"That woman is confident, smart, and caring, and I am so grateful for her research." - a young girl that I am able to help one day.

It was September 19, 2021. My junior year at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts had just started. I worked hard in all aspects of my life: aspiring for the future, making good grades for college, and planning for a career. My supportive family pushed me to do my best and reach my goals. I worked hard, had fun, and loved life. However, life has a funny way of showing you how short it can be. I do not remember much of that day. I was in my dorm room and got a text from my neighbor. This part I remember very clearly. She messaged, “Do you know what happened?” Something was wrong; my heart was pounding. I was freaking out, thinking of all the worst-case scenarios. I called my dad to ask what was going on. When he picked up, all I could hear was him yelling, “Who told Sydney?” Then he hung up. At this point, I was scared. I had no clue, but I knew my dad was very upset. I ran down the hall to my friend's room exasperated, trying to tell her what was going on. I realized I did not have my phone, so I quickly ran back to my room. My dad was calling back. When I answered, he asked what I knew, and I said that I knew nothing. Then, he told me a sentence I will never forget, “Your sister committed suicide.” I fell to my knees; the pain was unreal. Time slowed, yet before I knew it, four of my friends were with me. I was sobbing, asking myself, “Why”, “How”, “What had I not known?” I had said nothing. When I exhausted myself crying, I looked up at them. I was numb, not quite believing yet. I just could not say it. If I said it, then it would be real, and it could not be. I whispered, “Sh-she’s g-gone.” It was Sunday night, and I had school tomorrow, but I needed to go home and be with my family. I needed a ride home. The police were at my house, so we would have to stay at a hotel. I needed to pack. If I went home, how long would I be gone? If I missed class, I would be behind. I was a mess. My friends packed my suitcase. A Residential Life Mentor gave me a ride from my residential school in Hot Springs to a friend’s house in Conway. Finally, I could see my parents, and they would make it all better. My mom, the nurturer, would reassure me. My dad, the protector, would tell me everything would be all right. However, I found my parents much worse than me. I have never seen them so broken and defeated. I knew I had to be strong for them and my two younger siblings. We all needed each other. We all grieved individually, but together we all got through it. When something like this happens, you realize how important your life is, and how much of an impact every little decision you make has on others. However, one of the worst and best things to realize is that you move on. You cannot stay stuck in your grief, but you cannot ignore it either. I had to get up every day, try to figure out where my life was headed, and try to be happy without feeling guilty. I grew and learned to process my emotions and respect my priorities. Life is fragile and short; I do not plan to waste it.

My name is Sydney Hammond and I am from Conway, Arkansas. During my junior year of high school, my younger sister passed away. She was fourteen years old. My family was devastated, and this had a large impact on my life. I had to push through grief every day, be strong for my family, and continue working hard during a heavy course load. However, my family and I pressed on. I was able to make it through this life-changing experience with a better understanding of myself. This experience has also impacted my view of the world. It has encouraged me to really think before I speak and make sure to be kind to everyone. I have always been known as a friendly face, a reliable person, and someone to confide in. However, after the mess of feelings and struggles involved with the sudden loss of a loved one, I realized that you never know what someone else is going through. It can be easy to see a friend or loved one sad or struggling and lend a hand, but it can be hard to see the pain behind a smiling face or the joking class clown. I am very passionate about being a lifelong learner. I have always been curious and excited to learn about everything. I am also very passionate about giving back to the community. These aspects of myself have led to many school and volunteer opportunities. I have honed many skills and abilities to further my education and service others around me. I am currently enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Biomedical Engineering. I have enjoyed biology, from life sciences to anatomy & physiology to microbiology. However, I found a passion for research and hope to achieve my goals of furthering science and creating a better world for everyone. One of my main goals is to investigate stem cell research and regenerative medicine to work towards creating organs for transplant from the recipient's own stem cells. This would be a perfect match and would effectively eliminate the transplant list. It would also save many lives, as people die every day waiting on transplant lists. This scholarship will help me to cover the financial needs that come with a college education. This will help my family and me worry less about making my future a possibility. I would be able to focus more on my education and take advantage of any opportunities without stressing about a job or the growing costs of education, housing, and supplies.