Sports has been a pillar in my life for as long as I can remember. From playing every sport under the sun as a child to becoming a collegiate volleyball player, athletics has truly shaped the person I am today. My most beloved memories, many of my friends, and some of my greatest accomplishments have revolved around sports. Volleyball holds a special place in my heart. It's the sport I've played the longest. It has paid for my college education (undergrad and graduate). It's also allowed me to travel all across the country and even to Italy for a foreign tour in college! After being in quarantine my entire senior year in college, Fall semester of 2021 we received the green light to return to campus and to return to volleyball. Unfortunately, during the first scrimmage of season I tear my ACL and meniscus which had me out for the season. Recently, I just found out that my collegiate volleyball career may come to a sudden end from this injury. It didn't heal as expected and has progressed for the worst (my meniscus is still torn and worse than the initial injury) forcing me to potentially step away to prioritize the health of my knee. As hard as it is to maybe have to step away from the sport I love I'm mature enough to know that I shouldn't jeopardized my health for something temporary. This decision I have to make is something that weighs heavy on my mind. The plan was always to have my career intersect into the sports field but now it's almost guaranteed it will be an imperative part of it. I plan on pursuing a career as a pediatric physician's assistant. Knowing that I'll be spending most of my day with children from all walks of life, it's inevitable that I'll be treating kids with sports/athletics injuries. My background in sports would allow me to relate to the children I'm treating, help me explain their injuries in correlation to the sport their playing, and give solutions/treatments that keeps them as healthy as can be in addition to maintaining their sports career. I know how loving a sport so much and that the thought of it being taken away not on your own terms is terrifying. My goal in my career is to help children live long healthy lifestyles and if they want to play sports I can provide healthcare to allow them to.

Calculus is important in the STEM field because many of the achievements made in the field would've never came to fruition without the math formulas from Calculus. Seeing that calculus is the mathematical study of change the human race wouldn't b able to change for the better. Many breakthroughs in engineering, physics, medicine, biological research, economics, architecture, space science, electronics, statistics, pharmacology, and even a field like business. Since calculus touching almost every field of study, it can be argued that it's one if not the most important foundations aspect of human advancement. One of the most critical applications of calculus in life is in engineering. Calculus is used to calculate heat loss in buildings, forces in complex structural configurations, and structural analysis in seismic design requirements. Architects use calculus to determine the ever-important quantity of materials required for constructing support systems that can withstand stress over long periods of time. Even notable monuments such as the Eiffel Tower were constructed using calculus to predict the impact of wind resistance. In the realm of medicine, calculus is used to compute important tasks everyday. Biologists use differential calculus to compute the exact bacterial growth rate in a culture by varying environmental factors such as temperature and food source. Calculus is crucial in medical tests used for measuring cardiac output, blood flow, and tumor growth. This data is needed to properly assess a patient’s health condition. Epidemiologists who conduct research on infectious diseases use calculus to discover the spread rate and area where an infection will likely occur. Calculus can also help create a containment plan and investigate the source of an infection. Pharmacologists use calculus to understand drug sensitivity and finding the proper dosage for maximum output of drug integration. In the world of business, calculus is used in numerous ways. Calculus is used for setting payment structures and the minimum due amount by the credit card company by considering variables such as interest rates and fluctuating balance. In economics, the price elasticity of supply and demand is determined using calculus. Economists use variables such as the supply-demand curve to find the exact measure of elasticity at a particular point according to changes in price. Calculus is mainly used for optimization. This includes maximizing profits, minimizing cost, and maximizing or minimizing production. Also, Calculus can be used to calculate the rate of change in cost or the marginal revenue for an interest-bearing account. Another important field where calculus in important is research analytics. The application of calculus in research and development has paved the way for manufacturing, data management, gaming, and other service industries to grow exponentially. Research analysts use calculus while observing different processes. Based on collected data, companies can optimize their output, productivity, and efficiency, which improves the industry’s quality and revenue. Statisticians make use of survey data to find a range of answers for different questions. Using calculus allows them to make accurate predictions, which helps their decision making process. Ecologists use calculus to make dynamic population models that showcase growth without any environmental constraints. Through calculus, accurate predictions on population changes can be made, taking birth and death rates into account. The world as we know it, wouldn't be what it is now without calculus!

1) It's important to "pay it forward" because you never know how such a little act of kindness can impact someone's life. That act of kindness could be the make or break point for someone to take a more positive outlook of life, or just simply make their day. The best part of "paying it forward" it that it's free and everyone can do it. 2) I decided to become physical therapist in high school. I had a few conversations with my athletic trainers about why he decided to become an athletic trainer and his values resonated with mine. I knew I wanted to be able to help others when they're in pain and provide a plan for them to live pain free lifestyles. I believe everyone should be able to live pain free and I know I can help facilitate that for others through a career in Physical Therapy. 3) Five years from now I see myself with a master's in Kinesiology, a DPT in Physical Therapy, and deciding which pathway of Physical Therapy I want to go. I suspect I'll choose to work in a hospital, outpatient clinic, or be a traveling Physical Therapist.