In my years in high school, I was part of a predominantly white environment. It was a cold wake-up call from my diverse middle school and Islamic elementary school. I was pushed into a place where no one looked like me or understood me. However, if I wanted to be successful, I had to get used to not being an outlier. I had to get used to leaving class at 11:35 to pray Dhur or being the only person in PE covering all their skin. This motivated me to get out of my comfort zone. I soon learned how beneficial this would be to me. By staying strong in my deen, I found other Muslims I could connect with and explored a great variety of activities with confidence. I joined various clubs ranging from Mock Trial, where I fought civil and criminal cases against other high schoolers. UNICEF, where I raised money for humanitarian causes like Ukraine and Myanmar through fast food partnerships. Additionally, I was mostly invested in our MSA, the school's Muslim Student Association where we served on panels to educate my classmates about Islam and held fundraisers for struggling communities in our area. We grew our club from around 4 people to more than 30 over my 4 years, building a well-known club for Muslim teenagers to come together. I also expanded to outside activities in my community. I volunteered at Warner Park, our local nature center, where I taught kids about rocks and gave families snacks harvested from the garden. Furthermore, I got a job at my local mosque where I taught kids how to write Arabic and read the Quran. During my summers, I was lucky enough to get into Vanderbilt's selective cancer research program to learn more about cancer and do our own research. I also worked with MTSU's Urban Heat Program to participate in an interactive study about urban extreme heat, a familiar issue Nashville faces. Moreover, in Harpeth Hall's STEM Summer Institute, my team and I designed and presented solutions for environmental problems faced internationally and locally. Although these experiences may seem random, I was able to get a better understanding of the people around me and build my identity even further. I grew closer to Allah, and I found what I was truly passionate about in the process. One day I hope to travel to underdeveloped countries that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters like my home country of Bangladesh. I want to research how I can find a viable solution and establish technology that can reduce the effects. However, to do this, I first need the education to be able to achieve this dream. With this scholarship, I can pay for my education and fulfill my responsibility as a Muslim to help those who are in need. My underlying goal was always to familiarize the people around me with Muslims and our extraordinary capabilities. Similarly, in my future career, I plan to be an environmental engineer and expose the beauty of Islam to the world and show the Muslim youth what they can achieve despite the adversity they may face.