My family was separated into the isolating, abusive, and broken foster care system because my single mother, with three PhDs, a doctorate with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and a physical disability, was unable to work, and after years of living apartment to apartment, limited food, and financial barriers, we were taken from her. During the years we were separated as my mother fought for government housing, food stamps, and Medicare to have us reunited properly, my mental health, my grades went down as I visited various psychiatrists and I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and I felt my world slip as the simple truths of not having enough money, being unable to work as I was only a child, and the thought of my mother killing herself working all became a huge burden on my shoulders that began to change when we were reunited under government assistance. I was ashamed at the way people looked at us every time my mother pulled out the food card, embarrassed about not being able to afford certain clothing or school trips that cost a dollar, or kids bragging about their designer shoes, awesome gifts like they were superior to us. Middle-class adults, children with parents and financial stability, have no concern, no empathy for struggling people, assuming that we sit down lazily, didn't go to university, or are just kids with trashy clothing and no respect. Entitlement, and closed-minded people have no idea what it's like to have to be so poor that you need the government to pay for necessities. My life took an uplifting, eye-opening turn as my mother inspired me to persevere as she always did, getting up in the morning and cleaning our house, cooking us daily meals and encouraging us to study ignited a childhood dream that was lost due to the financial burdens and opportunities lost during our hardest years. Caring for my mother, doing laundry, getting her coffee in the morning, lifting heavy things, massaging her shoulders and bending down to get things off the ground and allowing her to hold on to me when she was in too much pain reminded me of my dream of tending to patient, working in a hospital, and earning an MD motivated me to begin working at an acupuncture clinic, a job I got because my mother goes to acupuncture three times a week and is close friends with the owner. Balancing my online school, working, and maintaining a household has taught me great lessons about time management and budgeting, especially as a low-income student who will work during university and medical school. Consistency, discipline, and small sacrifices are essential for long-term success. I sweep and mop, deep clean four times a week, do laundry, budgeting and organizing rooms two times a week, and I do dishes, and pick up daily at evening. I study one hour per class every morning, changing subjects every day to remain balanced and consistent, prioritizing my AP and Honors classes as a 4.0 GPA senior student. I work four hours during the weekdays, managing the books and schedules, learning from the acupuncturists about natural medicine, tending to patients, and cleaning the clinic as well. Despite the financial burdens of university, the mental challenges as a bipolar disorder patient, building my dream career of working in a hospital, caring for patients in free clinics or volunteer work, and building a stable income and dream home, is why I wake up, why I step out of bed, and why I will build my dream, brick by brick. Each scholarship, each penny will help me do that.

The upheaval, the shattering and turning point of my childhood, began at the moment I was separated from my mother, who suffers from chronic pain and a physical disability, and my siblings, due to her inability to work. The strain, unstable, and often isolating experience of foster care, everything fell. My grades, my attitude and emotional state, and my mental health deteriorated to the point where I frequently visited therapists and psychiatrists, taking medication that made me feel numb until I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Being reunited with my family, being in a home allowed me to express, to spill and break down the grief of my childhood, the events that led us to be separated, and those isolating, painful days and nights of the months stretched out without my family. Watching my mother persevere in her struggle, watching her work and study and provide for us, all of us, an inspired a distant childhood dream of working in a hospital ignited in me and a determination, a spark, a vision dug it's roots into my heart, clawing itself through my blood and eventually into my hands, my mind and my heart. Maintaining a household, assisting my mother, improving my grades, and volunteering at the acupuncture clinic where I've been working for the past four years have expanded my horizons on what I previously believed myself to be capable of. Yet have also opened my eyes to the financial barriers I face as a low-income, first-generation student with daily mental health struggles, constant self-doubt, and emotionally numbing medication that plagues me constantly. My encouraging mother and employers have been a great supportive factor in my life, including the curve of my high school career, where I discovered a love for mathematics. Studying college algebra, AP psychology, Honors Biology, and Chemistry with an average 4.0 GPA, along with learning hands-on about the delicate, intricate matters of the mental, physical, and emotional care that goes into caring and treating patients, along with adapting to the daily tasks that go into managing a household. Patience, care, managing the clinic's schedules and books, studying what it means to be an acupuncturist, along with Chinese medicines and philosophies that go into natural medicine, continue to drive my passion for caring, for learning, and widening my horizons in medicine. My perseverance, my struggles go hand in hand with one another, two voices, two faces, two hearts constantly battling