Living alongside chronic illness is often a quiet, relentless experience—especially when the person enduring it is someone you love, someone you once saw as invincible. For much of my life, I’ve watched a strong, intelligent, fiercely independent man gradually lose pieces of himself to a condition that offered no warning and makes no apology. It began with vision loss and slowly crept into cognition, memory, and mobility. Watching that unfold as a child and now as an adult has shaped the way I see the world: fragile in some places, deeply unfair in others, and in constant need of people who are willing to do the hard work of care and advocacy. His condition didn’t just change his life; it altered the course of mine. It reframed my sense of urgency and purpose. It influenced how I spend my time, how I show up for others, and ultimately, how I see my own role in the world. I became a paramedic not just because I wanted to help people—but because I had already lived in a household where stability was a luxury and health was unpredictable. I knew what it meant to be the one who has to stay calm, manage symptoms, translate medical language, and hold things together when others cannot. These skills weren’t taught to me in training—they were carved into me by experience. Despite the emotional toll, I remain driven—perhaps even more so because of it. I know what it means to live with uncertainty. I know what it feels like to grieve someone who is still alive. But I’ve also learned that resilience isn’t born in loud victories; it’s built in quiet, daily decisions. To keep going. To advocate harder. To learn more. And now, to pursue a path in law—not to abandon my background in medicine, but to build on it and speak for those who cannot always speak for themselves. I’ve witnessed firsthand how chronic illness complicates more than just health—it affects employment, insurance, legal documentation, long-term planning, and even how people are treated in institutions. That is why I’m committed to becoming an attorney who focuses on the intersections of healthcare, disability, and civil rights. My goal is to empower families navigating systems that often feel inaccessible and unsympathetic. I want to ensure that providers understand their legal obligations without dehumanizing those in their care. And I want to help write policy that protects the dignity of those living with chronic conditions—before they are in crisis. But I don’t just want to fight systemic injustice from a distance. I plan to stay close to the ground. Even now, I speak up for families whose loved ones are misunderstood or misrepresented. I educate colleagues about the invisible impact of chronic illness. I call out procedural oversights that create barriers to access. These aren’t heroic acts—they’re part of what I believe it means to carry personal experience into professional responsibility. What inspires me to keep going is knowing that my story—and my father’s—can become part of a broader movement toward compassion, competence, and change. His illness has taken much, but it has given me something too: a sense of purpose that is unshakable, because it is not hypothetical. It’s lived. And that kind of purpose doesn’t fade. It fuels. This scholarship would allow me to continue transforming what I’ve lived through into something greater than just a personal narrative—it would support my ability to build tools, write laws, and offer representation that honors every family struggling in silence. Because behind every diagnosis is a world of untold stories—and I intend to help tell them.

My journey began in the back of an ambulance, answering calls in neighborhoods where the cracks in the system are felt most acutely. I’ve spent years as a paramedic, kneeling beside patients at their most vulnerable—bleeding, breathless, or barely conscious—trying to bring order to chaos in moments that rarely make the headlines. It was there that I first understood what it means to serve a community—not just in theory, but in action. But it was also there I began to see the limits of what I could fix from inside the system, and why I now feel called to pursue a legal education to expand the reach of that service. I plan to make my community—and the world—a better place by bridging the dangerous gap between frontline emergency care and the legal systems that govern it. First responders regularly operate in high-stakes environments without the legal training or protections they need to navigate accusations, complaints, or lawsuits. Too often, they are judged by people who have never had to make a life-or-death decision in a matter of seconds. I want to change that. My goal is to become an attorney who not only defends EMS professionals and healthcare workers but also advocates for policies that reflect the realities of their work. Currently, I contribute to my community by serving not just patients, but colleagues. I’ve taken on informal roles of advocacy—mentoring new medics, speaking up when policy feels out of step with practical safety, and encouraging others to report unsafe conditions. When leadership fails to act ethically, I don’t stay silent. I’ve walked away from jobs where integrity was compromised, not because it was easy, but because modeling courage matters. And in doing so, I’ve learned how to speak clearly, act responsibly, and hold systems accountable from within. Reading Lights, Sirens, and Lawyers by David Givot—who also began as a paramedic before becoming an attorney—was a pivotal moment for me. It validated the complexity of our work and the absence of adequate legal advocacy for those in uniform. His example showed me that stepping into the legal field doesn't mean leaving the mission behind—it means carrying it forward in a new form. His work defending providers who’ve been criminally or civilly charged simply for doing their jobs reminded me that change doesn’t come only from protocols—it comes from policy, from precedent, and from people willing to challenge the system with credibility and compassion. After college, I plan to specialize in health law, public safety policy, and professional defense. I want to be the attorney who doesn’t need a crash course in what it’s like to manage an unstable airway in a moving ambulance, or why split-second decisions don’t always look perfect in hindsight. I want to help draft legislation that supports ethical care while protecting those who provide it. I want to educate future first responders about legal rights and risks before they find themselves alone in a courtroom. The world needs professionals who can translate between the language of the field and the language of the law. I’ve lived both, and I intend to be that translator. This scholarship would allow me to continue that trajectory—turning years of real-world experience into long-term advocacy. I don’t just want to improve the system. I want to help rebuild trust within it. Change doesn’t come from one profession alone. It comes from people willing to cross boundaries in service of something greater. That’s what I’m here to do.

