The career path that I have chosen is to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I’ve always loved helping out in hospitals and the community around me. I even volunteered in my health academy class where we taught elementary students how to do CPR and also nutrition. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Science was something I found fascinating and cool. Other than becoming a surgeon being a goal of mine. I want to give back to my family who’s been there supporting me and my dreams. Also, help out people in my community with heart problems and try to figure out a way to make a pacemaker more advanced or come up with a new technology. I chose this career because both of my grandparents suffered from heart problems and I want to help out and give more since in Latin America there isn’t that much modern technology or even medicine to help out patients. So, my parents gave me a chance in the United States to build a better future for myself and also to help others in need as well. Since now I’m in college, I’m still getting to know more about the city I’m in now. But now that I became a part of the leadership in the Latino community at my college. I’m trying to gather more members to help the schools near us and give them supplies or also help other latino/a kids know that they can reach their goal no matter the struggles we go through. I’ve also joined another club called Boundless Brilliance. It’s an all-girls club where we go to elementary schools and teach them more about science. We want to give these students an opportunity to know that they can be a scientist no matter what gender they are because most woman scientists aren’t often visualized when we teach students. Overall, I’m nervous and excited about this journey of mine. There will be some challenges that I’ll face with college and also medical school, but in the end, it will be worth it to help the patients that I’ll have in the future and also the opportunities that I’ll be given to give back to my community. Another thing I want to do is being able to help out my family. The reason for this is that both of my parents didn’t get to finish high school and my siblings didn’t finish college. So, they’re doing everything they can to help me through college and I want to do the same for them when I achieve my career.

A change that I want to see in my community and also the country is that I want people to volunteer because they care and love what they do. Also, I want people to know that everyone is the same and no one is superior to another person just because of their skin color, economic status and etc. I have known people to feel like their better than those because they’ve gotten a better education than some people. If there was some way that those people can give just because they actually care. Then there wouldn’t be so much hate in the world. I grew up helping the community not because we wanted somethng in return. But because we wanted to see those around us happy and get an opportunity they never got. It’s crazy to think that there are people in the world that want something in return for their “good deed”, but it’s not something that I think it’s right. We should go out in our community because we want to and we shouldn’t expect anything in return, even if it’s something small. Since now I’m in college, I’m still getting to know more about the city I’m in now. But now that I became a part of the leadership in the Latino community in my college. I’m trying to gather more members to help the schools near us and give them supplies or also help other latino/a kids know that they can reach their goal no matter the struggles we go through.

My goals have always been considered “big” ever since I was little. The reason for this is because I come from a family that migrated to America and my parents didn’t get the chance to finish school. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Science was something I found fascinating and cool. Other than becoming a surgeon being a goal of mine. I want to be able to give back to my family who’s been there supporting me and my dreams. Also helping out people in my community with heart problems and try to figure out a way to make a pacemaker more advanced or come up with a new technology. Something that I have done to get closer to my goals is working on existing medical techonology to make it more advanced. I got to do this opportunity in my health academy class in high school. My group and I were able to look at hearing aids and propose a way to put a tracking device in the hearing aids for those who are most likely to lose them and also connecting the hearing aid to an app. I also got placed in fourth in a Public Health presentation in my community. My partner and I figured out a way to limit the amount of opioids given and the effects that these drugs can cause. One major hardship that I went through (and still trying to fight it) is my mental health with depression. I’ve suffered with depression for a couple of years. My depression has caused me to give up on my health and also not caring about my grades anymore which really took a big toll on me. Being away from home while going to college hasn’t made it easier on me as well. However, this year I’m doing better than I used to be. I’m starting to do my best in school and also take care of myself. I know that becoming a surgeon isn’t going to be an easy route for me. There will be challenges for me going into medical school and getting through college. For example, having to focus on my grades to get accepted into my dream medical school and also paying for my tuition for college. I’ve always been scared that I wasn’t going to be able to accomplish my dreams because of money problems. My mother and brother are the ones who are helping me get through college, but I know it’s very hard for them. So, while I’m in school I’m trying to get a job to pay for my tuition and also save up for medical school. My goal in life to become a cardiothoracic surgeon is going to be a crazy ride, but I know it’ll be worth it in the future not only for me, but also for my family. I’ll be the first surgeon in the family and I want to make them proud of everything they put aside to help me.