each other in my mind. Days were thoughts distract me from my day-to-day responsibilities, where my anxiety dwelt on mistakes or steps taken backward and when my depression is a constant whisper in my ear, where my night terrors and flashbacks force me to relive the aching in my chest, the memories that I wish I'd forget and the constant event that put in a place of financial instability in the first place. It's my dreams, my hopes, my passion, and my wish for growth, adventure, and learning that push me forward like violent, forceful winds to the sand under a sky that changes every day. Despite financial difficulty as a low-income, first-generation student with daily and nightly mental health challenges, time management, and the feeling of overwhelming pressure. My strive towards working in a hospital, earning an MD, building a stable home for my mother, my family, and myself, is why I take every step, why I open my eyes in the morning, and why I do what I do. Thank you for your time, consideration, and for making this opportunity possible. Samantha Alvarado

The upheaval, the shattering and turning point of my childhood, began at the moment I was separated from my mother, who suffers from chronic pain and a physical disability, and my siblings, due to her inability to work. The strain, unstable, and often isolating experience of foster care, everything fell. My grades, my attitude and emotional state, and my mental health deteriorated to the point where I frequently visited therapists and psychiatrists, taking medication that made me feel numb until I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Being reunited with my family, being in a home allowed me to express, to spill and break down the grief of my childhood, the events that led us to be separated, and those isolating, painful days and nights of the months stretched out without my family. Watching my mother persevere in her struggle, watching her work and study and provide for us, all of us, an inspired a distant childhood dream of working in a hospital ignited in me and a determination, a spark, a vision dug it's roots into my heart, clawing itself through my blood and eventually into my hands, my mind and my heart. Maintaining a household, assisting my mother, improving my grades, and volunteering at the acupuncture clinic where I've been working for the past four years have expanded my horizons on what I previously believed myself to be capable of. Yet have also opened my eyes to the daily financial barriers I face as a low-income, first-generation student with daily mental health struggles with fluctuating moods, an array of thoughts and feelings that explode in my heart, and constant self-doubt and emotionally numbing medication that plagues me constantly. My encouraging mother and employers have been a great supportive factor in my life, including the curve of my high school career, where I discovered a love for studying and mathematics. Studying college algebra, AP psychology, Honors Biology, and Chemistry with an average 4.0 GPA, along with learning hands-on about the delicate, intricate matters of the mental, physical, and emotional care that goes into caring and treating patients, along with adapting to the daily tasks that go into managing a household. Patience, care, managing the clinic's schedules and books, studying what it means to be an acupuncturist, along with Chinese medicines and philosophies that go into natural medicine, continue to drive my passion for caring, for learning, and widening my horizons in medicine. My perseverance and determination, my struggle and setbacks go hand in hand with one another, two voices, two faces, two hearts constantly battling each other in my mind. Days were impulsive, repetitive distract me from my day-to-day responsibilities, where my anxiety dwelt on mistakes or steps taken backward and when my depression is a constant whisper in my ear, where my night terrors and flashbacks force me to relive the aching in my chest, the memories that I wish I'd forget and the constant event that put in a place of financial instability in the first place. It's my dreams, my hopes, my passion, and my wish for growth, adventure, and learning that push me forward like violent, forceful winds to the sand under a sky that changes every day. Despite financial difficulty as a low-income, first-generation student with daily and nightly mental health challenges, time management, and the feeling of overwhelming pressure. My strive towards working in a hospital, earning an MD, building a stable home for my mother, my family, and myself, is why I take every step, why I open my eyes in the morning, and why I do what I do. I continue to study, volunteer, and perform household tasks. I dedicate myself to patients who struggle with mental health, holding their hands as they push through the waves of their emotions, and volunteer to organize the events we hold for low-income individuals through the food drives and financial assistance programs we hold at the clinic. Young children, struggling adults, and the elderly coming into our free part of the clinic for daily exams, treatment for depression and stress, and improving overall mental and physical well-being has been the goal of our program for years. As a future doctor working in the ER, I would extend my education and MD towards volunteering at free clinics, handing out free health advice, and advocating for those who cannot afford healthcare and face financial barriers, as I do now. And these scholarships will undoubtedly make these constant struggles easier to bear and to make each step lighter than the last. Thank you for your time, consideration, and for making this opportunity possible. Samantha Alvarado

