As a child of an immigrant parent, working and striving for success has always instilled in me a deep-seated commitment to hard work and the pursuit of success from a tender age. Being a first-generation child in my family meant that I had to stay right on track for diligence, honesty, and a strong sense of service to both my family and community. The more I was in my community and with my family, the more certain I was about what I wanted to do with my future ahead. My name is Monica Nguyen and I’m currently a senior at Montgomery Catholic Prep. School in Montgomery, Alabama. I am hoping to major in computer engineering with a possible minor in computer science. Serving as one of the House Presidents of the religious House Leadership, I have had the privilege of contributing to the spiritual aspect of my school community. Alongside, I am also a member of Key Club where I volunteer my help and resources to my community. Likewise, I was a member of the student government and Pro-Life club. I dedicate my free time to making a positive impact through my involvement with Key Club and my local parish youth group. In the future, I hope to work in cybersecurity or system/data engineering and to have a family with my future partner. I chose computer engineering as my field of study because I wanted to do something hands-on that involved technology in a seamlessly integrated technology, design, and building. The aspect of engineering, specifically computer engineering is that it works in the background of the whole—it encompasses both hardware and software elements that collectively bring a technological creation to life. Another thing about computer engineering is that it can be taught to any group of people, whether it be small children in elementary school or young adults in college. The versatility of computer engineering education is noteworthy, making it accessible to diverse groups of learners. If I had the chance to create a charity, I would create a charity where it teaches people, young or old, about the inner parts of technology and STEM. The role that early exposure to technology played in shaping my educational and career choices, I am motivated to provide similar opportunities to individuals who may not have access to such resources. My charity would help underprivileged students, elders, and POC in Alabama, aiming to bridge the digital divide and equip them with essential skills for navigating a world increasingly reliant on technology. Through workshops, mentorship programs, and accessible resources, my charity would promote an environment where learning about technology becomes an empowering experience, opening doors to opportunities that may have seemed unattainable. I hope to empower others with the knowledge of technology and how to live in the new world of technology.

Facing adversity and overcoming it is tricky yet fundamental to later success. When I think about a time when I faced adversity, I always think about my childhood. I always believed that an ideal childhood is playing with friends on the playground, discovering friendships and relationships, and exploring the strange yet exciting world around you. Everything, to me at least, was ideal in the beginning parts of my childhood until the last semester of my second-grade year. After being sick for a week and a half, my mom thought it would be wise to go to the doctor for a better treatment plan for my sickness; she was glad that she did because I had a low white blood cell count. With more tests on my blood, my examination revealed that I had ALL or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which was good at the stage I was in as it was caught early and can be fatal if left untreated. From the Jackson Hospital in Montgomery to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, I spent the next four years in and out of treatment, from the hospital to home and back to the hospital again. One fond memory is being in the hospital, hooked up to the IV pole, and trying to play Dance on the TV, trying to live my ideal childhood. With this news about my cancer diagnosis, I wasn’t in the right headspace and energy level to do schoolwork daily like the rest of my classmates. While I was in the hospital, trying to get rid of cancer, my classmates were learning their multiplication tables and doing AR reading tests. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t learning at the same pace as my classmates at that time, and with this, I was held back to the grade below me from being the class of 2023 to being the class of 2024. By the time I was close to being eleven, my doctor gave me the best news that I was in remission and could finally go back to school. It’s funny to say now that I loved hearing that I could return to school, but it meant that I could return to a typical or ideal life for a child. Returning to school after being in the hospital for that long period felt terrific, yet different. I transferred to another school, and I didn’t know anyone. I was blind, with no friends or complete understanding of the new school subjects. Thankfully, I made it through and made friends who are now lifetime friends. This scholarship would help me in my ambitions to go to college and afford college with all the costs and spending of a college student.

Facing adversity and overcoming it is tricky yet fundamental to later success. When I think about a time when I faced adversity, I always think about my childhood. I always believed that an ideal childhood was playing with friends on the playground, discovering friendships and relationships, and exploring the strange yet exciting world around you. Everything, to me at least, was ideal in the beginning parts of my childhood until the last semester of my second-grade year. After being sick for a week and a half, my mom thought it would be wise to go to the doctor for a better treatment plan for my sickness; She was glad that she did because I had a low white blood cell count. With more tests on my blood, my examination revealed that I had ALL, or acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which was good at the stage I was in as it was caught early and could be fatal if left untreated. From the Jackson Hospital in Montgomery to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, I spent the next four years in and out of treatment, from the hospital to home and back to the hospital again. One fond memory is being in the hospital, hooked up to the IV pole, and trying to play Dance on the TV, trying to live my ideal childhood. With this news about my cancer diagnosis, I wasn’t in the right headspace and energy level to do schoolwork daily like the rest of my classmates. While I was in the hospital trying to get rid of cancer, my classmates were learning their multiplication tables and doing AR reading tests. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t learning at the same pace as my classmates at that time, and with this, I was held back to the grade below me from being the class of 2023 to being the class of 2024. By the time I was close to being eleven, my doctor gave me the best news: I was in remission and could finally go back to school. It’s funny to say now that I loved hearing that I could return to school, but it meant that I could return to a typical or ideal life for a child. Returning to school after being in the hospital for that long period felt terrific, yet different. I transferred to another school, and I didn’t know anyone. I was blind, without friends or a complete understanding of the new school subjects. Thankfully, I made it through and made friends who are now lifetime friends. During that time, my mom was my leading supporter; she slept in make-shift beds while I got chemo and drove to and from Montgomery to Birmingham almost every day for the four years I was at Children’s. She taught me how to live a life where, although there are people who will treat you differently or schools where teachers don’t teach that well, you are the person you choose to be. The person I am is because I decided who I became, and my mom was in full support throughout my life, affecting it. I love you, Mom, and I hope you love this story.