Growing up in a low income family has made me value a lot of things in life I did not expect to value. Having low income in my family meant that we did not possess many things but we had each other. You understand the value of your mother, father, siblings, other family members and even family friends. Recently when I was in Mexico my grandma had a colectomy and she had to be taken care of. Her family is very large, having 13 siblings at one point in her life and a lot of them had issues with each other, hadn't spoken to each other for months or years or even decades but because of my grandma's condition the reunited to take turns in helping her. I helped her too. It just further reinforced the value of community. This small community my grandma was a part of valued loyalty, trust and reliability when times got tough, they were there for each other. That foundational experience of leaning on one another directly shaped the survival instincts and grit I rely on today. I was kicked out of my parents' house at 18 and forced into total independence, I understood that I was on my own, but the collective resilience of my upbringing stayed with me, knowing that any of my other uncles or aunts would take me in any day gave me a sense of ease in being inependent. Now, working 35 to 45 hours a week while pursuing a major applied mathematics and potentially doubling in computer science, the pressure is immense but what keeps me going isn't just personal ambition. I am deeply motivated by knowing there are people around me who may need me in some form, whether financially, for problem-solving, or for support. Growing up with less taught me that my success is never just about me, its about building support for those you love because in the end, when you have nothing, no income, no material, thats the only thing you have and its the most important. Looking toward the future, these lessons define my ultimate goals. While I am still developing the exact blueprint, my vision is loosely centered on creating lasting stability, perhaps by owning a farm, and building a life where I can be a reliable mentor to my own future children and the community around me. The hardship of my background and the circumstances of what happened in the past isn't something I view with bitterness. These are the things that continue to develop me as a person, without them I wouldn't be who I am today. Images: Live sketch of building in Bucharest, Building in Prague(Traveling), eating while taking care of grandma, watching World Cup with family members, playing chess with the Dutch.

The impact I want to make is rooted in community. As an independent full time student currently working 35-45 hours a week as a Delivery driver while pursuing a double major in applied mathematics and computer science (I'm not entirely sure about the double major aspect but it seems possible!). I want to use my education to uplift the working class, former foster youth, the unhoused, immigrants, and Spanish speaking students who are told that higher education is out of reach simply because they have to work to eat. This is what I used to think but its simply not true. My inspiration comes from an unexpected place really because one day when I was returning from work and the only option under 20$ for a ride back home was a shared uber with a stranger, that stranger happened to be a UC berkeley student who shared conversation. At a time when I was burnt out, working as a security guard after leaving college due to an overwhelming course load and the crushing weight of total independence, that stranger looked at me and told me I was wasting my potential. He mentioned that just by conversation alone he could tell that I was smart and that I should go back to school because working a Dead-end job isn't it. That brief spark changed my trajectory because it made me realize that working class students often lack someone to look at us in the eye and tell us we belong or that its possible to continue with academics while working. When I transfer to UC Berkeley or another top university, I want to be that voice for others. I want to build mentorship networks for first-generation, Spanish-speaking, and non-traditional students, showing them that mastering university/college is possible even when you are clocking forty hours a week. Realistically, the better future I am striving to shape goes far beyond a tech career or a degree framed on a wall. Ultimately, my dream is to build stability for my own family, own a farm, and cultivate a space where I can be a hands on mentor to my children and the community around me. There are many marginalized communities where generational wealth is absent but generational reslience is present. I want my journey to dictate my environment and the environment for others around me. What I do now, my hardwork, my dedication, my knowledge etc, it will all be shared with those near me. Even though I am working practically every waking hour, I know that each of those hours are a foundation of my future, its a testament to my determination. The dicipline that I build throughout my journey and the achievements are going to inspire someone else, someone else like me.