Reading Lights, Sirens, and Lawyers by David Givot gave voice to something I have long felt but couldn’t fully articulate—that the line between serving in the field and advocating in the courtroom is thinner than people think. As a paramedic, I’ve operated in high-stakes environments where human decisions meet real consequences. Givot’s story affirmed a truth I’ve experienced firsthand: those who serve at the most critical moments often find themselves legally vulnerable, misunderstood, and underrepresented. His decision to become a lawyer wasn't about leaving EMS—it was about expanding the reach of service. That’s the path I intend to follow. My ambition is not abstract. I’m pursuing a career in law to make a measurable difference in the lives of frontline professionals and the people they serve. That means working to improve the systems that fail them, not just defending them after the fact. It means becoming fluent in the language of policy and statute while never forgetting the language of pain, adrenaline, and moral conflict that shapes emergency medicine. I know firsthand how easy it is to be overlooked in the margins of a system that doesn’t always understand the nuances of decision-making under pressure. I’ve seen colleagues disciplined not because they acted unethically, but because no one in the review process had ever stood in their boots. I’ve watched legal outcomes hinge on interpretation instead of intention. That’s what fuels my drive: the need for more attorneys who don’t just understand the law but understand the work. Givot's book doesn’t glorify the transition from paramedic to attorney—it reveals the weight of carrying both roles. It’s about honoring the responsibility to protect and advocate with the same urgency that drives us to stabilize a crashing patient. For me, that message became a call to action. I don’t want to simply study law—I want to practice it with the same precision and commitment that I bring to emergency scenes. Whether I’m in a courtroom, a conference room, or writing policy, I want to make sure that the people on the frontlines are never left defenseless or unheard. The impact I hope to make is threefold: to serve as legal counsel who deeply understands the field; to contribute to better legal education for first responders; and to help shape laws that reflect the realities of emergency medicine and public safety. This scholarship would directly support that mission by helping me access the education and training needed to become that advocate. More than financial assistance, it represents belief—in my ability to turn lived experience into meaningful reform. I’m not interested in prestige for its own sake. I’m interested in systems change. I want to be the person who walks into a courtroom on behalf of a medic or nurse or firefighter and doesn’t need the whole situation explained—because I’ve been there. That’s the kind of lawyer I want to become. And that’s the kind of impact I intend to make.

