My dad and I were in the hospital for another overnight stay. It was time for my follow-up examination again. I had recently gone for two years without a breakthrough episode while taking medication. This is a good sign! We had all been so excited at my reaching this milestone! This meant that we could try weaning me off the medication, but sadly when we did, I had another convulsion. I remember that morning. My body told me what my memory didn’t…I had had a convulsion. One side of my body including my eyesight weren’t exactly right. I was alone at home with my sister and had an exam in school that day. I went to school and took my exam trying to have a normal day, but the migraine I am always left with forced me home right after. During this stay at the hospital my doctors were trying to find the location or origin of my convulsions. I stopped taking my medicine 24 hours before, I was sleep deprived and I would be observed overnight to see if I had a convulsion. Scary! My dad stayed up with me taking me on walks around the hallways trying to distract me and keep me awake. During these walks, we got to know some of the other patients or their families and this is what impacted me most. Many patients live in this hospital wing and their families stay or visit them every day. They have designated spaces in the refrigerators where they keep their meals in Tupperwares with colorful post-its with happy faces and encouraging messages on them. I realized how important volunteering to help medical patients is-something I do in Guatemala. As we walked back to our room, I told my dad that I felt lucky. I had never realized how different my life could be. For the first time, I noticed something positive about my epilepsy. I realize that the epilepsy I have is something that medication helps with completely. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. Being epileptic is something that has shown me how much my family cares about me as they rallied around me since the first scary moment. It has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. But during this trip that I am recalling, it also showed me how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of the same condition I have. I don’t know if we will ever find the location or origin of my convulsions. I don’t know what we will do if we do find them. But for now I live my life responsibly taking my medication every day. I am grateful that we found good doctors for me and that I get great medical care. I grew up in Guatemala where this medical care is only available through Medical Missions with volunteer doctors so I volunteer in many capacities in order to give back. I am studying Marketing and International Relations and hope that my language skills and multicultural background will take me on journeys to different countries so I can explore the world while working in my field of study. Getting your Scholarship would keep me on track to leading this life I’m lucky to have and continue my volunteering on Medical Missions in Guatemala!

I've never considered myself a particularly lucky person. I haven't won prizes in school raffles, found money on the ground, won at bingo or any other similar activity. On the contrary – if something can go wrong for me in a situation, the odds are that it will. It is what it is! Just my luck! I’m the only one in my family who got COVID when we were all locked up at home! It was very scary for all of us! How did it happen? We haven’t a clue – except to say it’s just my luck! I'm not one of those people who find lucky pennies here and there and pick them up for luck- so thinking about "what could go wrong" isn’t a stretch for me. At the age of nine I was diagnosed as epileptic. Of course, at that age I didn’t see it as something that went wrong… I simply thought I was sick and that I would get better or not. It was just my luck! The hope we all had was that I would outgrow it – but that never happened. The alternative was medication for the rest of my life. Again, just my luck! A couple of years ago, I had gone for two years without a breakthrough episode or convulsion. I thought my luck had changed! We were all very happy because this meant we could try to wean me off my medication in hopes of leaving it for good. We started at two thirds of the dosage, then went down to half. I remember that morning. My body told me what my memory didn’t…I had had a convulsion. One side of my body including my eyesight weren’t exactly right. I was alone at home with my sister and – of course – I had an exam in school that day. Just my luck! I went to school and took my exam trying to have a normal day, but the migraine I am always left with forced me home immediately after. What followed was another visit to the hospital. Just my luck! My dad brought me this time since it’s not available where we live and both Mom and Dad couldn’t come. During this stay at the hospital my doctors were trying to find the location or origin of my convulsions. I’m not really sure what we would do should we find it but finding it would open up more options. We did not succeed. During my stay, my dad and I walked around the hospital floor as I needed to be sleep deprived and off medication for the night. Ugh, just my luck! We walked around and saw some goodies and sweet