On September 6th, 2021, the day I left for my junior year of college, my mother unexpectedly took her own life. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby, and although for many years she had only minor symptoms, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room, and for the next two years, I had to watch my father call 911 multiple times as a result of other psychotic episodes. During this time, my mom was in and out of mental hospitals. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling rare small-cell cancer which has moved to different parts of his body, including his brain. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. Words cannot begin to encompass how difficult my journey of grief has been. Seeing both of my parents deteriorate both physically and mentally, and now an only child entering her 20s without her mother, and a challenging relationship with her father, has forced me to grow up quicker than I ever expected. I know this pain will never truly disappear, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I have devoted my energy to pursuing what gives me the most true and pure joy: improving education for those facing hardships, a passion that was instilled in me by my mom at an early age. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was my mom's goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend a private high school on a scholarship. This opportunity set me on a path toward higher education, a step I may not have been able to achieve otherwise. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Her unwavering belief in the importance of education instilled in me a sense of purpose and commitment to lifelong learning, both for myself, and as a career, through supporting others' academic journies. This instilled importance of education prompted me to pursue a dual Bachelor's degree in political science and education with a minor in Spanish at Tufts University. During my undergraduate years, I was actively involved in student government, student teaching, and research, gaining valuable insights into the challenges and complexities of the education system. These experiences deepened my understanding of the issues facing students today, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or facing personal hardships. My undergraduate education furthered my commitment to this work which drove me to pursue a Master's degree in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to my classroom schooling, through two different positions, I am conducting relevant research on the challenges burdening children today as they pursue their educational journeys. These experiences have equipped me with the necessary knowledge and expertise to advocate for policies that enhance educational access and outcomes for every student. Whether it's through research or advocacy, I am committed to using my knowledge and skills to advance policies that create more equitable and adequate educational opportunities for all. Receiving financial support for my graduate studies would be a crucial step towards achieving this vision of success. This support would help to alleviate the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education, allowing me to focus more on my studies, research, and advocacy work. It would enable me to fully dedicate myself to my goal of making a meaningful impact in the field of education policy. My journey, shaped by personal experiences and challenges, has fueled my passion for education and supported me on my path to attend graduate school. I am eager to see what the future holds, and I am confident my commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of students across the country, and the world, will only continue to grow. Inspired by my mother's belief in the transformative power of education, I eagerly anticipate the chance to impart this same value to others. In doing so, I aim to honor her legacy. I want to make her proud.

For me, success goes far beyond personal achievements- it is, and always has been, making a lasting impact in the field of education. My journey towards understanding my own definition of success began at a young age, stemming from the challenges and experiences I faced within my family. On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby, and although for many years she had only minor symptoms, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room, and for the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy: improving education for those facing hardships, a passion that was instilled in me by my mom at an early age. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend a private high school on a scholarship. This opportunity set me on a path toward higher education, a step I may not have been able to achieve otherwise. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Her unwavering belief in the importance of education instilled in me a sense of purpose and commitment to lifelong learning, both for myself, and as a career, through supporting others' academic journies. This instilled importance of education prompted me to pursue a dual Bachelor's degree in political science and education with a minor in Spanish at Tufts University. During my undergraduate years, I was actively involved in student government, student teaching, and research, gaining valuable insights into the challenges and complexities of the education system. These experiences deepened my understanding of the issues facing students today, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds or facing personal hardships. My undergraduate education furthered my commitment to this work which drove me to pursue a Master's degree in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to my classroom schooling, through two different positions, I am conducting relevant research on the challenges burdening children today as they pursue their educational journeys. Enrolling in graduate school and taking on research roles have been pivotal in realizing my definition of success. These experiences have equipped me with the necessary knowledge and expertise to advocate for policies that enhance educational access and outcomes for every student. Success, for me, will be achieved when I can leverage my education, experience, and passion for education policy to make a tangible difference in the lives of students. Whether it's through research or advocacy, I am committed to using my knowledge and skills to advance policies that create more equitable and adequate educational opportunities for all. Receiving financial support for my graduate studies would be a crucial step towards achieving this vision of success. This support would help to alleviate the financial burden associated with pursuing higher education, allowing me to focus more on my studies, research, and advocacy work. It would enable me to fully dedicate myself to my goal of making a meaningful impact in the field of education policy. In conclusion, success for me is about making a lasting impact in the field of education policy. My journey, shaped by personal experiences and challenges, has fueled my passion for education and pushed me on my path to attend graduate school. I am eager to see what the future holds for me, and I am confident my commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of students across the country, and the world, will only continue to grow. Inspired by my mother's belief in the transformative power of education, I eagerly anticipate the chance to impart this same value to others. In doing so, I aim to honor her legacy and, at that moment, truly realize my own definition of success. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to a private high school on a scholarship. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I graduated with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I now attend the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the four years of my undergrad, I was heavily involved with student government, student teaching, and research. Now, I have two jobs in education policy, and through these positions, I am conducting relevant research on presently-facing challenges burdening children as they pursue their educational journies. Pursuing something both my mom and I are passionate about, working toward a career of supporting others in similar situations to mine, and helping children and students have all played crucial roles in being able to manage my grief and find happiness. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to a private high school on a scholarship. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I graduated with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government where I focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, I did a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Pursuing something both my mom and I are passionate about, working toward a career of supporting others in similar situations to mine, and helping children and students have all played crucial roles in being able to manage my grief and find happiness. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to a private high school on a scholarship. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I graduated with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government where I focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, I did a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Pursuing something both my mom and I are passionate about, working toward a career of supporting others in similar situations to mine, and helping children and students have all played crucial roles in being able to manage my grief and find happiness. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to a private high school on a scholarship. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government where I focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, in terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Education has always been more than what I was learning in the classroom. It has served as a support system when I had no other, and as a tool I could use to help reach opportunities. I want to work toward ensuring educational institutions are able to give that type of support to all students. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. My mom was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to a private high school on a scholarship. I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government where I focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, in terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Education has always been more than what I was learning in the classroom. It has served as a support system when I had no other, and as a tool I could use to help reach opportunities. I want to work toward ensuring educational institutions are able to give that type of support to all students. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. For many years, her symptoms were mild, and she was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning and began to deteriorate her mental health. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. I have never felt more helpless than I did at the end of her life; my mother was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. I know she is watching over me, and I want to push through and make her proud by focusing on a topic that was important to her, and passed down to me, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend Taft School, a private high school, on a scholarship. Taft set me on a trajectory of higher education, and I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. My mom imprinted the power of education on me, and after attending and working at that program, I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, and I am also a devoted teacher. In terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. I know my mom is proud of all that I have accomplished and is excited about my newest opportunity to attend the University of Pennsylvania. Receiving financial support for my degree would be incredibly helpful as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. For many years, her symptoms were mild, and she was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning and began to deteriorate her mental health. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. I have never felt more helpless than I did at the end of her life; my mother was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. I know she is watching over me, and I want to push through and make her proud by focusing on a topic that was important to her, and passed down to me, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend Taft School, a private high school, on a scholarship. Taft set me on a trajectory of higher education, and I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. My mom imprinted the power of education on me, and after attending and working at that program, I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, and I am also a devoted teacher. In terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. I know my mom is proud of all that I have accomplished and is excited about my newest opportunity to attend the University of Pennsylvania. Receiving financial support for my degree would be incredibly helpful as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. Therefore, although she could not work, she still was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times due to the episodes. She was prescribed a variety of different medications, but unfortunately, they did not help, and although we often forced her to take the medication, many times she did not. Her mental disorders were causing her to believe that she had nothing wrong with her, and instead, she believed that my father and I were forcing her unjustly to take medications and go to mental hospitals. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. I have never felt more helpless and frightened than I did at the end of my mom’s life; she was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend Taft School, a private high school, on a scholarship. Taft set me on a trajectory of higher education, and I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. My mom imprinted the power of education on me, and after attending and working at that program, I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, where I have served on the Executive Board, Allocations Board, and the Education Committee with a focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students, and I am a student representative on the Tufts Education Policy Faculty Committee. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, in terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Education has always been more than what I was learning in the classroom. It has served as a support system when I had no other, and as a tool I could use to help reach opportunities. I want to work toward ensuring educational institutions are able to give that type of support to all students. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

