The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall. DECA provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business. Through this insight of the business world, I was able to see the importance of money. I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to succeed in the business world.

String computerScience = "Best decision ever!"; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom's Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for "all of us", really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I went after various opportunities that helped others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in people's lives. The world of business has also been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business.

String computerScience = "Best decision ever!"; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom's Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for "all of us", really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I went after various opportunities that helped others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in people's lives. The world of business has also been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business.

String computerScience = "Best decision ever!"; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom's Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for "all of us", really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I went after various opportunities that helped others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in people's lives. The world of business has also been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science at the with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. Smartphones, computers, video games, headphones, TVs. Although we use these quite frequently in our daily lives, I find a great deal of interest in how these devices are created and how they function. In 8th grade, having a cracked 3-inch android phone, I was limited to the technological world yet I would secretly use my school computer to research the new innovations that smartphone companies would release. I loved watching videos that showed off new phones, iPhone, Android, or even Windows. As I moved into high school, I grew this passion and begged my parents to buy me a better phone. Although I finally obtained a proper phone, I wasn’t quite satisfied. I dove deeper into the industry by becoming a “reseller”, buying used or broken phones and selling them through e-commerce websites like eBay. I found it to be exhilarating to see what different phones existed and the cool features they included. But the greatest feeling was when the phone sold, more specifically, when the eBay notification for the sale would pop up on my phone. “Your item has sold time to ship!” The whole process of buying, fixing, posting, and selling phones showed me that I was interested in not only the technological aspect but the business side as well. Today, I continue to watch press releases and videos on new technologies like folding phones and 5G networks seeing the technological world develop. As well as, I read various news articles on the business side of these companies and what they seek to achieve. This scholarship will allow me to spread my wings further and help me to continue my interest in these various modern-day fields. Looking into the distant future, I hope to work towards implementing the knowledge I gain from college through the help of this scholarship to create an outstanding technology firm that not only makes a lot of money but, more importantly, put a smile on people’s faces.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me to advance my career to make a difference in people's lives by developing a company with my skills in computer science to make others happy.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. I was able to exercise my passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business while allowing me to take pride in my hard work. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. Smartphones, computers, video games, headphones, TVs. Although we use these quite frequently in our daily lives, I find a great deal of interest in how these devices are created and how they function. In 8th grade, having a cracked 3-inch android phone, I was limited to the technological world yet I would secretly use my school computer to research the new innovations that smartphone companies would release. I loved watching videos that showed off new phones, iPhone, Android, or even Windows. As I moved into high school, I grew this passion and begged my parents to buy me a better phone. Although I finally obtained a proper phone, I wasn’t quite satisfied. I dove deeper into the industry by becoming a “reseller”, buying used or broken phones and selling them through e-commerce websites like eBay. I found it to be exhilarating to see what different phones existed and the cool features they included. But the greatest feeling was when the phone sold, more specifically, when the eBay notification for the sale would pop up on my phone. “Your item has sold time to ship!” The whole process of buying, fixing, posting, and selling phones showed me that I was interested in not only the technological aspect but the business side as well. Today, I continue to watch press releases and videos on new technologies like folding phones and 5G networks seeing the technological world develop. As well as, I read various news articles on the business side of these companies and what they seek to achieve. This scholarship will allow me to spread my wings further and help me to continue my interest in these various modern-day fields. Looking into the distant future, I hope to work towards implementing the knowledge I gain from college through the help of this scholarship to create an outstanding technology firm that not only makes a lot of money but, more importantly, put a smile on people’s faces.

“Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can't do something themselves, they want to tell you you can't do it.” - The Pursuit Of Happyness String computerScience = "Best decision ever!"; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom's Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for "all of us", really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I went after various opportunities that helped others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in people's lives.

One interest I have developed in recent years was playing table tennis. Table tennis was a popular sport in my community and was played once a week after religious ceremonies. At first, I hesitated to join as I did not think I would do well but my friends encouraged me to eventually join. After playing for a couple of weeks, I found the sport to be a lot of fun, and I wanted to get better. I joined the bi-weekly practices where the sport was played more actively and competitively. Here, I was introduced to different techniques by professionals, coaches, and other players. Through this introduction to the sport, I was able to collect the confidence to try-out for my high school’s varsity table tennis team. Although in my freshman year I did not make the team, I returned to my community to improve the skills I lacked. In addition, I joined the table tennis club at my high school to practice the sport as often as I could. At the club, I practiced with varsity players, coaches, and alumni that helped to train me for the next season. During the next year, I tried out for the team again, securing a starting spot on the roster. This accomplishment gave me pride in my hard work and encouraged me to continue to fight such challenges despite the tough setbacks I may face. Ever since, I have been on the varsity team playing the sport of table tennis, pushing myself to get better. During the past year, my team and I were able to get 5th place at the IHSA State Table Tennis Tournament in Illinois. Though we did not return victorious, I went home with lifelong memories, friendships, and the ability to play the sport well.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts’ in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn’t enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn’t come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past several years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business and do amazing things.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science at the with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