I’ve always been interested in how the world was made or how it worked from a young age. I began to ask myself many biological questions and relate them to my faith since they contradict each other. I believe it’s important to understand how the universe works because there have been famous biological scientists and also philosophers that also tried explaining how the universe works. For example, there have been many philosophers that have tried to understand our reason for being on this earth. It was stated by philosophers that humans don’t know the real world, the things that exist because we base our senses on the phenomena of the world. The way we see the world. So, our mind shapes our experiences but science is built on the consistency of reason. We never really truly know the world without our minds altering it to how we want it to be. So, do we understand the way the universe works? Or is it our minds that make us see what we want to see? Also, another person that I think tried to understand us, humans came from in this universe is a scientist named Charles Darwin. Darwin’s theory of evolution states that we humans evolved from monkeys. However, I do believe that species do change over time because of the many observations that we see with animals and how they evolved to adapt to their environment. But, my faith contradicts my biological views because I grew up in a Christian household. So, in the Bible, it was said that we humans came from Adam and Eve because they were the first humans on Earth. While I was in school learning the theory of evolution, I wasn’t sure what to believe since scientists use observations and experiments to state their findings. Meanwhile, my belief has the Bible to understand. So, it would be nice to explore where we humans come from, but from a Christian perspective. Science has always been my favorite subject, so being in college with a biology major and also going to a Christian school is something that will help me understand the way we as humans do things. Also with the help of professors who share the same faith and also the same love for science. Hopefully, as I get my degree I have a better understanding of how the universe works and also the theory of evolution because that has always been something I think about every day.

I am a first-generation in my family that is pursuing a doctoral degree. But for now, I’m trying to earn my bachelor's degree in science. The reason why I chose this route is because I love helping those in my community. Then I was invited by a friend to a science convention for girls at my local university and it opened my eyes to the world of science. Ever since then I have always seen myself working in a science-related field. Once I receive my doctorate, I want to become one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons. Being able to help those who have a heart condition is something I’ve always been fond of. Both of my grandparents suffer from heart conditions and I know the amount of pain they have been through. So, helping people in my community is one of the things I dream to do in the future. Also, to make my family proud since my parents didn’t get the chance to finish school and move to the United States to give my siblings and me a better chance to receive so many opportunities. Having diversity is important to me because ever since I was little I’ve always seen men becoming scientists and barely any women. Most importantly having Hispanic women being in the medical field. The only time I’ve seen Latinas in the science field was when I went to a convention. But ever since that experience, most scientists I’ve met in colleges or hospitals are men. Even though it’s the 21st century. I still have seen men bring down women by saying that “women aren’t smart enough” or “strong enough.” However, women face these kinds of trials every day in their workplace and we prove them wrong. There was an essay that I read my freshman year in college by Virginia Woolf. This essay that she wrote was written about William Shakespeare’s sister, Judith. Judith was created by Woolf to show how women don’t have the same equality as men. Since women back in the Elizabethan era didn’t have the education men had. Woolf switched the point of view to a woman saying Judith would have to hide her writings and learn on her own to read and write since men would critique a woman for doing such things. What I’m trying to say is that women have to keep fighting to show that they can do the same things men can do. It’s been this way ever since the world was created. We just have to prove to those who bring us down that we can do it. No matter how exhausting it can get for us women.

If you were to ask my mother how I was as a child, she would tell you that I was a quiet and calm child. I had late developments when I was a baby. For example, I didn’t start talking and walking until I was 3 years old. I was put in speech and physical therapy during my early childhood. For most of my time in elementary school, I remember my mother would ask our teachers what books we were going to read and the material just so we were ready for our classes. She also started my love for reading by getting the book while listening to the audio CD. Over time, I became fond of science. My friend took me to a science convention at the University of Santa Barbara, which was only for young girls. The convention gave us many job opportunities in science and showed many women in those fields. I knew since then that I wanted to be in the science field. I then joined a Health Academy class to learn about medical school and how to get there. I had so many worries in me about being a woman joining the science field. I always tend to doubt myself by wondering if I’m smart enough to get into medical school or to even be a doctor. But I know for a fact that I have to push myself to make my dream a reality. To be more specific, I want to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. The reason for this is that my two grandparents suffer from heart problems. When I become a heart surgeon I want to create a better and modified pacemaker. During my high school years, my group and I had to figure out how to make a medical device better. We were looking at all the bad side effects pacemakers were causing. However, we changed our minds to pick an easier device which was a hearing aid that has a locator device inside. I still plan to modify pacemakers, but I know that once I become a surgeon it’ll be easier for me to understand what exactly can I change about them. Another thing I plan to do in the future is to create a program for Hispanic girls who love science. With this program, I want to help these girls know that they can achieve what they want and find what they are passionate about. Since I was put into a club that helped students visit colleges to see which one was the right fit for them. I want to do the same for these girls because those experiences were enjoyable for me. Overall, the clubs and the community around me made me figure out what I want to do with my life. I want to give back to the community and let our future generations achieve their goals.

