I'm a first-generation Mexican American student going into her second year of college at the University of Texas at Austin. Growing up in Houston, Texas, I was surrounded by a sense of community and passion. Sponsoring major sport teams, Houston always held that high, supportive energy. Additionally, being taught in a school that valued STEM, I found myself loving math. I liked being able to solve problems because they felt like puzzles that you could approach with both linear and different ways. For an assignment in my first year of college, I had to read a math-based article and write a review on it. The article spoke on the concepts of transitivity and intransitivity. There are mathematical statements that align with transitivity: z=b, b=d, so z=d. But when other factors that deal in probabilities come into play, so does intransitivity. For example, if the Houston Texans were to beat the Seattle Seahawks, and the Seattle Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Chargers, that does not necessarily mean that the Houston Texans would beat the Los Angeles Chargers because there are other factors to consider- like player injuries, plays, etc. I think that although mathematics gets a bad reputation, there are things we can learn from the subject besides just numbers. Continuing, I've recently become a major sports fan. I love watching Formula One and college football the most. There's a lot of community and passion within sports that reels people in. Formula One is a very analytic and adrenaline-based sport. It holds a lot of history and has so much room for everyone despite being a luxurious sport. College football holds a lot of energy, and all the games have you on the edge of your seat. There's also a lot of loyalty and support involved. It's always enamoring to see fans in the stands while we all wait to see how plays turn out. And, of course, I love seeing when my team wins especially if it's in a high-stake situation where odds are against us. I believe there's a lot of opportunity in the sports world where math can be implemented and done with importance. I hope to further my education and later be able to clear the negative notions people have about math. I want to be able to share the messages and lessons you can get from solving math problems and learning about math theories. I hope to get into the sports scene and use everything I've learned from math to help influence it. I want to showcase the importance of having women in STEM and in male-dominated areas. I want others to know that there is room for them everywhere and hope they're able to find someone like them in those spaces.

I always struggled to stick to a singular thing growing up- like a tree with branches that spread and grew in different directions, reaching many heights. Skateboarding, drawing, songwriting, sewing, and all other sorts of hobbies that passed by my view. I remember always scrolling online and finding people’s passions interesting, making me want to have my own try at it and learn something new. Even if I never got good, I felt I always registered something helpful. In Mexican culture, there are hand-designed tablecloths in almost every household. In the moment I saw the designs they held and found out the process in making them, I told my mother I wanted to try. My grandmother sent me a kit from Mexico soon after and I started looking at tutorials. Although my fingers were pricked a few times, I still enjoyed it. There was an understanding that patience was needed to complete tasks like these. With so much detail and precision in the creation of the designs, it was a written rule that I had to take my time to learn and in my attempts. And, I've used this approach in other things in my life. Additionally, I’m very passionate when it comes to art. I grew up sketching and coloring for fun- searching up YouTube drawing tutorials. I’m more of a doodler or an architect in the way that I draw with foundations/lines rather than adding shadows and highlights. I think it takes a lot to be able to captivate an idea onto paper and I’m always astonished when artists are able to do that. In a similar sense, when it comes to music and songwriting, expressing your thoughts and emotions well is a difficult task because you have to implement a captivating language alongside a smooth rhythm. Through all my art fascinations, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of communication and expression. Additionally, a lot of culture is held within the art scene and it’s always nice to find out more about it. For example, I recently got into K-Pop, and I’ve learned a bit about Korean culture. I’m also trying to learn Korean to try to connect with the music and that community, and because of my general interest in learning other languages. In college, I’m studying Mathematics and trying to minor in Journalism. I grew up loving math and stuck with it throughout my entire school career. Math problems are just beautifully structured, and I love being able to solve a puzzle with a set solution. When it comes to Journalism, I like the idea of sharing stories and writing about topics that I’m passionate about. When I chose what to further my education in, I knew I couldn’t stick to one area of study, like strictly being in STEM, because of my love for having spread interests. And, getting into all the hobbies that I did taught me that there’s always space to branch out into, and grow and learn from. I hope to take all that I've experienced to continue in furthering my education with an open, mature, and curious mind. I want to reach out and connect with other communities, and grow within myself and in those other areas.

