Sarah Conviser Chronic Boss Scholarship Application 2/28/2022 Prior to my Celiac Disease diagnosis in 2010, my teachers, coaches, and parents, labeled my personality oddities as symptoms of either an anxiety disorder or learning disability. My supposed anxiety disorder explained why I constantly felt too sick to attend school and struggled to hold down food after eating. My supposed learning disability explained why I struggled to concentrate in class and finish a book without feeling dizzy. Eventually, these hurdles prevented me from being able to learn alongside my peers within a “normal” classroom setting. Little did I know, it was only a matter of time before I would learn that I could “cure” my supposed anxiety disorder and learning disability, as long as I committed to following a gluten free diet. I was amazed by the mental and physical strength that I recuperated after receiving my Celiac diagnosis and adopted a gluten-free diet. The feeling was overwhelming: it was crazy to think that I once thought my ailments were “normal”. To ensure I never take my mental and physical strength for granted, I continuously involve myself in academic and physical challenges that mirror the hurdles that I once thought were impossible to overcome. A year into managing my disease, I was finally able to dissipate my Celiac induced brain fog and capitalize on my love of learning. I graduated from Syracuse University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and proceeded to pursue a career working for Citi Bank and American Express. Despite this promising career path, I yearned to lead a career that focused on bettering society and helping people thrive. Following that pursuit, I enrolled in the Nonprofit Management graduate program at Columbia University to advance my understanding of managing philanthropic organizations. I also became President of a student organization called Data for Social Good, which invites industry leaders to discuss how advancements in data and technology can be leveraged to meet the UN’s SDG goals by 2030. My pursuits are intrinsically tied to my interest in contributing to the betterment of society, and my entrepreneurial endeavors similarly follow that same notion. I am currently developing a website called What’sNeeded.com that will bridge the gap between nonprofits seeking non -monetary donations and altruistic donors. Nonprofits require more than just monetary gifts and What’sNeeded.com aims to address that need. My various academic, business, and educational pursuits require a level of stamina and focus that I didn’t have prior to managing my autoimmune disease. Thanks to doctors and teachers who listened to the concerns of a frail and frustrated kid in 2010, I have come to understand my Celiac Disease diagnosis and manage my symptoms effectively. The hardships I’ve faced because of this disease have resulted in a few lingering health effects such as brittle bones and dental implications, which I will forever have to closely monitor. There’s also the reoccurring imposter syndrome that causes me to second guess my abilities, as I spent years of my life thinking my peers were smarter and more capable than me. Remnants of my pre diagnosis days will forever provide me a comparative benchmark to remind me how far I’ve come. My disease has made me self-aware and altruistically driven, and I’m ready to take on any healthcare hurdles that I may face in my future. Bring it on! Thank you for considering my application.