My dog Bella has helped me in so many ways without even realizing it. She is a quiet and shy dog, my mother would say that she’s exactly like me. I knew I needed something in my life because I felt empty and didn’t know why. I stopped caring about my school work and about myself. But once I got Bella, she would always make me feel safe and loved. Whenever I would cry, Bella would come to comfort me, which made me happy because she would smile at me randomly. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve felt so much better. She has helped me through tough times in my life. I always wondered what goes on in their heads when their owner is crying. But, all I know is that they care and love us so much to make sure we feel better. I am glad we got her, even if it wasn’t planned. Something I love about her is that she loves going up to people just so they can pet her. There’s this thing she does with her head whenever someone pets her, where she rests her forehead on you. She even loves little kids. It makes me happy when little kids see dogs because of their happy or surprised expressions. Also, being outside in the fresh air with Bella playing around with other dogs makes me happy because we realize that before we got her, she had babies. So, being separated from her babies could’ve been hard for her. There are times that we think that she has met her babies now. Since they’re always this one puppy that she gets so excited to see. We got Bella when she got neutered, so I would lay on the couch with her and carry her up and down the stairs because I was scared that her stitches would open. I would do anything for her because she took care of me without even realizing it. Bella also made me more responsible because before we got her I would just stay in my room and do nothing. She has made me into a better person and I don’t know what I would do without her in my life.

I’ve always seen dogs as adorable and cute, even though when I was younger I was terrified of dogs. I slowly started to get comfortable with dogs and by the time I was in my sophomore year of high school, I got a dog. My dog Bella has helped me in so many ways without even realizing it. My mother and I happened to go to the Humane Society one day just to see the animals then I met Bella. She is a quiet and shy dog, my mother would say that she’s exactly like me. I knew I needed something in my life because I felt empty and didn’t know why. I stopped caring about my school work and about myself. But once I got Bella, she would always make me feel safe and loved. Whenever I would cry, Bella would come to comfort me, which made me happy because she would smile at me randomly. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve felt so much better. She has helped me through tough times in my life. I always wondered what goes on in their heads when their owner is crying. But, all I know is that they care and love us so much to make sure we feel better. I am glad we got her, even if it wasn’t planned. Something I love about her is that she loves going up to people just so they can pet her. There’s this thing she does with her head whenever someone pets her, where she rests her forehead on you. She even loves little kids. It makes me happy when little kids see dogs because of their happy or surprised expressions. Also, being outside in the fresh air with Bella playing around with other dogs makes me happy because we realize that before we got her, she had babies. So, being separated from her babies could’ve been hard for her. There are times that we think that she has met her babies now. Since they’re always this one puppy that she gets so excited to see. We got Bella when she got neutered, so I would lay on the couch with her and carry her up and down the stairs because I was scared that her stitches would open. I would do anything for her because she took care of me without even realizing it. Bella also made me more responsible because before we got her I would just stay in my room and do nothing. She has made me into a better person and I don’t know what I would do without her in my life.

I’ve always seen dogs as adorable and cute, even though when I was younger I was terrified of dogs. I slowly started to get comfortable with dogs and by the time I was in my sophomore year of high school, I got a dog. My dog Bella has helped me in so many ways without even realizing it. My mother and I happened to go to the Humane Society one day just to see the animals then I met Bella. She is a quiet and shy dog, my mother would say that she’s exactly like me. I knew I needed something in my life because I felt empty and didn’t know why. I stopped caring about my school work and about myself. But once I got Bella, she would always make me feel safe and loved. Whenever I would cry, Bella would come to comfort me, which made me happy because she would smile at me randomly. Without her, I don’t think I would’ve felt so much better. She has helped me through tough times in my life. I always wondered what goes on in their heads when their owner is crying. But, all I know is that they care and love us so much to make sure we feel better. I am glad we got her, even if it wasn’t planned. Something I love about her is that she loves going up to people just so they can pet her. There’s this thing she does with her head whenever someone pets her, where she rests her forehead on you. She even loves little kids. It makes me happy when little kids see dogs because of their happy or surprised expressions. Also, being outside in the fresh air with Bella playing around with other dogs makes me happy because we realize that before we got her, she had babies. So, being separated from her babies could’ve been hard for her. There are times that we think that she has met her babies now. Since they’re always this one puppy that she gets so excited to see. We got Bella when she got neutered, so I would lay on the couch with her and carry her up and down the stairs because I was scared that her stitches would open. I would do anything for her because she took care of me without even realizing it. Bella also made me more responsible because before we got her I would just stay in my room and do nothing. She has made me into a better person and I don’t know what I would do without her in my life.

