One Christmas I vividly remember writing a letter to God asking Him to give me a baby brother or sister. It seems outlandish and despite the denied request, I knew from an early age that I loved little ones. Once I had to contemplate my future, I followed my passion for serving children within the healthcare field. In the Spring of 2024, I transferred to a 4-year university and changed my major to Communication Disorders and Sciences. I barely knew anything about the major coming in, but within my first semester, I made the Dean's List, got myself involved in observation/research opportunities, and networked with faculty and professional SLPs. I always knew I was passionate about working with children, as their innocence and pure curiosity for the wonders around them inspire me profoundly. For two years, I worked in various kids clubs around San Bernardino where I became a mentor for children and learned the fundamentals of childcare, even receiving an award for my upstanding performance. I now work part-time as an early interventionist/behavioral therapist, providing one-on-one support to kids with autism from 6 months to 12 years of age. On the weekends, I volunteer at Loma Linda Children's Hospital where I connect with children admitted for serious medical complications, trying to brighten their stay. My personal and clinical experience with children and their development has led me to my intended career path as a pediatric speech-language pathologist. Communication is a pivotal aspect of human nature, allowing us to connect through different components of language. Winning this scholarship will alleviate the stress caused by high tuition/book costs and allow me to focus on building foundations and advocating for speech therapy. I strive to be the support system for families and individuals who struggle with speaking and ultimately gain their confidence back. Now that I am amidst my Communication Disorders undergrad, I realize the importance of career advocacy, especially in healthcare. I have been in this position before of cold calling clinics inquiring about shadowing and scrolling on related organizations’ pages to discover outdated/nonsensical information. ACHE provides support to students pursuing a future in the healthcare field by encouraging relevant educational opportunities and a range of networking possibilities. Being able to connect to a group of professionals already within this field will provide me with the mentorship and support required for navigating such a seemingly daunting field. As an aspiring SLP, I strive to provide foundations of speech to my patients and to advocate for this field. Given my experiences, I plan to continue learning outside the job, promote equity, and create an environment that fosters curiosity. We need more passionate and driven folks who are in this field beyond the paycheck and clock-in sheet but rather choose to continually uplift and inspire patients, mentees, and the world around them.

In a world filled with heightened levels of narcissism, greed, and excessiveness, many people rely on their abilities to dictate the truth. This is a stark difference from believers of Christ, who are called to submit themselves to the Lord and walk in His truth. Growing up as a young believer in Southern California, I have seen both sides and have developed my own perception of man's truth versus God's truth. "New age theory" is a glamourized movement centered around the universe and everything within being all interconnected. Through astrology, tarot cards, and meditation, many people fall into this trap of self-empowerment. They believe that by awakening their minds spiritually, they will be able to connect more intuitively with themselves, holding the same power that keeps the planets in orbit. I have seen many videos and posts online encouraging the younger generation to practice manifestation and "The Law of Attraction". These creators claim that by creating precise vision boards, actively journaling, and reciting affirmations, we can achieve anything we want in life. Whether that be a specific model of a car, a successful career, or even the person we want to be with, this theory assures that with the right mindset, we are in control of our own lives. In Romans 1:18-26, Paul introduces the sinful nature of humans which results in God's ultimate wrath. Verse 21 NIV reads, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened". Don't get me wrong, I believe that we can aspire for goals, but all of which should go straight to God as He knows what's best for us. I was raised to believe that God answers prayers in three ways: no, not yet, and yes. Rather than jump the gun and "manifest" my goals through my abilities, I choose to pray and ask God for wisdom and direction. New age promotes a sense of selfishness and greed, as it overlooks God's timing and focuses on the materialistic and ongoing wants of the individual. Romans 1:25 NIV highlights, "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen." Every 9 in 10 Americans practice a form of new ageism, meaning they are inherently not setting their foundations on our Creator, but rather to the universe, an idol, or themselves. God is 3 entities: The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. He is the all-powerful and all-knowing. He created the Heavens, Earth, and everything in between, yet knows and cares for every fiber of each being and object. God knew each of us before we were born in our mothers' wombs, and designed a detailed course for our lives. His goodness is not wavering or dependent on how many journal entries we write or how many affirmations we say. Instead, when we submit to God, we leave all our goals and desires to Him. Naturally we become more obedient and humble living in God's truth, placing our faith in His timing and plan. God's truth isn't that as believers we will become the richest or healthiest, but rather that we are entrusting the one and only absolute being who knows what is best for us. As an aspiring pediatric speech pathologist balancing 6 courses, volunteer/clinical experience, and part-time ABA work, I know my future requires faith and hard work. No matter the obstacle, personally or professionally, I place my faith in our living God for nothing is impossible through Him.