Selected paragraph (Epictetus, Enchiridion, opening) “Some things are up to us and some are not.” Thesis: Epictetus uses this line to push a strict moral boundary: I am responsible for my judgment and choice, and I must stop treating the outside world as if it belongs to my will. Epictetus begins with a split that sounds plain, almost too plain. Yet he treats it as the hinge of a whole life. The line is not advice about staying calm when life turns rough, it is a claim about where human freedom lives. He places freedom inside the act of choosing how to meet what happens. That choice includes my judgments, my aims, my refusals, my consent to a thought, my decision to chase or drop a desire. If I keep that space clear, I keep my freedom. If I hand it over to events, I lose it. He does not let me blur the line. Most people live as if the world is “up to us” in the same way our hands are up to us. We treat money, status, health, love, and respect as things we can secure if we try hard enough. We then judge ourselves, and others, as winners or failures based on these results. Epictetus attacks that habit at its root. He says I may influence many things, but influence is not control. The body can fall sick. A friend can leave. A job can end. A crowd can turn. Even if I do everything “right,” chance still has a vote. When I stake my worth on outcomes that can break apart, I place my peace on a weak support. The support fails, then I call it tragedy, and I blame the world for being the world. The line also cuts into pride. I like to think I control more than I do, because that belief lets me feel safe. If I believe I can plan life into shape, then I feel less fear. Epictetus offers a harsher comfort: accept what is not yours to command, and you will stop bargaining with reality. This is not passive. It is a kind of discipline. It asks for a steady mind that can look at loss and say: this hurts, but it does not touch the part of me that chooses my response. The pain can be real. The boundary still stands. The core point is not “ignore the world.” Epictetus lived under empire and slavery, he knew force. His move is to protect the one space force cannot enter unless I open the door. A ruler can chain my body, but the ruler cannot chain my judgment unless I make my judgment depend on approval, comfort, or fear. That dependence is what he calls slavery in the moral sense. If I need praise to feel whole, then praise owns me. If I need wealth to feel safe, then wealth owns me. If I need control to feel calm, then control owns me. The outside object becomes a master because I assign it power over my inner life. This is why the line has a hidden demand: I must train my attention. I must notice where I place “up to me” on things that are not. I do this all day. I tell myself, “I need them to respect me,” but respect lives in another mind, which I do not command. I tell myself, “I need my plan to work,” but the plan meets weather, markets, other people, and time. Each time I treat these as if they belong to my will, I build frustration into my day. The frustration will feel personal, even when it is only the friction between my fantasy of control and the facts of life. Epictetus also reforms ethics. If only some things are up to me, then moral failure and moral success must sit there too. He shifts the measure of a person away from results and toward choices. This move blocks easy excuses. I cannot say, “I lied because I needed money,” since money is not up to me in the way my honesty is. I cannot say, “I exploded because they provoked me,” since their act is not up to me, but my consent to anger is. He places responsibility where it stings, in the moment I choose my judgment. The outside world becomes the testing ground, not the cause, of my character. At the same time, the line guards against despair. If I fail to reach a goal, I can still act with integrity. I can still choose patience, courage, fairness, and self-control. This does not erase grief, but it gives grief a limit. It says: you can lose what you value, and still keep what makes you you. That is a hard claim, but it gives a person a stable center. It also changes how I pursue goals. I can work for outcomes, but I must attach my peace to the quality of my effort and choice, not to the final score. So the opening line is not a slogan about staying calm. It is a map of ownership. Epictetus tells me to stop stealing what belongs to fate, and stop giving fate what belongs to me. When I hold that line, I gain something rare: a life that can face change without begging it to be different, a life that can chase aims without being crushed by chance, a life where freedom means one thing, my power to choose my own mind.

