I believe the solution to every problem begins with awareness and understanding. Hence, I strive to live by the idiom of not judging someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. My pastor had the same mentality and inspired me to be actively engaged in raising awareness towards social issues. He held a presentation at my church about Internally Displaced People. He flipped through photos of children caked with dirt as they scavenged for grain that fell from passing food trucks. Seeing these images and hearing their struggles set a spark in me and I needed to do more than feel sorry for them or be burdened with my feelings of guilt; I had to take action. This compelled me to create a club at Tunxis Community College called International Outreach. I created International Outreach as a place where students could come together to spread awareness and raise funds for organizations they were passionate about. During the spring semester, I organized an event called, “Paint a Change”. With the collaboration of our college’s Art Club, students came together to interact and paint. With each art kit sold the funds went straight towards assisting Across Nigeria, an organization that provides IDP camps with basic needs. I was delighted with the image of providing a family with a meal that wasn’t foraged from the side of the road. I became the brushstroke to help change the scene in someone else’s life, despite never setting foot in their country. My passion extended over the years, as I am now working towards a bachelor’s degree at the University of Connecticut. As a pre-medical student, I hope to ultimately provide individuals with their healthcare needs and share the gospel with them as my pastor has done. Overall, our main focus is to go forth and continue leading more souls to Christ. I hope to continue using my higher education and the opportunities presented to me at my campus through outreach programs such as MEDLIFE to continue to support people in developing countries. As for my local community, I am currently using my time to volunteer at both the Hospital of Central Connecticut and the Hospital of Charlotte Hungerford as a patient aide. I have also been working within Hospice care and I have found the experience to be truly rewarding. I was initially nervous when entering into the Hospice care field but being able to pray with others and reflect on their memories has been inspiring. Upon continuing my higher education, I will be able to better support those around me, grow professionally, and grow as a person. With the opportunities provided to me and the many unopened doors ahead of me, I will continue to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and I still recall seeing my mother sneaking home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. After twenty years in the military, my father took up a job in Connecticut and with college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as we didn’t have enough money for me to pursue healthcare. With no family or friends in healthcare, it was unfamiliar terrain and we had no financial means of doing so. Thus, I started my higher education at a community college and obtained my degree in Early Childhood. Meanwhile, I enrolled in biology courses for additional credit. I could not steer myself away from my passion for science and would find myself delving back. Even as a young middle schooler, I would fill notebooks full of diagrams of my pet fish and create Punnett squares to determine the phenotypes of their offspring. My human biology professor took notice of me and strongly encouraged me to pursue my journey and love for science. With her support, I worked up the courage to enroll in the University of Connecticut for a degree in Molecular Cell Biology. With the knowledge I gained from my courses and the opportunity I received to volunteer as an anesthesiology research intern at Hartford Hospital, a light bulb had gone off. Watching Dr. Kong provide gentle care to his patients and the wisdom he exhibited while teaching his residents left me in awe; along with the opportunity to see how chemicals on a molecular level were able to affect the pain receptors in a patient as a nerve block was given. I became infatuated with becoming a physician as it granted me the opportunity to study research, teach others, and continue being a learner. To assist other students like myself, I became a First Year Mentor, a Residential Assistant, the Director of our Biology Tutoring Program, and am planning to become a Research Ambassador, all in hopes that I can inspire and support the students around me. I want to advocate for my peers and remind them that pursuing higher education is not a race. Everyone has a unique path towards their end goals and focusing on your journey and the experiences you are presented with is where the value lies. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today in my pre-medical journey, I am left with a strong sense of pride, thankfulness, and determination. These experiences are what have shaped me into who I am today and without them, I can’t picture where I would be. With my degree in higher education, I hope to advocate for low-income families with their healthcare needs and inspire the individuals I meet to pursue their sense of happiness. Meanwhile, I will continue to carry these lessons with me and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

My father has always been a hard-working, resilient man with a strong devotion to his family. He held many values and he strongly believed that goal-setting was an essential part of future success. Even as a nineteen-year-old in the Air Force, my father kept a list of goals on his closet door and at forty-four years old he still has a list of goals today. While striving to achieve his goals, he came across many challenges and being adaptable is one of the greatest lessons that I have learned from him. As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and my mom would volunteer at the local elementary school as a cafeteria worker to make extra funds. She would sneak home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. I hated seeing her struggle and as a 10-year-old girl, I would help around the home. Whether this meant making instant macaroni or mashed potatoes, the two dishes I knew how to make, or attempting to mow the lawn outside. Even after the twenty years my father served in the military, our nomadic lifestyle did not come to a stop. Following his retirement ceremony in South Carolina, I was ecstatic to think that we were finally settling down. I was determined to plant my feet and as a junior in high school, I had the chance to pursue a nursing school for in-state students, free of charge. Meanwhile, my father had been working as an Uber driver as we were still struggling to pay the bills and within months, it was time to pack our bags once again. My father brought us to Connecticut for his new job and I spent two months living out of a motel while preparing to wrap up my senior year. With college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as I would be the first in my family to pursue a healthcare career. I went into teaching and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education at my local community college. However, I was reminded of my father with his list of goals and worked up the courage to pursue Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. I honed in on my goals, mimicking the intensity that my father held to provide for our family. Thus, I am now the director of the BIOL 1107 Tutoring Program, a Residential Assistant, a research intern for our ANTH department, and have worked as a First Year Mentor. