I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese student and the third oldest of eight siblings. My family is close, and as strange as it might sound, I think living with limited income and resources has kept us connected. My mother is one of my biggest inspirations because she has such a giving heart and always willing to help others. Over the years, she has helped a lot of people, from friends to family members, who were displaced or did not have anywhere to live. She often did this without any hesitation or asking for anything in return. She is a Vietnamese American, who was born in Germany but relocated to the United States at a young age. She was able to earn her GED and US Citizenship on her own. She has been a solid rock as I faced one of the hardest challenges in my life. In July 2023, just a couple of days after my birthday and as I prepared to enter my senior year, I was involved in a freak accident when a firework landed and exploded in my right eye resulting in significant vision loss, which unfortunately is not repairable. I tried to look on the bright side of things, but this injury changed plans I had for the coming school year including completing my driver’s education class to gain my license. My mom and my family have kept me encouraged. I am motivated to finish this race and attain all my goals including earning my college degree because I want to give myself every opportunity to live the best life possible and I want to show my younger siblings they can do the same. I have been accepted into undergraduate programs to pursue my dreams of securing a degree in architecture and art. I am creative and have feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in my finished projects. I want to increase my knowledge and skills allowing me to transfer my ideas from paper to land, from the classroom to the world. I want to create beautiful sculptures and inspire other minority students to dare to believe they can do this too. I know this will require strict discipline from me and I know I am up for the task. I also plan to explore the option to have a double major or minor in the arts. My hope is to go as far as my path takes me and put the information I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have imagined. It will take time and willpower to get there but I know I will.

I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese student and the third oldest of eight siblings. My family is close, and as strange as it might sound, I think living with limited income and resources has kept us connected. My mother is one of my biggest inspirations because she has such a giving heart and always willing to help others. Over the years, she has helped a lot of people, from friends to family members, who were displaced or did not have anywhere to live. She often did this without any hesitation or asking for anything in return. She is a Vietnamese American, who was born in Germany but relocated to the United States at a young age. She was able to earn her GED and US Citizenship on her own. She has been a solid rock as I faced one of the hardest challenges in my life. In July 2023, just a couple of days after my birthday and as I prepared to enter my senior year, I was involved in a freak accident when a firework landed and exploded in my right eye resulting in significant vision loss, which unfortunately is not repairable. I tried to look on the bright side of things, but this injury changed plans I had for the coming school year including completing my driver’s education class to gain my license. My mom and my family have kept me encouraged. I am motivated to finish this race and attain all my goals including earning my college degree because I want to give myself every opportunity to live the best life possible and I want to show my younger siblings they can do the same. I have been accepted into undergraduate programs to pursue my dreams of securing a degree in architecture and art. I am creative and have feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in my finished projects. I want to increase my knowledge and skills allowing me to transfer my ideas from paper to land, from the classroom to the world. I want to create beautiful sculptures and inspire other minority students to dare to believe they can do this too. I know this will require strict discipline from me and I know I am up for the task. I also plan to explore the option to have a double major or minor in the arts. My hope is to go as far as my path takes me and put the information I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have imagined. It will take time and willpower to get there but I know I will.

As an African American and Vietnamese American male pursing a future architecture and arts major, diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is very important to me because I believe representation matters. Knowing that the people changing the world look like you and understand you and your needs is probably something on which everyone would agree. For example, imagine new computer software for classroom learning is being developed. Having diversity in the STEM designers helps to make sure the software is relatable for all students of different background. When you think about not just our country but the whole world, there are cultures and communities some people will never visit and fully understand their values. That is why I think is crucial for professionals in STEM careers are educated and trained to see life through the eyes of others. Having professionals from different backgrounds, races, genders, ages, and cultures can offer a range of ideas and solutions to problems. One factor in my decision to pursue a STEM career was because I wanted my younger siblings to see anything is possible. That they do not have work fast-food restaurants for the rest of their lives. Learning about and seeing people who share my cultural background was definitely an inspiration for me. Diversity can inspire others and challenge stereotypes about people of certain races. If only 9% of STEM workers are Black, then imagine how this may impacts growth for Black communities. They are very underrepresented so it is probably likely that what they would consider most helpful in meeting their needs may be overlooked. Diversity in the average salaries for White versus Black STEM workers is unfair as well. It is also important for companies and business to have diversity in STEM professionals who can help make decisions, offer insightful feedback from their own experiences, and teach other colleagues how to work with people from different backgrounds. As I begin this journey into the STEM world, I would feel more encouraged and hopeful working with a diverse team of talented architects, who could teach me and guide me despite my race or background. I do not expect to be more valued because I am a minority, but I do expect to have a fair chance of learning and growing regardless of my skin. Finally, diversity in STEM is essential because it leads to better ideas, fairer solutions, more inclusive environments, and endless possibilities that could make this world better.

