I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors definitively stated that I’d experience a 2 to 3-year delay on multiple fronts.10+ eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. Nicknamed “Super Preemie”, later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my Mom, who’d already taught Special Education for 20+ years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that’d help me “beat the predictions.” I’m a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core isn’t a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This wasn’t and wouldn’t be my foundation. I’m built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a Mother who started early also. At an early age of 3, I often questioned construction workers and delayed their work. I needed to know the details of their work and why I couldn’t build yet. Later, I’d learn that my passion and peaceful place lie in Lego building. I hadn’t received any formal training in structures. My 9-year-old creative mind and a manual were all I had. My first set was a gifted LEGO Friends set. Initially unhappy, I appeared 7 hours later with a complete model. Presently, I no longer need 8 hours to construct sets of 10,000+ pieces. It appeared as an innate ability to read and understand written diagrams and the visual construction of models. It was beyond the belief of anyone who viewed my models. To me, it felt natural. As I realized the care needed to store my builds and constructed models, I needed to implement a plan that’d : 1. Provide design safety. 2. Allow for a beautiful display. 3. Provide me with accessibility 4. Finally, allow for mobility within my home. Thus, leading me to the reason I’ve applied for this scholarship and what I’d like to change in this world. Throughout my journey into the world of design and architecture, I've realized how my building passion, specifically with LEGO, played a crucial role in vision shaping . Growing up, I was captivated by LEGO’s endless possibilities, fostering my creativity and problem-solving skills. In building intricate models and experimenting with different structures, I developed a deep appreciation for form and function harmoniously meshing. At 18, my building interest has only intensified. LEGO collection expanded, reflecting my continuous growth and exploration in this field. I desire to translate this enthusiasm into my future career and how I’d leave a mark of change in this world. That mark is instilled where I’ll aim to create luxurious/compact neighborhoods in impoverished areas. I also plan to balance aesthetics and practicality. Through: 1. Approach building construction innovatively and prioritize an environment where homeostasis of form and function exist.. 2. Use durable, high-quality materials 3. Create job opportunities for local community members, thereby uplifting many lives.

I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors definitively stated that I’d experience a 2 to 3-year delay on multiple fronts.10+ eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. Nicknamed “Super Preemie”, later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my Mom, who’d already taught Special Education for 20+ years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that’d help me “beat the predictions.” I’m a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core isn’t a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This wasn’t and wouldn’t be my foundation. I’m built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a Mother who started early also. At an early age of 3, I often questioned construction workers and delayed their work. I needed to know the details of their work and why I couldn’t build yet. Later, I’d learn that my passion and peaceful place lie in Lego building. I hadn’t received any formal training in structures. My 9-year-old creative mind and a manual were all I had. My first set was a gifted LEGO Friends set. Initially unhappy, I appeared 7 hours later with a complete model. Presently, I no longer need 8 hours to construct sets of 10,000+ pieces. It appeared as an innate ability to read and understand written diagrams and the visual construction of models. It was beyond the belief of anyone who viewed my models. To me, it felt natural. As I realized the care needed to store my builds and constructed models, I needed to implement a plan that’d : 1. Provide design safety. 2. Allow for a beautiful display. 3. Provide me with accessibility 4. Finally, allow for mobility within my home. Thus, leading me to the reason I’ve applied for this scholarship and what I’d like to change in this world. Throughout my journey into the world of design and architecture, I've realized how my building passion, specifically with LEGO, played a crucial role in vision shaping . Growing up, I was captivated by LEGO’s endless possibilities, fostering my creativity and problem-solving skills. In building intricate models and experimenting with different structures, I developed a deep appreciation for form and function harmoniously meshing. At 18, my building interest has only intensified. LEGO collection expanded, reflecting my continuous growth and exploration in this field. I desire to translate this enthusiasm into my future career and how I’d leave a mark of change in this world. That mark is instilled where I’ll aim to create luxurious/compact neighborhoods in impoverished areas. I also plan to balance aesthetics and practicality. Through: 1. Approach building construction innovatively and prioritize an environment where homeostasis of form and function exist.. 2. Use durable, high-quality materials 3. Create job opportunities for local community members, thereby uplifting many lives.

