I'm the kind of person who starts a blog at 16 and somehow ends up with 35,000 monthly readers, a podcast, and brand partnerships, all while juggling being a full-time student majoring in Computer Science and Linguistics at San Jose State University. I didn't have this big blockbuster plan for "The Lazy Gal". I just liked writing about the things I was figuring out: productivity, wellness, what it means to take care of yourself when life gets overwhelming. But it grew, and so did I. That's probably the thread that runs through everything I do. I follow what genuinely interests me, and I commit to it fully. When I became fascinated by the science of menstrual cycles and how hormones affect everything from energy to mood, I didn't just read about it. I started cycle syncing my own life, saw how much it helped, and then began building an app to make that knowledge accessible to others. "It's Not Just a Phase" is still in development, but it represents exactly how I approach problems: I notice a gap, I research it, and then I try to build something that helps. What makes me unique, I think, is that I exist comfortably in spaces that don't usually overlap. I'm a CS student who studies phonetics and syntax. I'm a researcher who has worked on machine learning and interned at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, but I also spend my weekends recording podcast episodes about journaling and self-care. I'm deeply technical and deeply creative, and I've stopped seeing that as a contradiction. My experience in content creation makes me a better communicator and a more empathetic engineer. These aren't separate lives; instead, they feed each other. I'm also shaped by the communities I've been part of. As External Vice President stepping into a President role for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE)at SJSU, I help secure sponsorships and coordinate professional development for over 400 members. Before that, as Evening with Industry Chair, I helped organize our largest networking event, connecting students with recruiters from companies like Lockheed Martin and Cadence. These roles taught me that leadership isn't about having all the answers, it's about showing up consistently and making space for others to succeed. Being a first-generation college student from an immigrant family means I don't take any of this for granted. Every opportunity I've had, I've worked for. And every opportunity I receive, I try to pay forward, whether that's mentoring high school students through SWE outreach or creating content that helps other young women feel less alone in STEM. This scholarship would directly support my tuition and fees, reducing the financial pressure on my family and allowing me to stay focused on my studies, research, and leadership roles. I'm not just here to get a degree, I'm here to build skills that will let me create technology that genuinely improves people's lives. This scholarship would help me keep doing exactly that.

Since I was young, I've always wanted to create things that make people's lives a little easier, a little lighter. That desire eventually led me to computer science and, more specifically, to femtech. My primary computer science goal is to build technology that fixes the gaps in women's health. I developed an iOS app in high school called "It's Not Just a Phase", a menstrual tracker that goes beyond logging periods. It helps users understand their hormonal fluctuations across cycle phases and offers personalized recommendations for exercise, nutrition, and emotional wellness. This goal comes from my own experience with cycle syncing. Once I understood how my hormones affected my energy, mood, and productivity, my daily life genuinely improved. I want to make that knowledge available to everyone who menstruates. Outside of computer science, my biggest passion is content creation. In 2021, I started "The Lazy Gal", a blog that has since grown into a brand with a podcast, newsletter, and social media presence across Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Today, the blog averages 35,000 monthly views with over 100 posts, and the podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Through this platform, I create content about wellness, productivity, lifestyle, and being a woman in tech. I've also worked as a UGC creator, partnering with over 15 brands to produce educational and lifestyle content. What started as a way to be creative in COVID has become a meaningful way for me to connect with others and share what I'm learning, whether that's study tips, wellness routines, or reflections on navigating STEM as a woman of color. Looking ahead, I see these two goals combining. Content creation has taught me how to communicate my ideas and build a community. These are skills that I can use to build user-centered products. When I launched "It's Not Just a Phase", I imagined using my platforms to educate users about hormonal health, share the science behind cycle syncing, and create a community where people feel happy to take ownership of their wellness. I also see potential in building tools that help people discover wellness content more easily. Podcasts, blogs, and social media are full of valuable health information, but it's often all over the internet and hard to navigate. Combining my technical skills with my experience as a creator, I could develop recommendation systems or curated platforms that connect users with trustworthy wellness resources tailored to their needs. Ultimately, my computer science and content creation goals share the same root: I want to help people live healthier, more informed lives. Technology gives me the tools to build a solution, and content creation gives me the voice to reach people. Together, they allow me to create the impact I've always wanted to create.

Femtech, or female technology, is a rapidly growing field that uses technology to improve women's health and wellness. It encompasses a wide range of products, services, and tools aimed at addressing various aspects of women's health, from menstruation and fertility to sexual wellness and menopause. Femtech is so inspiring, because it empowers women with information and gives them ownership of their health. Period-tracking apps, for instance, help women understand their cycles and identify potential health issues. Traditionally, women's health concerns haven't always received the attention they deserve. Femtech is filling these gaps by developing innovative solutions for conditions specific to women's bodies. That's why I'm creating an app based on menstrual cycles that help menstruators connect to their bodies and their hormones. My app, It's Not Just a Phase, is there to help people cycle-sync to improve their lives. Whether that be through doing the correct exercises, sleeping better, eating the right foods according to their hormones, and many more ways. The ever-growing field of femtech has inspired me to keep on building my app and having a positive impact on women everywhere. Other ways femtech has made the world a better place is by also tackling taboos surrounding women's health issues, opening up conversations and normalizing experiences. With more apps and technological resources on the market, there will be more discussions and exposure on issues in female health. This can be especially helpful for sexual health or menstrual issues that impact people every day. Femtech products like tele health consultations with gynecologists or wearable health trackers make healthcare more accessible and convenient for women. Femtech is still a young field, but it holds immense promise for the future. By putting women's health at the forefront and leveraging technology, femtech can create a positive impact on millions of lives.

For my first birthday in America, one of my first friends gave me a gift. It was a stuffed animal, Winnie the Pooh. This toy was with my when we moved houses, when I went through elemenetary then middle school. Winnie the Pooh was with me even when I forgot about them. When my toy was behind bookshelves swarmed with cobwebs, it never left me. Winnie the Pooh traveled with me overseas, because through my whole life, they were my best buddy. For me, Disney represents a sense of joy and optimism that is sorely needed in today's world. In a time when it seems like there is so much negativity and division, Disney has a way of bringing people together and reminding us of the things that truly matter. One of my favorite things about Disney is how no matter what age, you can enjoy a disney movie. Whether you're a child watching "The Lion King" for the first time or an adult revisiting "Aladdin" for nostalgia's sake, Disney has a way of capturing the imagination and bringing people together through shared experiences. Disney movies and other disney themed items such as theme park or shops designed to inspire hope, courage, and kindness, and they often show friendship, family, and love. Another favorite thing about Disney is the attention to detail. No matter where you are, Disney has a way of immersing you in a world of fantasy and wonder. The level of detail that goes into every aspect of the Disney experience is truly remarkable, and it shows just how much work people put in. From the animators to the writers, they all made the experience something you'll never forget. Another thing that I love about Disney is its iconic characters and stories. From Mickey Mouse to Elsa, Disney has created some of my favorite characters. These characters have become a part of my life and inspired me to dream big and believe in myself. Also, Disney's stories often have deep and meaningful themes that resonate with people of all ages, such as the importance of family, the power of love, and the value of courage. Disney means a lot of me because it has the ability to transport me to happier times, where I was experiencing innocence childhood instead of the stress and frustration of today. It brings people from all over the world together, and gives little girls princesses to look up to. Together, we have connections with each other based off our childhood favorites. To me it means that we aren't that different no matter what background you're from. The diversity ranging from Mulan to Jasmine has many positive influences on today's youth as well as youth of the past. Even if you're having a bad day, there's nothing a good cozy disney movie can't fix.