At seven years old, I began to contemplate the financial stability that results from a career in running a lemonade stand. I became aware of the value of money early on, and more so, the difficulties from having a lack of it. My father attended community college and my mother could not work due to having Multiple Sclerosis; therefore, we had to be frugal with our finances. Education began for me as a means to an end— the only criteria I had for my future was a career with economic stability. Throughout middle school, I attended the Taft/PAL Summer Enrichment Program, a summer school for disadvantaged children who want to further improve their education and hopefully apply to private high schools, and at the culmination, I was grateful to receive a scholarship to Taft School. Taft was transformative to my relationship with education; it made me realize my educational experience had more value than a paycheck. I got involved with the same summer program I participated in, teaching/directing for 5 years there. Although high school brought a new academic awakening, it also was the start of painful personal challenges. Due to my mother’s chronic illness, life at home became unsafe. My mother had psychotic episodes, and I started experiencing emotional and mental abuse. Dynamics between myself and my parents as well as outside resources such as the Department of Children and Families became complicated and painful for a child my age to navigate. These hardships escalated, and ultimately, during my junior year of college, my mother unexpectedly took her own life. School has always been more than just school for me; it has been a place where I feel I can breathe and where I can escape the reality of my homelife. My academics ground me, my peers allow me to smile, the building protects me, and the teachers make me feel valued; school is my safe space, and these challenges solidified my belief in the vitality that students attend institutions that provide them with safety and security both at early and upper levels. My experiences have solidified my commitment for breaking down the systematic barriers between children and their right to a fulfilling education. Throughout college, I have created curriculum and taught in a variety of programs, as well as been actively involved in educational policy and law opportunities, research, and projects. Now, I am in pursuit of further education to lead me closer to working with, and effecting, Education policy. After completing my Master’s degree, I hope to continue my studies in a Doctoral program, consulting and researching within the field of international education and promoting economic equity. The tragedy I have experienced has taken an extreme toll on my personal health and well-being. Losing my mother in such a sudden, tragic, and traumatic way has been the most difficult experience I have ever had to process. Furthermore, I do not have siblings, and a majority of my family members have passed and the rest I am not close to; therefore, my lack of family and the lack of a fulfilling relationship between me and my father has resulted in additional emotional distress. I know my fight is not over, and I will continue to struggle with this experience for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on the aspects of life that give me joy and continue building from there. I want to pursue my career goal of improving education for those facing a wide range of hardships. Thank you for your consideration.

At seven years old, I began to contemplate the financial stability that results from a career in running a lemonade stand. I became aware of the value of money early on, and more so, the difficulties from having a lack of it. My father attended community college and my mother could not work due to having Multiple Sclerosis; therefore, we had to be frugal with our finances. Education began for me as a means to an end— the only criteria I had for my future was a career with economic stability. Throughout middle school, I attended the Taft/PAL Summer Enrichment Program, a summer school for disadvantaged children who want to further improve their education and hopefully apply to private high schools, and at the culmination, I was grateful to receive a scholarship to Taft School. Taft was transformative to my relationship with education; it made me realize my educational experience had more value than a paycheck. I fell in love with being academically challenged, I learned the value of having talented educators, and I allowed myself to explore an array of academic endeavors. From then on, I wanted to support others facing similar setbacks to myself, knowing the benefits that education could bring, so I got involved with the same summer program I participated in, teaching/directing for 5 years there. Although high school brought a new academic awakening, it also was the start of painful personal challenges. Due to my mother’s chronic illness, life at home became unsafe. My mother had psychotic episodes, and I started experiencing emotional and mental abuse. Dynamics between myself and my parents as well as outside resources such as the Department of Children and Families became complicated and painful for a child my age to navigate. These hardships escalated, and ultimately, during my junior year of college, my mother unexpectedly took her own life. School has always been more than just school for me; it has been a place where I feel I can breathe and where I can escape the reality of my homelife. My academics ground me, my peers allow me to smile, the building protects me, and the teachers make me feel valued; school is my safe space, and these challenges solidified my belief in the vitality that students attend institutions that provide them with safety and security both at early and upper levels. While I often found myself in a dark mindset throughout high school, teaching was a bright spot. I pursued experiences teaching abroad in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic during school breaks, and through these experiences, I observed communities living in extreme poverty. Despite what I perceived as challenges, young people in these communities were eager to learn, and I was moved by these individuals, deepening both my understanding of transformative education and my commitment to wanting to create more accessible learning. My experiences have solidified my commitment to breaking down the systematic barriers between children and their right to a fulfilling education. Throughout college, I have been actively involved in educational policy and law opportunities, research, and projects, and I double majored in Political Science and Education with a minor in Spanish with the goal of one day creating institutional change and policies that allow for schools to be safe and fulfilling. Now, I am in pursuit of further education to lead me closer to working with, and effecting, Education policy. After completing my Master’s degree, I hope to continue my studies in a Doctoral program, consulting and researching within the field of international education and promoting economic equity. Thank you for your consideration.