I give back in ways that feel real and close to my daily life, not as a project, but as a habit. One place this shows up is chess. I taught chess to senior residents who came for more than the game. Many of them wanted a steady social anchor, a reason to leave the room, sit across from someone, and be seen. Chess gave us structure, but the real value was the time together. I learned to slow down, listen, and meet people where they were. Some students cared about openings and tactics, but most cared about routine, laughter, and feeling sharp for one more hour. I showed up each week because showing up is the point. Whenever someone would tell me they practiced during the week, I knew it was about having something to look forward to. I also volunteered at a food bank. The work itself was simple like sorting, packing, handing out food, keeping the line moving. What stayed with me was how normal it all looked from the outside and how heavy it felt on the inside. One day I saw a classmate there getting food. I did not say anything. They did not say anything. We both understood what it meant. It was a moment that cut through my assumptions. Someone in need can be sitting right there, next to you in your classroom. That day made service personal. It also made my goals sharper. In the future, I plan to impact the world by building steady support systems, not one time gestures. In the short term, I will keep working with people who feel isolated, especially older adults, by creating small groups that meet around games and problem solving. I want those spaces to feel safe, simple, and consistent, because consistency builds trust. I also plan to keep supporting food access work, but with a bigger focus on dignity, like helping reduce wait times, improving distribution flow, and making it easier for students to find help without shame. I want a career where I solve hard problems that affect real lives. I study math because it teaches clean thinking under pressure. I want to use that skill in work that improves access: access to education, to basic needs, to stable housing. I do not think impact has to be loud to matter. I think it has to be honest, repeatable, and aimed at people who get overlooked.

Being a first generation college student influences my career goals because I seek challenge and prestige. Its not about winning, its about winning by a mile. Its one of the reasons why I am taking math for my degree to pursue a career in either Investment banking, software engineering, private equity or maybe even pivot into Med School. I want my family members to be thoroughly impressed, to show them what is possible and that we have so much potential. Being a first generation college student influences my career goals through financial motivation. There was a point where we were relying on the government for food. We had to walk miles upon miles everyday to get to our destination. I remember memories of when I was younger and my mom being pregnant, walking 10 miles with me and pushing a stroller just so she could see a doctor. I understand the struggle which is why I am financially motivated. I want to support the future of my family. Being a first generation college student influences my career goals because I am curious, naturally thriving on through this opportunity given to me by education through my curiosity. I also want a career where I can learn everyday and be fascinated everyday equally. I want to have a career that doesn't feel like its a career because its mentally stimulating and gives my. curiosity a sense of purpose.

"It is no longer a question of imitation, nor duplication, nor even parody. It is a question of substituting the signs of the real for the real itself; that is, an operation of deterring every real process by its operational double, a metastable, programmatic, perfectly descriptive machine that offers all the signs of the real and short circuits all its vicissitudes." -Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation 1981, 2nd page, mid second paragraph Signs replacing what they mean: Baudrillard opens with what sounds like a riddle, what happens when the "signs of the real" take the place of the real itself? His claim is unsettling but its the truth. He's saying we slowly stop noticing that it’s gone. In his view, imitation used to point toward something real like a painting mimicked a landscape, a photograph captured a moment. But he argues that now what we see, share, and even feel are replicas without originals. Imitation turns into substitution. This sounds dramatic but if you take into consideration the example of social media, whats "authentic" is basically a rehearsal to introduce a filtered and algorithmically timed reality that we double tap like as if it were the true reference the original. Our reality is warped using another for reference. Options for reality: Baudrillard’s “operational double” isn’t a philosophical abstraction at all. It’s the world’s new operating system. Think about how companies sell "experiences' now: Disney, Apple, Meta. Each one builds an immersive copy of reality, a version you could argue, slightly better than life itself. You wear meta glasses and are virtually standing next your buddy who is a character that doesn't look at all like him in real life, is this your perception of your friend now? You scroll through someone’s travel vlog and feel like you were there (minus the heat and travel). I remember when I wanted to go to South Korea last year, I was increasing my faith in a way that motivated me to afford a trip to South Korea (saving, selling items online, working more jobs)... As soon as I clicked on a "walk through Korea pov" video on youtube I was hooked and I felt satisfied with that experience and I have not been to Korea (lol). But this convenience hides something darker. When the copy becomes more satisfying than reality, the original loses its authority. We don’t trust direct experience anymore because we trust the screen’s version of it. Reality becomes optional and usually the most difficult and effortful option to realize. Machines represent truth: Baudrillard calls this new order "a perfectly descriptive machine." It doesn’t distort reality, it improves it. 4K resolution, with perfect lighting, and an algorithmic rhythm designed to hold your attention. There is nothing evil controlling the machine that controls you, this is simply what you want and the machine gives it to you. We tend to attach ourselves to meaning. So, we attach ourselves to signs like the brand that "represents us," the photo that "captures”who we are. In that sense, Baudrillard diagnoses media and human insecurity, that of our constant need to anchor ourselves to something recognizable, even if it’s hollow. Its possible that humans really just find comfort in simulation. Faith vs simulation: Baudrillard’s idea almost mirrors how belief systems work. Faith, like simulation, builds symbolic frameworks to make sense of existence. Both are methods of escaping without understanding reality as it is. Both rely on signs and rituals, one connects us to mystery while the other sterilizes it. The difference is that Faith seeks transcendence from the world while simulation seeks to replace it. Solution: Baudrillard doesn't offer a solution, he rather explains what is happening in the real world and leaves the reader to imagine. If this is within our nature and we seem to enjoy this process then the "solution" might actually be the problem. This book I actually haven't finished, I'm currently on page 56. I really like to take my time to digest books which is why I read so slow. There are times where I am so inspired by the process of the literature that im reading (words evoke ideas that provoke emotions and imagination) that I just jot down all my thoughts like brain vomit. Thanks for this opportunity.