Remember in "The Office" when Kevin Malone ran over the turtle in the parking lot, yet continued to glue it back together in hopes of saving it? Of course, that turtle was dead the second Kevin ran over it, but that same childlike wonder and heart engrained Kevin to become one of my favorite characters in the show. Kevin was made out to be this caricature of clumsiness, incompetence, gluttony, and an overall burden to the office. Despite what his coworkers and others perceived of him, we could see glimpses of his true character and how he was actually misunderstood throughout the seasons. Kevin was intelligent in his own way, as showcased by his ability to do quick math if food is involved, win poker competitions, and even beat out Oscar's team in trivia. However, Angela and Oscar continually looked down on Kevin as a liability in the accounting department, unaware he was more than capable of the job. Initially, Kevin applied to work in the warehouse, but Michael decided to hire him as an accountant, seeing potential. Without any experience, Kevin learned to adapt to the new role and stayed on for over a decade. I can relate to feeling like the 'underdog' and constantly having the pressure to redeem myself professionally. I switched to Communication Disorders and Sciences in the Spring of 2024, the same time I was supposed to be graduating. Knowing I would be 'behind' my peers who were all begininng full time careers, I entered a gutted stage of doubt and confusion. However, I recalled my 'why' of becoming the foundation of support to underrepresented families dealing with pediatric speech impendiments. I had to prove myself within with the field, making the Dean's List my first semester, actively volunteering at a children's hospital, finding relevant observation and research hours, and networking with professionals. Like Kevin, I had to take each day by stride and tackle every obstacle in my own way. Despite how low the workplace viewed Kevin, he remained himself and showed his true friendship. He stood up for Angela and Oscar to Senator Lipton, made his famous chili every year, and kept all the office relationships a secret. Eventually, the other characters began to open up more to him, and his presence was like an expected lightheartedness amidst a stale 9-5 workday. His love for food connected him with his coworkers, like when he prepared an ultra-feast for Pam as one last meal before she went into labor. While he was discussing all the food he made, he realized Pam was heavily breathing and clutching her chair. Without hesitation, Kevin placed his hand on her arm and asked if she was okay, staying by her side until it was time to leave for the hospital. This moment represented his childlike heart as a 'gentle giant', and viewers could see he truly cared for his coworkers, perceiving them as family. This workplace dynamic was not built overnight, but rather through years of natural bonding and mutual respect. It is safe to say that "The Office" would not be the same without Kevin Malone. He had his quirks and was the laughingstock of many episodes, but in the end, he became the glue that held the office together. Scranton was not a cookie-cutter branch of Dunder Mifflin by any means, because characters like Kevin became the diverse personalities separating a work family from surface-level colleagues. Beyond the screens, we can all learn a thing or two from Kevin of what it means to be ourselves unapologetically in face of skepticism and structured routines.

Growing up one out of two children, my brother and I were as close as could be, despite our five-year age gap. On the way to school every day, my brother loved to blast his music. One artist was Roddy Ricch, a rapper from Los Angeles. My brother and I would belt out songs like "Die Young" and "Every Season", memorizing every lyric and adlib. One day on winter break in 2018, my brother barges into my room saying he got last-minute tickets to see Roddy Ricch perform in Los Angeles. He was still an up-and-coming rapper, so my brother was able to score the tickets for $20 each. Given we live an hour away from the venue, it took a lot of convincing for my parents to let me go with him, considering this was my first concert. They eventually said yes and we rushed to the Novo in LA, alongside three of my brother's friends. I was so nervous, imagining scenarios like knowing no songs, or a stampede of a mosh pit taking me out. We finally arrive at the venue, pick up our tickets, and enter. Fifteen-year-old me was bewildered to be in this new environment of flashing lights and crowds of people. We weave through the general admission pit and settle into our spots to see Roddy. I remember he came out and the crowd went crazy, almost like all care in the world disappeared as the collected adrenaline and excitement took over. The fears I previously had vanished as I belted out all the songs I knew from his discography. Then, Roddy began talking about his recent hospital stay and tied that story into the introduction of "Die Young". My brother and I went insane as we were jumping up and down singing the same lyrics from our carpools. For a moment, time stood still and it was like the old days when all my brother and I had were each other. My brother's friend happened to record us and that video forever stands as my treasured first and favorite concert memory. Between then and now, I have been to my fair share of concerts, even attending a rap concert alone. Concerts became a form of creative escape where I could reward myself for the toil of school and work. During the semester, I balance six classes with observations, part-time ABA work, research, and volunteering on the weekends. I push myself because I aspire to become a licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist, which is no easy feat. As a first-generation immigrant, my parents always instilled in me the importance of perseverance and ambition. However, I know firsthand the consequences of pushing one’s physical and mental state to the limits. For the sake of my health, I had to come up with a tradeoff, leading me to my love of music. Many of my favorite 90s and 2000s R&B and hip-hop artists are on their last rounds of tours before they retire. I realized that concerts are often set months ahead of their sales appearance, giving me ample time in between to focus on what needs to be done. Higher education is a part of my story, but so is the music that inspires and resonates with me. I wish to be a multi-faceted individual, someone who serves and helps others, while staying true to myself and my expression. With every melody and beat, live music becomes our time machine into a varying period or a memory we hold, and I hope to experience that for as long as I can.