The upheaval, the shattering and turning point of my childhood, began at the moment I was separated from my mother, who suffers from chronic pain and a physical disability, and my siblings, due to her inability to work. The strain, unstable, and often isolating experience of foster care, everything fell. My grades, my attitude and emotional state, and my mental health deteriortated to the point where I frequently visited therapists and psychiatrists, taking medication that made me feel numb until I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. Being reunited with my family, being in a home allowed me to express, to spill and break down the grief of my childhood, the events that led us to be separated, and those isolating, painful days and nights of the months stretched out without my family. Watching my mother persevere in her struggle, watching her work and study and provide for us, all of us, an inspired a distant childhood dream of working in a hospital ignited in me and a determination, a spark, a vision dug it's roots into my heart, clawing itself through my blood and eventually into my hands, my mind and my heart. Maintaining a household, assisting my mother, improving my grades, and volunteering at the acupuncture clinic where I've been working for the past four years have expanded my horizons on what I previously believed myself to be capable of. Yet have also opened my eyes to the daily financial barriers I face as a low-income, first-generation student with daily mental health struggles with fluctuating moods, an array of thoughts and feelings that explode in my heart, and constant self-doubt and emotionally numbing medication that plagues me constantly. My encouraging mother and employers have been a great supportive factor in my life, including the curve of my high school career, where I discovered a love for studying and mathematics. Studying college algebra, AP psychology, Honors Biology, and Chemistry with an average 4.0 GPA, along with learning hands-on about the delicate, intricate matters of the mental, physical, and emotional care that goes into caring and treating patients, along with adapting to the daily tasks that go into managing a household. Patience, care, managing the clinic's schedules and books, studying what it means to be an acupuncturists along with Chinese medicines and philosophies that goes into natural medicine, continues to drive my passion for caring, for learning, and widening my horizons in medicine. My perseverance and determination, my struggle and setbacks go hand in hand with one another, two voices, two faces, two hearts constantly battling each other in my mind. Days were impulsive, repetitive distract me from my day-to-day responsibilities, where my anxiety dwelt on mistakes or steps taken backward and when my depression is a constant whisper in my ear, where my night terrors and flashbacks force me to relive the aching in my chest, the memories that I wish I'd forget and the constant event that put in a place of financial instability in the first place. It's my dreams, my hopes, my passion, and my wish for growth, adventure, and learning that push me forward like violent, forceful winds to the sand under a sky that changes every day. Despite financial difficulty as a low-income, first-generation student with daily and nightly mental health challenges, time management, and the feeling of overwhelming pressure. My strive towards working in a hospital, earning an MD, building a stable home for my mother, my family, and myself, is why I take every step, why I open my eyes in the morning, and why I do what I do. I continue to study, volunteer, and perform household tasks. And these scholarships will undoubtedly make these constant struggles easier to bear and to make each step lighter than the last. Thank you for your time, consideration, and for making this opportunity possible. Samantha Alvarado,

In my childhood that was marked by my mother’s disability and chronic pain, her inability to work and provide for us, although she loved, cared, and protected us for as much and for as long as she could, until the day she could not, forced me to open my eyes and see the flaws of the healthcare and foster care system when we were separated that I understood, for the first time, how vulnerable our family was before we were ripped apart and how vital a simple assurance, a hug and a smile, the slightest big of empathy was necessary in the world of healthcare. During the years I’ve spent and continue to spend volunteering at the Peking Acupuncture Clinic, my horizons were widened as I was the main assistant to the head acupuncturist, and I saw countless others suffer from physical disabilities, chronic pain, mental illness, and injuries that were not only treated but also through consistency and patience and through the gentle hands of the acupuncturist, the quiet silenced hush over the clinic, the repetitive words of assurances and empathy and basic human decency that impressed itself upon me. Earning an MD as a low-income female student, knowing the mental and financial cost of such an endeavor has always been a daunting, intimidating and frequently fearful idea yet the memories of my mother, knowing she was discarded with pity and impatience and how much of an impact it had on our family, along with my experience and knowledge of patient care and acupuncture, knowing how essential the patient and mental care has over the physical outcomes of your patients and how salient basic empathy, kindness and a simple assurance can be in healthcare, especially from the doctors and nurses treating you, I can and will and want to achieve this goal. I know the emotional turmoil of seeing someone I loved suffer from chronic pain and knowing what it was, what it felt like to assist someone and treat, mend and tend to patients using empathy and compassion and seeing it with my eyes and feeling it in my heart, my greatest goal as I strive to earn my undergraduate and MD, despite the mental and financial toll, is to carry on my work at that clinic and into the hospital I will work in one day and to everyday care for my patients with empathy for their distress, compassion for their pain and determination and patience in my goal to rid them of it or to assist them to the best of my growing abilities.

