There are so many ongoing issues that occur in life- deaths a week from drug abuse, gun violence, and suicide. I thankfully received therapy, but many of the students aren’t fortunate enough to receive one on one help that they need because of financial barriers or the stigma around seeking assistance for mental health. If I had a chance to address this issue, I would request help with providing support groups or individual therapy from trained professionals for students. This will eliminate the financial barrier and would give them a safe space to speak. I would hold different Trauma and Healing workshops for my peers where I would incorporate art, team building, and other coping strategies to benefit others in my community. One of the workshops would be “Creating and Calming” which would be in the form of art therapy. This will give people the opportunity to express themselves beyond the traditional mode of talk therapy. I would also make an effort to create retreats and cohort programs for students to explore and collaborate in order to get out of their comfort zone.

As a black girl who has faced immense personal challenges, I have developed a clear vision for my personal and career plans. My journey has been shaped by the absence of my deceased mother and the incarceration of my father for the past 20 years. These circumstances have instilled in me a resilient spirit, a drive for social justice, and a determination to create positive change in the world. Leadership is a concept that has always been abstract to me, as I believe true leadership is not limited to a title or position. Instead, it is about taking action and making a difference in areas that matter most to me. Throughout my life, I have been drawn to intersectional issues, focusing on reproductive health and bodily autonomy, LGBTQ+ rights, and mental health and wellness. My passion for these causes was ignited during my childhood, as I volunteered at AIDS Walk and dedicated my time to the Leeway House, supporting individuals living with AIDS. In high school, I became a peer health educator and LGBTQ+ advocate for True Colors, an organization that promotes inclusivity and support for LGBTQ+ individuals. During my college years, I joined community service organizations such as the Undergraduate Student Government (USG), where I implemented non-traditional programs to provide resources for marginalized individuals who have been excluded from mainstream programming. To deepen my understanding of critical issues, I served as a research assistant on projects such as "For all, we care: Exploring caregiving and the politics of disability," which examined the experiences of spousal caregivers and the role of technologies in care. I also participated in an apprenticeship focused on the well-being of LGBTQ+ college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, investigating the social factors affecting their mental health. Despite the challenges I have faced, I am determined to make a positive impact on society. I am also committed to addressing the needs of children with incarcerated parents, as I plan to continue my involvement with my family-led nonprofit. However, financial limitations have posed a significant barrier to my aspirations. As a low-income, first-generation student, I have strived to fund my education independently. Balancing three jobs in the past to cover my educational expenses has been challenging, both financially and academically. Therefore, I recognize the importance of financial assistance, such as scholarships, to alleviate the burden and allow me to fully invest myself in my studies and community service. Receiving this scholarship would be a transformative opportunity for me. It would provide the financial support needed to pursue my Master of Public Health as a full-time student, enabling me to focus on my studies and contribute more effectively to my community. With fewer work obligations, I would have the time and energy to engage in additional community service initiatives and explore new avenues for assisting those in need. Moreover, being awarded scholarships would be a significant source of motivation, reinforcing my commitment to academic excellence. It would inspire me to continue striving for success and making a positive impact in the field of public health. In conclusion, my personal and career plans are driven by my experiences as a black girl who has faced adversity, loss, and systemic challenges. I am passionate about intersectional issues and aspire to become a leader in HIV prevention and harm reduction services. However, financial constraints have hindered my progress, making scholarships an essential resource for achieving my goals. Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate financial burdens but also inspire me to continue pursuing excellence, making a lasting impact on marginalized communities, and creating positive change in the world.

There are so many people, events, and experiences that shaped me into the person I am today. It is difficult to decide what factors influenced me the most. Is it the sudden loss of my mom at fourteen? Is it my hometown of New Haven and proximity to Yale? Or is it the accumulation of knowledge from my education? I'm Makayla Dawkins, a nineteen-year-old rising junior at the University of Connecticut located in Storrs, Connecticut. I currently live with my grandmother, who has custody of me because my mom passed away when I was fourteen years old. My dad has been incarcerated for over fifteen years; he’s been in prison since I was two years old. These experiences shaped me into the person that I am today. I tend to avoid all of my pain by gaining more knowledge to better my future to make them proud. Over the summer, I took the time to find myself and to indulge in other things that interest me besides leadership and academics. I am a graduate of the Yale Pathways to Science Program, which gives various opportunities to complete research and to participate in science-related projects. In the past, I worked in a cancer lab studying Melanoma while receiving training from leading researchers while developing my analytical and communication skills. I also spent some of my days with professors of engineering, building musical instruments with 3D printers and laser cutters. This program made me want to continue research and eventually find a cure for infectious diseases and conditions. In the future, I hope to be a Chief Medical Officer. My current focus is sex education and STI prevention and promotion that’s centered on HIV research. I hope for my role to promote the engagement of stakeholders across multiple disciplines while developing programs and efforts that integrate initiatives related to population health, social determinants of health, and health equity, with a focus on HIV-positive individuals. I also want to deliver innovative and effective public relations and health marketing to diverse audiences, increasing the visibility and awareness of HIV and LGBTQ+ healthcare programs to the community at large. Although I cannot decide what experience has had the biggest impact on me so far, I hope that eventually my hard work, dedication to public service, and academic success will be the elements of my character that define me.