To me, being a first generation student is a step forward to continue to break barriers that were thought of as impossible to break. Being a first generation Mexican student means carrying two stories at once. The one my parents hold, their unfinished dreams and my own unsteady steps toward something they never got to touch. Both of my parents didn’t finish high school until they were 21. My dad likes to say we’re "regular, hardworking people", and he’s partially right because there’s always that pause after as if that’s all we were meant to be. Maybe we are not only just "hardworking regular people", maybe I can show that there is potential for more. It hasn’t been easy. I’ve been homeless more than once, doing homework in cars and libraries that closed too early. When you grow up like that, education stops being about grades it becomes survival, proof that you can turn struggle into skill. Still, there’s a strange pressure in being "the first". You’re figuring things out as you go, translating not just words but worlds like FAFSA forms, college jargon, expectations... I mean I didn't even apply for college to begin with because no one told me how and I expected someone to help me. Yet, those moments of uncertainty built me. I learned to adapt, to think critically, to stay grounded when everything around me shifted. My dream is to study math so I can transition into a field of Finance or Software engineering, I already have made several projects in both fields using programming languages I learned on my own outside of school. The ultimate goal of course is to create a perpetual impact to those around me and those in need of it. This scholarship would mean a chance to breathe, to keep going without constantly worrying about rent or tuition. More than that, it’d mean someone believes that all this effort, the late nights, the questions and the lonely persistence actually matters ...because it does. I’ve come too far not to believe that.

This was truly inspired by a book I recently read called, "The conspiracy against the human race" by Thomas Ligotti. I had no idea what I wanted to do for this scholarship but the book popped in my head as it is fresh in memory, as you can imagine it is full of pessimism, anti natalism, determinism etc. Its really a philosophical debate against human existence. The part to mash it up was water and this so happened to be because I was drinking a lot of water today. No one would've guessed that. Just so happened to influence me and my actions, much like the book... conspiracy? This sounds very suspicious. Anyways, in this poem, I merged the ideas of pessimism and determinism with the metaphor of water. Water became a stand in for the forces beyond human control. Its the inevitability of nature, the weight of existence, (possibly interpreted as a form of genetic determinism with my ambiguous ending), and the pressures that pull people toward outcomes they cannot avoid. The narrative moves from small, personal gestures like a small glass to large bodies of water, whispering to a pebble to placing a stone to broader, almost cosmic forces waves crashing, tides rising. I was trying to create a layered mashup of human effort versus the unstoppable forces of the universe (or man himself) using water and determinism/pessimism as the examples. This is something I actually enjoyed doing, at first my poem was more simple, it made dry jokes about water while still containing the same topics but after a few edits it was like a mix of comedy and despair which was truly absurd. I preferred to keep the tone the current version has. Sorta like a magical realism? Its possible that radiohead may have inspired this poem slightly. One of their songs which is my favorite, "Weird fishes", which is about water and fishes but its more ambiguous, one could interpret it as acceptance of suicide and transcendence while others might interpret it as following a love. I love the usage of metaphors and ambiguity as it leaves the reader/listener with nothing but their imagination. Thanks for this opportunity, this is the first time I wrote a poem in a while and I really enjoyed it.