food items in the shared refrigerators – but they weren’t for me. They were donated for other patients who live in this hospital wing. Just my luck! These patients even have designated spaces in the refrigerators where they keep their meals in Tupperwares with colorful post-its with happy faces and encouraging messages on them. None for me! Another thing that I noticed, were all the volunteers who came to the hospital to visit the children. Some dressed as clowns and came to spread joy, balloons and jokes, others brought puppies for patients to play with for a while, and others brought books and read out loud. I didn’t receive many of these visits…I wondered why… but just thought I was unlucky somehow. The amazing thing about this trip is how my perspective changed. I had always hoped for things to be different. What could go wrong? As we walked back to our room and sat down for a chat, I told my dad that I actually felt lucky. I had never realized how different my life could be. For the first time, I noticed how fortunate I am! I realize that the epilepsy I have is something that medication helps with completely. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. I am so lucky! Being epileptic is something that has shown me how much my family cares about me as they all rallied around me since the first scary moment. It also taught me a little about a father’s love and how our roles are not set in stone – they are what we decide they are! I am so lucky! During this trip that I am recalling, I also saw how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of the same condition I have. The same thought occurred to me about when I had COVID. I am really lucky! My condition has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. I am so lucky! I don’t know if we will ever find the location or origin of my convulsions. I don’t know what we will do if we do find them. But for now, I live my life responsibly taking my medication every day. I am grateful that we found good doctors for me and that I get great medical care. I am grateful for my family. I am so lucky! If things had been different – and things had gone right, what could go wrong? I would not be who I am and would not have come to this awakening I am sharing with you now. I am studying Marketing and International Relations and hope that my language skills and multicultural background will take me on journeys to different countries so I can explore the world while working in my field of study. Getting your Scholarship would keep me on track to leading this life I’m so lucky to have!

I’ve been a Tulane student since my graduation from the American School of Guatemala where I grew up. I like Tulane because it allows for creative major combinations. I combined Marketing and International Relations because of my truly multicultural background (I am German-Guatemalan-American) and language skills. I speak English, German and Spanish fluently. This semester my Legal and Ethical Regulations in Business teacher recommended me for an internship which led me to considering Law School after graduation. I currently work in the International Students and Scholars Office managing their social media content, presence and outreach and am in the Latin Business and the German Clubs. This summer I am interning in the marketing department of the largest grocery store chain in Guatemala, Unisuper, in hopes of furthering my knowledge of marketing as well as recognizing cultural differences in marketing strategies. I volunteer with medical missions that travel to Guatemala. I’ve pulled teeth, removed IVs and conducted post-op evaluations of patients. However, in all the missions I've attended, the area in which I felt I added the most value - was within an educational program called "Mi Familia Progresa" (My Family Progresses.) This program focuses on women – often younger than I am - of child-bearing age in rural and remote areas of Guatemala, recognizing that helping a woman often results in aiding an entire family. The program provides education on female health, nutrition for mother and child, normal pregnancy awareness and health, as well as following up with babies from 0-24 months of age. I have been epileptic since I was 9 years old. Initially we hoped I would outgrow it, but that didn’t happen. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. Being epileptic has shown me how much my family cares about me as they rallied around me since the first scary moment. It has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. During my hospital stays, I learned how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of my condition. I am a financial aid recipient and have student loans but hope to graduate with as little debt as possible. My sister is a senior in high school and will start college next year which changes my family’s financial need. Receiving your scholarship would be a great help to me and my family. I hope my career will take me around the world, but I have a yearly standing date with some ladies in Guatemala to follow-up, weigh and measure their precious babies. I share with them things I have learned and seen outside of our shared country – and they share with me wisdom beyond their young age and their courageous fight for their families. We share our purpose!

