I grew up a bonafide Disney kid. I would watch the Disney Channel every day before school, and Disney movies in the back of the car on long road trips. I would dress up like my favorite characters and sing songs from all the movies, and to this day can still quote the entirety of Finding Nemo. Disney was a constant in my childhood, and much of it has become a comfort, and source of inspiration and motivation in my young adult life. In my efforts to pay for college, I recently got a job as a waitress, on top of one that I’ve had for many years now; this makes for one morning shift and then one evening shift in a single day which can make for really long days. On days when I’m feeling not-so-motivated to get out of bed in the morning, I think about Princess Tiana from one of my favorite Disney movies, The Princess and the Frog. One of the earliest scenes in that movie is Tiana coming home and falling asleep on her bed in her work uniform. Five minutes later she hits her alarm clock with her foot, changes into her other uniform, and goes to work her second job. Watching this scene reminds me that if she can wake up on the hard days and work toward her dream then so can I. My dream is not to open a restaurant but instead to get my college degree, and to be financially able to do so. And much like Tiana, I’m almost there. I also love how Disney connects people, and how so many of us can share in the stories and character experiences. I recently tagged along to a work conference with my parents, and the speaker's talk was centered around the movie Zootopia. He started with a clip from the film that showed the main character Judy Hopps becoming the first bunny police officer against all odds. She had people tell her that it's never been done before, she should just settle, and that there is beauty in complacency. Despite this, she went firmly in the direction of her dreams; she moved away from home and faced many new and sometimes scary experiences. Yet in the face of all these challenges was incredibly successful at what she set out to do. In these ways and so many more, Disney, its characters, and its stories have become so near and dear to me. And so, my favorite thing about Disney is how I keep finding new ways to love the same stories and lessons that have been with me for so many years. They are there for the good days and the bad ones, for when I need to push forward in a challenging time or need a reminder to step back and appreciate where I am now. It has grown with me and I’m looking forward to watching the magic continue in ways that I may never have expected.

Around the time I was in eighth grade, I decided to push myself to control my health better. My health was never of concern, I simply knew that I now had more independence, and control over what I ate and how I moved my body. At this time these were the primary components of health that I focused on. And so, I developed a regular exercise routine and began to eat in a way that was much more whole foods focused. I felt amazing physically, and proud that I was not only able to create this new lifestyle but that I was able to be consistent with my new habits. This honeymoon phase lasted a few months, and then my habits started to shift. I worked out more frequently and more intensely. My food choices shifted from whole and balanced to a place of restriction. And for a long time, I believed that this was simply me pushing myself to be more health-conscious than ever before. By my freshman year of high school, I began to realize that this might not be the case. With the intense schedule of a high school student, a busy dance schedule, and my supposed healthy habits, I did not have the mental or physical capacity to keep up. I hit a wall and felt brutally defeated. Physically I was weak and overworked between my intense level of physical activity and lack of proper nutrition, and mentally I had unknowingly arrived at a place of stress and anxiety that was cranked up to one hundred. I had focused so intently on pushing myself as hard as I could in every aspect, and the importance of rest, breaks, and balance was lost on me. Instead of taking a step back and acknowledging my need for rest, I would push full speed ahead, even when a break would be more conducive to the end goal. During this time I also began to realize that mental health is just as important as physical, something I had neglected for a long time. Since this point in time, I have come a long way in my health journey. On the physical front, I make an effort to choose nutritionally balanced foods, while still allowing myself to enjoy treats and going out to eat with my family. I’ve also made an effort to break out of my old exercise routines and find new ways to enjoy movement. Whether it's running with my dad, yoga with my friends, or going back to my old dance studio to take a class, I’m beginning to prioritize moving for me. Shifting my habits and mentality around health has been a lesson to personal growth for me and by no means have my endeavors been perfect. There are times when thoughts of restriction or over-exercise creep back in and in those moments choosing balance is not always easy. But in shifting my habits I’ve also learned that it's okay to mess up, and giving myself grace and acknowledging these bumps in the road is going to help me build the healthy habits that are best for me. Although my health journey has evolved to a place that I’m quite content with, I’m also okay with the idea that my health goals may change. I know now that I have the ability to change, adapt, and evolve as new or challenging circumstances arise. Learning to make these changes, mental, physical, and everything in between, has been one of my proudest and most valued accomplishments, and I’m excited to see where my health journey takes me next.