String computerScience = "Best decision ever!"; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom's Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for "all of us", really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. As a junior in high school, I went after various opportunities that helped others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in people's lives. The world of business has also been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

I will never be educated enough. Education has been such an essential resource in my life and I believe I will never be done learning. My culture has always pushed me to pursue education because individuals around the world do not have the same privilege that I have been blessed with to have a readily accessible, high-quality education. In high school, this influenced me to push myself beyond my limits and take courses that challenged me, changed me, and have allowed me to give back what I have learned to my community. College gives me a chance to dive deep into the world of education to continue to expand my knowledge. Ultimately, accepting my college diploma, hopefully on a stage, will be a wonderful moment, but it will only be one milestone amongst the many I wish to pursue in my search for everlasting education. I will never be satisfied with how much I have learned because the world is constantly changing. With each new invention, discovery, or idea there is something new that I have not yet learned. Education is a never-ending journey, not an achievable destination.

Through the aid of the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board of Chicago Downtown, I took the opportunity to become a leader, as Head of Support Staff, while helping students pursue their religious education. During this experience, I was able to extract many important leadership skills and experiences that helped me resolve future real-world dilemmas. At this Religious Education Center, abbreviated as REC, students from K-8 are taught about their faith and draw connections between other religions. On the management team, the primary goal of the HOSS was to ensure that the students' experience inside and outside of the classroom was safe, fun, and informative. With a team of 8, I was able to affect the lives of students and make sure their education was delivered correctly. This was important to me because when I was a student in REC, I had an unforgettable experience and I want to make sure that these students can take full advantage of the education they are receiving while having a phenomenal time. A skill that I found to be most impactful when working with my team was leading by example. This quality is essential when leading a team as it allows others to understand that they are not working under the leader but with them. At the religious education center, I implemented this by working with my team to set up various events during the day. After doing so, I found my team’s productivity and morale to soar through the roof. We were able to finish projects effectively and efficiently while having a good time. In addition, I was able to monitor those who didn’t find certain tasks amusing and rotate them with others so that everyone was happy. I believe this skill will translate into not only college but my career where leading by example and collaboration are the formula for success. Although I was able to become an effective leader at this institution, I wasn’t always able to exert these qualities properly. Many times I found it easier to take a secondary or tertiary role in a project instead of stepping up and taking charge. Through the influence of other leaders in the religious education center, I was inspired to become a leader, helping the institution in an elevated role. Although I do not plan to become a teacher, REC was able to provide me an environment where I could expand my leadership skills and give back to the community that made me who I am today.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

The noisy clicks of the keys on my keyboard, the swift movement of my mouse, and the long hours spent staring at my monitor. I move my right hand to the target and with the touch of my index finger press down on the smooth, black left mouse button, headshot. After a long day of online learning, I sought comfort and relaxation by engrossing myself in video games. Sometimes I would have the company of others, laughing and yelling at one another along the way, but I would have no problem diving into the virtual world on my own. I was so fond of video games that I joined the eSports club offered at my local high school. Here, I obtained the role of the team captain of my favorite video game at the time, Valorant. Throughout the season, I spent multiple hours per week practicing and devoting myself to improving not only my skills but our synergy as a team. Despite the negative remarks from my parents about playing useless video games, I was able to discover something I was really passionate about and strengthen essential skills while doing it. What’s better than that! Although I may soon need a new pair of bifocals, I am happy that I found this artificial, yet very real world of gaming.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business while allowing me to take pride in my hard work. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business while allowing me to take pride in my hard work. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the entrepreneurial world.

