The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father emphasized reading and education. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Extreme turbulence violently shakes him in and out of reality. Crawled up in the corner of an illegal plane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. Trying to zero out all the noise but his thoughts scream louder than the failing engine. The screaming and begging of his village continue to echo in his head and piles of lifeless bodies replay in his mind. Desperate for security and comfort. Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self. As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Extreme turbulence violently shakes him in and out of reality. Crawled up in the corner of an illegal plane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. Trying to zero out all the noise but his thoughts scream louder than the failing engine. The screaming and begging of his village continue to echo in his head and piles of lifeless bodies replay in his mind. Desperate for security and comfort. Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self. As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father emphasized reading and education. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self, it is what motivates me to improve health care back home in Somalia .

As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.

Extreme turbulence violently shakes him in and out of reality. Crawled up in the corner of an illegal plane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. Trying to zero out all the noise but his thoughts scream louder than the failing engine. The screaming and begging of his village continue to echo in his head and piles of lifeless bodies replay in his mind. Desperate for security and comfort. Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self. As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.

As a kid my father would always tell me stories about our homeland leading up to the war. I would gasp and hide under my blanket as he told me how he got separated from his family and crawled up in the corner of an illegal airplane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. He tried zeroing out all the noise, but his thoughts screamed louder than the failing engine. The screeching of his village echoed in his head, and mountains of bodies replayed in his mind. He looked through the foggy glass as everything got further away with every raindrop that trickled down the window. My father was my hero, even after everything he went through, he would always say nothing was scarier than coming back home to find out you’re not welcomed there. I never understood what my father meant and quite frankly, I laughed at him every time he would say that. Until the summer of 2018, when my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. My passion for books disappeared after months of being ridiculed in class for stuttering while reading out loud. I felt like a loner, and the only person that understood how I felt was 8,925 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma. Over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father and grandmother taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of enrollment I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, that he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of dense concentration of health sciences classes taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology, because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body, but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self, it is what motivates me to improve health care back home in Somalia .

Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self, it is what motivates me to improve health care back home in Somalia .

Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of dense concentration of health sciences classes taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology, because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body, but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Extreme turbulence violently shakes him in and out of reality. Crawled up in the corner of an illegal plane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. Trying to zero out all the noise but his thoughts scream louder than the failing engine. The screaming and begging of his village continue to echo in his head and piles of lifeless bodies replay in his mind. Desperate for security and comfort. Looking through the foggy glass everything starts to look farther apart with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A glimpse of an unstable government and insufficient healthcare was the last reminisce I had of my home as we flew toward the Atlantic Ocean. The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard I tried to erase the misery and pain written for me I could still see the silhouette of the marks my fate left behind. Unlike Somalia, The United States has one of the highest GDP going into healthcare costs As technology continues to advance, the United States is projected to continue to lead towards remarkable healthcare research and discoveries. Healthcare has become common and available for all individuals regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. Healthcare isn’t a privilege, it is a right for every standing citizen no matter your situation. With hardship comes ease. Coming to the United States my father always stressed and emphasized one thing, literature, and reading. At a young age, I was constantly reminded of the importance of reading because it was the foundation of all other skills. Leading up to the years of the Somali War, the education system was beginning to crumble and parents took their children out of school and kept them home to keep them safe. Many students went on to grow up without learning how to read or write resulting in them working in traditional jobs. Because of this, there was a scarce population of doctors and healthcare workers, and as a result healthcare wasn’t attainable. My father always highlighted how crucial education was to shape me to become my best self. As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