I’ve been a proud Tulane student since my graduation from the American School of Guatemala where I grew up. I liked Tulane because it’s very flexible in allowing for creative major combinations. I combined Marketing and International Relations because of my truly multicultural background (I am German-Guatemalan-American) and language skills. I speak English, German and Spanish fluently and hope this will allow me to work and explore around the world. “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” - Ludwig Wittgenstein I currently work part time in the International Students and Scholars Office managing their social media content, presence and outreach. I am also in the Latin Business Club, as well as the German Club. This summer I am interning in Guatemala in the marketing department of the largest grocery store chain called Unisuper in hopes of furthering my knowledge of marketing as well as recognizing cultural differences in strategies and objectives. I am already applying and have secured interviews for internships for next year in the US and in Europe, hoping to apply my languages and explore the international side of my studies. One of my favorite classes of this semester was Legal and Ethical Regulations in Business. I was even recommended for an internship by my teacher! This has led me to consider Law School upon graduation in May of 2026. I am also looking forward to my Buddhism class next semester since it is a completely new field of study and knowledge for me coming from Latin America. I am a believer of forging deep and lasting relationships and feel that this can only be achieved through understanding. I volunteer every one or two years with medical missions that travel to Guatemala. I’ve pulled teeth, removed IVs and conducted post-op evaluations of patients. However, in all the missions I've attended, my best work - or the area in which I felt I added the most value - was within an educational program called "Mi Familia Progresa" (My Family Progresses or Prospers in Spanish.) This program focuses on women – often younger than I am - who are of child-bearing age in rural and remote areas of Guatemala, recognizing that helping a woman often results in aiding an entire family. The program provides education on female health, nutrition for mother and child, normal pregnancy awareness and health, as well as following up with babies from 0-24 months of age. You may not know that I am epileptic and have been since I was 9 years old. Initially we hoped I would outgrow it, but that didn’t happen. The epilepsy I have is something that medication helps with. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. Being epileptic has shown me how much my family cares about me as they rallied around me since the first scary moment. It has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. During my hospital stays, I learned how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of my condition. I work and am currently a financial aid recipient and also have student loans but would hope to graduate with as little debt as possible. My sister is a senior in high school and will start college next year which changes my family’s financial need. For this reason, receiving your scholarship would help me by allowing me to fully focus on my studies.

Every two or three years we excitedly prepare for the doctors' visit. They always come with a group of volunteers in four or five different fields and meet up with us locals to complete the team. I am always amazed and inspired by their vocation and dedication to my country. I am American but I grew up in Guatemala - a third world country struggling to develop and facing challenges in rural areas we can't imagine when we live in the US. Initially, I was assigned to work as a translator hoping to improve the communication between the doctors and the patients and assisting during the clinical visit. This made me realize the value of languages since - as the doctors always told me - they are an irreplaceable skill that takes years to develop. I know I am very fortunate to be fluent in three languages: English, Spanish and German and I know this will be one of my building blocks to serving in the future. My tasks have changed and increased in responsibility with each medical mission. I've been allowed into the surgical procedures as an observer and have been tasked with pre-op evaluations and helping post-op patients by conducting an assessment of their vitals and removing their intravenous line. Keeping their spirits up – especially for young children – is very rewarding and important for their prompt recovery. I've also been trained and assigned to pull teeth - one of my favorites- which led to me even considering Dentistry as a profession. However, in all the missions I've attended, my best work - or the area in which I felt I added the most value - was within an educational program called "Mi Familia Progresa" (My Family Progresses or Prospers in Spanish.) This yearly program focuses on women who are of child-bearing age in rural and remote areas of Guatemala recognizing that helping a woman often results in aiding an entire family. The program provides education on female health, nutrition for mother and child, normal pregnancy awareness and health, as well as following up with babies from 0-24 months of age. Being able to follow-up with our group of mothers, attending their graduation from the program and seeing how they spread their knowledge among their community, improving the conditions for other families is very rewarding. Weighing, measuring and conducting simple evaluations of the babies born and to see how they are being nurtured and cared for is promising and always leaves me feeling hopeful and as if I am participating actively in the progress of -not only a family- but also a community and a country that I love. I hope my languages and my degree will take me around the world, but I have a standing date in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala to follow-up with women, often times much younger than I am, and to weigh and measure their precious babies. I share with them things I have learned and seen outside of our shared country – and they share with me their wisdom beyond their young age and their courageous fight for their families. We share our purpose!

