by providing reliable and enhanced medical treatments; therefore, this scholarship opportunity means a lot to me as it would support my passion for becoming a nurse.