As a kid my father would always tell me stories about our homeland leading up to the war. I would gasp and hide under my blanket as he told me how he got separated from his family and crawled up in the corner of an illegal airplane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. He tried zeroing out all the noise, but his thoughts screamed louder than the failing engine. The screeching of his village echoed in his head, and mountains of bodies replayed in his mind. He looked through the foggy glass as everything got further away with every raindrop that trickled down the window. My father was my hero, even after everything he went through, he would always say nothing was scarier than coming back home to find out you’re not welcomed there. I never understood what my father meant and quite frankly, I laughed at him every time he would say that. Until the summer of 2018, when my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. My passion for books disappeared after months of being ridiculed in class for stuttering while reading out loud. I felt like a loner, and the only person that understood how I felt was 8,925 miles across the Atlantic Ocean. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma. Over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father and grandmother taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of enrollment I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, that he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of dense concentration of health sciences classes taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology, because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body, but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father always emphasized reading and education as a young kid. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

The summer of 2018, my father took me to Somalia for the first time. What seemed like a harmless vacation to my father’s old village quickly spiraled into much more. Nobody in the village spoke English, and my father always warned me never to speak English as the villagers would treat me differently and would manipulate me because they believed all Americans were wealthy and spoiled. After spending the entire summer in Somalia, our trip was extended because my grandmother was experiencing heart problems and grew ill. After 5 months of not speaking any English, my father booked me a plane ticket back to America, but he stayed to tend to his mother. Finally I was back home, but I didn’t feel like the same person I was when I left. My friends had forgotten about me, no one could recognize me at school, and my peers would laugh at the thick accent I developed from my long trip. Everywhere I went I felt a finger being pointed at me and people talking about me. I felt like an outcast in a place I had always been comfortable. My sanctuary had become my prison, and I hated the person I had become. This changed the day I got a FaceTime call from my father and grandmother. They taught me to love my heritage and the new man I had become. They opened my eyes and I had finally come to terms with the new me. However, I never want myself, or anyone else like me, to experience this type of trauma.This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father always emphasized reading and education as a young kid. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father always emphasized reading and education as a young kid. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father emphasized reading and education. This is why over quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Growing up my father always emphasized reading and education as a young kid. This is why quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with this scholarship I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

My name is Mohamed Ahmed and growing up my father always emphasized reading and education as a young kid. This is why quarantine I reconnected with my family back home in Somalia to host a virtual book club with children of all ages, in my father's old village, to strengthen their reading skills and kindle their fire for literature. This took place every week during the pandemic and the kids used this time as a destressor from all the chaos they experienced. Most importantly, I taught them the same lesson my father taught me. Over time my accent faded away and the emotional wounds had healed, but it left a scar. A scar that reminds me of my story and a reminder to help everybody around me. My struggles and tribulations molded me into the person I am today. It’s what sparked my love to help others in my community and ironically across the world. If presented with the opportunity of enrollment I want to become a bridge, or normality and comfort, for those students that have felt like an outcast from those around them. My past is what motivates me to become a NSM Peer mentor to help students find their place and fit into their environment. I also would like to tutor and become a STEM Teacher through the teachHouston program to help struggling students that aren’t comfortable asking for help. Leadership roles like these would allow me to influence and create an avenue for the students around me to prosper. Additionally, I have a passion for human anatomy, specifically, the heart and cardiovascular technology. This love is influenced by my grandmother and her heart problems. Seeing how much my Father loved my grandmother, his sleepless nights in the hospitals away from his own family, whom he loved and missed dearly, motivated and taught me at an early age to love and care for those around me. This is why I want to be a part of the Pathway to Science Undergraduate Research Program to strengthen my love for science, which will be the foundation of my career goal of becoming a Cardiovascular Perfusionist. Currently, I am a senior at Michael E. DeBakey High School for the Health Profession where I have had the opportunity to dive deep into healthcare because of clinical rotation and internships provided by my school. My four years of a dense concentration of health sciences classes have taught me how to treat and take care of patients not only physically but also emotionally. I believe this is why I am so drawn to the heart and cardiovascular technology because it is not only a vital organ for survival, but also the source of emotion, desire, and wisdom. This complex organ not only pumps and oxygenates blood for other parts of the body but also manipulates hundreds of emotional combinations simultaneously in harmony with other bodily processes. This is what fascinates me as an aspiring medical student. I want to be an individual that's looked at as a role model, and someone who my peers can come to when they need help or feel conflicted and overwhelmed. A safe haven for lost and confused hearts, with good intentions, that need help trying to find light. I am certain that with the help of this scholarship I can have the means to get an education and move one step closer to my goal.

