When I close my eyes and picture my life in 5 years, I am embracing a tiny human and his/her parents after delivering the relieving news of having beat the odds of cancer. I have achieved my professional aspiration to become a highly skilled and respected pediatric oncology physician assistant. I am driven by a deep desire to help children and their families through one of the most challenging and emotionally taxing experiences of their lives. My passion for this field stems from my innate sense of altruism and my desire to make a positive impact in the world. I am committed to pursuing a rigorous education and training path, as well as seeking out opportunities to gain experience in the field. I currently work as a CNA, which allows me to see the devastating effects of disease and injury and further understand the importance of healthy living, prevention, and coping. The invaluable experiences I possess have only strengthened my desire to continue pursuing my aspirations. Along the way, I will seek out opportunities to gain unprecedented knowledge by being an active participant in cancer research to better treat my patients. I am dedicated to collaborating with experienced professionals in the field of oncology to advance our collective understanding of the beast that is cancer. I am eager to take on new challenges and learn as much as possible about the complexities of treating the oncology population. As a pediatric oncology PA, I will strive to provide compassionate, patient-centered care to children and families in need. I will work as a teammate with other healthcare professionals to develop individualized treatment plans that address the unique needs of each patient. I will also provide emotional support and guidance to families as they navigate the many challenges associated with cancer treatment.

The first time I found her snuggled up in the heap of dirty clothes I had thrown into my laundry hamper, I knew our bond wasn't only chosen by me. Having never left my side after her adoption from the humane society, Val, a Bengal kitten, found the scent left on my clothes comforting to my absence. Though her bright orange fur clung to my clothing no matter how many sheets of lint roller paper I cycled through, it became a reminder of what I have waiting for me at home - an animal that shows me unconditional love and companionship. Every day I am blessed with the same enthusiastic greeting, as she slides to the door on the hardwood floor. Her paws gain little traction to slow her. While a sandpaper lick might be seemingly insignificant, that warm welcome taught me an astounding lesson; don't let the weight of a day overshadow the abundance of love waiting for you to receive. Prior to Val's adoption I hadn't figured out how to close the flood gates of inconveniences, setbacks, and negative emotions, thus setting a tone of pessimism for the entirety of my day. My bedroom was a place to sulk and obsess over things I couldn't change. I channeled my feelings into my interactions with others, who were not at all involved. If I was miserable, I became insufferable. Val changed my perspective on life. No matter what my day consisted of she showed up radiating love - just like the support system of my family and friends always had, though I had never seen it that way. My adopted kitten has opened me to new realizations that have improved my metal health and the quality of my relationships. For that, and many other reasons, I love her.

At the age of four and a half, I instilled fear in my family. The first of many fainting episodes left my body weak as I collapsed, I lied crumpled on the floor. After regaining consciousness, I was unaware of anything that had happened prior to the episode. As I continued to age, the episodic frequency increased, making me a well known patient at Children’s Hospital. My childhood was slightly different than that of other kids; while my friends were digging in the sand with dump trucks and dressing Barbie in her new outfits, I was lying still in an MRI machine as my brain and heart were being scanned, or trying to set aside the fear of the hundreds of wires attached to my head and fall asleep for an EEG to be successful, or being poked and prodded at for endless blood tests. Results were repeatedly inconclusive, requiring me to wear a heart monitor as a precaution. The machine was anything but subtle, as I had sticky pads attached to my chest and had to carry around a hand-held machine that would immediately alert my Cardiologist if any abnormalities were detected. After many inaccurate diagnoses, I was advised to undergo a heart catheterization. Throughout the duration of the undiagnosed disorder, I worked diligently to stay on top of my school work, distracted myself by playing soccer, and remained an active member of the community. I participated in numerous events that supported heart healthy activity. In elementary school, I completed the Jump-Rope for Heart fundraiser that raised awareness about heart disease and activities that would help to prevent complications. As a participant in the American Heart Association walk, I raised money to help those fighting heart disease. I will continue to raise awareness and help those with poor heart health by furthering my education. I aspire to become a Physician's Assistant in order to give life to those that fear death due to complications in their health, and also educate families by providing personal experiences and my own in depth knowledge and understandings. While the schooling to reach my goal is extensive, I have the work ethic, determination, and grit to pursue my aspirations. The deep roots of my past inspire my inclination to lessen the fear of those who feel helpless. Compassion fills my heart, as I empathize with those who frequent the hospital for care. As Dr. Seuss once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” I want my future endeavors to positively impact those that I encounter. Since the role that I hope to take on is challenging, others will be inspired to learn from my example. By serving as a leader in the workplace and community, people will be ardent about helping others, as well as themselves. As a caregiver, I respect different cultures by attending to the values and customs of the individual. An exemplary doctor I will be, as I will persuade coworkers to adapt in order to meet each patient's unique needs. The diversity of those that I encounter will provide me with the cultural intelligence to understand the melting pot of American society. Being affected by an abnormality in regards to my health has helped shape the person I am today, from my interests to my future aspirations. The man of many rhymes called it best when he inferred that I am the change. Dr. Seuss set the tone for the altruistic desires I possess, as well as the goals that I plan to achieve.

