I am currently a junior at the Xavier University of Louisiana, majoring in biology with a minor in chemistry on the pre-medicine track. I am originally from Prince George's County, Maryland and in the future, I aspire to attend medical school and become an oncologist specializing in breast cancer. The pursuit of higher education is very important to me as it is integral in creating a well-rounded individual and allows one to obtain the perspective and develop the critical thinking skill necessary to contribute to one's community. As a part of a liberal arts education, I must take classes that pertain to my major of study and also classes that are outside of my major. These classes include English and also history in addition to many others. These classes allow me to gain the historical perspective that allows me to operate in the world today and understand certain outcomes and processes in the world. Additionally, it has allowed me to think critically and understand the reasoning to make good arguments as well as good decisions. Another component that makes higher education important to me is that it allows me to meet and interact with people not only from around the country but around the world. I can engage with people from places I never thought I would which has allowed me to understand different perspectives and use these to form my own thoughts and opinions. This is something very unique to higher learning, which I think is a very valuable part of the experience. Being surrounded by people who have similar goals, but not necessarily similar ways of thinking and opinions has allowed me to open my mind and consider different ways of life. As a result of the higher education I have received, I plan to make a positive impact on my community by using the critical thinking skills and perspective I have gained to help foster a more just and equitable space in medicine. As I have learned through my education, medicine has a long history of abusing the Black community which has fostered an air of untrust within the Black community against medicine. Additionally, many of the ailments and pain, and many of symptoms that Black patients experience are not taken seriously by many health professionals. This is largely due to this history of abuse. As a physician, I aspire to be a part of the change in the relationship between the Black community and medicine. I want to be able to be the physician that my patients feel comfortable going to for anything so that I can assign them the proper tools and get them the help they need without any judgment. Seeing firsthand the potentially detrimental effects of medical negligence during my mom's battle with breast cancer, I want to be a step in the right direction in medicine. Therefore, I will use the well-rounded and diverse liberal arts education that I have received at my HBCU to help contribute to a more unprejudiced medical field and develop a more trusting relationship with the Black community.

“I have cancer!” had been constantly replaying in my head ever since my mom revealed her cancer diagnosis to my sister and me. The unfinished English essay opened on my laptop and the homework waiting to be completed in my backpack no longer interested me. The only thing running through my head was the worst possible scenario. I wondered if my mom would be there to see me finally walk across that graduation stage to receive my diploma, or if she would even be there to see me make it to high school. Throughout my mom’s cancer treatment I quickly felt myself lose all motivation for everything. I slowly stopped making an effort to talk to my friends and the violin I had once loved didn’t even appeal to me anymore. I consumed myself in my schoolwork and my books, avoiding human interaction at all costs. Even after my mom finished her cancer treatment the motivation did not return. As I approached high school I became even more secluded and found myself often alone, even when I did not want to be. I became fearful of becoming too close to people and I felt I had no one to turn to. However, after my parents noticed this social isolation they started emphasizing activities outside of this world I created for myself filled with my schoolwork and books. Soon many of my weekends were spent volunteering at local food pantries and homeless shelters. Through this, I realized my passion for supporting underserved communities. Discovering this passion allowed me to finally move out of my social seclusion and welcome more people into my life and find meaning in life outside of my academics. After I became exposed to the world of community service, I automatically knew that serving my community was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My only problem was that I had no idea how I would incorporate this into my future career. In elementary school, I was convinced I was going to grow up to be a meteorologist. My attraction to the sky combined with the appeal of being seen on the news every morning by thousands of people really drew me in. The unknown fascinated me, I wanted to know what was going on above our heads and understand the things we couldn’t see. But, this dream, along with others, faded when I reached middle school and my mom received her breast cancer diagnosis. Now I was no longer intrigued by the unknown...it scared me. However, throughout my mom’s cancer treatment I was able to observe her oncologist, Dr. Kiloran. When I think of a great doctor I always think back to Dr. Kiloran. She was not only knowledgeable and intelligent, but she was also charismatic, and anyone could tell she truly cared about each person individually. Not only did she support my mom through her cancer journey, but she also supported my family and she always made me comfortable at appointments, often asking me about school. To me, Dr. Kiloran exemplifies what an amazing doctor is: a problem-solver, dedicated, and empathetic. Through observing Dr. Kiloran I quickly learned that physicians play a vital role not only in their patient’s life but also in their patient’s family’s lives. This experience was the catalyst for my fascination with medicine. Upon reflection, I found that pursuing a career in oncology was perfect for me. It will allow me to combine my passion for helping underserved communities and my passion for medicine. Oncology will not only allow me to address many health inequalities in this country, but it will also allow me to tackle one of the leading causes of death in the United States while simultaneously being a caring and compassionate caregiver. In retrospect, although my mom’s cancer diagnosis was the worst moment of my life it led me to pursue a career in a field I am very passionate about and that will allow me to serve my community. Someday, I hope to carry on what Dr. Kiloran taught me about being an amazing doctor and caregiver and what my mom taught me about resilience in my career.