I’ll admit it’s probably not what people expect when they find out I’m a guy who listens to Sabrina Carpenter. I first saw her back when she was on Disney Channel, and at the time I didn’t think much of it, just another show I’d watch with my sister while pretending I wasn’t invested. But years later, seeing her evolve from a child actor into a confident, lyrically witty, and self-aware artist has been genuinely inspiring. What stands out to me about Sabrina isn’t just her music, but how she’s handled growth and public perception from such a young age. She’s been through criticism, comparisons, and all the noise that comes with fame, but she never seems to lose her humor or her edge and shes only a few years older than me. I don't know if I would be able to handle that. The process of Sabrina carpenter is an evolution of identity without conformity. One of my favorite songs is "please please please" which reminds me of "please please please, let me get what I want" (deftones version). The begging that I sometimes interpret as a playful and sometimes as a desperate. Its versatile to emotions. Aside from all that, her songs are so catchy that they play in my head even without permission lol.

I didn’t end up in community college because it was the easiest path I ended up here because it was the most realistic and honest one. My life has been shaped by instability, by moments where basic needs came before long term plans. I’ve been homeless multiple times, moving around and figuring things out one day at a time. Those experiences forced me to mature quickly, to think practically, and to see education not as a distant dream but as a tool for stability and direction. Community college gave me the structure and flexibility I needed to rebuild from that foundation. It’s affordable, but more importantly, it gave me the space to experiment to find what I’m truly good at and what I actually care about. I chose to major in Math because it’s objective, reliable, and interesting. Math doesn’t bend to opinion or emotion, it’s pure truth, and in a world that often feels unstable, that kind of certainty matters to me. Being here has also taught me independence. I’ve learned to plan, to manage my time, to handle setbacks without losing focus. There’s something humbling about starting small knowing that every class, every credit, is a step toward something greater. I’m not in a rush to catch up with anyone else. I’m building carefully, intentionally. My future goals are centered on growth and application. I plan to transfer to a UC school maybe Berkeley or Santa Cruz and finish my bachelor’s in Mathematics. From there, I want to pivot into a field that combines logic, problem solving, and creativity, like quantitative analysis or software engineering. I already have experience with C++ and JavaScript, and I’ve started creating small projects to connect math with real world systems. Eventually, I want to create something of my own whether it’s software, a business, or a framework that reflects how I see the world: structured, logical, but adaptable.