For as long as I can remember, I have looked up to my dad. He has always been a role model for me in many areas of life, personal, social, and now more than ever, professional. His character and passion are traits I seek to emulate in my work and especially in beginning my career journey. This fall began to work towards my bachelor's degree and take the first steps in preparing for my career. I am studying business administration with a concentration in management and organization, and it was my dad who inspired this choice. He is the definition of the adage “If you truly love your job you will never have to work a day in your life”, and he goes to work every day excited to grow, improve, and help his community. My dad makes his living in chiropractic and owns and operates his clinic. After years of suffering from chronic pain, chiropractic was the only thing that helped him achieve remission; as a result, he decided to pursue chiropractic with the dream of helping other people live pain-free. He is both a chiropractor and a business owner and loves his work more than anyone I’ve met. His dream is to get at least 80% of people into chiropractic care, and he works harder than anyone I’ve ever met to do so. All of his work is community-based, and he is a firm believer in helping people and his community, both through chiropractic and philanthropy. Ever since I started expressing interest, he has always made an effort to involve me in the processes and mission of his own business. Through the work he's done through his clinic, I’ve seen how businesses can make strong impacts in their community, and this has been the driving force behind why I want to study and pursue a business career. While reading about Tony, the kind of father he was, and what he meant to the Alavani family, I could think only of my dad. I see so many of the qualities Tony embodied reflected in him, particularly in the impacts he had on me. He has always been an incredible father and has never stopped pushing me to be the best version of myself. We went from reading bedtime stories and solving mystery puzzles to talking about career and life aspirations, and the ins and outs of conducting oneself as an adult. My dad is a huge part of the reason I wanted to go to college for business and believe so strongly that it's a career that allows me to make lasting impacts in my community and beyond. Something he always instilled in me was self-advocacy and taking steps toward your goals and aspirations. With this in mind, I’ve begun to apply this principle to my education by seeking out scholarships during my undergraduate studies, to finance the strongest asset to my career: my education. Paying for college is one of the largest challenges facing me as I navigate the process of earning a degree, and my dad has been my biggest supporter in pushing me to seek out the financial resources available. Thus, I felt applying to this scholarship was an excellent way to embody all I’ve learned from him so far and the ways I plan to carry those lessons with me as I move forward into the next chapter of my life. Being awarded the Tony Alviani Memorial Scholarship would aid and amplify not only my career goals but my educational aspirations, as well as my life ambitions.