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today, I am left with a strong sense of pride and determination. I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made and the strong sense of resiliency and motivation they instilled in me. Just as my father has done, I have carried on the tradition of maintaining a list of goals to carry with me and I have hung up my goals on the closet door of my dorm room as motivation. This semester, I am hoping to become a research ambassador to assist other transfer students and become an EMT for additional clinical experience. With my degree in higher education, I hope to advocate for low-income families with their healthcare needs and inspire the individuals I meet. I will continue to carry these lessons with me and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

I believe the solution to every problem begins with awareness and understanding. Hence, I strive to live by the idiom of not judging someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. My pastor had the same mentality and inspired me to be actively engaged in raising awareness towards social issues. He held a presentation at my church about Internally Displaced People. He flipped through photos of children caked with dirt as they scavenged for grain that fell from passing food trucks. Seeing these images and hearing their struggles set a spark in me and I needed to do more than feel sorry for them or be burdened with my feelings of guilt; I had to take action. This compelled me to create a club at Tunxis Community College called International Outreach. I created International Outreach as a place where students could come together to spread awareness and raise funds for organizations they were passionate about. During the spring semester, I organized an event called, “Paint a Change”. With the collaboration of our college’s Art Club, students came together to interact and paint. With each art kit sold the funds went straight towards assisting Across Nigeria, an organization that provides IDP camps with basic needs. I was delighted with the image of providing a family with a meal that wasn’t foraged from the side of the road. I became the brushstroke to help change the scene in someone else’s life, despite never setting foot in their country. My passion extended over the years, as I am now working towards a bachelor’s degree at the University of Connecticut. As a pre-medical student, I hope to ultimately provide individuals with their healthcare needs and share the gospel with them as my pastor has done. Overall, our main focus is to go forth and continue leading more souls to Christ. I hope to continue using my higher education and the opportunities presented to me at my campus through outreach programs such as MEDLIFE to continue to support people in developing countries. As for my local community, I am currently using my time to volunteer at both the Hospital of Central Connecticut and the Hospital of Charlotte Hungerford as a patient aide. I have also been working within Hospice care and I have found the experience to be truly rewarding. I was initially nervous when entering into the Hospice care field but being able to pray with others and reflect on their memories has been inspiring. Upon continuing my higher education, I will be able to better support those around me, grow professionally, and grow as a person. With the opportunities provided to me and the many unopened doors ahead of me, I will continue to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

The evening she came to my room, sobbing and telling me that she struggled with body dysmorphia, left me rattled. As the oldest of four sisters, I never thought that I would be facing this challenge. She was beautiful in my eyes, and as siblings, we share at least half of our DNA. Although we are four years apart, everyone says that we look the same and seeing her at the young age of fourteen, I was hurt that she felt this way. Reflecting back to when I was in her shoes made me realize that trying to be pretty isn’t pretty. I recall the need I felt to stay at the same pace as my peers as they were quickly growing up in high school. I was always smaller than my classmates and quite scrawny. It wasn’t noticeable when I was in middle school but once high school hit, it was evident. There were days when I appeared to be Jenna in 13 going on 30, stuffing her bra with tissues and wishing I looked like the models in the magazines. I didn’t want to be beautiful in my own way, I just wanted to look as stunning as them. A defining feature of adolescence is determining your self-identity, in this stage you lean towards acceptance from your peers. Feedback from my peers impacted me heavily and at times the words were agonizing. “Naomi has a pretty face but she’s so flat-chested” or “You’re like stick and bones”. These words clung to me and thinking back still makes me wince, although acknowledging these moments placed me in my sister’s shoes. There I stood, looking in the mirror thinking of ways to alter my own appearance. I would wear two bras to make my breasts appear larger and cake my cheeks with concealer which only led to more clogged pores. I was desperate to fit in and would analyze the highlight reels that the girls in my class would post to social media. When I came across Olivia Rodrigo’s album, it struck a chord within me. “There's always somethin' in the mirror that I think looks wrong”, in “Pretty isn’t Pretty”. This described both my sister’s and my experience as an adolescent perfectly. It’s hard to keep up with the ever flowing images of beautiful people shown to us through social media each day. It has a large toll on us and on our mental health as well. Currently, my sister has been going to therapy and has now covered her mirror with sticky notes filled with positive messages. I strive to be a place of comfort for her and the support I wish that I had received. Together, we focus on the moments that make life enjoyable and steer away from the opinions of others. Together, we can be seen blasting “GUTS” and driving through town with our windows rolled down.