At the end of it all, what do you have to show for yourself. These are the words of my mother’s friend, a woman who came from Mexico with nothing but sheer determination to be better, always. That question has stayed with me because it forces me to look beyond daily struggles or short term wins and consider what kind of impact I leave behind. To me, legacy is not about money, titles, or recognition. It is about the ways you influence others, the example you set, and the standards you hold yourself to even when no one is watching. Legacy is the mark you leave through your work, your integrity, and your persistence. My upbringing has shaped my understanding of legacy more than anything else. I have experienced instability and homelessness, and I’ve seen firsthand how circumstances can limit opportunity if you don’t work intentionally. Those experiences taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the value of self reliance. They also showed me how cycles of hardship can repeat if you are not deliberate about breaking them. From my family, I inherited determination, a drive to improve, and the awareness that nothing is guaranteed. From my challenges, I learned discipline, adaptability, and the importance of building a foundation for the future so you can have something to show for yourself. I plan to continue breaking cycles by using education, focus, and initiative to create stability and growth in my life. Completing my associate’s degree in Math, transferring to a UC school, and pursuing a career in quantitative analysis or software engineering are part of that plan. Beyond career success, I want to build systems of support for others whether through mentorship, teaching, or simply leading by example so that the cycles of struggle I experienced do not define the next generation. I hope to leave a legacy that combines tangible success with kindness, integrity, and thoughtfulness, so the example I leave encourages others to strive and persevere even when circumstances are difficult just how those words spoken to me changed me, molded my way of thinking into something else, something good. At the end of the day, legacy is the proof of how you lived, how you influenced, and how you rose above limitations. It is about showing up for yourself and others, and making sure that the path you leave is one that others can follow toward something better. Legacy is by definition is the impact you leave. I want to impact myself, I want to impact others. I want to be the best I ever was. Thank you so much for this opportunity. (I don't have the person mentioned in this essay but I'll provide the next closest inspiration in the photos)

Hello, my name is Alan, but I go by Joshua. I am someone who values curiosity, discipline, and growth. I enjoy playing chess online but in person is better. I also enjoy skating, walking with my mom and sister, sewing and tailoring clothes, and creating sculptures in my uncle’s workshop. Working alongside him has taught me patience, focus, and attention to detail. I am also deeply interested in nutrition, diets, and the science behind health, longevity, and optimizing the body. I guess you can say that I am interested in biohacking. These interests drive me to learn more, think critically, and experiment with ways to improve both my life and the lives of those around me as I always discuss my findings with my relatives. I assume this part of me is because I always wanted to go to med school to become a doctor. I actually had decided that I would either be a cardiologist or anesthesiologist. Its not currently in my future aspirations but who knows, I might change my mind. Going to college represents opportunity, focus, and the chance to turn curiosity into real world impact. I am currently working toward an associate’s degree in Math, with the goal of transferring to a UC school to continue building the foundation for my future. I am interested in fields like quantitative analysis, software engineering, or finance, and I have already begun exploring side projects in programming and algorithmic trading. These experiences are not just about learning skills but they are also about proving to myself that I can take initiative, create meaningful results, and have constant growth in any aspect. This scholarship would make a direct difference in my life by allowing me to dedicate myself fully to school and my growth without being held back by financial constraints. It would help me focus my energy on learning, building projects, and preparing for a future where I can contribute meaningfully to the world. Beyond academics and career, I also strive to be someone my family, friends, and community can rely on. A person who works hard, helps others grow and learn while setting an example of dedication and perseverance. The main trigger for this motivation would be my mother's friend who is a really hard worker and is the definition of excellence, as an immigrant she came to this country with nothing but her heart and determination and succeeded. Her words: "In the end what will you have to show for your work and efforts of living". I want to leave a mark. Kalia’s story and legacy resonates with me because she embodied excellence, drive, and impact. I hope to honor those values in my own life. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