As a child, I remember telling people I was a worrier. I never understood why the idea of talking to other kids was so paralyzing, or why eating in the lunchroom made me worried sick. I never questioned it, simply knew that I worried more extremely than most of my peers. A younger me assumed I would grow out of it, and that one day I would be able to sit in a classroom without racing thoughts and a pounding heart. But as I got older I began to realize that these feelings were not something I could grow out of. By the time high school came around, I had become very good at ignoring these worried feelings. However, the stress of my high school schedule pushed me to a breaking point where they could no longer be ignored. I would go to school each morning and rarely made it through the end of the day; frequent panic attacks and anxiety spells warranted trips to the counseling center or nurse's office and, as a result, I fell behind in most classes, and my personal life was seriously affected. At this point, I knew something was very wrong, and, thanks to guidance from my school's counseling center, got access to resources that could help. It was at this point that I got the official diagnosis and information for my anxiety disorder. At first, the notion of a “disorder” did not sit well with me, and for a while, I felt it implied something was wrong with me. Starting to tackle my anxiety was a daunting task. It was something I accepted as normal for so long that I had never fathomed being able to change the pattern of feelings it brought. However, the biggest shift in my relationship with mental health came when I began to re-frame how I thought about my anxiety. I started to see my diagnosis not as something that hindered me, but instead as information that I could use to take better care of myself. As a result, I was able to start taking steps toward a new goal: acknowledging and caring for my mental health. This was something that I hardly considered a priority before this point in time, but taking these first steps was something I am endlessly grateful for. As a first step, I began to open up to my family and close friends about what was going on. This step was incredibly daunting because I felt such stigma around the notion of mental health. When my mental health was at its worst, it affected me in ways I never could have anticipated, which often left me feeling defeated. My anxiety brought about feelings of guilt, frustration, and anger at myself because I could not perform at my best and did not understand why. My biggest concern in telling my friends and family is that it would highlight these feelings and amplify them within myself, or that they would feel them towards me. The stigma surrounding mental health was a huge hurdle I had to jump when trying to understand what proper mental care looked like for me. While it was scary and uncomfortable at first, it wound up being one of the most crucial steps in actively caring for my mental health. It gave them a better understanding of what exactly was going on, and their support pushed me to keep actively working toward this goal. It also played the most substantial role in destigmatizing mental health in my own mind, which allowed me to move forward and keep improving my relationship with that branch of my health. The more I began to talk about it, the more I felt like I had concrete knowledge to work with, instead of a mysterious cloud of feelings looming out of reach. I began to develop techniques to get myself back into my routine. I would attend half a class, then a full one, then two, then three. I began scheduling small outings with my friends again, and, slowly but surely, I was working through the anxious feelings. I finally felt like I was showing up as myself again, not as my anxiety. While this stretch of time was one of the most defeating and uncomfortable periods in my life thus far, I regard it as the one that taught me the most about myself. The most significant lesson that I learned, and the one that helped me the most in working through these challenges, is that it's important to reach out for support and to seek out the resources available to you. As a result, I was able to build a strong support system and get the help I needed to keep going in the midst of these challenges. It also taught me the value of choosing to do things outside of my comfort zone and how to have resilience in the face of fear. These skills have come in handy for the rest of my academic career, and beyond. They helped me navigate hurdles such as virtual learning during the Coronavirus pandemic and the transition back into in-person learning. They were also exceptionally helpful as I transitioned into college and were the primary principles I utilized to help me make a strong start for my first year. With the help of my support system, I decided to embrace these lessons and apply them toward setting my career goals and ambitions in motion.

When thinking about a time in my life where I experienced weakness I immediately think back to my first year of high school. During this time I experienced severe struggles with mental health and anxiety, unlike anything I had experienced before. The constant mental and physical drain as a result of these challenges disrupted my life in ways I could have never anticipated. Simple, everyday tasks suddenly became tedious and draining and the situation as a whole left me feeling very small and defeated. This level of physical and emotional weakness was something foreign to me, and trying to understand what I was feeling was entirely new territory. While this stretch of time was one of the most defeating and uncomfortable periods in my life thus far, I regard it as the one that taught me the most about myself. The most significant lesson that I learned, and the one that helped me the most in working through these challenges, is that it's important to reach out for support and to seek out the resources available to you. By talking to my family, teachers, and counselors, I learned how to effectively communicate what I was feeling. As a result, I was able to build a strong support system and get the help I needed to keep going in the midst of these challenges. It also taught me the value of choosing to do things outside of my comfort zone and how to have resilience in the face of fear. These skills came in very handy for the rest of my academic career, and beyond. They helped me navigate hurdles such as virtual learning during the Coronavirus pandemic and the transition back into in-person learning. They were also exceptionally helpful as I transitioned into college and were the primary principles I utilized to help me make a strong start for my first year. With the help of my support system, I decided to embrace these lessons and apply them toward setting my career goals and ambitions in motion. I’ve come to realize that an essential part of a fulfilling career for me is strongly focused on community engagement. I believe businesses are the support systems of their communities and I would love to dedicate my work to supporting my community in the way it supported me. For this reason, I have decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a concentration in management and organizational studies. As I continue to further my education and take the first steps toward setting my long-term career goals in motion, I have come to face many new challenges, and among them is financing my education. Thus, In the spirit of seeking out the resources available, I’m making an ongoing effort to apply for scholarships during my undergraduate studies. This endeavor is essential to helping me achieve my career goals by financing my education, one of the most vital assets to my career. Through my degree program, I’ll have opportunities to learn more about entering a business career that will allow me to make a strong impact in my community. These are all driving factors in why I felt applying to this particular scholarship would make a difference for me. Being awarded the Jorian Kuran Harris (Shugg) Helping Heart Foundation Scholarship would not only help me achieve my educational goals but serve as a conduit to help me develop as a professional and pursue my career aspirations to the fullest.