After studying abroad in Copenhagen and admiring the prominent biking culture, I have greatly reduced my use of fossil fuels by changing my preferred mode of transportation from car to bike. Additionally, when locations are too far, I use public transportation or carpool. My time in Europe also heightened my awareness on the harmful effects of energy generation; I now hang my washed clothes instead of using a drying machine. I am conscious of the temperature my thermostat is set to; instead of using the HVAC system, I dress appropriately in my home. I make sure to unplug non-essentials and turn off lights before leaving the home. At the hospital in which I work, employees were generating extreme amounts of plastic waste by individually packaging medications in plastic containers and then packaging those in plastic baggies. Noticing the buildup, I proposed an environmentally friendly change in the existing system. Instead of using plastic bags for the means of transporting individual medications and disposing of them after one use, we will use a singular rubber band to contain the materials and use the hospital's tubing system for sending and retrieving. Being an athlete, I try to reduce plastic waste by only drinking from a re-usable water bottle. I recycle all of the plastic that I do acquire as a consumer.

In such an unprecedented time, my life has been impacted in ways that I could’ve never imagined. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened my eyes to aspects of life that were previously insignificant. The simplest gesture of a stranger’s smile is now hidden behind a mask, hugs exchanged between loved ones pose a health risk, and the joys of entertainment seem to be a distant luxury. I had been taking the “normalcy” of everyday life for granted. So many drastic changes in day-to-day life, made to keep each other safe from the virus, placed a heavy weight on my mental health. I am unable to see my loved ones as much as I am used to, especially in such an exciting season for my family; my middle brother and his fiance just welcomed their first child into the world and my oldest brother and his fiance are expecting. As someone who holds family at the utmost importance, it’s been devastating to have only limited involvement in the process, as well as being limited in visitation as a new aunt. Moreso, my family has had to forgo many traditions throughout this year in light of everyone’s safety, causing all of us to miss out on those cherished moments. The school environment is also dramatically different. Wisconsin Avenue is lonely, no catching up over coffee, meeting for dinner in the dining halls, or any of the other little things that make my world go round day-in and day-out. This period has been especially tough, as I had trouble finding my way and making Marquette my home freshman year. Being as outgoing as I am, I thought the transition to the university would be smooth sailing. I had high expectations of making friends that hold the same values, that are driven to make a positive impact, and that are welcoming to this new chapter of life and all of the experiences that go with it. My ideals of making meaningful connections and creating bonds of a lifetime sadly felt unattainable, for I didn’t make many friends at all. However, instead of giving up altogether, I decided to join a few extracurriculars in the spring semester: a religious group (CRU), brain brigades, and greek life. Just as I began delving into all that Marquette had to offer, all students were sent home due to the virus outbreak. I left feeling extremely disconnected from my college experience. When it came time to go back for the fall, the administration announced that the majority of classes would be online. So, I spent most of this past semester sitting at my desk staring at a computer screen for endless hours. Online learning is more self-taught, and I don’t assimilate information as well under this type of delivery. Throughout the semester, I have noticed that my body and brain become foggy throughout the day making it extremely difficult to maintain focus. I feel cheated in the education I am receiving. All of the negativity surrounding my education has chipped away at my interest and passion for what I am learning, my motivation to do school work has depleted, snowballing into my grades suffering. Along with personal struggles, being online has diminished the opportunities to consult with peers and bounce ideas off of one another other. This semester has not only been about the material I am being taught but more so about reshaping how I learn and study. This all greatly impacts my mental health, as my education is extremely important to me and I have always been adamant about doing everything in my power to excel. Aside from uncovering a lot about my learning style and ways to stay focused academically, during the pandemic I discovered that if my pursuit to become a doctor fails, then there might be room for me in the culinary world. I amped up my recipes from the college dorm Ramen to stuffed creamy garlic mushroom chicken and scalloped potatoes. I chose to use my free time to hone my chef skills by preparing dishes that not only brought my immediate family together around the dinner table but also brought comfort to those in need, as I volunteered to cook dinners for those struggling to keep food on their own tables. The world had an amazing opportunity to come together and concur the pandemic. Instead, fear of contracting the virus sent the world into a panicked frenzy. With grocery stores selling out of toilet paper and cleaning products to scientists working independently to create a vaccine, the trend across the world seemed to be that everyone worried about their own. More specifically, an impactful amount of the American population has shown their ignorance as to how their actions affect others. I’ve been a witness to people ignoring the mask mandate, college students passing around the same cup for others to drink from, and even those who knowingly have COVID-19 choosing to forgo quarantine. A lot more could have been accomplished in a timely manner had people thought about more than just themselves. It’s apparent to me now that for as advanced of a civilization that we have become, we have miserably failed to incorporate compassion and a sense of community into the core of our values. I would like to thank you in advance for the consideration of this grant and I sincerely hope that all who have read this have remained in good health and been able to find a silver lining during these trying times.