Throughout my life, I have faced numerous challenges that have shaped me into the resilient and determined person I am today. Growing up in a low-income household, financial struggles were a constant reality. My parents worked tirelessly to provide for our family, but there were times when even basic necessities felt out of reach. Watching their sacrifices instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility and a drive to succeed, not just for myself but for my family. One of the most significant challenges I faced was balancing academics with helping to support my household. While my peers focused solely on their studies, I often found myself juggling school work with long hours at work. This experience taught me invaluable lessons in time management, perseverance, and the importance of hard work. Despite the obstacles, I maintained strong grades, a 3.3 gpa, and actively participated in extracurricular activities to ensure I was building a foundation for a brighter future. Financial struggles continue to impact my ability to pursue higher education. As I plan out my relocation to the University of Connecticut for the next 4 years of my life, the cost of tuition, books, and living expenses is daunting, Chalking up to almost $70,000. And without external support, achieving my academic goals feels nearly impossible. This scholarship would alleviate the financial burden on my family and allow me to focus entirely on my studies. It would also bring me one step closer to achieving my dream of earning a degree in Marketing, enabling me to contribute meaningfully to society and break the cycle of poverty and lack of education for my family. Receiving this scholarship would not only be an investment in my education but also a testament to overcoming adversity with determination and hope.

Growing up in the inner city the main challenge that I’ve encountered time and time again is the shift of lifestyle compared to the people around me. Going to a predominantly white and Asian school, It’s hard enough as is trying to fit in with my culturally out-of-touch counterparts I call classmates. However, seeing the financial and academic difference makes me see how disadvantaged my childhood was in certain resources and mindsets of the people around me. There are smarter kids, richer kids, and funnier kids all shaped by the tremendous amounts of opportunities around them. At times it’s difficult to see myself as worthy when I’m surrounded by people better than me in more ways than one. The main way I attempt to overcome this is by remembering the way I can have an impact that might be less than ideal. I may not have all the answers or all the funds to do certain things and have special experiences but I’ve done as much as possible to make the playing field that is high school more even. Sometimes it’s studying harder in certain classes that are more challenging for me and harder to grasp. The more nonconventional ways have an even greater impact as well. Applying myself in extracurricular activities to make my voice heard in a sea of people. I’ve noticed my personality, shaped by the life I’ve lived, is one of my greatest assets. My counselor constantly tells me that, just by walking into a room, I can say so much and have such a powerful impact because of the standard I’ve set for myself as a person. So I’ve found new ways to develop myself academically and personally. From joining diverse and creative clubs to making my voice heard about the unity within our school, I’ve been able to mentally remove the mindset of being lesser than and not deserving of anything. My college process has been a reflection of my disadvantage but also my perseverance. The hard work and dedication that my family and I have shown to stop the pattern of a lack of degrees and education in our family is one I’ve been proud to break. The community surrounding me, though of small beginnings, has poured their attention into making sure I could excel to the highest level and secure a proper future for myself. Although I may not have the networking background of the richer kids’ parents, I have people who are backing me to lift me to scrape for any opportunity I can get. Growing up in the inner city has taught me to work harder, ten times harder than everyone else to prove myself. Growing up in the inner city has shown me that no matter how you start, it's always about how you end. For my family and I, we pray and work towards our ending being fulfilling and rewarding, a testament to our dedication to a life well lived and a future well accounted for to come.