I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors immediately and definitively stated an expectation of a 2 to 3-year delay intellectually, socially, and physically. The well over 10 eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. Nicknamed "Super Preemie" and later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my mom, who’d already taught Special Education for over 20 years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that would help me. I'm a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core isn’t a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This wasn’t and wouldn't be my foundation. I'm built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a mother who started early also. At the age of 3, I often questioned construction workers, delaying their work. I needed to know the details of the machine functions and why I couldn't operate it yet. My passion and peaceful place of building lies in Legos. Without formal training in structures at 9 years old, I tackled my first set, a LEGO Friends set. Seven hours later, I returned with it completed. My ability to read/understand written diagrams and construct elaborate designs amazed others. I wasn’t it felt natural. As my collection grew, I realized the care needed to store and organize my builds involved implementing a plan that would: 1. Provide safety 2. Visibility 3. Security 4. Accessibility 5. Allow mobility within my small home for my builds. LEGO has played a crucial role in shaping my vision for architecture. My captivation in the endless possibilities that LEGO provided fostered creativity and problem-solving skills. In building intricate models and experimenting with different structures, I developed a deep appreciation for form and function harmoniously collaborating. At 17, my interest in architecture intensified with my collection. I'm excited to translate this into a career focused on creating luxurious yet compact neighborhoods, specifically in impoverished areas, where balance isn’t always available. I plan on: 1. Ensuring harmonious form and function. 2. Using durable, long-lasting materials 3. Create job opportunities for local community members, uplifting many lives. With this scholarship, I aim to further develop my vision and contribute positively to my community through architecture.

I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors immediately and definitively stated that it is expected that I will experience a 2 to 3-year delay intellectually, socially, and physically. The well over 10 eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. I was named “Super Preemie” and later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my Mom, who had already taught Special Education for well over 20 years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that would help me “beat the predictions.” I’m a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core is not a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This was not and wouldn’t be my foundation. I’m built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a Mother who started early also. At an early age of 3, I often questioned construction workers and delayed their work. I needed to know about the CAT…(that’s a machine used in Construction work). I needed to know the details of its function and why I couldn’t operate it yet. Later, I would learn that my passion and peaceful place lie in Lego building. I had not received any formal training in structures. The creative mind of a 9-year-old kid and a manual were all I had. My first set was a gifted LEGO Friends set. I was upset to have received it. I closed my door and wrote a note, DON’T BOTHER ME. I appeared 7 hours later with a complete model. I no longer need 8 hours to construct sets of well over 10,000 pieces. It appeared as if I had an innate ability to read and understand written diagrams and the visual construction of models. It was beyond the belief of anyone who viewed my models. I wasn’t surprised; it felt natural. As I realized the care needed to just store my builds and constructed models of cities, I needed to implement a plan that would : 1. Provide safety for my designs. 2. Allow for the beauty of the construction to be on display. 3. Be secure 4. Provide me accessibility 5. Finally, allow for mobility within the layout in my small home. Thus, leading me to the reason I should get this scholarship. Throughout my journey into the world of design and architecture, I've realized how my passion for building, specifically with LEGO, has played a crucial role in shaping my vision. Growing up, I was captivated by the endless possibilities that LEGO provided, fostering my creativity and problem-solving skills. As I built intricate models and experimented with different structures, I developed a deep appreciation for form and function working harmoniously together. Now, at 17, my interest in building has only intensified. My LEGO collection has expanded significantly, reflecting my continuous growth and exploration in this field. I’m excited to translate this enthusiasm into my future career, where I aim to create luxurious yet compact neighborhoods. This isn't always straightforward in impoverished areas, but I believe it's essential to find a balance between aesthetics and practicality. I plan to: 1. Approach the construction of buildings in innovative ways that prioritize an environment where form and function coexist, rather than merely fitting structures into limited spaces. 2. Ensure the use of durable, high-quality materials that promote longevity 3. Create job opportunities for local community members therefore uplifting many lives.

