My biggest dream is to become a dentist, not just because I love science and healthcare, but because I want to serve and uplift communities that are often overlooked. I want to open a dental clinic that focuses on affordable care and health education, especially for people in situations like the one I grew up where financial stress often comes before physical wellness. I’m a Black Muslim girl raised in Ohio by immigrant parents. From a young age, my parents always told me, “You were born to do great things.” That message meant everything to me. For years, they were at every school event, supporting me and pushing me to dream big. But everything changed when they separated. My dad moved out, and my mom was left to carry everything on her shoulders bills, work, parenting, and emotional support. As our financial struggles grew, I started to see less and less of the support I once leaned on. My mom worked constantly to keep us housed and fed. I didn’t want to blame her, but it was hard not having someone in my corner the way I used to. Around the same time, I also struggled with feeling out of place. Being a visibly Muslim girl in public school, wearing my hijab proudly, often made me feel like I stood out for reasons I didn’t choose. The weight of all of that made me start doubting myself. I stuck to easy classes, thinking I wasn’t smart enough to aim higher especially not in a field like STEM. But everything changed when I took an anatomy class. It was hard, but I was drawn to it. I told myself, “You can do this, give it everything you’ve got.” I stayed up late, studied hard, and ended the semester with an A. That moment was a turning point. Since then, I’ve pushed myself in every subject. I realized I didn’t have to wait for someone else to believe in me. My faith gave me the strength to believe in myself. Islam teaches me that hard work is rewarded, that patience through difficulty leads to growth. I carry that with me every day. I plan to study neuroscience, go to dental school, and become the kind of dentist and mentor I needed when I was younger. I want to give back through both care and representation. This scholarship would help me keep moving forward without being held back by financial stress. I’m ready to put in the work.

“You were born to do great things,” my parents would say. As a Black Muslim woman with immigrant parents from Ghana, these words became a spiritual affirmation a reminder that God created me with purpose. My early years were filled with love, faith, and encouragement, and laughter . My parents supported me at every school event. Growing up without sibling my parents meant the world to me. I truly felt secure in who I was at the time. But everything changed when they separated. My father moved out, and my mother was still grieving and stretched thin by financial burdens. She had to work long hours to support us. Suddenly, I was introduced to terms like overdue rent, utility bills, and car payments. My mom's encouraging presence faded, and I struggled without her constant support. I wondered, Who will be in my corner now? As a hijabi navigating public school, I was already learning how to hold onto my faith and identity in spaces where I didn’t always see people who looked like me. The loss of emotional support at home made it even harder. I began choosing easy classes, believing a career in STEM was beyond me. I let fear and doubt speak louder than faith. That shifted when I took anatomy. It was the first challenging class I dared to try. I fell in love with the subject and made a firm intention: I would pass with an A. I relied not only on late nights and hard work, but on prayer and self-discipline. These were the tools my faith had always given me. I succeeded, and from then on, I challenged myself in every area. I ended up earning A’s in all my toughest courses, not because it was easy, but because I believed God had given me the strength to persevere. That experience sparked my passion for dentistry. A whole new door of opportunities became clearer to me. I now dream of becoming a dentist who gives back to underserved communities, especially those that reflect my background. I want to mentor Muslim girls like me, girls who may feel overlooked or underestimated, and remind them that their faith and determination are their superpower.s I no longer wait to hear, “You were born to do great things.” I say it to myself with full conviction, every time I rise for my morning prayers and chase the future God has destined for me.