Extreme Turbulence violently shakes him in and out of reality. Crawled up in the corner of a plane hyperventilating alongside hundreds of escapees. The screeching of his village echo's in his head and piles of bodies replay in his mind. Looking through the foggy glass as everything starts to look farther away with every raindrop that trickles down the window. A Hublot watch, a box of cigarettes, and fifty cents were the last reminisce he had as they flew over the Atlantic Ocean.  The United States of America. A clean slate with new opportunities, but no matter how hard he tried to erase the past he could still see the silhouette it left behind. Pacing around unsure where to go in a city with many people around him yet no one to help An outsider in a country he had only heard stories about. With hardship comes ease. But with my father's ease came my hardship. Making my father proud became my drug. The prestigious first son, the foundation of this family that has yet to come. Bringing home A's would stitch his pain, but one B could open the wound, and with the rushing blood came the intensive trauma. So I became the picture-perfect son, maintained good grades, stayed involved with my community, and joined several clubs. I brought home awards that my father would place on his wall and through the reflection, I saw the dreadful stares of my six siblings that weighed heavy on me. On one shoulder I felt the burden of making my father proud. and on the other, I felt the burden of raising the bar for my siblings. I became a trophy to my father and my purpose was to be the shiniest one on display. With every accomplishment, I moved up the shelf and distinguished myself from the other trophies, but felt like a stranger to my family. I felt invisible, my siblings wouldn't even acknowledge me. Eventually, I started to feel like a ghost, and my family would walk right through me. After months of being neglected, I packed my bags and headed to my grandmother's house. My heartbeat quickened with every knock my fist made on the door. The door creaked open and revealed the familiar freckles on my grandfather's cheeks. Walking myself in, I rushed toward my grandmother's room and stopped at her door. As I called her name she opened her door and smiled. Her smile cracked open my emotions and I rambled on about everything that was bothering me. She sat me down and placed my father's watch in one hand and held the other. “ Don't let your father's past haunt you, you won't escape your cage until you understand his past can't be forgotten, it can only be accepted.” Her words sunk deep. With every tick that echoed from the watch, I felt her grip on my hand start to loosen as she got up and headed out the door. Her footsteps became faint, and it wasn't until the door closed that I realized I was in my father's old room. Under his bed was a box. Curious, I opened it and found cigarettes and the same coins my father had brought with him. Nearby I found fuel and matches and headed outside. With every drop of fuel that sunk into the box, my shoulders felt lighter. As the reminisce of my father's past began to burn away, the burden on my shoulders was lifted. I kept the watch to remind me of the lesson that opened my eyes to a new understanding of myself.

As I got introduced to medicine and the anatomy of the human body, I fell in love. These passions lit a fire inside me that has only gotten bigger since. At a young age, I knew I wanted to be a healthcare worker. Specifically, a nurse perfusionist, to go on to tackle the leading problem in my homeland, heart diseases. I knew I wanted to go back home and encourage and spark a change so that one day I could see the beautiful country my father always talked about, before all the war, famine, and diseases. So that one day I could show my future kids how it only took passion, drive, and a beating heart to create change. With this motivation, I maintained academic excellence and was admitted into Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. Where I attain a deeper understanding of health science, anatomy, physiology, and gained clinical experience. This was one step closer to my dream of improving Healthcare in my homeland, Somalia. I plan on acquiring the right knowledge and experience to become a perfusionist to help patients and ensure safety and comfort. I have a long journey ahead of me, but as long as I am still breathing there is nothing that can take me off this path and goal of improving healthcare in Somalia.