My journey toward a career in legislative and policy-related work began not in a classroom, but on the streets—as a paramedic responding to emergencies that revealed the cracks in our public systems. Each siren, each call, and each patient interaction offered a lesson in the real-world consequences of legislative decisions. It became clear to me that laws are not just words on paper—they are lived realities. That frontline experience has shaped my aspiration to influence public policy, specifically at the state level, where healthcare, public safety, and justice often intersect in tangible, urgent ways. As someone currently pursuing a legal education, I view the law as both a shield and a tool. It can protect the vulnerable, but it also holds the power to reform systems that have grown stagnant or inequitable. The state level appeals to me because it offers the unique opportunity to blend ground-level insight with legislative impact. State legislatures oversee vital issues such as Medicaid expansion, emergency services funding, criminal justice reform, and mental health infrastructure—all areas I’ve seen affect lives firsthand. Unlike the often gridlocked federal government, state governments can be more agile, experimental, and responsive to local needs. One current policy issue I care deeply about is the intersection of behavioral health and emergency services. Far too often, paramedics are the first responders to mental health crises. Yet, we are rarely equipped with the policy support or resources to handle these situations effectively. People in crisis are cycled through ERs and jails, not because they are criminals, but because there is no appropriate alternative. This is a systemic failure—one that requires legislative courage and coordination across public health, law enforcement, and community organizations. I envision a policy landscape where mobile crisis units, staffed by clinicians and supported by paramedics, are the norm—not the exception. Where funding flows not just to police departments, but to integrated public safety systems. And where mental illness is treated as a healthcare issue, not a criminal one. These kinds of reforms demand more than data—they require advocates who have seen the system up close and who understand the unintended consequences of well-meaning but flawed policy. None of this work is possible without civil discourse. In today’s polarized climate, civil discourse is often dismissed as naive. But in truth, it is the foundation of effective policymaking. Working in emergency medicine has taught me that communication—clear, respectful, and grounded in empathy—is what saves lives. The same principle applies to politics. Civil discourse allows us to move beyond slogans and soundbites, to ask: What’s the goal here? Whom are we trying to serve? It encourages coalition-building, compromise, and evidence-based solutions over ideological rigidity. I aspire to bring a first responder’s clarity and a legal scholar’s discipline to the policymaking process. My unique vantage point allows me to translate the human stakes of abstract policy debates into compelling, actionable reforms. Whether advocating for expanded EMS protocols, writing legislation that protects public health workers, or chairing a committee on behavioral health, I want to be part of the solution—at the level of government where my voice and lived experience can make the most impact. In the end, my commitment to legislative work is grounded in service—the same calling that led me to the back of an ambulance, and now, into the study of law. I believe policy is the most powerful tool we have to save lives before the 911 call ever happens.

I have served as a paramedic for ten years, bearing witness to the full spectrum of human life and death. In every call—whether a frantic 911 dispatch or a quiet, final breath—I have learned that every life, however vulnerable, is sacred. These experiences have shaped my belief that the law exists to protect the defenseless and give voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. One call still haunts me: a 21‑year‑old woman, terrorized and assaulted, arrived pregnant and terrified. She bore the trauma of violence so immense that, when her baby came, she could not bring herself to look at him. Holding her hand, I felt the depth of her sorrow—and the strength of her choice to carry her child despite unimaginable pain. In that moment, I saw the highest purpose of both medicine and law: to stand beside the vulnerable and affirm the value of every human life. On another night, I cut through mangled steel to reach a trapped driver who desperately handed me his frightened toddler. I cradled that little boy until we could free him—and then sat with the driver’s family as grief stole their final moments together. I have witnessed both the first and last breaths of children, learning that life’s fragile spark demands our fiercest protection. Paramedicine taught me that every emergency is a negotiation of knowledge, time, and compassion under pressure. In the courtroom, attorneys engage in a similar negotiation—of statutes and evidence, deadlines and justice, empathy and advocacy. My decade on the streets has honed my ability to listen beyond words, to anticipate needs, and to act decisively under stress. These skills will serve me well as I transition from EMT gear to legal briefs. “To be pro‑life” is often reduced to slogans, but for me it is a lived ethic: life begins in vulnerability and calls for our unwavering defense. From that first gasp of air in a hospital hallway to the battered mother cradling her newborn against the odds, I have seen that every life issues a plea for protection. My oath as a paramedic—to preserve life—now informs my commitment to pro‑life advocacy in law. In law school, I will focus on family law and constitutional litigation, representing women who face coercion or lack access to care, and advocating for children born into crisis. I plan to litigate and advise on policies that ensure comprehensive prenatal and postnatal support, strengthen protections against sexual violence, and expand maternity and parental leave. Beyond the courtroom, I will collaborate with legislators and community organizations to craft balanced, compassionate laws that honor both mother and child. Leadership in crisis is not learned in classrooms but forged on highways strewn with wreckage and in homes shadowed by grief. I have coordinated multi‑agency responses to mass‑casualty incidents and trained rookie medics in both lifesaving techniques and compassionate care. These experiences have sharpened my judgment, resilience, and empathy—qualities essential to a lawyer entrusted with complex human stories. I apply for this scholarship with a promise: to devote my legal career to those who cannot defend themselves. The law is more than rules and precedents; it is a moral compass pointing toward justice. Drawing on my years as a paramedic, I will approach each case as a human plea for protection, fighting for the dignity and rights of every life. Your support will not only ease my financial burden but will affirm my commitment to be a champion for the voiceless.