Walking through the kitchen of my childhood home, I saw my entire family bundled together in the living room. My cousins sitting in front of the television as an episode of Spongebob Squarepants ran, my aunts and mom chatting on our old couch, the snoring of the babies as they slept through the noise, and my uncles and father out at work. It was just a normal day for all of us. For the first few years of my life, I lived amongst my mom’s side of the family- with her sisters and their respective families. I never thought it was odd that three families lived in one small trailer together because it was the daily for us and I loved it. I used to wake up playing with my cousins, and at times, fighting for silly reasons. I always had someone to watch television with, to run around with, to talk to. I grew up in a loved and united family, raised by strong women and hardworking men. As we grew older, they moved out to nearby neighborhoods, but we all remained the same- together. Almost every weekend, we would go to one of my aunts’ homes and would sit there talking, eating carne asada until the sun went down. Whenever we traveled to Mexico, it was identical. We stayed together bundled up, sharing rooms. We joined our family through the town, playing volleyball in the center, and laughing with only the streetlamps on. I think I knew growing up the importance of being a part of a loving Mexican family and just having someone there. When I get isolated in my dorm, I reflect on it a lot. I realize how amazing I had it back then and how much love I have now. Any time I got an award, I always saw my family cheering on the sides, screaming my name. Whenever I accomplish something in college, I’ll tell the people I love because I yearn to make them proud of me and I love that feeling. I love being able to show them that all the hard work they did to come to the US and give their children an opportunity was worth it. So, when my own friends do great or ‘small’ things, I do what my family would do if it was me. I try my best to be the supportive friend, the one that’s always there, because I believe everyone deserves to have the amount of love I received. In anything I do, I always ask myself what my family would do. Although I can get shy, I try to spark my social skills to make someone laugh or smile. I’ll compliment someone. I’ll try to be compassionate. I never hide my upbringing or my heritage because it’s who I am and it’s what built my character. I believe being Mexican is being kind, being passionate, being strong, and especially being a family. And I try to show that to everyone every single day, in anything I do.

Turning the knob and pushing open the door of my childhood room, I saw my father laying in bed holding a miniature composition notebook and a black pen. While the television ran in the background, I stared at my father and went to take a peek of his infamous writings. Scribbled down on the lined pages were numbers, and numbers, and even more numbers. As a very young girl, I knew a bit about what numbers were- I adored math in school to the extent I would ask for more math packets to work on during vacations, so how could I not know about something I loved. As the years went by, I continued to understand everything my father noted down. All our debt, payments, deadlines, income, etc. I quickly realized a lot about the real world and even more about the concept of numbers and math. Around May, I got the opportunity to go to the TMPAA Mid-Year Meeting in Dallas, TX. It was an insightful conference pertaining to ongoing things in the insurance industry, an area I was unfamiliar with, but curious about. Meeting and conversing with people, I became aware of the amount of opportunity in the industry. The ability to create niche insurance in areas people might overlook and the benefit that grows from that, the abundance of actuarial interest and openings, etc. It was a conference that opened a whole new world for me when it came to figuring out how to apply my general mathematics degree and form it into a living. In recent years, I have fallen in love with Formula One, the ever-growing pinnacle of motorsport. And I believe there’s a lot of room there to introduce and revolutionize math. There is probability in the decisions that teams make, analysis in the review of their performance, finance in managing the budget of a team, etc. Just the idea of me having to think about those things for a career makes my heart beat with adrenaline and passion. Although, I’m not entirely stationary and certain about my future or what I will do for a living, I am positive that it will revolve around numbers and making a difference. Whether it is done in the insurance industry or while sitting down analyzing the speed lost in a certain turn of a track, I can say that anything I do will be done with full potential and all the passion I can give.