As a child, I remember telling people I was a worrier. I never understood why the idea of talking to other kids was so paralyzing, or why eating in the lunchroom made me worried sick. I never questioned it, simply knew that I worried more extremely than most. A younger me assumed I would grow out of it, and that one day I would be able to sit in a classroom without racing thoughts and a pounding heart. But as I got older I began to realize that these feelings were not something I could grow out of. By the time high school came around, I had become very good at ignoring these worried feelings. However, the stress of my high school schedule pushed me to a breaking point where they could no longer be ignored, and I had no idea how to cope. I would go to school each morning and rarely made it through the end of the day; frequent panic attacks and anxiety spells warranted trips to the counseling center or nurse's office and, as a result, I fell behind in most classes. At this point, I knew something was very wrong, and, thanks to guidance from my school's counseling center, got access to resources that could help. It was at this point that I got the official diagnosis and information for my anxiety disorder. At first, the notion of a “disorder” did not sit well with me, and for a while, I felt it implied something was wrong with me. Simultaneously, I felt a sense of relief as I realized that there was a reason for the constant worrying and, more importantly, ways to work through it. Starting to tackle my anxiety meant opening up to my family about what I was feeling. It certainly was not an easy conversation, but it was relieving to finally express to them what was going on. It gave them a better understanding of how they could support me, and that support pushed me to finally take control of my mental health. I found that being open with my family was an excellent step for all of us, and it was the first time I spoke about exactly what I was feeling. The more I began to talk about it, the more I felt like I had concrete knowledge to work with, instead of a mysterious cloud of feelings looming out of reach. I began to develop techniques to get myself back into my routine. I would attend half a class, then a full one, then two, then three. I began scheduling small outings with my friends again, and, slowly but surely, I was working through the anxious feelings. I finally felt like I was showing up as myself again, not as my anxiety. While I certainly didn’t out-grow my anxiety I did grow with it. I experienced a shift in my understanding of how it impacts me and those around me and began to see my diagnosis not as something that hindered me, but as information I could use to help take better care of myself. Making this shift in my relationship with anxiety has been my most difficult, proudest, and most character-building life experience. The process helped me gain a powerful sense of self-awareness and has made anxiety manageable to the point where it's largely obsolete. These experiences serve as a constant reminder that I can thrive in challenging circumstances, a concept that has changed the way I approach many parts of my life, and has made me into a person I’m nothing less than exceptionally proud of.

