At the time of writing this, Luigi Mangione is on trial for the alleged murder of a big health care company's CEO, Brian Thompson. The overwhelming support he has received on social media really highlights the shortcomings of the U.S. healthcare system. If masses of people are rallying behind a person who has allegedly killed a CEO of a health care company, it sends off the message that no one really liked the person that was killed or what they stood for. My name is Matthew Villar, and I am currently going into my sophomore year at CSU Northridge. My biggest stance on socioeconomic adversity would be against the healthcare system. People are paying a fair chunk of money out of their paychecks to these companies, and to flat-out refuse a service that they need to live just because it is "not worth it" does not sit right with me. It is like paying a homeowner rent and not even living on the property. What is the point of paying the insurance bills if one does not get the compensation they need for an expensive medical operation? Are they supposed to drown in the debt they accumulate while the healthcare company runs away with the money that they have been paying for? Seeing the poor healthcare system firsthand has really made me rethink how great the country is. If our citizens can not even get the help they so desperately need and deserve, what are we paying for? Other countries have shown that healthcare can be free and effective, so why does the United States have to make it so hard on its citizens? The healthcare system has made me lose close family members, all because of a rejected claim. There needs to be a change, and it needs to happen before any more unfortunate families have to go through the same thing me and others have gone through. Some of my future plans involve me being more involved in space and donating to those who are denied in their claims. With my new daughter being born in a few months, I hope that nothing goes wrong, as I worry that the healthcare system will fail me once more. Through the help of this scholarship, if I am selected, I will continue to help others in their fight against the healthcare system, as well as honor Cheryl Twilley throughout my process.

I was born in 2005, and LeBron has been dominating the league since 2003. That means that this man has been in the league, dominating, two years longer than I have been alive. That just goes to show how insane LeBron James is; he is an athletic anomaly in the sports world. I was a fan of LeBron James the moment he appeared on my television screen when I was a kid. The way he drove to the paint, passed the ball, and everything about his play on the court was flawless. That was the moment I became a LeBron James fan, and the king has not stopped showing greatness on the court since the moment I laid my eyes on him. Do I think LeBron James is the best of all time? This question is like asking if chickens lay eggs. Of course, he is, and there is no competition! He has four rings, four MVPs, 20 All-Star games, 13-time first-team All-NBA, fourth all-time in assists, and lastly, he is number one all-time in scoring. The longevity is something we have almost never seen in sports, as he is now 40 and still a top 10 current NBA player. People would always compare him to Michael Jordan, saying that he never lost in the finals and that is why he is the greatest of all time. To that I say making the finals and winning four times is astronomically harder than going to the finals only six times and winning those six times. Not to mention, Michael Jordan had an amazing team at all times, whereas LeBron James had to carry plumbers to the finals in his early years! With the accolades, the longevity, and his sheer dominance over the years, it is no wonder how so many others, including myself, consider the king to be the greatest there was to touch a basketball.

The bright, glistening stars are not for everyone in this world after all. That's what I've come to understand as I've matured in this world. As a child, you dream of actually making a difference in this world. Becoming an astronaut and exploring the moon, a doctor and saving lives, or even the President of the United States. My dream was to be a professional video game player, playing for a team while a crowd cheers me on. However, as I get older, I realize that my dream is far from what is realistic in this life. Video games have been my favorite thing to do in my free time since I was four years old. The bright colors on the screen with the satisfying sound effects and the engaging music always fascinated me as a child. So much so that by the time I was in high school, I was still playing and would even play for sometimes 10 hours a day. Gaming is something I can always fall back on if I just want to enjoy myself. It also enables people to connect with their friends from a distance and do something enjoyable together while not being with each other physically. That is the beauty of video games, and why I fell in love with them in the first place. The fact that I can do something enjoyable with friends while they are not next to me physically is a miracle in itself. Video games have saved me from days of boredom and instead given me memories that will last me a lifetime. That is why I wanted to make it into my career, especially competitively. I am a very competitive person. Winning always comes first in my mind, and I want to be the one on top constantly. This does not only apply to games; it applies to almost everything I put myself through in real life. I had never truly realized how badly I wanted to win constantly until I played multiplayer video games. The feeling of winning almost never gets old, and the better competition I play, the more passionate I get. Becoming a pro was a natural desire, as I was so interested in becoming the best, playing for money, and playing for a crowd. Though as I rise through the ranks of my games that I play, I notice I start to do worse and worse. I become stuck in a place where I have reached my ceiling and the plateau where I am. When this kept happening throughout every game I played, I knew I had to be realistic and give up on the dream. For now, I am playing for one of my college's teams, only for fun, because I know it will not amount to much in the future. I am now majoring in finance, where my new desire is to make enough at a company to support my growing family. I have a daughter, and my new dream is to give her my all and be the best father I can for her. Through this scholarship, it would not only alleviate some much-needed financial help for finishing college but also help me spend more of my energy on becoming the best possible father. I promise to honor Charles B. Brazelton throughout my journey and give back like this scholarship will have done so for me if I am selected.