In my childhood that was marked by my mother’s disability and chronic pain, her inability to work and provide for us, although she loved, cared, and protected us for as much and for as long as she could, until the day she could not, forced me to open my eyes and see the flaws of the healthcare and foster care system when we were separated that I understood, for the first time, how vulnerable our family was before we were ripped apart and how vital a simple assurance, a hug and a smile, the slightest big of empathy was necessary in the world of healthcare. During the years I’ve spent and continue to spend volunteering at the Peking Acupuncture Clinic, my horizons were widened as I was the main assistant to the head acupuncturist, and I saw countless others suffer from physical disabilities, chronic pain, mental illness, and injuries that were not only treated but also through consistency and patience and through the gentle hands of the acupuncturist, the quiet silenced hush over the clinic, the repetitive words of assurances and empathy and basic human decency that impressed itself upon me. Earning an MD as a low-income female student, knowing the mental and financial cost of such an endeavor has always been a daunting, intimidating and frequently fearful idea yet the memories of my mother, knowing she was discarded with pity and impatience and how much of an impact it had on our family, along with my experience and knowledge of patient care and acupuncture, knowing how essential the patient and mental care has over the physical outcomes of your patients and how salient basic empathy, kindness and a simple assurance can be in healthcare, especially from the doctors and nurses treating you, I can and will and want to achieve this goal. I know the emotional turmoil of seeing someone I loved suffer from chronic pain and knowing what it was, what it felt like to assist someone and treat, mend and tend to patients using empathy and compassion and seeing it with my eyes and feeling it in my heart, my greatest goal as I strive to earn my undergraduate and MD, despite the mental and financial toll, is to carry on my work at that clinic and into the hospital I will work in one day and to everyday care for my patients with empathy for their distress, compassion for their pain and determination and patience in my goal to rid them of it or to assist them to the best of my growing abilities.

In my childhood that was marked by my mother’s disability and chronic pain, her inability to work and provide for us, although she loved, cared, and protected us for as much and for as long as she could, until the day she could not, forced me to open my eyes and see the flaws of the healthcare and foster care system when we were separated that I understood, for the first time, how vulnerable our family was before we were ripped apart and how vital a simple assurance, a hug and a smile, the slightest big of empathy was necessary in the world of healthcare. During the years I’ve spent and continue to spend volunteering at the Peking Acupuncture Clinic, my horizons were widened as I was the main assistant to the head acupuncturist, and I saw countless others suffer from physical disabilities, chronic pain, mental illness, and injuries that were not only treated but also through consistency and patience and through the gentle hands of the acupuncturist, the quiet silenced hush over the clinic, the repetitive words of assurances and empathy and basic human decency that impressed itself upon me. Earning an MD as a low-income female student, knowing the mental and financial cost of such an endeavor has always been a daunting, intimidating and frequently fearful idea yet the memories of my mother, knowing she was discarded with pity and impatience and how much of an impact it had on our family, along with my experience and knowledge of patient care and acupuncture, knowing how essential the patient and mental care has over the physical outcomes of your patients and how salient basic empathy, kindness and a simple assurance can be in healthcare, especially from the doctors and nurses treating you, I can and will and want to achieve this goal. I know the emotional turmoil of seeing someone I loved suffer from chronic pain and knowing what it was, what it felt like to assist someone and treat, mend and tend to patients using empathy and compassion and seeing it with my eyes and feeling it in my heart, my greatest goal as I strive to earn my undergraduate and MD, despite the mental and financial toll, is to carry on my work at that clinic and into the hospital I will work in one day and to everyday care for my patients with empathy for their distress, compassion for their pain and determination and patience in my goal to rid them of it or to assist them to the best of my growing abilities.