I am a firm believer that the arts are a powerful conduit to social change, and involving communities in various artistic mediums has the capacity to change them for the better on numerous fronts. My involvement in that arts has been largely dance focused and has provided me with the opportunity to explore all the gifts it has to offer communities. Throughout my experiences, I’ve been inspired by many artists who are passionate about social justice, and who have shown me the power that lies in the choice to pursue the arts. One dance work that opened my eyes to the social impacts of dance was a piece by my first dance professor. The work, entitled “Tagong Yaman (Hidden Treasures)”, was a collaborative work by Filipino/a/x artists. The piece follows the many struggles they encountered as a Filipinx artist in the United States, and how that affected their life and art-making. "Tagong Yaman" drew inspiration from their background, heritage, and many of the social injustices they had encountered when coming to the U.S. The piece was beautiful and simultaneously heart-wrenching; it detailed some of the most vulnerable and rough points in their journey and gave the audience a unique perspective into a world they’ve perhaps never experienced. Such close exposure to works as raw and personal as “Tagong Yaman” has helped me understand the immense value the arts bring to society. I realize now the degree to which dance touches the hearts of people in ways words often cannot. It evokes a deep and human connection that allows people to feel the pains of social injustice in a more intimate way, far beyond looking at it objectively. It takes a passionate artist to share such personal stories, but it is the unfiltered sharing of these experiences that raises awareness and ignites the flames of change. These expansive experiences have given dance a new purpose in my life and a new place in my heart. I’ve discovered a newfound passion for studying dance, and continuing to explore this passion will be my outlet for combating social injustices. In particular, I want to increase access to quality arts education. Everyone should have the means to express themselves through artistic mediums, and increasing access would mean more change-makers and artists making their voices heard. By continuing to pursue my dance education I’ll have a continuous outlet to engage with the artists of today and the change-makers of tomorrow. It is the artists and change-makers, such as Jeannine, who are the reason the arts are so vital to society. Just as she shared her artistic talents with those around her, I aspire to do the same, and spreading access to the arts is how I will share in her love for making the world a more beautiful place. I want to provide opportunities to involve more people in the arts and increase the number of artists creating for, and within, their communities. Embracing Jeannine’s dedication to lifelong learning will allow me to make the most of all my arts education has to offer and contribute valuably to both the arts and the greater community.

Earning a college degree has always been a milestone I've dreamed of achieving, especially when preparing for my future career. Now that I've been an undergraduate student for a full semester, I have gained access and exposure to knowledge like never before. Opportunities such as these continue to open new doors and propel me forward in my endeavors to use my education in an impactful way. I’m currently studying to earn a bachelor's in business administration and analytics. The time I dedicated to community engagement during high school pushed me to choose business administration as a major and serves as a way to magnify my passion for organization and community engagement, particularly at the local level. Local missions have remarkable effects within their communities, and I am awestruck by what they achieve through a well-run operation and strong sense of purpose. Understanding how to effectively strive toward a common goal and foster a passionate, dedicated, team is a true art form. Experiences with community engagement such as these illuminate the value of business skills and pushed me to pursue it as a career. One specific group that I’ve had the pleasure of working with is For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, and their team is a master of these principles. FPS is a non-profit located in Plymouth Meeting, PA, and its mission is to send cancer patients and their families on respite trips to “Take A Break” from cancer, and the intense stressors it invites. Founder and CEO Marci Schankweiler established this mission after experiencing the benefits spending time away on respite had for her and her husband Pete, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1998. Upon Pete’s passing, she promised to ensure others had the same opportunity to experience cancer respite. For Pete's Sake has been incredibly successful in ensuring its mission reaches those in need within the community. Their efforts have changed lives, but none of it would be possible without the incredible organizational efforts and skillful nature of their team. These are the skills I strive to gain by studying business, with hopes of entering a career where I can create similar impacts. Whilst I may only be in my first semester the preparation for transitioning into the professional world has already begun. If there's anything I have learned from volunteering at the local level, it's that the ability to plan and prepare for the future is a skill that is worth its weight in gold. Thus, I’ve begun to apply this principle to my education by seeking out scholarships during my undergraduate studies, to finance what will be the strongest asset to my career: my education. Paying for college is one of the largest challenges facing me as I navigate the process of earning a degree. By mitigating student loans early I can be proactive about tackling student debt. I have also come to realize that being a team player is vital in many aspects of life, especially outside of areas where it seems commonplace. It's far more efficient to meet an end goal with the support of many; thus, it's important to ask for help and seek out the resources available. This is true in the realm of financial aid and is a driving factor in why I felt applying to this scholarship was important. Being awarded the Morgan Levine Dolan Community Scholarship would aid and amplify not only my career goals but my educational aspirations, as well as my life ambitions.