Every weekday morning after my father would leave to go to work, my mother would come into our room, turn on the lights and the television, and wake me up. She’d let me watch whatever I wanted for a while and would later ask me to get ready, so we could walk down to the bus stop. Although it seems like a simple routine, a common occurrence, the concept itself would come to affect my life. Growing up, my mother couldn’t legally drive, she hadn’t gotten her license until I was in high school, so for majority of my life, that’s how it was. Taking the school bus and getting rides from her friends was a normality for me. Whenever I noticed that it wasn’t for other children, I would be envious, although there wasn’t much I could do. In high school, I had finally joined the ‘car riders’, and this time, my mother would be the one giving rides to her friends. I never grasped the importance of my former transportation until I realized that there were linings of community embedded. Every time I was at the bus stop, my mother would be there speaking with her friends, and I would be chatting with mine. Every time I was late, my mother would ask her friends to stall the bus. Every time she was late and couldn’t pick me up, she’d ask her friends too. And she would do the same in return. But, it was also about humility. Acknowledging that, sometimes, it’s okay to rely on others to help you. That community is created through the decision to be vulnerable first. That we are all in the same boat and we can help keep each other afloat. You can’t exactly row a boat by yourself. And facing reality early on was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. Being alone in a college town can make you question a lot and opens doors for you to make different types of decisions. Do I really need to buy those shoes? Maybe I can walk to the café instead of taking an Uber? Should I ask for help with this assignment? So, I thank my mother. For making me see that the world can make you live in difficult circumstances, but not alone, there are people who can understand and help. With this scholarship, I’d use the aid to be able to continue my education and further my career. I aspire to become a female in sports, a person who can build a safe and progressive community in a male-dominated area. A woman majoring in STEM that helps other young girls see that anything is possible, and you can do what you love. A woman minoring in Journalism who wants to share stories about community, humanity, and life.

Juggling was a natural occurrence for me. And, no, I'm not talking about circus juggling, I'm referring to taking on a lot of things. Whether it was being in a lot of programs or having to do multiple assignments with the same deadline, I was never working on one singular thing. It was never how my brain worked, especially as a daughter raised in a Mexican household where everyone was saying something and running around all at the same time. I suppose I could say that chaos and stress were where I was most comfortable. It's most likely the reason I want to have multiple occupations. I've acknowledged that I love mathematics more than any other subject, leading to my decision to think about majoring in Mathematics, General. I'd love nothing more than to be an architect or an accountant. I find math to be a strong suit for me and if I can use that ability to make a difference in my environment, then I'll gladly do so. I can create environmental-friendly buildings alongside specialists or find a way to aid others in understanding their finances, especially those who are not English-speaking or new to America. Growing up, I've seen how my mother helps her friends with their situations and feel inspired to do the same. I've also had an interest in law and politics since I was a first grader. I remember the day I told people I would be the first Female, Mexican president and the day my mother told me she knew I was meant to be a lawyer with how outspoken I was on certain subjects. Although I never found History to be my favorite thing, I was always willing to learn because I've always acknowledged that our past affects our future and that, to make a change, you must learn from mistakes. I've lived among people and seen activists protesting about concerning issues, ones I wish to help solve. Alongside this, I've seen the amount of missing people cases and incomplete ones. I wish to shed light on the issues that matter because if we don't, our core principles change. Lastly, I've wished to be a writer my whole life. Words are powerful things and, if I could use mine to make a change in the world, that would mean everything to me. I've always wanted to write a fictional story or an article on a news channel website. I knew if I never accomplished my goal to be in law and politics, then I could still highlight issues through my writings. Overall, my biggest dream, the thing on the top of my bucket list, has always been to make a change and leave an impact on the world.