I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese American college student and the third oldest of eight siblings. I am motivated to finish this race and attain all my goals including earning my college degree because I want to give myself every opportunity to live the best life possible and I want to show my younger siblings they can do the same. I chose to pursue education in architecture and the arts because I am a creative and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in completed designs and finished projects. I hope to increase my knowledge and skills in my field of study that would allow me to transfer my designs from paper to land, and my visions from the classroom to the world. I know this will require strict discipline and I know I am up for the task. I also plan to explore the option to have a double major or minor in the arts. My hope is to go as far as my path takes me and put the information I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have imagined. When I was younger, I used to create objects or drawings using random things from around my house. My imagination ran wild, and I found this both relaxing and rewarding. I used to have classmates ask to have my drawings or creations. Back then I did not understand why but as I continue to take art related classes and better understand art history it all made sense. But I wanted more than to just put my ideas and visions on paper, I wanted to see them standing in the sky or on mountaintops. After college, I pray I secure a career doing what I love by allowing me to design and build massive structures across the world. This is where my visual arts degree will come into the play. To me, being an architect is more challenging than it may seem to others. The imagination used when creating landscapers, landmarks and wonders is limitless. The freedom to create structures specifically for multi terrain environments, such as desert sands and mountain ranges, could change how some cultures embrace community living and address the growing housing crisis in the United States and other countries. Architects do more than produce blueprints instructing people what to build and where. Our decisions and designs will also impact how long those living spaces last and withstand the tests of time. I want to use my degree to inspire those who grew up like I did to dare to dream and I want to be a part of decision-making process when investors want to redesign low-income communities because diversity in STEM careers is crucial. A dream my mom always shared and continues to now is for our family to learn how to build, survive, be strong, and most importantly learn to be independent. I hope to make a difference not just in the world but also within my family. The way I see it, I may be the first in my family to go to college and if that is the case, I want to do it right and lay the best foundation for my younger siblings and generations to come. There may be challenges along the way but I am ready.

I have been accepted into undergraduate programs to pursue my dreams of securing a degree in architecture and art. I am creative and have feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in my finished projects. I want to increase my knowledge and skills allowing me to transfer my ideas from paper to land, from the classroom to the world. I know this will require strict discipline from me and I know I am up for the task. I also plan to explore the option to have a double major or minor in the arts. My hope is to go as far as my path takes me and put the information I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have imagined. I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese student and the third oldest of eight siblings. My family is close, and as strange as it might sound, I think living with limited income and resources has kept us connected. My mother is one of my biggest inspirations because she has such a giving heart and always willing to help others. Over the years, she has helped a lot of people, from friends to family members, who were displaced or did not have anywhere to live. She often did this without any hesitation or asking for anything in return. She is a Vietnamese American, who was born in Germany but relocated to the United States at a young age. She was able to earn her GED and US Citizenship on her own. She has been a solid rock as a faced one of the hardest challenges in my life. In July 2023, just a couple of days after my birthday and as I prepared to enter my senior year, I was involved in a freak accident when a firework landed and exploded in my right eye resulting in significant vision loss, which unfortunately is not repairable. I tried to look on the bright side of things, but this injury changed plans I had for the coming school year including completing my driver’s education class to gain my license. My mom and my family have kept me encouraged. After college, I hope I land a career that I love and would allow me to design and build huge projects that will last for decades. This is where my arts degree will come into the picture. Although I could pursue an art degree or enter trade school to learn construction, that is not really where my passion lies. Being an architect excites me and involves so much more than others may realize. The imagination used to create amazing designs can be limitless. The freedom of creating structures to support multi terrain environments, such as desert sands and mountain ranges, can promote change in community living and the growing housing crisis in the United States and other countries. Architects do more than create blueprints telling people what to build and where. Our decisions and designs could also impact how long those living spaces last and withstand all weather conditions. It will take time and willpower to get there but I know I will get everything I dreamed.

