Vastly reducing the electricity demand yet multiplying the computing power of technology worldwide, is it realistic? Computers are our future, but so is sustainability. Thus, prioritizing efficiency and accessibility of technology on a global scale is my career goal. Because I am pursuing both computer science and foreign languages in university, both these interests have largely impacted my vision for the future. The first facet of my interest is computer science, an ever-growing field of societal advancement. Starting with video games and coding classes as a kid, discovering the behind-the-scenes mechanisms of technology is a natural career path for me. Participating on my high school robotics team and making it to the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship this year has given me a first-hand experience of the art of unifying software and hardware. Because of this, my initial goal to pursue software development has evolved into a well-rounded vision for the future of computer systems. My computer science goal encompasses both software and hardware, where I am going to be at the forefront of the industry, redefining what it means to be “efficient” by optimizing and innovating parts AND code. In the humanities side of my life, my fascination with foreign languages started in middle school Latin class (I now take French and Spanish at the AP level while also studying Russian, Arabic and Portuguese at home). My favorite part of my language courses has always been the exposure to other cultures. New traditions, new food, new music, new history; I have discovered how vastly my horizons can be expanded from my hometown! In my high school, where we largely lack diversity and representation, I haven’t been exposed to a global perspective in an academic setting outside of my language courses. Languages are not only my way to communicate with new people but my way of rounding out my worldview and opening my mind. From my love for languages, my desire for an international perspective has united with my STEM side by demanding I advocate for general equality within my school. As a woman in STEM, specifically a woman in Computer Science, it is incredibly important for me to advocate not only for equality between males and females but equality of every kind. In high school, I orient a lot of my extracurricular activities around the goal of increasing inclusion at my school. I am currently the President of my high school’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA), where we work towards fostering a welcoming school environment and bringing LGBTQ+ awareness to the school. I am a student representative on my school district’s Equity and Racial Justice Committee, where parents, staff and students contribute to evolving the district’s hiring practices and curriculum design around encouraging and welcoming diversity. And, I have been working with the administration as Speaker of Campus Congress to design events that celebrate and educate on diversity and culture schoolwide. Similarly, I hope to continue inclusion advocacy at my university and surround myself with a diverse group of new friends. In the future, my goal is to travel with my work and to work alongside the top computer scientists and engineers from around the world. By excelling in the optimization of computer systems while putting my language skills to use in international collaboration, I aim to fuse my interests in computer science and foreign languages. Having a diverse perspective and incorporating humanities into my work in STEM allows me to ensure technological advancement benefits every community on Earth.

To me, generational wealth means creating a legacy of financial security that can benefit my family for generations to come. Generational wealth is the accumulation of wealth and assets that can be passed down from one generation to the next. It is an important aspect of my future financial stability and will provide opportunities for my children to achieve their goals and aspirations. To build generational wealth, I believe that a combination of budgeting, financial planning, and investing is important. One of the most important steps in building generational wealth is to start early. This is why I am looking for scholarships to support my education. The academic institution I chose is very expensive but with benefits. My decision to commit was very much financial because, even though I need to take out loans, my prospective job opportunities will be able to pay them back. To start on the right foot, I am proactively reducing future debt by grinding over the summer to earn money. With my summer jobs, I am looking to invest a portion of my income into the stock market so my money can appreciate over time. I have been taking a personal finance course and learning from my parents so that I can make informed decisions about my investments. Starting off investing now will allow maximum time for my money to grow and generate passive income, and will give me experience in buying stocks which I can apply to future assets like real estate and businesses. By acquiring knowledge and expertise in investing, I will also be able to educate and advise my family about their personal finance, empowering them to make smart financial decisions as well. Ensuring and building generational wealth also means I will be able to give back. I believe in the importance of philanthropy and using my resources to create a positive social impact. By supporting causes that align with my values, I hope to leave a lasting legacy that goes beyond financial wealth. Part of this legacy includes working for and investing in sustainable companies that are looking to advance society toward a brighter future. Ultimately, building generational wealth requires a long-term perspective, and a willingness to take calculated risks. By being strategic in my financial planning and investments, and by staying committed to my goals, I believe that I can create a legacy of financial security that will benefit my family for generations to come.

My unique identity as a woman in STEM who also loves to learn languages has largely influenced how I give back to my community. As a member of the Women in STEM community, it is incredibly important for me to advocate for equality. Equality between male and female representation in STEM, but also equality everywhere. I am currently the President of my high school’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA), where we work towards fostering a welcoming school environment and bringing LGBTQ+ awareness to the school. While many women are to-be engineers who value representation and advocacy in their community, my academic interests are what truly make me unique. First came my interest in engineering, which developed over a childhood filled with trains, Legos, and Snap Circuits. I was keen to follow in my mom’s footsteps, and in love with building new things, so I knew engineering was the path for me since I was young. Second, came my fascination with foreign languages, starting in middle school Latin class. From there, beginning high school, I wanted to go beyond the ‘standard language path’, so I self-studied French and Spanish so that I could put them both into my schedule (and I've had them ever since). Currently, I take French and Spanish, two of the three languages offered, at the AP level. I am the only person in my graduating class of 230 students to do it, and one of few in my school’s history. Like many language learners, I find the ability to connect with new people super special. But uniquely, my favorite part of language courses is beyond the language itself, it’s the exposure to other cultures. New traditions, new food, new music, new history; my horizons can be expanded so vastly within the classroom! Unfortunately, I haven’t been exposed to much diversity in an academic setting outside of my language courses, and I find my high school often overlooks the importance of language and multicultural education. Stemming from my love for languages, my desire for an international perspective has paired directly with my advocacy for general equality within my school. I am a student representative on my school district’s Equity and Racial Justice Committee, where parents, staff and students contribute to evolving the district’s hiring practices and curriculum design around encouraging and welcoming diversity. Because the small population of diverse students at my school are often victims of isolation, I have been working with the administration and our student government, Campus Congress, to further integrate our English as a Second Language (ESL) student population into our high school community and design events that celebrate and educate on diversity and culture schoolwide. Because I have custom tailored my high school schedule to fit my languages alongside advanced STEM courses, I am able to find a unique intersection between the sciences and humanities, which is advocacy. This unique combination has developed my unique academic and extracurricular profile, but also my goals for the future. In my post-secondary education, I am seeking an international perspective that directly intersects with my engineering studies. In our increasingly globalized world, it is now important more than ever to gain experience in multicultural settings to ensure we are developing engineering solutions for everyone. At my university, Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I look forward to meeting and working with a diverse student body within the classroom and taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. I also plan to continue my advocacy in their Women in Engineering Association as well as student groups like ‘Juntos’, supporting Latinx groups, and ‘Out in STEM’, supporting LGBTQ+ groups, on campus.