Growing up, I always found myself entranced by my mother's stories, being ready to hear one on the way home. She always made sure to tell her children about her day. Every story of hers involved her aiding someone, whether that be her friend or a stranger. My mother grew up in America, but absorbed her Mexican heritage, allowing her to advocate for non-English-speaking, Mexican citizens. I understood what it meant to help others at a young age. I saw the fulfillment it gave her, so I continued to follow in my mother's footsteps in search for that feeling. Even now, I find myself jumping at any volunteer or helping opportunity I have. Not too long ago, around January 27th and January 28th, I had the privilege of working alongside my school's AVID program to volunteer for the Academic Decathlon, which was held in our high school. I was nervous, at first, not knowing if I would accidentally give someone the wrong directions or make a mess in one of the competition rooms. As the day went on, my nerves were eased and I found myself enjoying my time and talking with strangers. I did dislike having to walk up and down our staircases because I ran out of breathe every single time, but I had enough adrenaline to get me through the day. I also liked watching the night sky through the high school windows. Saturday, I had volunteered for two days - Friday and Saturday, had been a very calm day. I was forced to wake up early, but I felt productive and organized once I did. When I got to the school, I looked for the coordinator and waited for the instructions with my cousin and a few student ambassadors. We were told to clean up used testing rooms and separated ourselves into two groups. The room that my team had to work on was being used, so we waited out in the hallway, as we saw that there were only a few people left. As the contestants finished and left the room, we congratulated them and wished them good luck. We also helped give instructions to parents and judges alongside this. Although I wasn't a part of the competition, I liked feeling like I played a part in it. I felt fulfilled at the end of the day, knowing that I had made new friends, been productive, and helped my community. While I aided in this event, the experience also helped me learn to be more social and welcoming.

"Ugh," I let out as I sat on my couch after completing my 2019-2020 online school year. Finally, school was over, but would there really be a difference in my routine? I would be staying home all day anyway. I grabbed the tv remote and turned on my television. Why start to overthink when I could easily distract myself? Mom had just gotten Disney Plus, so this was the perfect time to sit down and relax. Let my mind roam free and be entranced by a director's cinematography. I scrolled as I hit the Marvel section. Just like most people, I had heard of this universe, but I had never looked further into it. And there it was, sitting in front of me. If I had never selected that movie, and never come across that section, my life would've been completely different, I would've definitely gotten more sleep, that's for sure. Most people in the Marvel fandom have their own favorite character. I, like some, could never choose just one. Everyone had different characteristics and storylines, so how could I ever pick? And, although, I couldn't choose one character over the others, I could prefer one movie more. "Iron Man" instantly became my first choice. Tony Stark was the embodiment of success and that was something I admired, but he was also a man with struggles. Struggles similar to mine. His need to prove himself and his habit of hiding behind a facade created our connection. The film's mention of betrayal, trauma, and perseverance helped make it my favorite. Tony being double-crossed by a man that he looked up to was a turn that I had not expected, but it taught me to in real life. There are people who are good, those who are not, and those in between. In order to live peacefully, I have to watch out and expect the worst, even if it sounds a bit contradictory. The traumatic scenario that Tony faced at the beginning of the movie and his ability to persevere past it were astonishing to me. I had gone through something before and when I saw that he could pass something that I viewed as worse, it helped me persevere through my scenario. Just the message of perseverance, in general, was a motivating thing for me. A reason to keep living and seeking for more. A reason to keep fighting any obstacle that would get in my way in the future.

Texas is one of the most populated states in the United States. Texas is a border state that is represented by a bluebonnet and a monarch butterfly. My and our Texas is home to diversity and hope. Being a Texan means that I am full of acceptance and change. I can do anything I wish to do with perseverance. I am an open-minded person that hopes to make a difference in the world and Texas allows doors of opportunities to open for me. I am represented as willing and lion-hearted by our bluebonnets. I am represented as enlightening and transformational by our monarch butterfly. I am an adaptable and persevering person as represented by Texas. I am a Texan.

1. I deserve this scholarship because I am the only living relative of Abraham Lincoln and it is my birthright to go to college without having to pay so much money and be in debt. My great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather would appreciate it if I won and look at me so proudly from above. 2. My academic goals are, one, running around with my grade a plus papers around the dorm rooms and, two, kicking a soccer ball with the word "academics" written on it into a goal. What I hope is going to be my main career life is being a hotdog seller in a carnival by day and an FBI agent that lacks social skills by night. 3. I overcame one of the biggest obstacles in my life when I was very little. My mother always told me to be careful and I hadn't listened, so when I attempted to jump over one of those ball-shaped sculptures outside of Target, I didn't make it. I did eventually slowly go above it though.