Over the years my mom, who is one of my biggest inspirations, has helped a lot of people, from friends to family members, who were displaced or did not have anywhere to live. She often did this without any hesitation or asking for anything in return. She is a Vietnamese American, who was born in Germany but relocated to the United States at a young age, leaving her parents and siblings behind to start a life of her own. She quickly became a new mother in a foreign land with little to no support. As our family grew, we have faced many barriers including the risk of homelessness several times but maintaining optimism, she always found a ray of sunshine for us to focus on. My mom believed if you do good things for people, good things will come to you. I am convinced she passed this value onto to me. There have been many instances when my classmates or friends had nowhere to go, and I went to my mom to advocate for them until they could return home or get to a safer place. Helping my friends and family felt natural rather than doing them a favor. An example closer to home of how I helped others in need was during the early period of COVID-19, when life was forever changed around the globe. Covid brought about new challenges in practically every aspect of life, especially the less fortunate families and students. Social distancing was enforced all around, schools, stores, parks, even at hospitals. Our family was directly impacted by a loss of income. I am the third oldest of eight siblings. It was a very hard time for our family of ten especially because there were many times, we were unsure where our next meals would come from, but we remained close and as always figured things out using food banks or contacting family for support. Even though I enjoyed participating in school sports like football and track, I decided to sacrifice those activities to take on two part-time jobs to help support the things my family needed. I worked as often as they allowed me to work and still managed to keep my school grades up and maintained good attendance while doing so. I also was enrolled in AP classes during this time. I was also to find enjoyment and fulfillment in my art related classes including an AP art. I am sure there are other students who can relate to making sacrifices like this and to be honest I do not have any regrets. Helping others just seems like the right thing to do whenever you can. If everyone embraced this way of thinking, the world could be a much better place for all of us.

Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal rights. Veganism is a lifestyle for people who want to avoid consuming any products that were created from animals or the hurt/harm of animals. I think the two intersect because they afford individual justice based on their individual needs or beliefs. Most of people in the world consume animal products as their right to do so. There are less than one percent of vegans in the world, however, their individual preferences and rights she be protected. One social justice area that is often talked about is the lack of quality and affordable healthcare to everyone. Some people think people should just take what they should get just like with vegans. Some people feel vegans should not receive special accommodations. In both cases, it seems people do not take into consideration individual needs. They might be looking at things from their limited perspectives because the issues may not impact them. Working in fast food restaurants I have encounter a lot of customers who were vegans and requested certain food to avoid animal products and possible cross-contamination. I also grew up with limited resources and received state funded health insurance which unfortunately did not always meet my needs. I had to settle for what was covered through my insurance and sometimes vegans are forced to do the same when dining out. This affected my daily life because I had a freak accident last summer that resulted in the loss of vision in my right eye. I had limited options in the medical care of my state insurance and could not afford to see a specialist, who may have been able to do more. Similar for vegans, who sometimes must settle for what if offered on a menu despite what they would prefer to have. Despite their personal values. I am sure if they could all afford private chefs that would be better they would go that route. However, they should be able to enjoy healthy foods at restaurants without the fear of being contaminated. It is important to respect one another's personal preferences and consider inclusion. You never know when you will need someone or a business to show you the same compassion. I try to live my life by treating other people the way I want them to treat me. I think this is a good rule for all of us to follow.