I am passionate about being a first-generation Mexican American college graduate because it represents more than just earning a degree. It means changing the direction of my life and the generations that come after me. My family came to the United States focused on surviving. Their days revolved around work, rent, and food. Education was not something they had time or access to. My mom helped me in school until I got to the second grade, from then I was on my own. For me, being in college is not just about getting a job. It is about proving that their sacrifices meant something. Being first-generation means facing challenges that others never have to think about. I do not have anyone in my family who can explain how college works or what steps I should take next. Every decision takes extra effort and I have to learn through research, trial, and error. I have made mistakes, but I have also learned how to adapt quickly. Each success feels like I am clearing a path that was never there before. It is not easy, but I would rather struggle building something new than accept limits that were placed before me. As a Mexican American, I also feel a sense of pride and responsibility. Many people in my community grow up believing that higher education is too far out of reach. Sometimes we are told to focus on working, not learning. I want to challenge that mindset. I want to show that it is possible to come from hardship and still build a future worth being proud of. I do not see education as a privilege. I see it as a tool to make life more stable, to create security that my family never had. My background has made me appreciate things that others might take for granted. I know what it feels like to not have a stable place to live. I know what it is like to balance responsibilities while trying to keep moving forward. Those experiences have taught me persistence and resourcefulness. Those experiences are the reasons why I can't and won't give up, I need to break this cycle and become better. To me, becoming a first-generation Mexican American graduate is personal. It is a symbol of progress and change. It is about showing that where you start does not have to define where you finish. I want to create a future that proves struggle can turn into strength.

Building credit early matters to me because I’ve seen what happens when you don’t have it. Being homeless multiple times taught me that financial stability isn’t just about money, it’s about having access and options. Without credit, you’re limited. You can work hard, save money, and still be locked out of housing or basic opportunities because the system doesn’t see you as "trustworthy" on paper. I don’t ever want to be in that position again. I plan to take control of my financial future by staying consistent like paying bills on time, keeping my credit utilization low, and avoiding unnecessary debt. I’m not trying to build wealth overnight I just want to have control over my life and not rely on chance or other people to survive. These habits might seem small, but they’re helping me build structure and discipline which is something I didn’t always have. A smart money move I’ve made is learning to prioritize needs over impulses. When I finally started earning a little money, it was tempting to spend it right away after going without for so long. Instead, I started building a small emergency fund and focusing on necessities first. The financial lesson I learned the hard way is that desperation makes you vulnerable to bad decisions and its like borrowing or buying things that feel urgent but aren’t actually helpful long term. What motivates me is the idea of being self sufficient. I’ve seen instability, and I know what it costs emotionally and affects your overall productivity. I want to build a life where I don’t have to constantly worry about where I’ll be next month. Having control over my finances means having control over my future and that’s what keeps me moving forward. One of the things that I want to do with credit is purchase properties with in Mexico so I can get a "sorta passive" income. The point of credit is to leverage it to your advantage. I could just wait until I could afford a property in Mexico, sure but that would take me a good while of working but with credit I can get a mortgage and have the property being rented so it pays off itself fully or mostly, that way I don't have to wait as long. I don't want to wait and then miss an financial opportunity. Thanks so much for this opportunity, if I win I would use it appropriately.

I’m a fan of Wicked because it flips the conventional story in which everyone thinks they know and makes you question who the “villains” really are. Most people see the Wicked Witch as evil, but the story dives into her choices, her perspective, and the society that misunderstands her. That kind of storytelling appeals to me, misunderstood characters. It’s not about who’s “good” or “bad,” it’s about context, motive, reasoning, perspective etc. All of these things I find important in my life. It shows how the same actions can mean completely different things depending on who is watching and what they expect. Elphaba’s struggle is felt because it’s not just about magic or power, it’s about being forced to navigate a world that constantly misjudges you. That tension between who she is and how the world sees her is compelling and it mirrors the way society often rewards conformity and punishes individuality. She’s someone who refuses to bend to expectations, even when it’s costly, and that makes her important to understand. I think Wicked works because it makes you see the world differently, or at least question what you think you know. It’s about looking at situations from a different angle and realizing that people aren’t always what they seem. That’s the part that sticks with me, and also I had a really good time watching it with my mom and sister.

I have faced significant adversities, including periods of homelessness, which have forced me to develop resilience, independence, problem-solving skills and most importantly deep introspection. I know what I want. These experiences have given me a perspective and determination that most applicants simply would not have. Despite challenges, I have maintained my focus on my education while working full time and part time jobs. I have shown signs of personal growth, mentally and physically, showing that I can thrive even under circumstances that might overwhelm others. This scholarship would support my education and it would allow someone who has overcome seemingly impossible or demotivating obstacles to fully pursue their potential. My advantage is that I won't quit.

