Growing up going to a school that enforced that academic achievements reflect your self-worth was a never ending chase for approval. Although I felt like I worked twice as hard as everyone else, my report cards did not reflect that. My determination faded away as I began to feel surrounded by voices telling me “You’re not working hard enough,” ”you can do better,” and “stop being so lazy!” I internalized every critique and negative comment and genuinely believed it. I was constantly lost and confused; I did not know what I was doing wrong and how to fix it. After three years of struggle, my parents took me to a psychiatrist, who evaluated my behavior and learning style. On the day of the test, I was anxious and nervous because I had no clue what to expect. I sat for three hours, answering questions that seemed irrelevant. After the test, my mother picked me up, and we silently rode home. Two months later, when my dad read the words dyslexia and ADHD, my instant reaction was to cry. I did not want to be different. Like every other teenage girl, I was insecure and did not want to be labeled as having dyslexia or ADHD. Although at first I struggled to accept my diagnosis, since then I have learned to use my diagnoses as a guide to help me learn what resources I needed to excel in school. My grades and mental health took a tremendous upward trend as I began taking medication and going to therapy. Despite being neurodivergent, I proved to my teachers, peers, and myself that I am capable of achieving anything with the right tools and resources. Through my diagnosis and subsequent experiences, I have learned many lessons that have helped me get to where I am today. I have developed a strong work ethic and self-management skills that help me to stay on task while balancing a diverse range of academic challenges. I have also learned to take charge of my own education by advocating for myself in and outside of the classroom, using the resources around me to help succeed and achieve my goals. Although my family is unable to pay the full tuition for the college I am currently attending, I am determined to use the resources around me such as this scholarship to help me achieve my goals

From a young age, I was exposed to the struggles of both documented and undocumented immigrants. I saw our family friend, Adriana, working seven days a week as she struggled to find short-term solutions to her financial problems so she and her daughter could escape her abusive husband. I saw that many felt like they were forced to assimilate to American culture and erase their own if they wanted to get the same opportunities as others. During my junior year of high school, I did an internship for the Catholic Charities’ NewComer Program that helps immigrants transition to the United States. The NewComer program offers several specialized courses for immigrants who need more experience or education to qualify for a sustainable job they could support their families with. For the internship, I was an assistant teacher for a bank teller/customer service for those interested in finance or management positions. Throughout the course, I noticed that many of the participants had a college degree from their home country and even had run their own business before migrating to the U.S. However, I learned that many felt as though their education and experiences were invalidated, and they were being denied jobs and discriminated against because of their background. These experiences are why I am passionate about wanting to help immigrant families that face these injustices and discrimination on a daily basis. I am interested in studying International relations because of its intersectional curriculum involving business, government, and social justice on a global level. Additionally, I am interested in working with immigrants through their transition into the U.S. In order to work with immigrants, I think it is important to first learn about the relationship and history between the U.S. and other countries so I can understand what conditions have led to people’s migration to the U.S. I am also drawn to International Studies because it focuses on developing an understanding of different cultures and fostering critical thinking involving the injustices and issues this world faces. Intersecting with International Studies, I am also interested in studying Economics because there are many economic factors that lead to new or increasing immigration patterns. Economics also plays a major in human behavior and can be used as a tool to understand it. Economics can help us answer questions that will help people live more fruitful lives. Studying International Studies and Economics will give me the education I need to provide immigrants with advice that will help them succeed in an ever-changing world. My goal is to create more programs that help new immigrants find stability in a new country by helping them find long-term jobs that best fit their skills or helping them launch and uplift their businesses. Not only do immigrant workers benefit the U.S. economy, but they also directly benefit the companies hiring them or investing in their businesses. However, harmful stereotypes against immigrants have prevented many immigrants from gaining access to the resources they need to succeed. Many people do not realize that most immigrants come to the U.S. seeking asylum because they have no other way to escape the dangers and poverty they face in their country. Instead, they use racist stereotypes, and the argument of “immigrants are taking all of our jobs” to justify tearing families apart, locking children in cages, and detaining innocent people for months at the border. I hope that I will be able to make a difference for immigrant families in this country, undocumented and documented, by working in partnership with others passionate about this issue.

I want to create more programs that help new immigrants find stability in a new country by helping them find long-term jobs that best fit their skills or helping them launch and uplift their businesses. Not only do immigrant workers benefit the US economy, but they also directly benefit the companies hiring them or investing in their businesses. However, harmful stereotypes against immigrants that important political figures have publicly supported have prevented many immigrants from gaining access to the resources they need to succeed. Many people do not realize that most immigrants come to the US seeking asylum because they have no other way to escape the dangers and poverty they face in their country. Instead, they use racist stereotypes, and the argument of “immigrants are taking all of our jobs” to justify tearing families apart, locking children in cages, and detaining innocent people for months at the border. I hope that I will make a difference for immigrant families in this country, undocumented and documented, by working in partnership with others passionate about this issue. As a Hispanic woman, I have an intimate understanding of how important it is for people to feel safe and be comfortable expressing their own culture. From a young age, I saw that many Hispanic immigrants felt like they were forced to erase their own culture if they wanted to get the same opportunities as others. From my experience attending a predominantly white high school, I know it can be difficult to stay in touch with the parts of your identity that separate you from everyone else. However, those aspects make you who you are and give you the ability to create diverse and inclusive environments. I believe It is important to be open about your identity and encourage others to do the same.