Hello! My name is Matthew So Villar, and I am studying finance with a minor in business analytics at CSU Northridge. I am currently a sophomore at the time of writing this, but am a semester ahead and will be a junior my spring semester. As a teen parent, it has been hard dealing with the judgment. People calling you a disappointment when just a few weeks ago they were praising all that I had done. Luckily, I have a great supporting family with me who loves me for who I am and are my biggest supporters when I need them the most.  By the time this scholarship is awarded, my baby daughter will be eight months old. My future visions revolve around getting as much financial aid and scholarships as possible to be able to afford college while working on the side to provide for my family. Through my parents helping take care of the baby once me and my girlfriend are out, I plan to work hard enough to get a job out of college and move out once I do so. From there I will gain experience and eventually land a remote job where I can travel frequently with my family, exploring the rest of the world while still being able to do my work. Pursuing a higher education increases my odds of landing my first job a great deal. I believe that all I need is one chance, and through hard work and grit, I will not let the people that gave me that chance down. Through a college degree, I can make sure my baby is fed and has the resources around her that she needs to succeed. The moment I got the news, I made a promise to myself to sacrifice all that I had to give this child the best life possible. My parents sacrificed a lot by leaving their home country in their teenage years and flying to the United States to find work. I want to give that same amount of effort when it comes to my child, as their sacrifices have given me ample amounts of opportunity throughout my short life.  If this scholarship is given to me, it will intensify my grit and determination. It gives me a push forward that I desperately need to fund my college expenses. It gives me a push forward toward completing college and getting my degree without worrying much about student loan debt. It gives me a push forward toward living my ideal life with the family I helped create.

My Filipino father sacrificed everything for a better future. He and my mom were dirt poor, living in a province and barely making ends meet. My mother had lost both of her parents before she turned 8, and my father was involved in various gang activities. He left his whole family in the Philippines at just the young age of 18 to sail across the ocean to the United States. He had dreams of starting a family, getting a good job, and making sure his parents live comfortably forever. Once he arrived, he got straight to work and would compile various amounts of jobs to work. He had to also send half of his earnings every month to his parents, as they were in dire need of the money he was getting. Being the good son he was, he listened and kept working every single day. One day, he got arrested and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Once he arrived, he knew prison was not for him. Intimidating people were looking at him everywhere he went, and he made a promise to himself and God that if he let him out, he would not disappoint. A day after thinking this, his cousin called and said that he would bail him out of prison. My dad did not waste this opportunity and got back to working every job he could get his hands on. You name it, he has worked it; this includes construction, chef, barber, and even mailman. My father eventually, through all the grit and determination, paid back his cousin for the bail, and ever since that day he has not looked back. He brought over my mom so that they could get married and have green cards to work in the country officially. They then proceeded to live in an apartment near the San Fernando Valley and had both of my brothers and me in the process. He raised us and gave us all the attention we needed while pushing the importance of education along with it. Now is the time when I do not want to put his efforts in vain. My father suffered a lot to get me to the point where I am today, and I would dread the thought of disappointing him. This scholarship would give me the boost in finances that I so desperately need to pay for a good amount of requirements for college. It would also help me focus my regular income on my newborn daughter, who is being born in March. I would love to honor Yolanda and Sam Shuster if I do win this scholarship by putting on full display how I can impact my community and give other immigrants chances, like how my dad's cousin did so for him.

