When I entered high school, I was accepted into a medical assisting program my sophomore year after working endlessly my freshman year to obtain a seat. Following my acceptance, I began volunteering and was introduced to Roosevelt Care Centers in Edison, New Jersey. I adapted to the fast-paced environment, gained confidence, and established relationships. I worked with patients who were physically trapped within themselves due to disease and plight, but I also enjoyed learning from what the community had to offer. It felt liberating to assist others who did not have the ability to assist themselves. In my Junior year, I advanced from volunteering to being accepted into a selective internship through a partnership with an organization called Futures and Options. A paid internship at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City was offered to me. I was assigned to the ICU unit upon placement. Providing assistance to critical care patients and their families was a life-changing experience that taught me compassion for the patients, their suffering, and life itself. I volunteered as much as I could as the only intern assisting in the unit. It became one of my life's most significant accomplishments. I had just begun my internship when the pandemic struck. As our first possible COVID patient was admitted to the ICU, I witnessed the fear firsthand. After that, my life took a turn for the worse. During the pandemic, my parents remained on the front lines as essential workers, while my mother took a lower-paying job. My parents were soon forced to remortgage our home and withdraw pension loans in order to survive the pandemic, support me through college, and care for my younger sister. Furthermore, as a family, we suffered as our loved ones lost their jobs and their lives. My parents had to take out a car loan to provide me with transportation as a commuter who travels to Mercy for classes after we recently lost a vehicle to a semi-truck during a rainstorm. As more losses and expenses mount, my family and I are still struggling to make ends meet. Despite the challenges, I have worked diligently to achieve academic success for myself. I graduated from high school with multiple National Healthcare Association certifications. In addition, I participated in programs such as the Epilepsy Foundation, among others, and received awards and certifications from foundations. I will continue to put my best foot forward and seize any opportunity that will help me better myself and provide me with the knowledge to help others. In retrospect, my abilities as an individual, as well as my experience assisting patients in need, have inspired me to work as hard as I do today. I have been fortunate in my life to be given the opportunity to excel and strive toward my goal of assisting those in need and witnessing the world in its true form, and I will continue to do so as a nursing student.

Over the years, I have been taught many lessons by my elders. Through all that I have learned within my 17 years of life, the phrase “keep your head up” is what has helped me get through some of my most challenging feats. Coming to the close of my first year of elementary school my mother decided that it would be in my best interest to switch schools going into second grade. In an attempt to transfer me to a catholic school by the name of Saint Margaret Mary‘s, the nun who assessed me declared I was unfit and intellectually unprepared to be enrolled at such a high standing school. Being catholic, I was left doubting my faith and capabilities. That summer I attended a summer educational program at Fordham University where I focused on improving my comprehension and writing skills. Entering high school, I was accepted into the medical assisting program. I felt as though my academic achievements would redeem me in the eyes of God and make up for my disappointments from when I was younger. I started volunteering and interning at hospitals and care centers where I enjoyed learning from what the community had to offer. I worked alongside patients who were physically trapped within themselves as they suffered from disease and plight. In reflection, through the midst of telling myself time and time again to keep my head up I realized that there is more to life than achieving academic perfection and the nuns' judgment on my abilities as a student and character as a person is what led me to work as hard as I do today. The harsh comments the nun said that day was not a means of punishment but an opportunity to strive towards my goal in helping others who are struggling.

I slowly walked up the steps with a tight grasp on my mother's blouse as we were led through the gated metal doors. I remained silent as we approached an older woman dressed in a black tunic, belt, and scapular with a white veil underneath that framed her pale face. My eyes wandered as the administrator began to discuss the previous phone call with my mother regarding my transfer to a catholic school. Feeling her gaze on me, I looked up to meet the eyes of the nun only to feel ashamed as she called me unfit and intellectually unprepared to be enrolled as a student at St. Margaret Mary's. From her brief evaluation and confrontational overview, I felt unworthy of myself in the eyes of God. As a catholic, I believe that everything happens for a reason, yet, I couldn't understand what the reason was this time. Instead, I was left doubting my faith and capabilities. Although the encounter with the nun left me wavering, her worries were not unfounded. The summer before second grade, I attended a summer educational program at Fordham University where I focused on improving my comprehension and writing skills. Finishing that program I entered second grade at a different school and worked hard to pass onto the next grade with my class. From elementary to middle school, I struggled with self-confidence. I continuously doubted my capabilities and threw myself into my education, becoming devoted to my progress. When I entered high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I finished middle school with a sense of accomplishment. I graduated with a salutatorian acknowledgement even with my struggles. I felt I had what it took to be accepted into the medical assisting program at my school. When I was accepted into the program during my sophomore year, I focused solely on earning good grades and high exam scores. I felt as though my academic achievements would redeem me in the eyes of God and make up for my disappointments from when I was younger. However, once I started volunteering and interning at hospitals and care centers my perspective changed. Being in the medical program students are required to obtain a certain number of volunteer hours. I enjoyed learning from what the medical community had to offer as well as the patients. The part I most connected with during the experience was the emotion I witnessed in patients and families who were going through life's motions. While working around patients, I witnessed them physically trapped within themselves as they suffer from disease and plight, I realized that there is more to life than achieving academic perfection. As I am privy to patients' conditions, I’ve witnessed a patient consumed by their ailments and code as their family members grieve while hospital staff go on about their normal routine. I have seen a patient's body removed from a room, leaving many devastated family members in their wake. In reflection, I realize the nuns judgment on my abilities as a student and my character is what led me to work as hard as I do today. I am able to see that everything is a part of life and that I am a person who has experienced some of its ups and downs. The seemingly harsh comments the nun said that day was not a means of punishment but an opportunity to excel along my chosen career path by striving towards my goal of becoming a physician's assistant in the future who will care for and help God's creations.