Whether it be willingness to participate in class, taking initiative within your club or sport, or going out of your way to help someone else, it is these actions that inspire others to do the same, and that to me defines true leadership. It is in this way that I have demonstrated most of my leadership. One strong example of this is my involvement with my school's National Honors Society. During the 2020-2021 school year we were unable to participate in many of the events and service opportunities that the NHS is typically involved with as a result of the pandemic. It became especially difficult to acquire service opportunities, leaving even our sponsors at a loss with what to do. It was here that I realized I could be the one to take action and drive positive change; so I reached out to For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation, a non-profit I’ve worked with for several years, to coordinate a virtual service opportunity. With the help of their community engagement team I was able to provide the NHS with a virtual service opportunity that benefited FPS and kept our NHS chapter involved with the community. By taking the initiative to benefit both my school and community, I was able demonstrate leadership on a multitude of levels. In addition to NHS I'm also a Student Ambassador within my high school. The program entails representing the school anytime the public is in the building, and helping with events such as freshman orientation and post prom. This program has not only allowed me to demonstrate my leadership skills, but has helped me to build them. Student Ambassadors are the pinnacle of leading by example, with exemplary character and collaboration driving the program. When I first became an ambassador I was heavily influenced by the character and leadership skills demonstrated by the other ambassadors. Now I strive to demonstrate those same qualities, especially with my work as an ambassador. Aside from in school involvement, I also strive to lead within my community through local volunteer work. Since the time I was in elementary school I’ve participated in my schools backpack program, volunteered with For Pete's Sake, and the Lt. Patty Simon's food drive, all of which benefit my community. By participating and being active within my community I can help encourage others to do the same, allowing the community to come together and support one another. This idea of mutual support and respect is abundant within each of these organizations, and through my participation I am able to lead by example and inspire others to get involved within their community. In short, I believe that leadership is best demonstrated in ones everyday actions, by taking the extra initiative in areas ones already involved in. This inspires others to act similarly and creates a community of strong, inspired people and that to me is what defines leadership, and it is this effect that I believe makes leadership so important.

My very first time volunteering was with my mom for the Lt. Patty Simon's food drive (The Salvation Army), a food drive that runs annually around the holidays. The drive is in honor of the late Lt. Patty Simon and goes to benefit local families who need extra support during the holidays; the drive collects everything from food, to toys, to paper products, and beyond- and is one of the largest organized efforts I've ever witnessed. I volunteer every year to help with several aspects of the process, most notably loading and unloading the thousands of donations which is the most involved part. This will be my 6th year as an active participant and I continue to volunteer because I greatly appreciate the impact the drive has on the surrounding community. All donations stay local, which makes it a very personal experience since it directly benefits my community. Over the years I've grown to realize that the holidays are a time where financial stress peaks for many families, especially those who are already struggling. This makes it especially heart warming to see how relieving the efforts of this drive are for so many people. It allows them to relax, and put aside worries about food or other necessities. Peace of mind is one of the greatest gifts of all, and is a pinnacle aspect of what this drive does for people, and through my participation I can actively contribute to that. And so ever since the first year I participated I have had a growing appreciation for the positive contributions the team at Lt. Patty Simon has allowed me to be a part of, and hope I can continue changing and shaping my community for years to come.

As someone who pulls so much inspiration from the legacies of others I'm impressed that it took me so long to begin thinking of my own. The reality is that eventually my legacy will go on to out live me, and so my very first thought was that it should embody my values, and the contributions I want to make to the world. Eventually I hope to share my ideas and use them to create the change I want to see, I want to help others realize they have ideas worth sharing, and mostly I desire to do what people say is impossible. And so, I realized that when people think of me I want them to think of someone who cared. Somebody who was fearless and believed in herself and her ideas, and continued to do whatever it took to help herself and other achieve what they believed in. So when I think of what I want my legacy to embody, I imagine one word: Limitless. I want to leave a legacy that knows no bounds, hopefully allowing others to see themselves within it and feel as though they too are capable of limitless possibilities.