I have spent most of my life taking care of myself and others. Growing up in a single-parent and unstable household forced me to become independent at a young age. This experience, along with being a first-generation college student, showed me just how valuable education is, and that is what motivates me to pursue it. I want to create a life for myself and my future family that I didn't have growing up. It's been a long journey navigating career options. Right out of high school, I pursued an English degree. Halfway through that, I decided to switch to Accounting and graduated from Chico State in 2023 with my Bachelor's degree. I've been working in accounting since 2019 but decided that it's not a fulfilling career for me. In October of 2023, my mother passed away from a heart attack, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Along with some other major life events, my perspective completely shifted, and I was forced to evaluate my life and what was truly important to me. Ultimately, I want to spend my life doing something that I feel is making a difference in the lives of others. One of the best ways to do this is through the medical field since it provides many different opportunities to help others. Health and wellness have always interested me because of the profound effect it has on our lives. The healthier we are, the better quality of life we have. Too many people experience health issues at some point in their lives, and having a great care team is essential to providing proper treatment. Being able to contribute to such a team is exceptional since they have a direct impact on the patient's life, and that is something I would love to be a part of. There are many different avenues available in health care to ensure that patients get the best care. After much research and reflection, I chose to pursue a career in diagnostic medical sonography (DMS), and now I am back in school to complete my prerequisites for the program. Sonography interested me as a career because of the technical aspect of it, the patient care involved, and the many opportunities provided. I believe that having a compassionate and calming ultrasound tech can help ease any anxiety or nerves the patient may have about their exam or overall health, and that is what I want to be. I want to provide a safe space and exceptional care for patients.

I have spent most of my life taking care of myself and others. Growing up in a single-parent and unstable household forced me to become independent at a young age. This experience, along with being a first-generation college student, showed me just how valuable education is, and that is what motivates me to pursue it. I want to create a life for myself and my future family that I didn't have growing up. It's been a long journey navigating career options. Right out of high school, I pursued an English degree. Halfway through that, I decided to switch to Accounting and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in 2023. I've been working in accounting since 2019 but decided that it's not a fulfilling career for me. In October of 2023, my mother passed away from a heart attack, and it was the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. Along with some other major life events, my perspective completely shifted, and I was forced to evaluate my life and what was truly important to me. Ultimately, I want to spend my life doing something that I feel is making a difference in the lives of others. Health and wellness have always interested me because of the profound effect it has on our lives. After much research and reflection, I chose to pursue a career in diagnostic medical sonography (DMS), and now I am back in school to complete my prerequisites for the program. Sonography interested me as a career because of the technical aspect of it, the patient care involved, and the many opportunities provided. I believe that having a compassionate and calming ultrasound tech can help ease any anxiety or nerves the patient may have about their exam or overall health, and that is what I want to be. I want to provide a safe space and exceptional care for patients. The road to becoming an RDMS will not be easy. To gain experience in the medical field and focus more on school, I plan to leave my job in accounting and apply for a part-time position at a medical facility during my time in community college. After completing my prerequisites, I plan to devote all of my time and focus on the DMS program without working. It is extremely important to me that I commit my time to the program so that I can excel. With my complete focus on school, I will be relying on scholarships, grants, loans, and any savings to get me through the 18-month-long program. I've had many accomplishments in life, both big and small. Getting myself to where I am now is an accomplishment in and of itself due to the hardships I've endured my entire life. I believe the successful completion of this career change will be my biggest accomplishment yet. Winning this scholarship would be an honor and would allow me to focus on my education and career goals, ultimately making a difference in the lives of others.

The best piece of financial advice I have received is to keep track of your income and expenses (i.e, keep a budget). Keeping track of these financial impacts makes you extremely aware of what you spend your money on, and helps prevent overspending. Some people use certain apps, pen and paper, or Excel. When I started, I was only keeping track of my monthly expenses on a notepad. Since then, I have evolved into using Excel, equipped with formulas and calculations. In 2018 I started tracking my income and spending in Excel, creating a bi-weekly budget for the year, and I continue to do so now. Included in this budget are my monthly bills (including estimated gas and food), bi-weekly income, and any purchases that I make daily. I have it set up with formulas and such to make it populate certain information. I am then able to adjust and add things, which I do daily. With this budget, I can see what my estimated "net" amount will be at the end of the year if I stay within my budget. Every time I make a purchase, I enter that into my budget and the estimated "net" amount will update. Before keeping a budget, I would lose track of my spending, often overspending and accruing overdraft fees. Keeping a budget allows me to see my estimated bills and income for the near and far future, so I am much more aware of my spending. I can also determine how much I can put into savings while still having enough to pay for rent in say, three months. I would highly recommend everyone to keep a monthly or yearly budget!