Sitting in my Chemistry lecture during sophomore year, surrounded by concepts that felt completely foreign, I remember thinking, "When will I ever use this as a physical therapist?" The material felt useless, the assignments overwhelming, and despite hours of studying, I still couldn't grasp the concepts. In that moment, I felt the weight of being a first-generation student, navigating academic challenges without being able to turn to parents who had been through college themselves and could say, "I remember struggling with chemistry too, here's how I got through it." Being a first-generation student means walking a path no one in my immediate family has traveled. My family has been incredibly supportive of my college journey because they want me to succeed in life, but their encouragement comes without the roadmap that comes from experience. When I struggled with Chemistry and Anatomy, feeling unmotivated and lost, I couldn't turn to parents who understood the academic demands of pre-physical therapy coursework. Instead, I had to learn to advocate for myself, reaching out to professors, teaching assistants, friends, and even my grandparents for whatever guidance they could offer. The challenges extend beyond academics. Campus resources exist, but finding and navigating them feels like solving a puzzle without the box cover. Simple things that other students take for granted, knowing to visit professors during office hours, understanding how to balance course loads, or even knowing what questions to ask, require extra effort, courage when you're figuring it out alone. Financially, being first-generation means carrying the full weight of college costs with limited family resources to fall back on. I receive no grants or financial aid beyond a merit scholarship from Grand Canyon University for maintaining good grades. To cover car insurance, groceries, and school supplies, I work an on-campus job that, frankly, isn't fulfilling and involves poor management. Every dollar I earn goes toward immediate needs, leaving little for the job shadowing hours I need to qualify for graduate school. My dreams are rooted in my Christ-centered worldview, which shapes every aspect of my life. I want to become a physical therapist not just to have a successful career, but to make a meaningful impact by improving people's lives and delivering results that truly benefit them. I want to be known as someone who is successful, helpful, trustworthy, reliable, and Christ-like in my approach to patient care. My goal is to eventually own my practice, where I can create an environment that treats patients with the dignity and compassion that reflects my faith. What drives me is believing my education represents breaking barriers for my family. Every challenge I overcome proves determination and faith can triumph over obstacles. This scholarship would allow me to reduce work hours and focus on studies, particularly graduate school preparation. Most importantly, it would enable job shadowing hours required for physical therapy programs, opportunities I currently can't pursue. Being first-generation means opening doors for those who come after me. This scholarship would help me continue that journey with purpose.

As a junior at Grand Canyon University studying Exercise Science with a pre-physical therapy emphasis, my passion for human health and wellness was forged on the athletic fields of my small high school. Playing varsity basketball, soccer, and tennis for four years while earning awards and serving as soccer team captain three times, I learned that individual success means nothing if your teammates aren't healthy and thriving. What shaped me most was watching teammates get injured and seeing their pain, not just physical, but the emotional toll of being sidelined. At a small school competing against larger, better-funded programs, we needed every player at their best to have a chance. This reality taught me that health isn't just about one person; it affects entire communities and teams. My faith as a Christian has instilled values of service, compassion, and treating others with dignity. As a first-generation college student, I've learned resilience and the importance of not giving up when facing challenges. My volunteer work at the Arlington Food Bank in Washington showed me how small acts of service can impact people's wellbeing beyond just physical health. These experiences, athletics, faith, family background, and service, have shown me that human health and wellness require treating the whole person with empathy and understanding. Empathy, to me, means truly listening to someone, acknowledging their pain, and taking action to help improve their situation. It's not just saying "I understand," but actually demonstrating through your words and actions that you care about their wellbeing and believe in their ability to overcome challenges. In healthcare, empathy means seeing the person behind the diagnosis and treating them with the same compassion you'd want for yourself or your loved ones. During my junior year of high school, I experienced firsthand how empathy transforms the healing process. I sprained my ankle during spring basketball practice, right in the middle of soccer season. For 2-3 weeks, I couldn't play, a devastating blow as team captain when my team needed me most. What could have been a purely negative experience became a learning opportunity because of how our athletic trainer approached my care. Rather than just treating my ankle as an isolated injury, he understood my role as a team leader and my frustration at being sidelined. He encouraged me to continue leading warm-ups and providing feedback during practices and games, recognizing that my mental health and sense of purpose were just as important as my physical recovery. During those weeks when I couldn't participate fully, we worked together on ankle exercises, and he patiently answered my questions about physical therapy and injury prevention. His approach kept me connected to my team while focusing on proper healing. When I was cleared to return, he didn't just send me back onto the field. He checked on me before games, taped my ankle, and asked how I felt, not just physically, but emotionally. He understood that my confidence needed rebuilding along with my ankle strength. This human-centered approach helped me return not just as a functional player, but as a confident leader. This experience, combined with my long relationship with my naturopathic doctor who has checked on my overall wellbeing since childhood, has shown me what human-centered healthcare looks like. It's about seeing the whole person, their fears, goals, relationships, and identity, not just their symptoms or injuries. In my future career as a physical therapist, I will ensure human-centered care by actively listening to patients' concerns and reflecting back what I hear to show I understand. I'll acknowledge their frustrations and fears while encouraging them that improvement is possible through our collaborative efforts. I'll recognize that an athlete's identity isn't just physical, being sidelined affects their mental health, team relationships, and self-worth. I'll work to keep them connected to their passions and communities during recovery, just as my athletic trainer did for me. Most importantly, I'll remember that every patient is someone's teammate, family member, or friend. Their health affects not just them, but everyone who cares about them. By treating each person with empathy and focusing on their complete wellbeing, physical, mental, and emotional, I can help them not just recover, but thrive in all aspects of their lives.

