In one of my classes, we took two Hogan Assessments to discover our type of leadership style and our values. My highest core value was altruism. I have always considered giving back to the community and helping others one of my priorities in life. Because of my Peruvian background and upbringing, I have always felt passionate about fighting poverty, the educational crisis, and inequality. My dad was born into extreme poverty, he lost his mom and some siblings due to a lack of medical access, he had to work through the nights, had little to eat, and lacked a support system. In a single generation, he broke the cycle of extreme poverty through education. While my dad made it out, many are still in this cycle. With the rapid development of the world, countries with millions of people living in extreme poverty are often forgotten. These communities are then left ill-prepared to face further challenges, such as the aftermath of climate change and the pandemic. Add to that political instability, upheaval, terrorism, and a lack of basic human necessities. It was hard for me to choose to pursue a business career because of all the negative stigma around it and the long-term effects of capitalism. However, I believe I will be able to make a difference through business because I am very passionate about sustainability and ethical practices. Businesses are starting to make more conscious decisions and the demand for people to help them embark on a sustainable path is increasing. Along with my double major, I am working on getting a Social Responsibility and Ethics certificate. Apart from that, I spend my free time volunteering in order to make connections with nonprofits and to learn more about the community and its needs. At our university pantry, we give out about 6,000 pounds of food a week to students and staff. Before that, at another food pantry I volunteered at, we served over 350 families a month. And weekly, I volunteer at a church making student meals for other people on campus. Through these experiences, I can see what companies partner up with the places I volunteer at and provide the food as well as what the process looks like for running a non-profit. Through my values of hard work and integrity, I will lead others and raise awareness of global issues in the industry I enter. I have worked hard to get to where I am today and have faced many challenges, so being able to transfer that into the workplace would prove beneficial not only to me but to those around me. I am also volunteering for the VITA program next semester, where I can help lower-income individuals file their tax returns, and plan on doing that for a long time. When I moved to the US at the age of 10, I had to overcome the language barrier, social anxiety, and a new culture. I worked hard every day to excel in academics and to feel comfortable in who I am in this country. Now, I can also work to help others feel comfortable and be proud of who they are, as I always find ways to increase diversity and open-mindedness.

Right before starting middle school, I was nominated to do a summer STEM program in Texas. I was ecstatic about the opportunity because, at that point in my life, I was convinced I would become a pediatrician. From a young age, everyone around me had told me that I would be a doctor, so choosing the medicine track felt like a no-brainer. It only took half a week for me to realize that medicine was not for me. While I was grateful to discover that early, I was also left wondering what I actually did want to do. Given my upbringing, it really was that young that I felt like I needed to have an idea of what my future would look like. It took most of high school for me to learn that I was more interested in numbers, economics, and the community. My macroeconomics class opened a completely different door to me, as what really captured me was all the different factors that affect every little thing around us. But at the same time, I struggled with choosing a career in business because I was aware of the negative effects that unethical business practices can have. Eventually, I realized that this was actually part of what drew me to the field, as I believe to my core that there are ways to make a difference through ethical practices that go unexplored because they are not the most “efficient”, or at least, not yet, in my opinion. During my senior year, I had the opportunity to do an internship at a local organization of my choice, and I picked my local Chamber of Commerce. At first, I grew scared that I would have the same experience as I did in middle school: once I knew what it was like working in the field, I wasn’t going to feel a passion for it, especially since I was so close to graduating. Luckily, my internship only solidified that I really wanted to pursue a business field, and I narrowed it down to accounting. I have always loved working with spreadsheets and getting creative with funding opportunities. In college, I joined clubs that matched my interests, such as the International Festival Committee and Art Auction CU, where I could also gain more experience with the funding process and budgeting. The more I did for these clubs, the more I am sure of the degree I chose, and I am truly excited for what the future holds, as one of my goals is to work for one of the Big 4 accounting firms. I can't wait to be a mentor to those like me who worked hard and are underrepresented in these careers. I am almost done with my double major in accounting and finance and have been accepted into the BAM Program, where I would finish a Master’s in Taxation in a year and become CPA eligible. A class I'm excited for is volunteering for the VITA program, in which we help students, seniors, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, and lower-income individuals file their tax returns. Earning my degree will also change my life on a deeply personal level. My mom has made countless sacrifices for me to attend college. One of my greatest goals is to reach a point where I can support her and, hopefully, help her retire once I am established in my career. To me, earning this degree is more than getting a job; it is financial stability for my family and the blessing to turn the opportunities I have received into opportunities for others.

There are many ways people try to reason the inexplicable. Some call it luck, some call it fate, some call it the universe. The way I have always interpreted this is through my Catholic faith and through God. Looking back at my life, there are too many moments that I struggle to comprehend otherwise. Honestly, it started before I was born. My mom went through two miscarriages and it was her faith that kept her strong through these dark moments. She never lost her faith and she was eventually blessed with twins, me and my brother. Growing up, her story has always reminded me that my life is something I never want to take for granted and that God had a purpose for me. Whenever we have gone through hardships, such as losing loved ones, moving to a new country, struggling financially, or anything that life has thrown at us, my mom always says, "God only puts these challenges in front of his strongest soldiers." Even when I'm tired of fighting, I remind myself that things happen for a reason. This has not only made me strong of character, but it has also lead me to trust God's plan for me. Once the bigger picture is revealed, it is clear to me what God was preparing me for and that he will always have good plans for me. Any disappointments or struggles I face, I look at as a learning moment. So, my faith has never made life easy, but it has given me peace and refuge during uncertainty. It is also through my personal faith and being raised Catholic that I have been able to grow fundamental values like empathy, humility, and honesty. Even when I don't have much, I try to help others as much as I can, such as helping cook students' meals at a church weekly and donating things and clothes I no longer use, as my mom taught me to do growing up. I think overall my faith has made me a well-rounded person and has given me a long-term goal of using what I have to give back. In regard to my career, I think my faith will be a guiding force for not only the decisions I make, but what kind of professional I become. I want to be known for my integrity, honesty, and the impact I make on those around me. The older I get, the more I realize that age comes with new experiences and that everyone is battling different struggles, so my faith will always be something that I can rely on to guide me and console me in what awaits me in the future. I don't know exactly where life will take me, but my faith has taught me that I don't have to know every step ahead. Through it, I have more confidence to work hard because that will be rewarded in time, and to trust God's plan because you only get one chance in life and I want to use it well. And faith will always be a big part of my career as I plan to join the Peace Corps or any world organization that dedicates itself to helping others after I retire.