The Summer Before College I lay curled up on my side, the blinds drawn to prevent the early afternoon summer sun from entering. The only light is the screen in front of me, the colors reflecting off my glossed-over eyes. It is quiet. Dancing around the lawn, the night sky being lit up by string lights which are reflecting off The Corona bottles scattered on the ground, the graduation caps being thrown like confetti at a child’s birthday. A celebration of a start. It is quiet. Eating around the table, the comfort of the charred chicken that was left on the grill too long, every seat full, even the one with the wobbly arm. The blinds rustle with the evening breeze that slips by through the slight draft of the window, adding fresh air to the one that is familiar. It is quiet. Traveling around the world after a summer filled with extra shifts at Mcdonalds and late morning decisions to ride down to the shore, today there is too much energy and not enough hours to use it up. Hopping off the plane, and on the train, surrounded by familiar faces in an unfamiliar place. It is quiet as I throw my phone against the wall, destroying with it the memories I tried to steal. I grab my keys, and for the second time today, through the haze of my eyes, I drive to that spot on the hill where her stone was set in the ground. Not too long ago. And I sit in front of her, staring at the dirt because the grass has not even grown in yet. This is not how an 18 year old’s life should be; I know how an 18 year old’s life should be. and I try to hear, but as I sit at her grave, It is quiet.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. For many years, her symptoms were mild, and she was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning, and she began to be mentally and emotionally abusive to me due to her deteriorating mental health. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. Her mental disorders were causing her to believe that she had nothing wrong with her, and instead, she believed that my father and I were forcing her unjustly to take medications and go to mental hospitals. I have never felt more helpless and frightened than I did at the end of her life; my mother was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. My mom knew the value of education, and despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college; I would not have gotten where I am today without her. She instilled the importance of education in me, and ever since, I wanted to support other students in their academic pursuits. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, where I have served on the Executive Board, Allocations Board, and the Education Committee with a focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students, and I am a student representative on the Tufts Education Policy Faculty Committee. I am also a devoted teacher. I taught and co-directed at the Taft/PAL Summer Enrichment Academy, a program I attended myself which provides academic support for low-income students in the area. I also teach at Westover School, tutor through Tufts Literacy Corps, and was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources. Receiving financial support for my degree would be incredibly helpful as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Question 3. On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. Therefore, although she could not work, she still was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times due to the episodes. She was prescribed a variety of different medications, but unfortunately, they did not help, and although we often forced her to take the medication, many times she did not. Her mental disorders were causing her to believe that she had nothing wrong with her, and instead, she believed that my father and I were forcing her unjustly to take medications and go to mental hospitals. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. I have never felt more helpless and frightened than I did at the end of my mom’s life; she was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend Taft School, a private high school, on a scholarship. Taft set me on a trajectory of higher education, and I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. My mom imprinted the power of education on me, and after attending and working at that program, I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, where I have served on the Executive Board, Allocations Board, and the Education Committee with a focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students, and I am a student representative on the Tufts Education Policy Faculty Committee. I am also a devoted teacher, and have taught at Westover School and tutored through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, in terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Education has always been more than what I was learning in the classroom. It has served as a support system when I had no other, and as a tool that I could use to reach opportunities. I want to work toward ensuring educational institutions are able to give that type of support to all students. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. For many years, her symptoms were mild, and she was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning, and she began to be mentally and emotionally abusive to me due to her deteriorating mental health. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times. Her mental disorders were causing her to believe that she had nothing wrong with her, and instead, she believed that my father and I were forcing her unjustly to take medications and go to mental hospitals. I have never felt more helpless and frightened than I did at the end of her life; my mother was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. My mom knew the value of education, and despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college; I would not have gotten where I am today without her. She instilled the importance of education in me, and ever since, I wanted to support other students in their academic pursuits. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, where I have served on the Executive Board, Allocations Board, and the Education Committee with a focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students, and I am a student representative on the Tufts Education Policy Faculty Committee. I am also a devoted teacher. I taught and co-directed at the Taft/PAL Summer Enrichment Academy, a program I attended myself which provides academic support for low-income students in the area. I also teach at Westover School, tutor through Tufts Literacy Corps, and was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources. Receiving financial support for my degree would be incredibly helpful as money has always been a struggle for me and my family, and I really want to be able to take this opportunity to further my education. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

On September 6th, 2021, my mother unexpectedly took her own life in our home a few hours after I had left for my junior year of college, and unfortunately, she did not leave a note, and I did not say goodbye that day. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was a baby. However, for many years, the only symptom she had was extreme fatigue. Therefore, although she could not work, she still was an incredible mother. However, beginning in high school, Multiple Sclerosis began slowly taking a toll on her psychological reasoning. My mother became mentally and emotionally abusive to me. Although I did not know what was happening at the time, her deteriorating mental health was the cause of this abusive treatment. During my freshman year of college, she had a psychotic episode and was rushed to the emergency room. For the next two years, she was in and out of mental hospitals, and I witnessed my father having to call 911 multiple times due to the episodes. She was prescribed a variety of different medications, but unfortunately, they did not help, and although we often forced her to take the medication, many times she did not. Her mental disorders were causing her to believe that she had nothing wrong with her, and instead, she believed that my father and I were forcing her unjustly to take medications and go to mental hospitals. In addition, my father was in the middle of his own health journey when my mom’s health was at its worst, as he had been (and continues to be) battling cancer. This situation added more pain and stress to the already devastating circumstances. I have never felt more helpless and frightened than I did at the end of my mom’s life; she was already gone before she physically passed, which is an indescribable pain. I kept telling myself that one day the medicine would work, the incidents would stop, and she would be my mother again, and it pains me every day that I was not able to make that happen. I know my journey of grief is not over, and I will continue to struggle with it for the rest of my life. However, I want to focus on what gives me joy, which is improving education for those facing hardships. Before my mom’s worsening health took over, she instilled in me the importance of education. Despite the financial hardships we faced, it was her goal to set me on a journey that would lead me to college, and therefore, she had me attend an enrichment academy for three summers that would ultimately lead me to attend Taft School, a private high school, on a scholarship. Taft set me on a trajectory of higher education, and I would not have gotten where I am today without my mom’s push and support. Throughout high school, I taught at that same enrichment program, and the last year, I was Assistant Director. My mom imprinted the power of education on me, and after attending and working at that program, I was certain that I wanted a career where I would support students in their academic pursuits, especially those who were facing challenges. I am graduating with a double major in political science and education with a minor in Spanish this May from Tufts University, and I was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania to earn a Master’s degree in Education Policy. Throughout the last four years, I have been actively involved in jobs and opportunities associated with the field. I am in student government, where I have served on the Executive Board, Allocations Board, and the Education Committee with a focus on creating initiatives to support low-income students, and I am a student representative on the Tufts Education Policy Faculty Committee. I am also a devoted teacher and have taught at Westover School and through Tufts Literacy Corps. Furthermore, I was chosen to create/teach a new course here at Tufts on the effects of gender stereotyping. Lastly, in terms of research, I am completing a senior thesis discussing strategies Cambridge Public Schools can take to more efficiently utilize their resources to better support disadvantaged students in their district, and am doing a project on public opinion regarding mental health education. Education has always been more than what I was learning in the classroom. It has served as a support system when I had no other, and as a tool I could use to help reach opportunities. I want to work toward ensuring educational institutions are able to give that type of support to all students. Receiving financial support for my degree would be life-changing as money has always been a struggle for me and my family. Thank you in advance for your consideration.