One interest I have developed in recent years was playing table tennis. Table tennis was a popular sport in my community and was played once a week after religious ceremonies. At first, I hesitated to join as I did not think I would do well but my friends encouraged me to eventually join. After playing for a couple of weeks, I found the sport to be a lot of fun, and I wanted to get better. I joined the bi-weekly practices where the sport was played more actively and competitively. Here, I was introduced to different techniques by professionals, coaches, and other players. Through this introduction to the sport, I was able to collect the confidence to try-out for my high school’s varsity table tennis team. Although in my freshman year I did not make the team, I returned to my community to improve the skills I lacked. In addition, I joined the table tennis club at my high school to practice the sport as often as I could. At the club, I practiced with varsity players, coaches, and alumni that helped to train me for the next season. During the next year, I tried out for the team again, securing a starting spot on the roster. This accomplishment gave me pride in my hard work and encouraged me to continue to fight such challenges despite the tough setbacks I may face. Ever since, I have been on the varsity team playing the sport of table tennis, pushing myself to get better. During the past year, my team and I were able to get 5th place at the IHSA State Table Tennis Tournament in Illinois. Though we did not return victorious, I went home with lifelong memories, friendships, and the ability to play the sport well.

Delicious steak dinners, lengthy showers, a glass of water. These are just a few of the things that we are able to enjoy because of our access to freshwater. On the other hand, many people around the world lack the freshwater needed to survive. My realization of how scarce water was, came from my father's experience during his childhood, where he struggled to obtain freshwater for himself and his family daily. Though I did not directly experience this lack of necessity, I was able to sympathize and imagine a life without such an important resource. Because of this, I have reflected on the amount of water that I use daily, especially the amount of water that I waste. In addition, this has allowed me to realize how important it is that we make a change in our lives to help one another. I focused on implementing such changes by turning off the faucet when brushing my teeth, taking shorter showers, and eating less meat. Though not that simple, by doing our parts we can contribute to alleviating the shortage of freshwater. Humans will continue to make life-altering improvements in technology to help, but we can do these simple things to change the world. Hopefully, one day everyone will be able to enjoy a delicious meal with some clear, refreshing water.

One interest I have developed in recent years was playing table tennis. Table tennis was a popular sport in my community and was played once a week after religious ceremonies. At first, I hesitated to join as I did not think I would do well but my friends encouraged me to eventually join. After playing for a couple of weeks, I found the sport to be a lot of fun, and I wanted to get better. I joined the bi-weekly practices where the sport was played more actively and competitively. Here, I was introduced to different techniques by professionals, coaches, and other players. Through this introduction to the sport, I was able to collect the confidence to try-out for my high school’s varsity table tennis team. Although in my freshman year I did not make the team, I returned to my community to improve the skills I lacked. In addition, I joined the table tennis club at my high school to practice the sport as often as I could. At the club, I practiced with varsity players, coaches, and alumni that helped to train me for the next season. During the next year, I tried out for the team again, securing a starting spot on the roster. This accomplishment gave me pride in my hard work and encouraged me to continue to fight such challenges despite the tough setbacks I may face. Ever since, I have been on the varsity team playing the sport of table tennis, pushing myself to get better. During the past year, my team and I were able to get 5th place at the IHSA State Table Tennis Tournament in Illinois. Though we did not return victorious, I went home with lifelong memories, friendships, and the ability to play the sport well.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the help of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

hrough the aid of the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board of Chicago Downtown, I took the opportunity to become a leader, as Head of Support Staff, while helping students pursue their religious education. During this experience, I was able to extract many important leadership skills and experiences that helped me resolve future real-world dilemmas. At this Religious Education Center, abbreviated as REC, students from K-8 are taught about their faith and draw connections between other religions. On the management team, the primary goal of the HOSS was to ensure that the students' experience inside and outside of the classroom was safe, fun, and informative. With a team of 8, I was able to affect the lives of students and make sure their education was delivered correctly. This was important to me because when I was a student in REC, I had an unforgettable experience and I want to make sure that these students can take full advantage of the education they are receiving while having a phenomenal time. A skill that I found to be most impactful when working with my team was leading by example. This quality is essential when leading a team as it allows others to understand that they are not working under the leader but with them. At the religious education center, I implemented this by working with my team to set up various events during the day. After doing so, I found my team’s productivity and morale to soar through the roof. We were able to finish projects effectively and efficiently while having a good time. In addition, I was able to monitor those who didn’t find certain tasks amusing and rotate them with others so that everyone was happy. I believe this skill will translate into not only college but my career where leading by example and collaboration are the formula for success. Although I was able to become an effective leader at this institution, I wasn’t always able to exert these qualities properly. Many times I found it easier to take a secondary or tertiary role in a project instead of stepping up and taking charge. Through the influence of other leaders in the religious education center, I was inspired to become a leader, helping the institution in an elevated role. Although I do not plan to become a teacher, REC was able to provide me an environment where I could expand my leadership skills and give back to the community that made me who I am today.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the dirty floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts’ in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn’t enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a registered nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn’t come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was finally able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. My hard work and achievements over the past several years in DECA gave me a feeling of immense pride. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business and economics. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world. I believe by majoring or minoring in business with the help of this scholarship, I will be able to use the resources and curriculum available to me to help expand my knowledge in business.