“I have cancer!” had been constantly replaying in my head ever since my mom revealed her cancer diagnosis to my sister and me. The unfinished English essay opened on my laptop and the homework waiting to be completed in my backpack no longer interested me. The only thing running through my head was the worst possible scenario. I wondered if my mom would be there to see me finally walk across that graduation stage to receive my diploma, or if she would even be there to see me make it to high school. Throughout my mom’s cancer treatment I quickly felt myself lose all motivation for everything. I slowly stopped making an effort to talk to my friends and the violin I had once loved didn’t even appeal to me anymore. I consumed myself in my schoolwork and my books, avoiding human interaction at all costs. Even after my mom finished her cancer treatment the motivation did not return. As I approached high school I became even more secluded and found myself often alone, even when I did not want to be. I became fearful of becoming too close to people and I felt I had no one to turn to. However, after my parents noticed this social isolation they started emphasizing activities outside of this world I created for myself filled with my schoolwork and books. Soon many of my weekends were spent volunteering at local food pantries and homeless shelters. Through this, I realized my passion for supporting underserved communities. Discovering this passion allowed me to finally move out of my social seclusion and welcome more people into my life and find meaning in life outside of my academics. After I became exposed to the world of community service, I automatically knew that serving my community was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My only problem was that I had no idea how I would incorporate this into my future career. In elementary school, I was convinced I was going to grow up to be a meteorologist. My attraction to the sky combined with the appeal of being seen on the news every morning by thousands of people really drew me in. The unknown fascinated me, I wanted to know what was going on above our heads and understand the things we couldn’t see. But, this dream, along with others, faded when I reached middle school and my mom received her breast cancer diagnosis. Now I was no longer intrigued by the unknown...it scared me. However, throughout my mom’s cancer treatment I was able to observe her oncologist, Dr. Kiloran. Through observing Dr. Kiloran I quickly learned that physicians play a vital role not only in their patient’s life but also in their patient’s family’s lives. This experience was the catalyst for my fascination with medicine. Upon reflection, I found that pursuing a career in oncology was perfect for me. It will allow me to combine my passion for helping underserved communities and my passion for medicine. Oncology will not only allow me to address many health inequalities in this country, but it will also allow me to tackle one of the leading causes of death in the United States while simultaneously being a caring and compassionate caregiver. In retrospect, although my mom’s cancer diagnosis was the worst moment of my life it led me to pursue a career in a field I am very passionate about and that will allow me to serve my community.

When my mom was first diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago my world shattered. I was nervous, scared, and confused about how and why this could happen to her. I felt so helpless and guilty because I knew there was nothing I could do to help her, other than offer my support. Seeing her battle with breast cancer is the hardest thing I have had to deal with. However, despite these circumstances, I learned to cherish every moment, and most of all I learned the value of a good healthcare team. My mom’s oncologist was always there for her and addressed any concerns from my mom or my family. She made my mom’s breast cancer battle easier for both her and my family. This experience really fueled my interest in cancer and cancer research and ultimately led to my decision to major in biology. After taking countless quizzes to match me with the perfect college major and spending countless hours researching college majors, I eventually noticed that STEM majors were the most compatible with me and my interests. After diving deeper into various STEM fields I noticed that biology perfectly matched my interests and future goals. I found that biology would give me the ability to understand the world around me and the way organisms interact with each other. Biology would also allow me to understand the fundamental basis of humans and how our bodies work. I felt majoring in biology would give me the freedom to learn what interests me as biology is a very diverse field. Most importantly, I found that biology would allow me to really explore and partake in cancer research. When I discovered what I could do with biology and where it could take me I thought back to how I felt when my mom first revealed her cancer diagnosis, and I realized I no longer had to feel helpless in this battle against cancer. After receiving my undergraduate degree in biology I hope to go on to medical school so I can ultimately become an oncologist. After seeing the amazing and important work of my mom’s oncologist I became inspired to do the same for other people. I not only want to help people through their medical journey but also their personal journey. I want to help patients and their families through their cancer battle, as I know it can be a very tough battle. I want to be a part of a support system that provides comfort and relief to those affected by cancer’s devastating effects. Additionally, I would also like to be intricate in cancer prevention efforts, as prevention is just as important as treatment. Majoring in biology will give me the best chance to achieve these goals during undergrad and after graduation. I will be able to explore and understand the natural world around me, and the way our bodies work and engage with each other. This will provide the foundation I need for future cancer research, prevention, and treatment.

Has there ever been a person in your life that has inspired you to keep going and has amazed you with their work? For me this is my Foundations of Biology professor, Dr. Shubha Ireland. Starting my freshman year of college in another state a thousand miles away from home, during a pandemic was a very nerve racking experience. I knew that I wouldn’t get the same experiences as other classes, but I also feared that my academic life and social life would suffer due to the partial isolation I would experience being on campus. However, after the first day of class in Foundations of Biology Dr. Ireland instantly calmed my nerves. She explained that our freshman year would take some getting used to, especially since we are in a pandemic, but she assured us that we could do it. Dr. Ireland also made it clear that she would be available whenever we needed her and really furthered a personal connection with us after exchanging her personal number for whenever we felt we needed help. After this introduction, Dr. Ireland proceeded to tell us about all of the work she has done in the cancer research field. She explained her upbringing in India and took us through her journey arriving in the United States to attend university. Despite her circumstances, Dr. Ireland was still able to achieve her dreams. She has done tremendous work in the cancer research field including developing a supplement that kills mutated breast cancer cells and inhibits the growth of breast tumors. This supplement could potentially be another option for women who may need their breasts removed, which is a source of insecurity for many breast cancer patients. Dr. Ireland’s work particularly interests me because after my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis I have become fascinated with cancer research and I aspire to be an oncologist in the future. Dr. Ireland truly inspires me because she perseveres through any circumstances, she truly cares for her students, and she has done amazing work in the STEM field. Dr. Ireland is the woman in STEM whom I truly admire.