Six years old. That was how old I was when I decided I wanted to be a children's Speech-Language Pathologist. To be part of the 'aha' moment when someone was able to reach their goal was a rush that I wanted to chase. To be able to make a difference in someone's life so profoundly that they would be able to share their thoughts, wishes, wants, needs, and ideas withthe ones they loved. I worked tirelessly on this pursuit, however, when it came time to complete my undergraduate degree, I hit some obstacles. While I make no excuses, I headed poor advice from those I believe I could trust for academic planning. These choices ended up inhibiting my from completing successful applications into the graduate program that I had been chasing since U was a child. I decided to not let these challenges get the best of me, and I continued my prusuit. I continued on my journey and became a certified Communicative Disorders Assistant so that I could continue to learn the foundational skills that a Speech-Language Pathologist would utilize. Every year for eight years I would apply to the Speech-Language Pathology Masters program, and every year for eight years I would recieve my rejection letters. This eventually led me to become a French Teacher at a small integrated private school which had specialty programs for those who were neurodivergent. Here I was able to create and implement unique, fun, and motivating lesson plans that instilled confidence and self-worth. I was able to create rapport and relationships with my students and their families. Although I was very good at my job, my heart knew I could contribute to the populations I wanted to work with in a bigger way. After eight years of rejection letters from schools in my own county, I decided to expand my horizons and apply to Masters programs as an international student. I wrote 12 applications as I feared more rejection letters had I only applied to a select few schools. I submited by applications in December, and by January to my surprise, the acceptances started rolling in! Now, at 30 years of age, in my classes with peers ten years my junior, I am thriving knowing that I am realizing my longest dream. I am thriving in my classes and know this is truly where I need to be. A non-traditional international student suits me just fine, and I am so grateful and proud to be where I am today.

Imagine a song that encourages self-love, and promotes personal growth. Motivates you to do difficult things and encourages you to pursue what makes you happiest. Well, that song exists. Emmy Meli went viral in 2022 for a song that did all of those things and more. Meli's "I Am Woman" is a song filled with affirmations and a mantra that carries a profound meaning. Each line of the song lists what makes women powerful and beautiful. There is a line that can resinate with anyone who listens. Throughout history women have been made to feel less-than, and with everything that is happening in the world today, with woman's rights being challenged both in the US and abroad, the message of this song needs to be shared, heard, and understood. Women are capable of incredible actions. United their actions can have an immense impact. Simply the title, "I am woman" spoken on its own carries a profound meaning. In 1972, Helen Reddy came out with an anthem by the same name : "I am Woman Hear me Roar". Fifty years later that message is still the same. When we take songs that encourage empowerment, self-love, and strong communities, we are at our strongest. I. Am. Woman.

It goes without saying. The world is filled with wonder, and our universe, unimaginable. Daily, scientists, researchers, and everyday people are making discoveries of all sizes that expand what we know about the world. We as a people must work to better understand the nature of our universe to make advancements that can improve our quality of life, but also to understand our place in this system. As a student in a profession that is founded on evidence-based research and application, I know the importance of exploring these concepts to be able to apply them in an appropriate, effective, and efficient manner. Humans are in a constant state of change throughout their lives, so much so that scientific studies have developed to improve our understanding of the matter and the universe in which we find ourselves. We live in the world, experience it, and interact with it. We are a piece of the universe, so there is this natural curiosity of wanting to learn more about it. Humanity craves meaning and wisdom, as well as connections to others. Meaning is something that we are in constant search of in our everyday lives. Society craves it, yet do we know what we are looking for? Viktor Frankl in his 1959 book Man’s Search for Meaning, explains that “man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life, he can only respond by being responsible”. In every part of history, new explorations have been conducted, and through those, new learning. This learning is important to fuel our technological advances and search for meaning. Technology in science eventually becomes commercial and improves our lives. All of this curiosity and drive for answers begins with one question: why. When children are young, questions such as “why” and “what” become their primary source of receiving answers about the world to develop accepted schemas. They reflect on something, and then reflect on that reflection, and so forth. Children are motivated to discover what kinds of things are novel artifacts and what surrounds them in their lives. They tend not to get caught up in the reasoning of things that surround them or issues that arise, but constantly challenge what is brought forth, which is the reason for “why” and “what” being such dominant words in their vocabulary. This sense of wonder, thirst for knowledge, and method of asking questions is the primary way that I hope to continue to explore this world and expand our knowledge of the universe. In my current program, I learn that good clinical practice and application is supported by evidence. Why does this method work over another? Why is this the hierarchy of prompting? Why were these goals selected over others? By asking these questions and doing the research I am becoming a better clinician day by day. These same principles and questions can be used for exploring the world in which we live, to explore and better understand the nature of our universe. Keeping an open mind and a curiosity on the meaning or reasoning behind the things we see will lead to andvances and answers. Though I do not have any tangible or concrete ideas or concepts to employ in order to better understand the nature of our universe, I do have a curious mind, a powerful drive to learn, and enough self-reflection to ask myself "why".

Isn't it funny how our perspectives change as we get older? Had you asked me this question when I was a child within seconds I would have screamed Princess Jasmine's name so that everyone knew my answer. Seeing a princess on TV who resembled me physically was so exciting. She was a beautiful princess who lived a life of luxury. She got to see the world from the comfort of a magic carpet, befriended a monkey sidekick and genie, and was able to marry her best friend. Now, it might seem like I missed the major themes of that movie, and as a 4-year-old, I did, and watching it back now I enjoy seeing a woman being able to choose her own story and not being told who she has to marry. However, this question has prompted me to dig a little deeper. Writing this now, I find myself going through a list of Disney characters and the pieces that make them unique. The one who keeps popping up is Esmerelda. A beautiful young woman who does not have a Disney movie named after her. Though similar to Jasmine, we do share some physical characteristics, my reason for liking her now that I'm older is so much deeper. Esmerelda is a young woman who goes where she feels she needs to, to explore her passions. She is an outspoken humanitarian who actively pursues social justice. Despite being part of a marginalized group, she stands up for what is right and helps those around her. This year I moved to a new country to enroll in a Graduate program where I could realize one of my biggest goals. I try to speak up for those in need and am in a program where I can teach others how to have a voice, communicate, and advocate for themselves. There are so many things I like about Esmerelda that are not on the surface level, and now that I am old enough to understand her character, I feel she can be seen as a great role model for others. The girl with a kind heart, who is nonjudgemental and accepts others as they are, who is also friends with a goat, is my favorite Disney character.