I always enjoyed STEM courses but was not sure if I wanted to pursue a career in STEM. That changed when my dog, Cargo, was diagnosed with cancer and given only ninety days to live. Up until that moment, veterinary visits were routine, vaccines, checkups, nothing traumatic. This experience made science become deeply personal. The veterinarian wasn’t just explaining a diagnosis, she was guiding my family through fear, uncertainty, and hope. Watching her combine knowledge with compassion made me realize that STEM is not just about facts and formula, it’s about people, care, and trust. Cargo’s surgery was successful, and I was deeply grateful. Science had given us more time with him. But that feeling didn’t last. Not long after, he was diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy, a disease with no cure. This time, there was no solution. There were only ways to make him more comfortable. We did daily rehabilitation exercises, acupuncture, and made changes to his diet. Even when his back legs stopped working, his spirit didn’t. We got him a doggy wheelchair and he was still super excited to go on walks. I remember how happy he looked still trying to chase cars with his wheelchair. We had lost two other senior German Shepherds before Cargo. Their deaths were also hard, but Cargo had picked me as his person in the family so losing him was one of the hardest things I’ve experienced. It made me realize how much I connected to animals, and I wanted to contribute to providing them loving care. I wanted to understand the science behind diseases, to be part of developing better treatments, and to help families the way our veterinarian helped us. That is why I want to pursue a career in STEM, specifically in veterinary medicine. As I continue my education, I don’t just want to gain knowledge, I want to use it to help others. One thing that stood out to me during Cargo’s care was how expensive veterinary treatment can be. I saw the stress it put on my family, and I know many people face even harder decisions because of financial limitations. In my community, there are families who cannot afford care for their pets at all, including those experiencing homelessness who still rely on their animals for companionship and emotional support. With a STEM degree, I hope to make veterinary care more accessible for all. I want to work toward providing affordable treatment options, supporting low-cost clinics, and partnering with local organizations to reach underserved populations. One of my favorite social media personnel, is a veterinarian who visits the homeless and provides their pet’s free care. I hope to be able to do that one day. I also want to educate pet owners on preventative care, especially spaying and neutering, to reduce overpopulation and to prevent further suffering in shelters. To me, STEM is more than a career path, it’s a way to turn empathy into action. Cargo’s life taught me how powerful both science and compassion can be when they come together. I want to carry that forward by helping animals live healthier lives, supporting the people who love them, and giving back to the community that shaped my passion.

Growing up as the youngest with two older brothers, my earliest experiences with sports were tagging along to their soccer, football, baseball and basketball games. While they were on the field, I ran with the other siblings, a group of boys and girls, enjoying our impromptu games. We raced, chased, and competed against each other all in the name of just having fun! Early on I competed in soccer, softball, basketball and volleyball. My focus ended up being volleyball and I played four years of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball in high school, while also competing at the club level year-round. These experiences taught me far more than just physical skills. As a team captain, I learned to lead by example, guide and cheer on my teammates, and to make decisions that benefited the group as a whole. I consulted with my coaches and co-captain to resolve conflicts and build team unity. The volleyball team holds an annual drive called Dig Pink to raise funds to support breast cancer awareness. As a committee lead, I organized events and campaigns to raise funds and donations. Our four years of Dig Pink fundraising allowed us to donate over $35,000 to support breast cancer awareness. I learned how to advocate, collaborate, and negotiate with students, teachers, and community members. These roles built my confidence to speak up and to be a contributer to conversations. For all athletes balancing school, sports, and extracurriculars is a challenge. My schedule has been packed with AP and honors courses, training, games, practices, and weekend tournaments. After school and club events I return home at 11 pm to tackle my load of homework. It forced me to become highly organized, to manage my time efficiently, and to focus on the priorities. There were many days I would be completely drained but knew I had to perform in school and as soon as I stepped on the court I would get a second burst of energy. I understand the importance of balancing school and athletics and to push through fatigue and to continue to do my best. Competition has taught me to always be prepared such as studying film to have a strategy against the opponent. You must also be adaptable to change, and fluid in case the initial plan does not work. I have experienced the disappointment of loss and have learned to analyze my mistakes, adjust, and bounce back stronger. I’ve learned how to block out the crowd noise, stay focused and to react positively to challenges. These characteristics will help me succeed in the real world. As a person of color my parents have always told me ‘I can’t be as good as the person next to me, I must be better.” I believe this is key to me being a strong female athlete. This means I must work harder, continue to have determination, focus and to expand my knowledge. It will always be important to give back to my community and to lift others around me. I will continue to surround myself with the type of supportive people my teammates have been. I hope to be a role model to other athletes on and off the court as I continue on as a college student athlete.

Growing up as the youngest with two older brothers, my earliest experiences with sports were tagging along to their soccer, football, baseball and basketball games. While they were on the field, I ran with the other siblings, a group of boys and girls, enjoying our impromptu games. We raced, chased, and competed against each other without consideration of gender or limits. Early on I competed in soccer, softball, basketball and volleyball. My focus ended up being volleyball and I played four years of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball in high school, while also competing at the club level year-round. These experiences taught me far more than just physical skills. As a team captain, I learned to lead by example, guide and cheer on my teammates, and to make decisions that benefited the group as a whole. I consulted with my coaches and co-captain to resolve conflicts and build team unity. The volleyball team holds an annual drive called Dig Pink to raise funds to support breast cancer awareness. As a committee lead, I organized events and campaigns to raise funds and donations. Four years of Dig Pink fundraising allowed us to donate over $40,000 to support breast cancer awareness. I learned how to advocate, collaborate, and negotiate with students, teachers, and community members. These roles built my confidence to speak up and to contribute to the conversation in male dominant rooms. For all athletes balancing school, sports, and extracurriculars is a challenge. My schedule has been packed with AP and honors courses, training, games, practices, and weekend tournaments. After school and club events I return home at 11 pm to tackle my load of homework. It forced me to become highly organized, manage my time efficiently, and focus on the priorities. There were many days I would be completely drained but knew I had to perform in school and as soon as I stepped on the court I would get a second burst of energy. I understand the importance of balancing school and athletics and to push through fatigue and to continue to do my best. Competition has taught me to always be prepared such as studying film to have a strategy against the opponent. You must also be adaptable to change, and fluid in case the initial plan does not work. I have experienced the disappointment of loss and have learned to analyze my mistakes, adjust, and bounce back stronger. I’ve learned how to block out the crowd noise, stay focused and to react positively to challenges. These characteristics will help me succeed in the real world. As a person of color my parents have always told me ‘I can’t be as good as the person next to me, I must be better.” I believe this is key to me being a strong female in a male biased world. This means I must work harder, continue to have determination, focus and to expand my knowledge. It will always be important to give back to my community and to lift others around me. I will continue to surround myself with the type of supportive people my teammates have been. I hope to be a role model to other athletes on and off the court to succeed in this challenging environment.