Hello, my name is Alan but I prefer to go by Joshua (second name). I enjoy playing chess, im currently rated 1900-2000. Any chance I get to play someone in person I always do since I mostly play online. I like to skate, walk with my mom and sister, sew/tailor clothes, make sculptures at my uncles workshop (He is an artist). I am currently really obsessed about nutrition and diets, the biochemistry, evolutionary changes in our physiology, optimization, longevity and overall health. I have many future goals. The first step would be to finish my associates in Math and successfully transfer to a UC School, maybe Berkeley, Santa Cruz or even Stanford?? After that it seems like graduating with my bachelors. This is where it gets tricky, I dont know for certain which career I want but I know that with a degree in Math and some meaningful side projects I can easily pivot into any of these interesting roles, those being investment banking, software engineering or quantitative analyses. All the while I successfully achieve these goals I will make side projects, I have already done some regarding software engineering as I know how to use C++ and javascript. This skill is highly transferable to quantitative analyses which is already a small but important success for me. I believe I should create software in that is related to quant like algorithmic trading. I will also try myself at other entrepreneur businesses. For example, im really good at chess and I have experience teaching senior residents the game, I was thinking I could do online remote 1 on 1 classes and if successful I could start producing chess courses based on knowledge I already have. Further and aside from my career and financial success I would also like to have a family. I would like to have at least 5 children with one beautiful lady and maybe live in europe. Im not exactly sure, in some variations I am living in europe, others I am here in the states. Sometimes I picture myself living in a farm and other times I picture myself living in San Fransisco, the city I was born and partially raised. Im quite fond of this city, i have memories since I was 2 years old and most of them are me and my mom walking through the city, taking bart, the bus… it makes me happy. This scholarship will allow me to use all of my energy and focus while I am a full time student. I strongly believe I will use it correctly to improve and for success. Thank you for this opportunity.

My current Major is Mathematics, im not exactly sure what my career would be but seeing as its a flexible and related degree and I have projects made for the careers im interested, Investment Banking, Software engineering or Quantitative Analyst, I have much time to make that decision. Coming from a Mexican household there was always domestic abuse. Living in this environment I was conditioned to think a certain way, I always thought it was normal and acceptable for parents to beat their children. I always thought that I can never defend against the unjustified blows my dad gave me or even speak against them. I always thought they were justified to make myself a better person, which is what my dad would tell me, “Te estoy pegando para que seas una mejor persona”. My dad would also kick me out many times and I would be homeless up to 2 weeks as I had no relatives nearby and given the way I was raised I was naturally antisocial and reserved, so I had no friends to rely on. My dad took away all the confidence I had and reduced me to insecurity. I remember describing to someone that living with him was like mental torment, their was no pleasing him. Breathe a certain way and you’ll get smacked or yelled at. This sounds ridiculous, it is, but this was reality for me. It wasn't until my dad was in the process of kicking me out at 18 for good that he also tried punching me while yelling, “Te voy a mandar al hospital cabron”, that I decided to break out of that slave mindset, to not allow him to hit me because he is the “master” or the head of the household. That is when I grabbed his wrists and told him that he wasnt going to hit me anymore and I left. Ever since I left I have had struggles with paying bills, unemployment and homelessness but I see these as step towards progress. I have completely changed. I no longer believe it is acceptable to hit a child or even yell angrily, there should be a way with words without aggression always. It is a cycle that needs to stop. The few people that know me have told me that ever since I left I have truly flourished both physically and mentally. I am no longer anti social, I can converse with anyone including other homeless people as I try not to judge but rather experience the beauty and art of maintaining connection through communication. Many stubborn concepts that were wrong from my father’s conditioning are gone. I have learned to appreciate my body and mind more. I have realized that I am capable of breaking barriers, those barriers that seem impossible to break. I want to break them all.