I am applying for this scholarship to help cover my tuition and housing fees as an incoming freshman. I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese student and the third oldest of eight siblings. I am motivated to complete college to give them hope to do the same. When COVID stopped the world, I was not sure college would be an option especially when businesses were closed, and jobs were lost. I remember feeling frustrated, angry, and even scared sometimes. But deep inside I knew I could not let like this change my future. I sacrificed a lot during my high school years including participating in clubs, extracurricular and community services activities to help the needs in my family. Although I enjoyed participating in sports, I decided to take on part-time work to help cover the things I needed for school. On a positive note, I found enjoyment and fulfillment in my art related classes including an Advance Placement art. My personal and academic achievement are connected to one of the biggest challenges of my life so far. In July 2023, just a couple of days after my birthday and as I prepared to enter my senior year, I was involved in a freak accident when a firework landed and exploded in my right eye resulting in significant vision loss, which unfortunately is not repairable. This injury changed plans I had for the coming school year including completing my driver’s education class to gain my license. I became fired up to graduate and go to college. I enrolled in an accelerated program to finish my few remaining credits and between multiple surgical procedures, maintained employment at two jobs to save for college. I was determined to seize the moment was in front of me and I am committed to giving all I have and can to secure my future. My goal is to secure my degree with a focus in the arts and architecture. I am creative and have also felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in my finished projects. I want to increase my knowledge and skills from paper to land; from the classroom to the world. This will require strict discipline from me and I know I am up for the task. After college, I want a career I love and would allow me to design and build huge projects that will last for decades. I am also passionate about becoming an architect which is way more than what others may realize. The imagination you can put behind a build design is limitless. The freedom of creating structures fit for multi terrain environments, such as desert sands and mountain ranges, could promote change in community living and the growing housing crisis in the United States and other countries. My aspiration is to go as far as my path takes me and put the knowledge I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have dreamed.

I am applying for this scholarship to help cover my tuition and housing fees as an incoming freshman. I am a first generation African American and Vietnamese student and the third oldest of eight siblings. My family is close, and as strange as it might sound, I think living with limited income and resources has kept us connected. I am motivated to reach all my goals including earning my college degree. I want to give myself every opportunity to live the best life possible. When COVID stopped the world, I was not sure college would be an option especially when businesses were closed, and jobs were lost. I remember feeling frustrated, angry, and even scared sometimes. But deep inside I knew I could not let like this change my future. I sacrificed a lot during my high school years including participating in clubs, extracurricular and community services activities to help the needs in my family. Although I enjoyed playing football and being on the track team, I decided to take on part-time work positions to help cover the things I needed for school or wanted as a teenager. On a positive note, I found enjoyment in my art classes and found fulfillment in my art related classes including an Advance Placement art. My personal and academic achievement are connected to one of the biggest challenges of my life so far. In July 2023, just a couple of days after my birthday and as I prepared to enter my senior year, I was involved in a freak accident when a firework landed and exploded in my right eye resulting in significant vision loss, which unfortunately is not repairable. I tried to look on the bright side of things, but this injury changed plans I had for the coming school year including completing my driver’s education class to gain my license. However, instead of sulking with depression, I became fired up to graduate and go to college. I enrolled in an accelerated program to finish my few remaining credits and between multiple surgical procedures, maintained employment at two jobs to save for college. No one really understood how I was feeling but I knew without a doubt my journey was not over. I was determined to seize the moment was in front of me and I am committed to giving all I have and can to secure my future. My goal is to secure my degree with a focus in the arts and architecture. I am creative and have also felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in my finished projects. I want to increase my knowledge and skills from paper to land; from the classroom to the world. This will require strict discipline from me and I know I am up for the task. After college, I hope to secure a career that I love and would allow me to design and build huge projects that will last for decades. This is where a visual arts degree will come into the picture. I am also passionate about becoming an architect which is way more than what others may realize. The imagination you can put behind a build design is limitless. The freedom of creating structures fit for multi terrain environments, such as desert sands and mountain ranges, could promote change in community living and the growing housing crisis in the United States and other countries. Architects do more than create blueprints telling people what to build and where. Our decisions and designs could also impact how long those living spaces last and withstand the tests of time. My hope is to go as far as my path takes me and put the knowledge I gain to use for a better life. I want to challenge myself to be as successful as I have dreamed.