Mental health has a slow-burning, widespread impact on society—one that’s often underestimated. After working as a paramedic for over a decade, I’ve come to recognize clear patterns in the patient populations I engage with. One of the most significant patterns I’ve observed revolves around ADHD, and specifically how it impacts executive functioning and the ability to prioritize effectively. It doesn’t just affect school or work—it permeates every facet of adult life. In today’s fast-paced world, the demands of sustaining a functional, healthy lifestyle in America are immense. The executive function skills required to manage everything—employment, bills, appointments, childcare, meals, transportation, relationships, and more—are profound. When someone’s brain struggles with executive functioning, particularly due to ADHD, all these responsibilities can quickly become overwhelming. What often falls to the bottom of the list, tragically, is personal health. Over time, this leads to what I would call “diseases of chronic neglect”—conditions that arise not from one bad decision, but from thousands of missed opportunities to engage in care or prevention. What’s perhaps even more interesting is that this issue is mirrored within the very people who are supposed to help. A significant portion of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics themselves have ADHD. Many of us are high-functioning, driven, and capable—traits that can actually mask the challenges of ADHD. EMS work provides a uniquely intense and stimulating environment, one that seems to override the typical hurdles of attention and focus. In chaotic, life-or-death situations, we find a kind of clarity that’s hard to replicate in daily life. The constant adrenaline, the high stakes, and the structured protocols give our minds the direction they crave. Yet despite this, many EMTs and paramedics are hesitant to seek formal treatment for their ADHD. The reasons are wide-ranging: some worry about the stigma, others fear losing their “edge,” and some subscribe to deeply held beliefs or myths about medication. There’s also a cultural element—an inside joke among us about being “the kids who never used folders.” It’s funny, but it also speaks volumes about how long this has been part of our identity and how normalized disorganization has become in EMS culture. The mental health challenges we see in the public are mirrored within our own ranks. Addressing them requires not just awareness, but a shift in culture—one that embraces vulnerability, prioritizes self-care, and acknowledges that treating ADHD doesn’t mean losing what makes us thrive under pressure.

I believe that individual contributions to a community create lasting change and strong values. For the past ten years, I have dedicated my life to serving my community as a tactical paramedic, firefighter, and rescue technician. I have peeled apart wrecked cars to save trapped victims, swum with crocodiles to recover overturned watercraft, and extended both my hand and my prayers to those enduring immeasurable suffering. I have seen the worst days of people’s lives unfold before me and have done everything in my power to ease their pain. Beyond emergency response, I have worked to educate the next generation of paramedics, instilling in them the values of true compassion, resilience, and the strength found in human connection. In moments of crisis, technical skill matters, but it is the ability to maintain composure and extend kindness that makes a true difference. I have witnessed how a few words of reassurance or a firm, steady hand can provide hope to someone in distress. These experiences have shaped my understanding of service—not just as an occupation but as a calling. As a mother, I am raising my three children to embody these same principles—to be the kind of people who offer aid to those in need and recognize danger before it strikes. I want them to grow into individuals who understand the importance of selflessness, integrity, and vigilance. Leading by example, I have shown them the value of stepping up in times of need, of being the calm in the storm for those who have none. My decision to pursue higher education stems from a desire to elevate my service to my community. Before applying to law school, I plan to complete my associate degree in paralegal studies, followed by a bachelor's degree in paramedicine. My ultimate goal is to merge my medical expertise with legal advocacy, ensuring that those affected by tragedy can seek justice and fair compensation. Many individuals and families face overwhelming legal challenges after life-altering emergencies, and I want to be in a position to help them navigate the system. Additionally, I aspire to protect the first responders and medical providers who selflessly carry out their duties in good faith, ensuring they are shielded from unjust legal repercussions. I have seen firsthand how the weight of legal liability can discourage even the most well-intentioned professionals. At the same time, I am committed to identifying and reforming those who fail to uphold the highest standards of care. Through law, I hope to bridge the gap between emergency response and justice, advocating for both victims and those who dedicate their lives to saving others. True service extends beyond the moment of crisis—it means continuing to stand beside those who need help long after the sirens fade. Whether in the field, in the classroom, or in the courtroom, I am committed to making a difference, ensuring that my community receives the care, protection, and justice it deserves.