Through the aid of the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board of Chicago Downtown, I took the opportunity to become a leader, as Head of Support Staff, while helping students pursue their religious education. During this experience, I was able to extract many important leadership skills and experiences that helped me resolve future real-world dilemmas. At this Religious Education Center, abbreviated as REC, students from K-8 are taught about their faith and draw connections between other religions. On the management team, the primary goal of the HOSS was to ensure that the students' experience inside and outside of the classroom was safe, fun, and informative. With a team of 8, I was able to affect the lives of students and make sure their education was delivered correctly. This was important to me because when I was a student in REC, I had an unforgettable experience and I want to make sure that these students can take full advantage of the education they are receiving while having a phenomenal time. A skill that I found to be most impactful when working with my team was leading by example. This quality is essential when leading a team as it allows others to understand that they are not working under the leader but with them. At the religious education center, I implemented this by working with my team to set up various events during the day. After doing so, I found my team’s productivity and morale to soar through the roof. We were able to finish projects effectively and efficiently while having a good time. In addition, I was able to monitor those who didn’t find certain tasks amusing and rotate them with others so that everyone was happy. I believe this skill will translate into not only college but my career where leading by example and collaboration are the formula for success. Although I was able to become an effective leader at this institution, I wasn’t always able to exert these qualities properly. Many times I found it easier to take a secondary or tertiary role in a project instead of stepping up and taking charge. Through the influence of other leaders in the religious education center, I was inspired to become a leader, helping the institution in an elevated role. Although I do not plan to become a teacher, REC was able to provide me an environment where I could expand my leadership skills and give back to the community that made me who I am today.

The world of business has been a huge part of my life. I was initially inspired to pursue business being surrounded by two influential role models, my parents. My father immigrated to the United States, building his way up the ladder of success from mopping the floors of a small donut shop to managing one of the most successful Dunkin Donuts' in the Chicagoland area. If that wasn't enough, my mother also dipped her feet into the business world. Despite being a nurse, she started her own Subway franchise. Although having such dedicated parents is amazing, business is all they talked about. In the car, my dad would talk about an employee who didn't come to work or problems with the payroll. Though big and small, problems came into our family discussions daily. Even though they would get boring, as the years passed, I started to get captivated by how my parents solved them. Eventually, I joined the conversations providing my input on potential solutions. I was able to exercise this passion for problem-solving in high school when I decided to participate in a club called DECA. This competitive business club allowed me to build my business skills by spending multiple hours per week practicing real-world applications. In my early years at regional competitions, I experimented in sectors of business like entrepreneurship and hospitality. Though I faced losses, I did not take those defeats to the heart and continued to actively participate in the club. In my junior year, I competed in a marketing event, earning 3rd overall amongst my competitors. During high school, DECA has provided me with the hands-on experience to encourage me to pursue my passion for business while allowing me to take pride in my hard work. This year, I am working towards an even bigger project to help students pave their path to finding a potential career. Although I do not hope to create the next food chain, I aspire to use all that I have learned from my parents, especially their motivation and dedication, to help me succeed in the business world.

Smartphones, computers, video games, headphones, TVs. Although we use these quite frequently in our daily lives, I find a great deal of interest in how these devices are created and how they function. In 8th grade, having a cracked 3-inch android phone, I was limited to the technological world yet I would secretly use my school computer to research the new innovations that smartphone companies would release. I loved watching videos that showed off new phones, iPhone, Android, or even Windows. As I moved into high school, I grew this passion and begged my parents to buy me a better phone. Although I finally obtained a proper phone, I wasn’t quite satisfied. I dove deeper into the industry by becoming a “reseller”, buying used or broken phones and selling them through e-commerce websites like eBay. I found it to be exhilarating to see what different phones existed and the cool features they included. But the greatest feeling was when the phone sold, more specifically, when the eBay notification for the sale would pop up on my phone. “Your item has sold time to ship!” The whole process of buying, fixing, posting, and selling phones showed me that I was interested in not only the technological aspect but the business side as well. Today, I continue to watch press releases and videos on new technologies like folding phones and 5G networks seeing the technological world develop. As well as, I read various news articles on the business side of these companies and what they seek to achieve. This scholarship will allow me to spread my wings further and help me to continue my interest in these various modern-day fields. Looking into the distant future, I hope to work towards implementing the knowledge I gain from college through the help of this scholarship to create an outstanding technology firm that not only makes a lot of money but, more importantly, put a smile on people’s faces.