Standing on the basketball court during my senior year of high school, receiving my third consecutive Best Defender Award, I realized that true excellence isn't about individual recognition; it's about consistently giving your best effort while making everyone around you better. Basketball taught me that defense wins games, but more importantly, it taught me that protecting and supporting your teammates creates lasting success. Like Kalia Davis, I believe that real achievement comes from giving your best in every area of life while lifting others along the way. Throughout high school, I dedicated myself to varsity basketball, soccer, and tennis for four years, earning the Best Defender Award in basketball three consecutive times and serving as soccer team captain for three years. These athletic experiences taught me discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, qualities that have carried over into my academic pursuits at Grand Canyon University, where I maintain a 3.4 GPA as a junior studying Exercise Science with a pre-physical therapy emphasis. Sports became more than competition; they were my training ground for character development and work ethic. My commitment to community service began in high school through volunteering at the Arlington Food Bank in Washington, where I helped sort and distribute food to families in need. This experience opened my eyes to the challenges many people face and reinforced my desire to serve others through my future career. Working alongside other volunteers taught me that small acts of service can create meaningful impacts in people's lives. As a first-generation college student, I've navigated higher education while working part-time as a sales associate to cover expenses. Balancing academics, work, and personal responsibilities has required careful time management and unwavering dedication, but these challenges have only strengthened my resolve to succeed. I understand the value of hard work and making the most of every opportunity, principles that align perfectly with Kalia's legacy of excellence and determination. My goal is to become a licensed physical therapist and eventually own my practice, where I can help people recover from injuries and regain their strength and mobility. Having experienced sports injuries myself and worked with physical therapists throughout my athletic career, I've seen how these professionals combine medical expertise with genuine encouragement to help people overcome physical challenges. I want to be that source of hope and healing for others, particularly athletes who face similar struggles. This scholarship would provide crucial financial support as I continue my undergraduate studies and prepare for graduate school. As someone managing tuition costs independently, this assistance would allow me to focus more fully on my academics rather than worrying about financial stress. More importantly, receiving this scholarship would connect me to Kalia's inspiring legacy of excellence, service, and determination. Kalia Davis exemplified what it means to live with purpose, combining academic excellence with athletic achievement and community service. Her commitment to making a positive impact through her work with the Black Student Union and her plans for military service inspire me to use my education and future career to serve others. This scholarship would not only honor her memory but also support someone who shares her dedication to living, loving, laughing, learning, and leaving a lasting legacy of service and excellence.

I have learned that growth often begins when you step out of your comfort zone. For me, this became clear when I started job shadowing at physical therapy clinics. At first, it was intimidating to walk into a new environment, observing professionals at work and interacting with patients. Yet, those moments showed me that the best way to grow is by embracing new challenges with faith and determination. They pushed me to envision a future where I could use my skills and compassion to help people heal, recover, and thrive. My background has been shaped by both challenges and opportunities that have taught me resilience, discipline, and perseverance. Balancing work, school, and personal responsibilities has never been easy, but I see every obstacle as preparation for what lies ahead. My faith in God has been the foundation of this perspective. Scripture reminds me that trials produce endurance, and endurance produces character. That truth has guided me through difficult times and shaped how I view setbacks, not as endings, but as stepping stones to something greater. This faith-driven perspective has influenced my decision to pursue a career in physical therapy. I am currently studying exercise science as a pre-physiotherapy student, and I plan to continue on to graduate school to become a licensed physical therapist. My passion lies in serving people directly by helping them relieve pain, regain mobility, and maintain healthier, more active lives. I aim to utilize my education and future career to connect with people where they are, support them through their struggles, and offer them hope that they can recover and live fully. Physical therapy appeals to me because it is about more than treatment plans and exercises. It is about walking alongside someone in their hardest moments and showing them that progress is possible. When patients face discouragement or feel limited by injury or illness, a physical therapist has the privilege of helping them rediscover their potential. That is the type of impact I want to have, combining medical knowledge with compassion, encouragement, and faith. What has prepared me for this path are the lessons I have already learned through academics, work, and personal growth. Time management, perseverance, and humility have been key to balancing my responsibilities. More importantly, I have learned to never underestimate the power of encouragement. Whether it is supporting classmates, helping customers at work, or volunteering, I see how small acts of kindness can uplift others. These experiences remind me that my future career is not just about physical care, but also about building confidence and hope in the people I serve. My aspiration is not only to succeed in this field but also to make a broader positive impact. Because of my worldview and the challenges I have overcome, I see my career as a calling to bring light into people’s lives. I want to embody resilience, kindness, and self-belief in the way I practice physical therapy and in how I live my life. This aligns with the very heart of the Doc & Glo Scholarship, which honors ambition, need, and boldness. Receiving this scholarship would not only provide financial support but it would also affirm my belief that pursuing this path is worthwhile. It would encourage me to keep pressing forward toward my goals and to use my education to serve others with integrity and care. I am grateful for this opportunity to share my story, and I am committed to living out the values that this scholarship represents.