In my childhood that was marked by my mother’s disability and chronic pain, her inability to work and provide for us, although she loved, cared, and protected us for as much and for as long as she could, until the day she could not, forced me to open my eyes and see the flaws of the healthcare and foster care system when we were separated that I understood, for the first time, how vulnerable our family was before we were ripped apart and how vital a simple assurance, a hug and a smile, the slightest big of empathy was necessary in the world of healthcare. During the years I’ve spent and continue to spend volunteering at the Peking Acupuncture Clinic, my horizons were widened as I was the main assistant to the head acupuncturist, and I saw countless others suffer from physical disabilities, chronic pain, mental illness, and injuries that were not only treated but also through consistency and patience and through the gentle hands of the acupuncturist, the quiet silenced hush over the clinic, the repetitive words of assurances and empathy and basic human decency that impressed itself upon me. Earning an MD as a low-income female student, knowing the mental and financial cost of such an endeavor has always been a daunting, intimidating and frequently fearful idea yet the memories of my mother, knowing she was discarded with pity and impatience and how much of an impact it had on our family, along with my experience and knowledge of patient care and acupuncture, knowing how essential the patient and mental care has over the physical outcomes of your patients and how salient basic empathy, kindness and a simple assurance can be in healthcare, especially from the doctors and nurses treating you, I can and will and want to achieve this goal. I know the emotional turmoil of seeing someone I loved suffer from chronic pain and knowing what it was, what it felt like to assist someone and treat, mend and tend to patients using empathy and compassion and seeing it with my eyes and feeling it in my heart, my greatest goal as I strive to earn my undergraduate and MD, despite the mental and financial toll, is to carry on my work at that clinic and into the hospital I will work in one day and to everyday care for my patients with empathy for their distress, compassion for their pain and determination and patience in my goal to rid them of it or to assist them to the best of my growing abilities.

Kids who come from disadvantaged background's suffer considerably more than the common population. We suffer the faults in the system and we see with a clearer lens what the world can be like. The world can be incredibly ugly for kids who grow up low income and I come under that category. My family and I have an incredibly strong bond that no one could ever hope to break, and through that bond, we have all suffered immensely under the system. My experiences made me grow up faster than a normal kid should, and I knew that one way or another, that I need to get my family out of this situation of financial need. I also want to not just be useless in the world but to make an impact for other families and kids who need help. Us student's who are low income deserve scholarships and grants more than anything because we have to work 3 times as hard as anyone else because we not only have the stress of having to study but we also have to think to survive too. We need to eat too. And the struggle of wondering whether we should pursue our dreams or abandon them to go out into the workforce and make money is an incredibly hard choice to make. How this grant would help me to achieve my goals is that it would help me so much to pay for university so that I can go on to medical school to become the kind of doctor this world needs. A strong, empathetic, compassionate doctor that's not in it for the money but for the people. If I could, I would erase the suffering that all of humanity suffers but I know that cannot be done. Ergo, the only thing that I can do is to dedicate my life to helping others as much as I can so that perhaps another girl can see me and think that she can chase her dreams too, despite the circumstances that she is born into.

