Growing up with my mother as my primary parent has been the most defining experience of my life. She raised my sister and me with an immense amount of love, pouring everything she had into ensuring that we never felt the absence of anything — emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. From an early age, she taught us to value our strengths, recognize our self-worth, and believe in our ability to shape our own futures. She emphasized that while relationships are important, our personal happiness should never depend entirely on someone else. Through her example and her lessons, she instilled in us the importance of caring for ourselves, both inside and out. My mother has always seen the potential in me, even when I doubted it myself. She pushed me to excel academically, not with harshness, but with the belief that I am capable of great things. Her daily affirmations — reminding me that I am smart, hardworking, and deserving of success — built the foundation of confidence that I carry with me today. Every award, every good grade, and every achievement has been, in part, a reflection of her unwavering support and belief in me. However, our journey has not been without hardship. I come from a low-income background, and a a first-generation student. During my junior year of high school, my mother lost her job, and since then, financial struggles have been a constant reality for us. Despite the added stress, she never allowed it to diminish her positivity or her encouragement. Watching her remain strong during the most difficult times has been a powerful lesson in perseverance, resilience, and unconditional love. As I move forward with my education, I carry with me not only my own dreams but the dreams my mother has for me as well. Receiving this scholarship would ease the financial burden on our family and allow me to focus fully on my studies without the constant worry about how we will make ends meet. More importantly, it would be a step toward my ultimate goal: to earn a degree, build a successful career, and one day repay my mother for every sacrifice she made for me. Her love and sacrifices have shaped me into who I am today, and I am determined to honor her by making the most of every opportunity I am given. I believe my passion for learning, combined with the financial burden my family and I have taken on, fuels my motivation to succeed in school. I am fully committed to doing everything in my power to earn my degree.

Over the past three years, I’ve experienced more financial difficulty and hardship than in any other year of my schooling. I am a first-generation student from a low-income family and can barely afford to attend or pursue an education. My mom was laid off from her last job during my junior year of high school and hasn’t been able to find a new job in over two years. As a result—and because we didn’t have much in savings to begin with—my grandmother has had to make immense sacrifices without support from any other family members. She has taken out loans for my sister and me to attend school, which will take a long time to pay off. Consistently, I receive updates from my mom regarding the tension within my household due to these monetary sacrifices. In addition to financial struggles related to tuition, I’ve faced a number of non-academic hardships. These include worrying whether my phone service will be shut off, not being able to afford food, water, self-care, or cleaning products for my dorm, and the most difficult of all: my family not being able to visit because gas for the trip is too expensive. We unfortunately were unable to receive any federal financial aid or assistance—scholarships are my only hope. I dedicate at least two hours every day to applying for any scholarship I can find. So far, I haven’t been awarded any (lol), but my spirits remain incredibly high. I have a deep belief in myself and my ability to graduate from college and build a stable career. I’m also actively trying to get a job to afford basic necessities like groceries, textbooks, and more. So far, my only experience has been a seasonal position over the holiday break, but I continue to apply and plan to work and save all summer to relieve some financial stress from my family and support my education. My dream is to be able to sustain a career in clinical neuropsychology where I can study neurosciences in order to relieve symptoms and/or find a cure for epilepsy in children, as I have struggled with this disorder personally my entire life. I believe my passion for learning, combined with the financial burden my family and I have taken on, fuels my motivation to succeed in school. I will continue to attend all my classes, do my best on every assignment, and maintain my A/B average. Being an AP student since middle school has helped shape my personal drive and determination. I am fully committed to doing everything in my power to earn my degree. (My father is not in the picture, I’ve attached a photo of my me, my mom, and twin sister)