I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors immediately and definitively stated an expectation of a 2 to 3-year delay intellectually, socially, and physically. The well over 10 eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. Nicknamed, "Super Preemie" and later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my mom, who’d already taught Special Education for over 20 years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that would help me. I'm a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core isn’t a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This wasn’t and wouldn't be my foundation. I'm built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a mother who started early also. At the age of 3, I often questioned construction workers, delaying their work. I needed to know the details of machine functions and why I couldn't operate it yet. My passion and peaceful place of building lied in Legos. Without, formal training in structures at 9 years old, I tackled my first set, a LEGO Friends. Seven hours later, I returned with it completed. My ability to read/understand written diagrams and construct elaborate designs amazed others. I wasn’t, it felt natural. As my collection grew I realized the care needed to store and organize my builds, involved implementing a plan that would : 1. Provide safety 2. Visibility 3. Security 4. Accessibility 5. Allow mobility within my small home for my builds. LEGO has played a crucial role in shaping my vision for architecture. My captivation of the endless possibilities that LEGO provided, fostered creativity and problem-solving skills. As I built intricate models and experimented with different structures, I developed a deep appreciation for form and function working harmoniously together. At 17, my interest in architecture has intensified along with my collection. I'm excited to translate this into a career focused on creating luxurious yet compact neighborhoods, specifically in impoverished areas, where balance isn’t always available. I plan on: 1. Innovating building construction/ensure harmonious form and function. 2. Use durable, long lasting materials 3. Create job opportunities for local community members, uplifting many lives. I aim to develop my vision, contribute to my community through architecture.

I was born fighting for my life! Born in the 5th month, weighing 1lb and 9ounces. The doctors immediately and definitively stated that it is expected that I will experience a 2 to 3-year delay intellectually, socially, and physically. The well over 10 eye surgeries, 1 heart surgery, and multiple blood transfusions were only the beginning of a long journey to beat the odds. I was named “Super Preemie” and later labeled with Autistic traits. I began a growth process with my mom, who had already taught Special Education for well over 20 years. From birth, we worked on strategies and techniques that would help me “beat the predictions.” I’m a living testimony to what God can do when He has a specific plan and purpose for you. My core is not a DISABILITY. I AM A LIVING MIRACLE. This was not and wouldn’t be my foundation. I’m built on faith, talent, and a vision. The odds started early, but I have a mother who started early also. At an early age of 3, I often questioned construction workers and delayed their work, as well as my mom's travels. I needed to know about the CAT. (That’s a machine used in Construction work.) I needed to know the details of its function and why I couldn’t operate it yet. Later, I would learn that my passion and peaceful place lies in Lego building. I had not received any formal training in structures. The creative mind of a 9-year-old kid and a manual were all I had. My first set was a gifted LEGO Friends set. I was upset to have received it. I closed my door and wrote a note, DON’T BOTHER ME. I appeared 7 hours later with a complete model. I no longer need 8 hours to construct sets of well over 10,000 pieces. It appeared as if I had an innate ability to read and understand written diagrams and the visual construction of models. It was beyond the belief of anyone who witnessed my constructed models of Legos. I was not surprised at my ability. It felt natural. My family has Union members from UFT, Policeman Benevolent Ass., and 1199. However, none of these inspired me to pursue engineering or a career in construction. When I realized the care needed to just store my many cities and constructed models of cities, I needed to implement a plan that would : 1. Provide safety for my designs. 2. Allow for the beauty of the construction to be on display. 3. Be safe, even when my young cousins came to visit. 4. Provide me access while still being secure enough to navigate. 5. Finally, allow for mobility within the layout, in my microsmall home. Thus, leading me to the reason I should get this scholarship. I will focus on how we allow buildings to exist in compact neighborhoods while providing form and function that feels luxurious. This isn’t always easy in impoverished neighborhoods. I’d focus on: 1. Using the construction of buildings differently than we do today, by providing an environment with form and function working together, instead of cramming buildings into one another. 2. Offer stable surroundings that aren’t just built with basic, cheap materials to offer longevity. 3. Finally, the opportunity to change many people’s lives by offering jobs to complete various tasks needed to accomplish MY vision. 4. Robots are the next solution for many, but my design will require compassion, logic, and a genuine concern for better living. Robots can’t CARE. Support me and my vision. I might name a building “The Morgan LD Units”.