My father has always been a hard-working, resilient man with a strong devotion towards his family. He held many values and he strongly believed that goal setting was an essential part of future success. Even as a nineteen-year-old in the Air Force, my father kept a list of goals on his closet door and at forty-four years old he still has a list of goals today. While striving to achieve his goals, he came across many challenges and being adaptable is one of the greatest lessons that I have learned from him. As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and my mom would volunteer at the local elementary school as a cafeteria worker to make extra funds. She would sneak home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. I hated seeing her struggle and as a 10-year-old girl, I would help around the home. Whether this meant making instant macaroni or mashed potatoes, the two dishes I knew how to make, or attempting to mow the lawn outside. Even after the twenty years my father served in the military, our nomadic lifestyle did not come to a stop. Following his retirement ceremony in South Carolina, I was ecstatic to think that we were finally settling down. I was determined to plant my feet and as a junior in high school, I had the chance to pursue a nursing school for in-state students, free of charge. Meanwhile, my father had been working as an Uber driver as we were still struggling to pay the bills and within months, it was time to pack our bags once again. My father brought us to Connecticut for his new job and I spent two months living out of a motel while preparing to wrap up my senior year. With college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as I would be the first in my family to pursue a healthcare career. I went into teaching and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education at my local community college. However, I was reminded of my father with his list of goals and worked up the courage to pursue Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. I honed in on my goals, mimicking the intensity that my father held to provide for our family. Thus, I am now the director of the BIOL 1107 Tutoring Program, a Residential Assistant, a research intern for our ANTH department, and have worked as a First Year Mentor. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today, I am left with a strong sense of pride and determination. I am thankful for the sacrifices my parents made and the strong sense of resiliency and motivation they instilled in me. Just as my father has done, I have carried on the tradition of maintaining a list of goals to carry with me and I have hung up my goals on the closet door of my dorm room to motivate me to achieve the most out of each day. This semester, I am hoping to become a research ambassador to assist other transfer students, such as myself and become an ER technician for additional clinical experience.

As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and I still recall seeing my mother sneaking home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. After twenty years in the military, my father took up a job in Connecticut and with college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as we didn’t have enough money for me to pursue healthcare. With no family or friends in healthcare, it was unfamiliar terrain and we had no financial means of doing so. Thus, I started my higher education at a community college and obtained my degree in Early Childhood. Meanwhile, I enrolled in biology courses for additional credit. I could not steer myself away from my passion for science and would find myself delving back. Even as a young middle schooler, I would fill notebooks full of diagrams of my pet fish and create Punnett squares to determine the phenotypes of their offspring. My human biology professor took notice of me and strongly encouraged me to pursue my journey and love for science. With her support, I worked up the courage to enroll in the University of Connecticut for a degree in Molecular Cell Biology. With the knowledge I gained from my courses and the opportunity I received to volunteer as an anesthesiology research intern at Hartford Hospital, a light bulb had gone off. Watching Dr. Kong provide gentle care to his patients and the wisdom he exhibited while teaching his residents left me in awe; along with the opportunity to see how chemicals on a molecular level were able to affect the pain receptors in a patient as a nerve block was given. I became infatuated with becoming a physician as it granted me the opportunity to study research, teach others, and continue being a learner. To assist other students like myself, I became a First Year Mentor, a Residential Assistant, the Director of our Biology Tutoring Program, and am planning to become a Research Ambassador, all in hopes that I can inspire and support the students around me. I want to advocate for my peers and remind them that pursuing higher education is not a race. Everyone has a unique path towards their end goals and focusing on your journey and the experiences you are presented with is where the value lies. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today in my pre-medical journey, I am left with a strong sense of pride, thankfulness, and determination. These experiences are what have shaped me into who I am today and without them, I can’t picture where I would be. With my degree in higher education, I hope to advocate for low-income families with their healthcare needs and inspire the individuals I meet to pursue their sense of happiness. Meanwhile, I will continue to carry these lessons with me and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and I still recall seeing my mother sneaking home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. After twenty years in the military, my father took up a job in Connecticut and with college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as we didn’t have enough money for me to pursue healthcare. With no family or friends in healthcare, it was unfamiliar terrain and we had no financial means of doing so. Thus, I started my higher education at a community college and obtained my degree in Early Childhood. Meanwhile, I enrolled in biology courses for additional credit. I could not steer myself away from my passion for science and would find myself delving back. Even as a young middle schooler, I would fill notebooks full of diagrams of my pet fish and create Punnett squares to determine the phenotypes of their offspring. My human biology professor took notice of me and strongly encouraged me to pursue my journey and love for science. With her support, I worked up the courage to enroll in the University of Connecticut for a degree in Molecular Cell Biology. With the knowledge I gained from my courses and the opportunity I received to volunteer as an anesthesiology research intern at Hartford Hospital, a light bulb had gone off. Watching Dr. Kong provide gentle care to his patients and the wisdom he exhibited while teaching his residents left me in awe; along with the opportunity to see how chemicals on a molecular level were able to affect the pain receptors in a patient as a nerve block was given. I became infatuated with becoming a physician as it granted me the opportunity to study research, teach others, and continue being a learner. To assist other students like myself, I became a First Year Mentor, a Residential Assistant, the Director of our Biology Tutoring Program, and am planning to become a Research Ambassador, all in hopes that I can inspire and support the students around me. During my time volunteering at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, I have worked to create an advisory board of volunteers to act as mentors for incoming high school students. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today in my pre-medical journey, I am left with a strong sense of pride, thankfulness, and determination. These experiences are what have shaped me into who I am today and without them, I can’t picture where I would be. With my degree in higher education, I hope to advocate for low-income families with their healthcare needs and inspire the individuals I meet to pursue their happiness. I will continue to carry these lessons with me and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

I have always had an appreciation for the movies Will Smith acts in, whether that be a romcom such as Hitch or a tear-jerker like The Pursuit of Happiness. When I watched his films, a cord was struck as I truly empathized with the characters. The Pursuit of Happiness taught me to keep pushing forward and fighting to pursue my dreams with the intensity of a father caring for his child. In the film, Will Smith tirelessly works against the odds to get through each day to provide for his son. This beautiful film and the lessons of resiliency, stuck with me as the determination of Will Smith and the obstacles he faced held a sense of familiarity. As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the States. We didn’t have much and my mom would volunteer at the local elementary school as a cafeteria worker to make extra funds. She would sneak home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. I hated seeing her struggle and as a 10-year-old girl, I would help around the home. Whether this meant making instant macaroni or mashed potatoes, the two dishes I knew how to make, or attempting to mow the lawn outside. Even after the twenty years my father served in the military, our nomadic lifestyle did not come to a stop. With his retirement in South Carolina, I was ecstatic to think that we were finally settling down and I had the chance to pursue a nursing school free of charge for in-state students. Weeks following his retirement, my father had been working as an Uber driver as we were still struggling with funds and soon it was time to pack our bags once again. My father brought us to Connecticut for his new job and I spent two months living in a hotel while wrapping up my senior year. With college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as we didn’t have enough money to pursue a healthcare route. Thus, I earned a degree in Early Childhood Education at my local community college. Yet, I still had a strong passion for healthcare and I worked up the courage to pursue Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. As I push forward with my academic endeavors, I use each opportunity presented to me to assist my peers and others like myself. Thus, I became a First Year Mentor, a Residential Assistant, the Director of our Biology Tutoring Program, and am planning to become a Research Ambassador, all in hopes that I can inspire and support the students around me. During my time volunteering at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, I have worked to create an advisory board of volunteers to act as mentors for incoming high school students. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today in my pre-medical journey, I am left with a strong sense of pride, thankfulness, and determination. These experiences are what have shaped me into who I am today and without them, I can’t picture where I would be. With my degree in higher education, I hope to advocate for low-income families with their healthcare needs and inspire the individuals I meet to pursue their happiness. I will continue to carry these lessons with me and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