I slowly walked up the steps with a tight grasp on my mother's blouse as I was led through the gated metal doors. I remained silent as we approached an older woman clothed in a black tunic, belt, and scapular with a white veil underneath which framed her pale face. My eyes wandered as the administrator began to discuss the previous phone call with my mother regarding my transfer to a catholic school. Feeling her stare burning through me, I looked up to meet the eyes of the nun only to feel ashamed as she called me unfit and intellectually unprepared to be enrolled as a student at St. Margaret Mary's. From her brief evaluation and confrontational overview, I was left feeling unworthy in my own eyes and the eyes of God. Being catholic, I always thought that everything happened for a reason but because this reason had yet to reveal itself during that time, I was left doubting my faith and capabilities. Although the encounter with the nun left me wavering, her worries were not unfounded. The summer before I entered second grade, I attended a summer educational program at Fordham University where I was assisted with improving my comprehension and writing skills. Finishing that program I entered second grade at a different school and worked hard to pass onto the next grade with my class. From elementary school to middle school, I struggled with believing in myself. I continuously doubted my capabilities and threw myself into my education, becoming devoted to my progress. When I entered high school I felt I had what it took to be accepted into a medical assisting program in my high school. When I was accepted into the medical assisting program for sophomore year, I focused solely on earning good grades and high exam scores. I felt as though my academic achievements would redeem me in the eyes of God and make up for my disappointments from when I was younger. However, once I started volunteering and interning at hospitals and care centers my perspective changed. Being in a medical program I am required to obtain a certain number of volunteer hours. I enjoyed learning from what the medical community had to offer as well as the patients. The part I most connected with during the experience was the emotion I witnessed in patients and families who were going through life's motions. While sitting with and working around patients who I see are physically trapped within themselves as they suffer from disease and plight, I realized that there is more to life than achieving academic perfection. As I am privy to patients conditions, I have witnessed as a patient is consumed by their ailments and code as their family members grieve while other hospital and care staff go on about their normal routine. I have seen a patient's body removed from a room, leaving many devastated family members in their wake. In reflection, I realize the nuns judgment on my abilities as a student and character as a person is what led me to work as hard as I do today. I am able to see that everything is a part of life and that I am a person who has experienced some of its ups and downs. The seemingly harsh comments the nun said that day was not a means of punishment but an opportunity to excel along my chosen career path by striving towards my goal in becoming a physician's assistant in the future who can care for and help God's creations.

I slowly walked up the steps with a tight grasp on my mother's blouse as I was led through the gated metal doors. I remained silent as we approached an older woman clothed in a black tunic, belt, and scapular with a white veil underneath which framed her pale face. I looked up to meet the eyes of the nun only to feel ashamed as she called me unfit and intellectually unprepared to be enrolled as a student at St. Margaret Mary's. From her brief evaluation and confrontational overview, I was left feeling unworthy in my own eyes and the eyes of God. Being catholic, I always thought that everything happened for a reason but because this reason had yet to reveal itself during that time, I was left doubting my faith and capabilities. Although the encounter with the nun left me wavering, her worries were not unfounded. The summer before I entered second grade, I attended a summer educational program at Fordham University where I was assisted with improving my comprehension and writing skills. From elementary school to middle school, I struggled with believing in myself. I continuously doubted my capabilities and threw myself into my education, becoming devoted to my progress. When I entered high school, I felt I had what it took to be accepted into a medical assisting program in my high school. When I was accepted into the medical assisting program for sophomore year, I focused solely on earning good grades and high exam scores. I felt as though my academic achievements would redeem me in the eyes of God and make up for my disappointments from when I was younger. However, once I started volunteering and interning at hospitals and care centers my perspective changed. I enjoyed learning from what the medical community had to offer as well as the patients. While sitting with and working around patients who I see are physically trapped within themselves as they suffer from disease and plight, I realized that there is more to life than achieving academic perfection. I have witnessed as a patient is consumed by their ailments and code as their family members grieve while other hospital and care staff go on about their normal routine. I have seen a patient's body removed from a room, leaving many devastated family members in their wake. In reflection, I realize the nuns judgment on my abilities as a student and character as a person is what led me to work as hard as I do today. I am able to see that everything is a part of life and that I am a person who has experienced some of its ups and downs. The seemingly harsh comments the nun said that day was not a means of punishment but an opportunity to excel along my chosen career path by striving towards my goal in becoming a physician's assistant in the future who can care for and help God's creations.