As a Mechanical Engineering student, I have always been fascinated by the intricacies of mechanics. However, my pursuit of academic excellence has been met with several challenges, mainly because of my family's health issues. My mother's health complications have required countless hospital visits, surgeries, and many medications. Witnessing her struggles has been both distressing and a valuable lesson in resilience and perseverance. Her tenacity to surmount these obstacles has instilled within me the same drive to push through difficulties and never give up. Similarly, my sister's ongoing battle with bipolar depression has been another source of distress. Observing her struggle through debilitating mood swings has made me feel helpless. However, seeing the positive impact of therapy and medication on her life has also reminded me of the importance of prioritizing mental health. The financial burden of my family's medical bills has been considerable, and it has added stress and anxiety to our daily lives. Pursuing higher education seemed like an impossible dream, but this scholarship has given me hope. With the financial support it provides, I will be able to focus on my studies without adding further financial strain on my family. The scholarship will provide a much-needed respite from the mounting costs of my family's medical bills. I can now concentrate on my academic pursuits without worrying about the financial implications for my family. This financial stability will enable me to be more present and attentive to my family's needs without feeling overwhelmed by financial worry. Furthermore, this scholarship will not only alleviate the financial burden on my family but will also allow me to take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by my university. For instance, I am interested in participating in research projects and internships that will help me gain practical experience in my field. However, these opportunities are often unpaid, and I cannot afford to participate without additional financial assistance. As an aspiring engineer, I am committed to utilizing my education and skills to make a positive impact on society. Through technological advancements, we can address some of the most pressing issues facing our planet, such as climate change, pollution, and poverty. This scholarship will allow me to pursue my goals and work towards creating a better future for all. In conclusion, my family's health issues have presented significant financial burdens. Still, this scholarship provides the much-needed financial assistance to pursue my academic goals without adding additional stress to my family. It will allow me to be more attentive to my family's needs and take on more responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, it will enable me to take advantage of unique opportunities offered by my university that will help me gain practical experience in my field. Ultimately, the scholarship will empower me to achieve my dreams and make a positive impact on society. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and promise to make the most of it.

As a college Kendo practitioner, I've learned valuable lessons applicable to my academics and life. Focus and dedication are crucial skills, honed with more practice. I've improved my time management and respect for goals. Tenacity and resilience are also important; Kendo requires continuously overcoming obstacles. This mindset has helped me in both academics and martial arts. The virtue of tenacity and resilience is a further crucial lesson. To succeed in kendo, you must continually overcome hurdles, such as learning a new technique or taking part in a tournament. I was able to maintain my resolve in the face of difficulties, and this approach has aided me both in my academic and martial arts endeavors. Mechanical engineering at Cal Poly Pomona and Kendo share commonalities. Both require a good grasp of mechanics and physics. Kendo demands precision and attention to detail in posture and footwork to strike effectively, and mechanical engineering requires accuracy to avoid design errors. Therefore, both necessitate a sharp eye for detail. Overall, the lessons and skills taken from college Kendo have been invaluable in my personal and academic life. These lessons have helped me become more disciplined, focused, and resilient.

I have always been very passionate about my culture. When I was young, I had to do an assignment for school about family heritage, this is where I learned I was German: or at least partially. After that school assignment, I was intrigued. I remembered using what little resources I had to learn more about Germany and its culture. Asking my dad and grandfather what they knew about this place that was so far from me. As I grew older I continued to learn and do more research on Germany. and my passion for the culture grew When I was in high school, my dad asked me if I wanted to go to Oktoberfest with him, a German festival. I was elated by this and immediately agreed. When we got there, it was a lot to take in. I could hear music and chanting from the people already inside and the smell of pretzels and Bratwurst filled the open Autumn air. As I approached the tent, I could hear the chanting and singing getting louder, and when I entered I could hear what the people were saying “Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!” My dad told me that it was a chant used during Oktoberfest, it meant “A toast, a toast, a cozy place!” When the dancing commenced I didn’t participate but I observed what they were doing, they all seemed like they were having a marvelous time. Because of this wonderful experience, my family soon started making plans to go to Germany, and even though I haven’t gone yet, we are still planning on it very soon.

Our eyes widened as we stared down at the text in front of us. “Hey guys, I’m going to be gone for a bit due to personal reasons; from now on Khayden is in charge.” Our shocked and confused faces turned to one another as we thought about what we were going to do, our President just left the newspaper! This thrust me into a leadership role that I didn’t want and wasn’t prepared for in the slightest; I was only the recently promoted Vice President. I had no idea how to run a club, especially one that was dying. I knew the club needed a plan, but what exactly, I had no clue. So, I immediately called a cabinet meeting to figure out what we were going to do. I told them that we needed ideas, ideas that would make the club more well-known. The cabinet racked their brains trying to come up with solutions. Good ideas were passed around; however, nothing stuck. Then, I found it; what if we changed the name! The name of the newspaper was often confused with the ASB segments, so a name change was sorely needed if we wanted to spread the word: it was genius. Everything started to look up for the club. It was easier to promote since people wouldn’t associate it with the ASB, and thanks to my amazing cabinet making posters, and working long hours with printers we were able to get a flyer in every classroom on campus. Now, the club is doing much better. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult to achieve the goals I set in place, but thanks to my fantastic cabinet, as well as their effort and execution of those ideas, it has been a lot easier on everyone.

Joy comes from doing the things I am interested in, learning more about them, doing them, and experiencing them with others. Nothing brings me more joy than science. My interest in science probably started before I was in elementary school. If I thought about it hard enough I could probably remember almost every time that I begged my parents for a microscope, or even the times I asked my dad how electricity worked. The subject always seemed so fascinating to me, but it didn’t truly develop until middle school. There, I was lucky enough to be offered a STEM class where my liking for science flourished into a full obsession. In the STEM class, the teacher taught us everything from how wind energy worked to how meteor impacts affected the landscape. From then on I knew how much I loved science, and my intrigue only grew from there. I took the hardest science classes that were offered, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Chemistry. If it was difficult and includes science, I took it. These events were 100% the right move in my eyes because even though it was incredibly stressful, it opened up doors for me that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. My love for science pushed me to join the Science Bowl. Which had a bridge-building competition. We had to design the structure then make it out of very flimsy wood and glue. The bridge was then tested by applying mass to the center. The judges would then measure how much the bridge held while also taking into account the weight of the bridge. I worked hard and received first place. The joy I received when I read the score sheet and saw that I got first place was overwhelming, my hard work paid off and that was amazing.

Almost two years ago now I was introduced to the amazing world of mechanical engineering, and with that came experience using CAD. I learned early on how much I liked using the software; being able to create something on a computer and seeing that very same object in a 3D space. It was so fascinating to me. It was incredible and interesting. Then I learned how to upload those files to a micro SD card which I could then give to my 3D printer and have it print them in real-time. It blew my mind! I was so enthralled with the software and the mechanics behind it. I remember spending hours just messing with it and seeing what I could do, late nights making brackets and screws and random objects. It was hours spent behind a computer, but it was worth it. I soon became one of the best CADers in my group. I got so good that the head of my robotics team asked if I wanted to co-teach CADing at the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier. It was insane how I could go from someone who didn’t even know what CAD was to teaching a class full of middle schoolers in only a year. My passion for CAD did not fade even after I finished teaching the course; however, thanks to school eating up my time, I wasn’t able to devote as much as I wanted to CADing. I do still attempt to CAD in the amount of free time I do have, particularly when I need to 3D print something around my house. I still love everything about the software and I hope to use it professionally someday, as well as improve my skills along the way.