My dad and I were in the hospital for another overnight stay. It was time for my follow-up examination. I had gone for two years without a breakthrough episode while taking medication and we were excite! This meant that we could try weaning me off the medication, but sadly , I had another convulsion. My body told me what my memory didn’t…I had had a convulsion. I was alone at home with my sister. I went to school and took my exam trying to have a normal day, but the migraine I am left with forced me home. During this stay at the hospital my doctors were trying to find the location or origin of my convulsions. I stopped taking my medicine 24 hours before, I was sleep deprived and I would be observed overnight. My dad stayed up with me trying to keep me awake. We walked around the hallways, into the kitchen, into waiting rooms just to pass the time. My mom stayed home in Guatemala with my sister and we video called them so they could see all the sensors on my head. During my stay, we got to know some of the other patients -many who live in this hospital wing and the families stay or visit them every day. They even have designated spaces for them in the refrigerators where they keep their meals in Tupperwares with colorful post-its with happy faces and encouraging messages on them. Another thing that I noticed, were all the volunteers who came to the hospital to visit us. Some dressed as clowns and came to spread joy, balloons and jokes, others brought puppies for us to play with for a while, and others brought books and read to us. I of course enjoyed this, but then I realized “I’m going home tomorrow.” What of all the other kids that live here? As we walked back to our room and sat down for a chat I told my dad that I felt lucky. I had never realized how different my life could be. For the first time, I noticed something positive about my epilepsy. I realize that the epilepsy I have is something that medication helps with completely. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. Being epileptic is something that has shown me how much my family cares about me as they rallied around me since the first scary moment. It has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. But during this trip, it also showed me how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of the same condition I have. I don’t know if we will ever find the location or origin of my convulsions. I don’t know what we will do if we do. But for now I live my life responsibly taking my medication every day. I am grateful that we found good doctors for me and that I get great medical care. I grew up in Guatemala and I know this medical care and attention would not have been the same there. I am studying Marketing and International Relations and hope that my language skills and multicultural background will take me on journeys to different countries so I can explore the world while working in my field of study. Getting this Scholarship would keep me on track to leading this life I’m lucky to have!

My dad and I were in the hospital for another overnight stay. It was time for my follow-up examination. I had gone for two years without a breakthrough episode while taking medication. We had been so excited at reaching this milestone! This meant that we could try weaning me off the medication, but sadly when we did, I had another convulsion. I remember I was alone at home with my sister and had an exam in school that day. I went to school and took my exam but the migraine I am always left with forced me home right after. During this stay at the hospital my doctors were trying to find the location or origin of my convulsions this time. I’m not really sure what we would do should we find it. During the stay, I stopped taking my medicine 24 hours before, I was sleep deprived and I would be observed overnight to see if I had a convulsion. This scares me! It’s a feeling of dread that I get. My dad stayed up with me trying to distract me and keep me awake. We walked around the hallways, into the kitchen, into waiting rooms just to pass the time away. My mom stayed home in Guatemala with my younger sister this time and part of what we did was call each other with the video camera on. I would tell her about everybody I had met - families and patients alike. Mostly, I would talk about the patients – many of which were young kids that live in the hospital and have more severe issues than I do. During my stay, we got to know some of the other patients, or in some cases, other patients’ families and this is what impacted me most. Many patients live in this hospital wing and the families stay or visit them every day. They even have designated spaces for them in the refrigerators in the hallways And they put colorful post on their Tupperware with happy faces and encouraging messages on them. Another thing that I noticed, and really swelled my heart with a feeling of either joy or pain, I’m not sure what it was, all the volunteers who came to the hospital to visit the children. Some dressed as clowns and came to spread joy, balloons and jokes, others brought puppies for us to play with for a while, and others brought books and read to us. I of course enjoyed this, but then I realized I’m going home tomorrow. What of all the other kids that live here? As we walked back to our room and sat down for a chat I told my dad that I felt lucky. I had never realized how different my life could be. For the first time, I noticed something positive about my epilepsy. I realize that the epilepsy I have is something that medication helps with completely. I can lead a normal life, go to college and have a bright future on my medication. Being epileptic is something that has shown me how much my family cares about me as they rallied around me since the first scary moment. It has also shown me how to be responsible with my medication every day because I have learned the hard way what happens if I’m not. But during this trip that I am recalling, it also showed me how fragile our health can be when I saw other patients around me with other versions or severities of the same condition I have. I don’t know if we will ever find the location or origin of my convulsions. I don’t know what we will do if we do find them. But for now I live my life responsibly taking my medication every day. I am grateful that we found good doctors for me and that I get great medical care. My doctor even replies to text messages- she’s awesome! I grew up in Guatemala and I know this medical care and attention would not have been the same there As I remember, my first convulsion was while living there. I am studying Marketing and International Relations and hope that my language skills and multicultural background will take me on journeys to different countries so I can explore the world while working in my degree. Getting the Arlin Diaz Memorial Scholarship would keep me on track to leading this life I’m lucky to have!