My family is comprised of a single mother, my twin sister, my younger brother, and my two beautiful dogs. We live in a small 2 bedroom apartment in a not very safe place in town. My mother is the strongest person that I know. Despite having 3 teens and 2 dogs to care for, she is a pillar of strength for us and I know that there isn't anything she wouldn't do for us. However, I wish that we had more money so that we wouldn't have to struggle so much. Since I was a child, I knew that we were different because we would get free lunch at school when others didn't. We go to food banks and places that give away clothing, shoes, and school supplies. I have seen my mother struggle with being alone and having the pressure to pay for everything. And the other kids at school don't realize what a treasure it is not to have to worry whether they will have a place to live in a month, 6 months, or a year. Although we struggle, my mother has always told me to never give up and to study, study, study so that I can be an educated woman someday. Unfortunately, my mother suffers from severe chronic pain and I have to see her suffer every single day from the pain that she has. It feels horrible to know that she can't get the care that she needs because we cannot afford it. How would you feel if the person you loved most in world was suffering horrendously and there is nothing you can do about it? I need to be able to help her in some way and becoming a doctor will help me to do that. I want to be able to help others who suffer from severe chronic pain just as my mother does. I want to be a beacon of hope for others who has lost everything. I want to advocate for those who have been judged, silenced, and forgotten by the system. I want to help other low income families just like mine to give them healthcare services without cost so that they can be cared for. I hope to create a foundation that people can donate to so that money can be put towards helping families who need healthcare services and medication so that their quality of life is better and that their loved ones don't have to see them suffer. Above all, I want to give more than the world has given me, and I wish to help my mother so that I can see her thrive without the black cloud of pain hovering over her head. I strive to be the kind of doctor that is generous, empathetic, warm, and insightful. Given my experience in life, I can most definitely understand my patients more and will be able to help heal not just their bodies but their hearts.

1. There is so much injustice in the world, and I want to be part of the solution. My family experienced it firsthand when we were separated because of abuse in our home. One day, during a routine checkup, I finally told a physician what was happening. CPS ruled that my mother was unfit to care for us, and we were placed in foster care. Instead of protecting us, the foster couple verbally and psychologically abused my younger brother. At the lowest point of our lives, when we were most vulnerable, the system failed us. But even in that darkness, we met people who gave us hope. Our therapist, Dr. Frederick, alongside our case worker, fought for my mother when no one else would. It has given me empathy for the most vulnerable, and a calling to dedicate my life to protecting children and families. Being a doctor will put me in the position to do just that. Like Dr. Frederick, I want to provide more than medical care, I want to advocate for those who are overlooked, misunderstood, or dismissed. 2. Empathy is something that, every day, seems to be fading from humanity. People are often too busy or too disconnected to truly understand what others are going through. Yet, in healthcare, empathy is not just a desirable trait, it's essential. Doctors and medical professionals face people on the worst days of their lives, when fear, pain, and uncertainty dominate. In those moments, empathy is what separates a good doctor from a great one. It transforms robotic care into human care. The actions of a doctor, their words, their tone, even their silence, can affect a patient for life. There are countless situations a doctor will encounter, life and death decisions, families in crisis, and patients who have lost hope. In every one of these moments, empathy is the bridge that allows healing to begin. I learned this lesson not from a textbook, but from a man who changed my life: Dr. Frederick. He was a psychiatrist who saw my family not as a case number, but as human beings worth fighting for. When I was younger, my family was torn apart by abuse and trauma. We entered a system that was supposed to protect us but instead caused more harm. We were judged, and dismissed. But Dr. Frederick refused to let that happen. He advocated for us when others wouldn’t. He saw the good in my mother and the pain behind our silence. Because of him, my family was given another chance, a chance to heal, to reconcile, and to find joy again after years of suffering. The happiness we eventually experienced would never have existed if not for his compassion and determination. Dr. Frederick’s empathy was not weakness, it was strength. He proved that medicine isn’t only about treating diseases, it’s about understanding people. He reminded me that behind every person, are feelings. His influence gave me the desire to do for others what he did for us. Today, as I sit and write this essay, I realize how much of who I am comes from that experience. I want to pursue medicine not only to heal bodies, but to heal hearts. I want to bring understanding to those who are misunderstood, comfort to those who are hurting, and hope to those who have lost it. I want to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves, especially children and families who are vulnerable or overlooked. The world has enough pain, misery, and regret. What it needs are more people willing to stand up for compassion, to restore faith in humanity one patient at a time. If I can become even half the doctor that Dr. Frederick was, if I can save one family from falling apart, or give one child the hope to keep going, then I will have fulfilled my purpose. That is what empathy means to me, and that is the kind of doctor I strive to become.