My parents insisted that I steer away from a path in the healthcare field. With no family or friends in healthcare, it was unfamiliar terrain and we had no financial means of doing so. Thus, I started my higher education at a community college and followed my second passion of teaching. As I obtained my degree in Early Childhood, I enrolled in biology courses for additional credit. I could not steer myself away from my passion for science and would find myself delving back. Even as a young middle schooler I would fill notebooks full of diagrams of my pet fish and create Punnett squares to determine the phenotypes of their offspring. My human biology professor took notice of me and strongly encouraged me to pursue my journey and love for science. With her support, I worked up the courage to enroll in the University of Connecticut for a degree in Molecular Cell Biology. Attending my university affirmed my belief that I am both a teacher and a learner. I was greeted with a plethora of opportunities and have been exposed to many different cultures, individuals, and pathways. To assist other students like myself, I became a mentor for a First Year Experience course to help freshman and transfer students assimilate to the campus. I loved the experience of assisting my peers and within the first semester, I became the Director of our BIO 1107 Tutoring Program run by Dr. Abbott. The passion displayed through Dr. Abbott’s lectures inspired me and each semester we created a new curriculum for our course of 20 tutors. To see what I had been learning in action, I then joined my archaeology professor as part of his research team. In Dr. Hartman’s lab, we analyzed the carbon isotopes of fossils imported from Nesher Ramla. Here I learned how to further apply the scientific method and began working on a research thesis regarding the eco-physiological response of equids with climate change. I grew passionate about learning how to apply science to the world around me and also assist those in my community. As I volunteered as a research intern at the Integrated Anesthesia Association at Hartford Hospital, I came to realize the extent to which I could apply my passions. Watching Dr. Kong provide gentle care to his patients and the wisdom he exhibited while teaching his residents left me in awe. I finally had the opportunity to see how chemicals on a molecular level were able to affect the pain receptors in a patient as a nerve block was given. From the knowledge I gained in my microbiology course, I was also able to see and identify the bacteria that had infected an open wound in a patient. This experience was truly eye-opening for me and felt as though a light bulb had gone off. I became infatuated with becoming a physician as it granted me the opportunity to study research, teach others, and continue being a learner myself. Currently, I am striving to be a part of my campus's Office of Undergraduate Research program as a Research Ambassador. As an ambassador, I hope to provide my campus community with additional research opportunities so others have the chance to discover what truly excites them. Through my leadership positions, I plan to continue advocating for volunteer programs such as hospice care and working as a patient aide as they are valuable experiences that allow us to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.

Overcoming challenges and being adaptable are the biggest lessons that I have taken away as being a part of a military family. As the oldest of four children, I lived through my parents' struggles as my dad was deployed to South Korea while my mother remained in the states to care for us. We didn’t have much and my mom would volunteer at the local elementary school as a cafeteria worker in order to make extra funds. She would often sneak home milk cartons and stale hamburger patties to help us get through the week. I hated to see how much she struggled and as a young 10-year-old girl I would attempt to carry on the responsibilities of my father. Whether this meant making a box of macaroni or mashed potatoes, the two dishes I knew how to make, or attempting to mow the lawn outside. My father missing birthdays or the holidays weren’t the only struggles that we had to endure. The constant relocation and having to make new friends while saying tearful goodbyes to old ones was the reality of my life. Even after the twenty years that my father served in the military, our nomadic lifestyle did not come to a stop. After his retirement ceremony in South Carolina, I was ecstatic to think that we were finally settling down. I was determined to plant my feet and as a junior in high school, I had the chance to pursue a nursing school for in-state students, free of charge. Weeks following his retirement, my father had been working as an Uber driver as we were still struggling with funds. Within months, it was time to pack our bags once again. My father brought us to Connecticut for his new job and I spent two months living out of a hotel while preparing to wrap up my senior year. With college underway, my parents insisted that I follow a different passion as we didn’t have enough funds to pursue a healthcare route. I followed my second passion in teaching and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education at my local community college. Yet, I still had a strong passion for the healthcare field and I worked up the courage to pursue Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. I am now the director of the BIOL 1107 Tutoring Program, a Residential Assistant, and have worked as a First Year Mentor among other activities. I spend my time committed to my passion to assist those around me by volunteering my time as a patient aide at the Hospital of Central Connecticut and working in Hospice Care. Anytime I sit back and reflect on my past to where I stand today, I am left with a strong sense of pride and determination. I am thankful to my mother and the sacrifices she has made. I am equally thankful to my father and his motivation to provide not just for his children and wife but to our grandmother in Japan. These experiences are what have shaped me into who I am today and without them, I can’t picture where I would be. While I may have encountered hardships through my journey this has molded a sense of resiliency that I believe is carried through the lives of many individuals around me. I will continue to carry these lessons with me as I pursue my pre-medical journey and take each opportunity to gain new perspectives and walk in another’s shoes.