My first year of college has developed my passion for increasing diversity in STEM, where there is a lack of accessibility to women and minorities. Through experiences like working in a research lab, I’ve struggled with feeling “behind”, like when I didn’t know how to operate power tools—despite having taken high school engineering classes—which my male peers were skilled at. A major life goal of mine is to create inclusive environments where underrepresented communities can learn about STEM without fear of judgment. Professionally, I aspire to develop sustainable energy solutions; chemical reaction engineering especially interests me because of its potential uses in this area. In my current research assistantship, I am working on increasing the efficiency of catalysts, which are crucial to renewable energy production. To me, scholarship means having the ambition and self-initiative to push myself to confront challenges and persevere through problems. My love for puzzles is why I am the person who always makes the counterargument, finds the loophole, and twists the pieces to see if they fall apart, only to have the opportunity to fabricate stronger glue. My newest puzzle has been balancing schoolwork, research, and involvement in organizations with working. With a reduced financial burden, I would gain more time to study, perform research aligning with my career goals, and pursue personal passions with larger commitments, like helping a campus organization that hosts STEM days for kids. My largest motivator is serving my community and making progress towards my goals.