My name is Matthew So Villar, and I am currently attending CSU Northridge as a sophomore but will be a junior next semester. I am majoring in finance with a minor in business analytics. I am currently taking on 18 units while working in my school's cash services building as a student assistant, committing 20 hours a week for the job. I am also a part of one of my school's e-sports teams, where I practice and play against other schools every day after school. Lastly, I am expecting to be a father to a beautiful baby girl in March of 2025. This scholarship would help me tremendously in paying for my education and ensuring that I have enough money to provide for my family. It would make it so that I can spend more money on things like diapers, wipes, and other things instead of spending it on books, tuition, or other expenses. Being selected for this scholarship would make a great difference to me in my academic pursuits and future endeavors as a dedicated and determined student. Economic constraints have always been a challenge, yet they toughened my determination to succeed. This scholarship, apart from easing the burden of tuition and living expenses, would give me the opportunity to use all my energy to focus on my studies and extracurricular activities, enabling me to perform to the best of my abilities. For me, finance is not just a career goal but is a passion that I wish to translate into a lucrative career. This scholarship will provide me with the opportunity to attend career-enhancing conferences or workshops, obtain relevant learning materials, and even explore internship opportunities. All these opportunities will create a platform for broadening my horizons and enhancing my skills so that I am fully prepared when entering the sector of my choice. This scholarship will further allow me, in the long run, to give back to my community, as I plan to use my education to improve myself and my family. I have no doubt that, with support, I can make a difference and even inspire others to follow their dreams. This scholarship would mean more than the money itself; it would show that I believe in myself and am committed to a future. It would motivate me to not only meet but exceed the expectations set for me by serving as a constant reminder of the importance of perseverance and hard work. This scholarship will, over time, allow me to give back to the community by using my education to further my career. I firmly believe that with this assistance, I can have a lasting impact and inspire others who follow their dreams.

There was a little boy at a Target with his mom and was asking to buy a new Lego set because his grades were good. His mother asked for him to buy something cheaper since it was $20 out of her budget. I was also in the same isle as them and overheard their conversation. It resonated with me in a special way, as I remember a time where my parents could also barely afford to buy me and my brothers the games we wanted as a kid. I introduced myself to the mother, and said I would be happy to give the 20 in my wallet to her so that she could buy her kid the Lego set. She was shocked by the gesture, and insisted that she could not accept it. However, I was consistent in my approach and pleaded with her to accept the donation. I explained to her how we should reward kids for doing good in class, and that this was also my kind deed for the day. She was overwhelmed and embraced me as she took the $20 dollar bill that was in my hand. The kid and her mom then said thank you, and purchased the Lego set. After this experience, I felt amazing about what I had done. These are the type of experiences that you remember for a while, and are also a reminder that we are all human dealing with our own struggles of the world. The main message I would like to share with the next generation would just to be nice to people. Kindness gets you along way in life, and others will most likely treat you with respect if you give them respect. Whether it is with a teacher, boss, or even a random stranger, kindness can do a lot for people that need it. I would also say to always do what is right. It is okay to be a bystander in some scenarios, but when you know that you can do something to make another person's day, go ahead and do it. If it does not cause too much harm, time, or detriment to you, go ahead and do it for them. Everyone is human at the end of the day, and human connection is something that we all need. Who knows what the other person is growing through, make a difference in their lives, and continue to make the world a better place.

My path in life has been shaped by the generosity and encouragement of people who believed in me during my darkest moments. Multiple teachers, mentors, and individuals from my community have shared their time, expertise, and encouragement; all of which have enabled me to rise above challenges with much more confidence. In tandem with fostering my growth, this consistent support has instilled in me a profound urge to pay it forward by helping others unlock their potential. Throughout my student and personal life, I have sought out and pursued the skills necessary for eliciting the best from people. As a student, I have honed the skill of articulating myself clearly, listening with empathy, and adapting to varied circumstances. Working as a peer mentor in my school's tutoring program with classmates struggling with aspects that I was particularly very good at is one of my most memorable experiences. I saw them blossom over time and individualized instruction into confident people comprehending the concepts. Their joy and pride in their accomplishments provided me with the motivation to continue this project. I also had a great opportunity to develop my leadership skills through community service projects. Leading group projects, helping in animal shelters, and organizing seminars have taught me how to encourage cooperation and create environments where individuals feel valued and empowered. These experiences have helped me to better understand how important mentoring and working with others is in helping people realize their dreams and potential. I have been using my love of e-sports to help connect with some of the students in the school outside of the classroom. For example, I am part of the Valorant team and have won multiple tournaments. Seeing their enthusiasm and growth solidified for me the worth of mentorship through support and a shared interest. I am committed to inspiring others because I appreciate those people who have inspired me. I realize that what I have achieved from my efforts is the result of so many acts of kindness and encouragement, not mine alone. Through this inspiration and mentorship with other students, I will be continuing that legacy. In the near future, I want to make sure that no matter what anyone's circumstances are, everyone will have the support and the means they need to become what they can be. Helping others reach their own potential is not just my calling, but one of the major ways I give back to a world that has been so supportive of me.