The noisy clicks of the keys on my keyboard, the swift movement of my mouse, and the long hours spent staring at my monitor. I move my right hand to the target and with the touch of my index finger press down on the smooth, black left mouse button, headshot. After a long day of online learning, I sought comfort and relaxation by engrossing myself in video games. Sometimes I would have the company of others, laughing and yelling at one another along the way, but I would have no problem diving into the virtual world on my own. I was so fond of video games that I joined the eSports club offered at my local high school. Here, I obtained the role of the team captain of my favorite video game at the time, Valorant. Throughout the season, I spent multiple hours per week practicing and devoting myself to improving not only my skills but our synergy as a team. Despite the negative remarks from my parents about playing useless video games, I was able to discover something I was really passionate about and strengthen essential skills while doing it. What’s better than that! Although I may soon need a new pair of bifocals, I am happy that I found this artificial, yet very real world of gaming. My submitted piece represents the feeling I am in when in nature or playing video games.

Through the aid of the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board of Chicago Downtown, I took the opportunity to become a leader, as Head of Support Staff, while helping students pursue their religious education. During this experience, I was able to extract many important leadership skills and experiences that helped me resolve future real-world dilemmas. At this Religious Education Center, abbreviated as REC, students from K-8 are taught about their faith and draw connections between other religions. On the management team, the primary goal of the HOSS was to ensure that the students' experience inside and outside of the classroom was safe, fun, and informative. With a team of 8, I was able to affect the lives of students and make sure their education was delivered correctly. This was important to me because when I was a student in REC, I had an unforgettable experience and I want to make sure that these students can take full advantage of the education they are receiving while having a phenomenal time. A skill that I found to be most impactful when working with my team was leading by example. This quality is essential when leading a team as it allows others to understand that they are not working under the leader but with them. At the religious education center, I implemented this by working with my team to set up various events during the day. After doing so, I found my team’s productivity and morale to soar through the roof. We were able to finish projects effectively and efficiently while having a good time. In addition, I was able to monitor those who didn’t find certain tasks amusing and rotate them with others so that everyone was happy. I believe this skill will translate into not only college but my career where leading by example and collaboration are the formula for success. Although I was able to become an effective leader at this institution, I wasn’t always able to exert these qualities properly. Many times I found it easier to take a secondary or tertiary role in a project instead of stepping up and taking charge. Through the influence of other leaders in the religious education center, I was inspired to become a leader, helping the institution in an elevated role. Although I do not plan to become a teacher, REC was able to provide me an environment where I could expand my leadership skills and give back to the community that made me who I am today.

String computerScience = “Best decision ever!”; Since I was a little kid, I loved technology. From running out of lives on Candy Crush on my mom’s Galaxy S5 to begging my parents to get a computer for “all of us”, really so I could play video games over Skype with my friends, computers have been an exhilarating part of my life. During middle school, a new course was introduced to us: STEM. No one knew what this class was about except that it was new: new teacher, new classroom, and new materials. When the class began, I found it to be quite boring with tedious assignments about global warming, enzymes, and other boring science material. At that point, the class was like 3rd-period Biology, another snooze-fest. However, the teacher said the next unit involved building robots. Every day, I would be exhilarated to work on finishing the robot. I liked it so much that it persuaded me to join the robotics team where I worked on building and coding fully-functional robots. We went to several competitions during middle school, competing with the robots that I built with my own two hands. From that point, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. As a junior in high school, I knew I wanted to combine my love of computer science with my desire to help people. I went after various opportunities that help others find a passion for the field of Computer Science. During the past summer, I worked with the Aga Khan Education Board, which provides quality education to students around the world, to introduce impoverished children to the universe of Computer Science. Being an instructor, I focused on providing students with a fun-filled, memorable experience while teaching them the knowledge I had obtained in the field of Computer Science. The smiles and energy that the children expressed ensured me that exploring this career would allow me to help others while doing something I love. I know that a major in Computer Science with the aid of this scholarship will help me find the right path of combining my love for Computer Science with my desire to make a difference in other people’s lives.