I’ve always been a shy person growing up, but being in college and in a new environment away from my family is teaching me that I have to be more out there and braver. I’m slowly starting to gain more courage by taking a huge leadership role as a President in one of the biggest clubs at my college. Which is the Latin American Student Association (LASA), with this club I hope to gain confidence in my daily life activities and to gain more connections with members of the club. I always lived my life caring about what others will think of me. That’s why being quiet was something I felt comfortable in. But I don’t want to live that way anymore. I was always scared of what others would think of me. Something that also scares me in the future is not being too smart to be a surgeon or to get into medical school. All my life I’ve been told that I have to get really good grades to get into these schools. I want to prove myself wrong that I am able to get into an amazing medical school and get good grades. I know that if I don’t take risks now. I will regret not taking those risks in the past. Building a better me is something I want to improve on to benefit my future self.

Both of my parents left their country and came to the United States when they were in their 20s. My father immigrated to the United States from El Salvador during the Salvadoran Civil War. At the same time, my mother immigrated from Santiago, Chile with my older sister when she was 3 years old. They both came through the border with nothing, however, they had family and friends to help them. My parents both met at church through friends. All of my life I remember my father either working as a painter or in landscape and my mother mostly spent my childhood as a stay-at-home mom. But, as we got older she started cleaning houses and then ended up working at a hotel. My parents taught me at a young age to help everyone in need because they received so much help when they first arrived in America. Growing up in a Christian household we would help volunteer in the events our church would host. We also moved to California to help our pastors build a new church in Santa Barbara. My mother would tell me that just because we don’t have a lot of money or anything to give back, something small can make a difference in a person’s life. My future dream job is to work at a hospital and become one of the best cardiothoracic surgeon. I always loved science and being Christian makes it kind of hard because there are scientific things that are hard to understand, for example, Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Another reason why I chose specifically to be a heart surgeon is that my grandparents from my mother’s side of the family have heart conditions and my grandpa sadly passed away because his heart was giving up. So, I want to help those who have heart problems and find a way to upgrade their pacemaker because I know the batteries have a few years until they get replaced. For all the school I’m going to be doing in the years that are yet to come. I want to give back to my parents and also my brother because they are doing everything they can to help me to get a chance to graduate college and do something great in life. My father always dreamed about working as an EMT or somewhere in the hospital and he never got the chance to finish school. However, now he works as a surgical technician, and with the training that he’s doing, I hope to someday work with my father inside the operation room doing what we both dreamed of. I want to make a difference to show that first-generation kids can pursue their dreams and also to the little girls who love science. No matter what hardships I will encounter throughout my life, I must push ourselves to succeed. Also to care for others, even if they don’t reciprocate the same feeling.

Both of my parents left their countries to get a better life for my siblings and I. Growing up I would watch my parents work two jobs to provide for their three kids. My childhood was a little hectic because I moved from Hawaii to California just when I was 6 years old. We lived in California for 9 years, and during those years. I saw my family growing apart. The reason we moved to California was so my older sister can go to an amazing college, she was able to be the first generation in our family to go to college. However, her second year of college she dropped out. While this was happening my parents were going through a rough time, my mom got a miscarriage and they started fighting more. They then announced that they were getting a divorce. My older brother and I were always close, we then found out that he wasn't going to graduate high school in time. My mom then decided to move back to Hawaii with my brother and I. My brother went to community college for a year, but never completed it because he spent his time trying to help my mom pay bills. He became like a father figure because he took care of me like a father would. Both of my mom and brother are sacrificing their life to give me a better chance to going to college and having an amazing job. I just want to make my family proud by finishing to college and getting accepted to medical school to become a heart surgeon. Becoming a surgeon will help me become the person I want to be, I want to help as many people as I can. When I achieve my dream job, I want to give back to my family because they spent their whole lives trying to give me an amazing life.

I come from a family where both of my parents left their countries to get a better life and I want to be able to achieve my goals to make them proud for the hard-work and sacrifices they both made for my siblings and I. I would consider myself as a well-driven and kind person. All my life I've always seen my parents give out to the community to help others. By watching them do those things it made me want to be just like them. In elementary I was put in an after school program, but as I got older I got the chance to volunteer in the same program with the elementary students. I soon figured out that I love working with kids and helping out in my community. Throughout high school I started to volunteer more in places like animal hospitals, retirement homes, my schools commission stands, and even more elementary schools. I soon then figured out that I wanted to be a doctor. My interest in school was always math and science, I even went to science events, which I loved going to. To be more specific in my future career, one of my wildest dream would be to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. Whenever I told people that I want to be a heart surgeon people would look at me like I'm crazy. I want to show people that I can be a heart surgeon to help the people in my community by trying to save lives and helping people with heart problems. But in the meantime, I plan on going to college and volunteer in as many places as I can, so I can form myself into the person I want to grow up to be. I also plan on focusing in my school work so I can get accepted to an amazing medical school to become a heart surgeon.