"Become a lawyer or doctor, Matthew; that's the best option," is what my parents would say to me throughout my childhood. They often emphasized traditional career paths, envisioning a stable future for me. But despite their good intentions, I always felt that my dreams and passions were overlooked. My true passion has always been math and recognizing patterns, a fascination that started when I was young. I would use patterns to simplify everyday tasks, and as I grew older, my interest only deepened. Finance was the natural career choice for me, as it perfectly blends my love for math with the practicalities of working in a field that is both challenging and rewarding. It offers me the chance to do something I genuinely love while also providing financial stability. However, one major obstacle in my journey has been securing the funds to support my education. This scholarship would be instrumental in helping me achieve my goals, enabling me to follow my dreams while also proving to my parents that I can succeed in a career path of my own choosing. Pursuing a degree in finance is not just about personal fulfillment; it is a stepping stone toward achieving broader aspirations. A degree would allow me to secure a steady job in a field I enjoy, giving me the freedom to create the life I’ve always envisioned. One of my long-term goals is to travel the world, exploring its diverse cultures and landscapes while working remotely. The ability to combine work and travel would be the ultimate reward, as it would allow me to grow both professionally and personally. But my motivation goes beyond my own ambitions. I am preparing to become a father in March 2025, and this life-changing event has given me an even greater sense of purpose. Knowing that I will soon have a daughter to care for motivates me to work even harder to build a solid foundation for my family. As a person of just 19 years of age, I realize the importance of an early start and hard work in order to excel beyond my rivals. The scholarship will be the most imperative investment in my future and a means to help me alleviate the financial burden that comes with higher education. Reaching my career goals aside, being able to finish my degree and make extensive effort will also better my girlfriend's life, my future daughter's, and my own. I am very confident that I can turn this love of finance into a challenging and meaningful career with persistence and the support of this scholarship.

"Education, finish your college and do whatever you want after that. All I ask is that you finish what I have given you the opportunity to do." These were the words that have been said all my life from my parents, and is what sparked my feeling of importance toward education. Education is important to me because it brings better opportunity to me. Not everyone can be in the top 1% where they do not have a college degree and get rich off of a successful business or other source or income. While education forms the backbone of understanding the world and finding our place in it, it is more than knowledge acquisition. The value of education is rather found in the kindling of curiosity, critique, and human development, even as formal education has always formed the introductory point. It gives us the tools we need to overcome obstacles, form deep relationships, and improve society. Education has changed my outlook, values, and goals and has indeed been a transformative experience. Besides knowledge and skill acquisition, education has taught me how to think, question, and explore. A lifelong curiosity it has instilled in me promoted embracing challenging ideas, pursuing an answer to issues, and visualizing possibilities well beyond my current state in life. In addition, education empowers individuals to make major difference on a personal and societal level. It provides us with the ability to understand situations, articulate our thoughts and opinions effectively, and reach an informed decision. For instance, my critical thinking and persuasive writing have allowed me to be more involved in my community-through project collaborations, mentorship, or causes that I believe in. These educationally acquired abilities have made it imperative in fostering relationships and thus coming up with positive results. Development of empathy through education is equally important. It expands our horizon by exposing us to a different set of perspectives, cultures, and eras. I remember this class when we read world literature, each of which gave insight into other people's struggles and triumphs. All these experiences have filled my heart with compassion, and now I try to handle relationships and challenges as sensitively as possible. That is the real power of education: it is endless. It stays with us all our lives and does not confine itself to a classroom and a degree. Each opportunity, obstacle, and experience is a sequel of our education and an opportunity to learn. Its value lies not in the knowledge that we gain, but in our usage of that knowledge to make better versions of ourselves and others. Education taught me that success is much more than a selfish achievement but involves good deeds toward society. This reminds that one should never stop asking questions, be flexible with new realities, and at least try to make a difference in the lives of other people. In other words, education can provide a driving underpinning for the individual and collective development in this urge to learn continuously and develop as a community and individually.