I was born fighting for my life, born 5 months too early, only weighing 1 pound 9 ounces at birth, already at the start of my life facing challenges with many health issues, and many expecting me to be set back mentally and developmentally. On the other hand, I was born to two parents who were unmarried but deeply loving and supportive of me. My upbringing for a majority of my life was in the South Bronx specifically Grand Concourse, living in a single-parent household on a teacher's salary. My mom works as a special education teacher, and my father pays child support working as a federal reserve law enforcement officer. This creates the financial circumstances of one where I'm well provided for, but we are watching costs and having to limit purchases. This pertains to my adversity faced due to my health issues as an infant; there were many surgeries needed for me, and the consequential fees to be paid to the hospital. Such as paying for heart surgery, the various required tubes for breathing, which were placed in various parts, such as in my throat, vocal cords, and nose. There was also the need for constant observation and care in the NICU. These issues as an infant didn't truly develop only due to the grace of God and the basis of faith in my family, now as a teen, I've overcome those challenges I had as an infant who was once in the NICU. This relates to my passion in the particular STEM field of Engineering, as I'd like to build products and develop locations to help children like me, and especially show God's greatness and powe,r as someone who was once said to be deeply behind and underdeveloped could truly grow into someone so intelligent and entrepreneurial. These future ambitions will showcase God's power as it will show how He can bring someone like me from their lowest of the low to new heights. My passion for Engineering stems from my interest in LEGO building. This interest in LEGO building links to engineering as I find joy and peace in designing and building new cities and locations with blended inner workings and moving pieces. These builds help me to develop my dexterity and maneuverability while also allowing my interests to flourish. I find it incredibly interesting to see how small bricks can be placed together and organized in certain ways to become amazing structures or vehicles with moving parts. Engineering is rooted in how we apply science and math principles to build, design, and maintain structures, machines, and processes. The subject of engineering's basis relates to why I'm passionate about it, because over time, as my difficulty level of LEGO sets has increased, the factor of real engineering principles has found its way into the builds. Such as the need for multiple supports and layering of pieces for taller and more t op heavy buildings, along with the fact that as I grew in quantity of LEGO buildings and LEGO vehicles, I had to begin to worry about how each build functions with each other and the proper spacing and organization. This deeply relates to the focus of engineering, as there are various fields of engineering, including the focus of making sure buildings are structurally sound and stable, which is called Structural engineering, which is a specialized field in civil engineering. In addition to this, another example of engineering in LEGO building is that of allowing functionality and making sure items and buildings are properly spaced and physically appealing internally, which relates to architectural engineering. Thirdly, there is the factor of my interest in the design and exterior appeal of the buildings, which relates to Envelope engineering. Fourth, is the factor of my intrigue in the moving parts of builds, which is found in a majority of the Technic LEGO builds. This involvement of moving parts and how they work together to result in specific functions and movements is related to Mechanical engineering. These four points are examples of the deeply rooted link of LEGO building to my particular passion in the STEM field of engineering, while also showing the exact reasons why I feel so connected to engineering. From my perspective and personal knowledge, the perfect job and occupation for someone is something they find joy in and continue to find joy and interest in even after many years of pursuing it. This is found in my mom's lifestyle as she's been teaching for almost 25 years and still finds new interests and joy in the field, and still desires to keep working, whilst her other coworkers are anxious and excited for retirement. In that way and many others, I'd like to be similar to my mom and find something of the perfect job for myself and to achieve and reach new heights where I challenge myself and continue to find joy in that occupation. This desire for joy and interest in my future occupation and field relates to the impact I'd like to make in the future through my work. As in my upcoming future I'd also like to inspire others but also leave a lasting impact in the builds and projects I develop, my in-depth interest in the field of engineering and building and the many steps and portions of the field will only encourage more focus on the project and les on the income gained. When one is focused too much on the money and the income they gain, there is a deepened need for cutting costs and saving money, which in most cases results in later issues and devastation. I would like to become a dependable person and someone with their priorities in the right place, along with the proper base, both in a spiritual manner and structural, yet it would make for a prayer fully positive impact. Overall, I desire is to become an influential and strong woman in the field of engineering and showcase God's incredible power in my life.