"Mathematics is the Picasso of all subjects that you'll learn in school Matthew, so learn it well" is what my dad has mentioned constantly ever since I was a little boy. I love math because of how simple, yet complex, it is. You do not have to explain your work, but you just have to show how you got there in the end. All it is is understanding numbers through equations for most classes, and that is what I have always loved about math. My work speaks for itself, and learning different ways to solve certain problems always interested me as a kid. So much so that I am now majoring in finance with a minor in business analytics. I have even tutored students who have had trouble learning math. It always brightened my day when I would see them learning the subjects that they previously struggled on. It made me feel great knowing that I was helping them achieve their goal of improving at the subject. I have tutored for algebra 1 and statistics in the past and have both gotten compensated and not compensated for it. Either way, I have enjoyed doing it all, and the student learning something new is enough payment for me most of the time. Ever since I was a kid, I was better than my peers at it. We would play games where the first one to shout out the correct multiplication answer to the problem would move on to the next round, and I would always win. I had even beaten the teachers several times at it, and that was when I knew that I had found one of my passions in life. It was something that I was good at and something that I truly enjoyed learning at every level. Whether it is algebra 1, calculus, or even statistics, math is something I take pride in learning. It is something that I want to make a career out of, and it has been my favorite subject my whole life.

Hi, my name is Matthew Villar, and I am from the San Fernando Valley. I am a sophomore at CSUN currently, but I am one semester ahead of schedule and will be a junior in the Spring 2025 semester. I am majoring in finance with a minor in business analytics. I work as a student assistant 20 hours a week in my school’s cash services department; I am the current team captain for my school’s Valorant Esports team; and I am going to be a father to a beautiful girl in March. This scholarship would help tremendously in funding my tuition and other school expenses for the upcoming semester. It would also take some of the slack off of having to spend funds for school when I would need to spend money on my baby. My academic goals involve graduating with a gpa above 3.7 and getting a job straight out of college, so family finances are not that big of a problem. My goal would be to stay at a company long enough to make at least six figures and then get a new job that allows me to do remote work while I travel the world! It has always been a dream of mine to travel, especially in Southeast Asia, and see all of the different cultures! I have contributed countless times to my community through my volunteer work. During the pandemic, I volunteered at my local animal shelter, commuting 10 hours to help take care of the animals. I was also a tutor for two semesters at Northridge Academy High School, teaching freshman algebra. Lastly, I was part of my school’s senior council on the executive board, where I helped facilitate, clean up, and set up events for students. A time where I was at my lowest and felt like I was failing was during my AP calculus class my junior year of high school. We had just come back from the pandemic, and I learned both algebra 2 and pre-calculus online. I was failing the class and had failed multiple tests in a row after studying for hours before hand. Not to mention this was a zero-period class where class would begin every morning at 7:00 am. I was tired, mentally drained, and felt like a failure in that class. However, the teacher was nice enough to give extra credit if you did hours of work over the last weekend, and I powered through it to bring my grade to passing. The last thing I had to do was the AP exam, and going into it, I thought my outcome was already decided. I was going to most likely get a two and think nothing of it. However, I got a three and passed the exam surprisingly! I learned through this process that if I dedicate myself to something and put enough effort in, I can accomplish what I thought was not feasible. My greatest strengths would be my competitiveness, determination, and communication skills. I want to be the best at what I do, and that runs off on people because most would describe me as highly competitive. Determination has shown through my classes where I have struggled to be the best at what I do, and that runs off on people because most would describe me as highly competitive.  but continue to fight through and get what I want. Lastly, my communication skills show through my understanding of people. I treat others the way that I want to be treated, and that has gone a long way in developing important relationships for me.