“Video games won’t be relevant in the future, realistically, you know?” were the words of my fourth-grade teacher after asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up in front of the class. Nine-year-old me stood there, shocked at what I just heard. Video games were my escape from the harsh realities of life. It’s a place of new experiences, special memories, and where I met my best friend of twelve years. To think all of that was nothing was completely obscure, but I laughed it off and smiled. While her words hit me hard, I still carried the dream of becoming a game designer. My friends and I would meet during lunch to create what we thought would become the next Fantage or Animal Jam. We carried slightly crumpled papers, ripped from the back of our composition books we needed for math next period, and filled the blue-striped white sheets with messy graphite doodles. I took that dream with me, along with the words of my teacher. I loved that video games took me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I felt sad playing The Last of Us, fear during Dead by Daylight, anger in the middle of Overwatch, and empathy playing Life is Strange. I loved how they could change how I felt in such a short time. I also loved the creative aspect of video games. To be able to do whatever your heart contented, use your imagination freely, AND create anything you felt fit the vision you constructed in your head? They really influenced me to pursue a career in this field. But video games are lovable because they are transformative. Who wouldn't find it amazing how one can turn lines of code into pixels and then turn those mere pixels on a screen into portals to new worlds, avenues for creativity, and the foundation of lifelong friendships? I pursued a degree in game development because these past years of playing games allowed me to see them as transformative platforms beyond entertainment. I've been introduced to and educated on social topics, presented with several diverse cultures and perspectives of communities that lack the proper exposure, and strengthened my empathy, teamwork, and collaboration skills. These are the types of experiences I wish to introduce to players. To be the artist behind all of that, using my lines of code as brushstrokes in creating those immersive experiences I've once experienced, impacting the lives of players is something I look forward to having a career in. I hope to create an indie game company to alter the practically never changing demographics. According to the 2024 Game Design Conference Report, two-thirds of game developers are primarily white men. This has been a long-ongoing statistic for years! As a woman of color looking to work in a male-dominated space, I hope to change these numbers and inspire and encourage women and others from underrepresented communities to pursue their dreams of working in tech and promote more diversity and inclusiveness in the gaming industry. I will use my degree to create life-changing experiences for players and tap into the potential of determined individuals in technology, driving innovation and fostering a more inclusive future If I could speak with my fourth-grade teacher now, I would say that sure, a lot of people see video games as a complete waste of time, but I see them as a life-changing experience and something that can provide a platform that addresses serious concepts and significant challenges effectively. My games will not be “a waste of time”, but rather a positive factor in our society's development.

I'm Tanaya, a rising senior majoring in Game Design and Development. A long ongoing hobby of mine is video games. I’ve been playing for as long as I can remember, and my love for them is the root of my career choice. Video games are an escape from reality and a way to challenge and express myself. They also influenced my creative nature. I have always loved the idea of originality and using my imagination to express myself in various mediums. Creativity lets me think more outside the box and fuels my problem-solving and critical thinking skills, allowing for more innovative outcomes. Coming from a low-income single-parent household, I was limited to only applying to CUNYs and SUNYs where a large majority didn't have my major. I am thankful to attend SUNY Albany where I've been able to become a peer educator for coding classes and create two games so far throughout my college career in different mediums. STEM is so lovable because it is so transformative. I mean, who wouldn't find it amazing how one can turn lines of code into pixels and then turn those mere pixels on a screen into portals to new worlds, avenues for creativity, and the foundation of lifelong friendships? I pursued a degree in STEM, particularly in game development, because these past years of playing games allowed me to see them as transformative platforms beyond entertainment. I've been introduced to and educated on social topics, presented with several diverse cultures and perspectives of communities that lack the proper exposure, and strengthened my empathy, teamwork, and collaboration skills. These are the types of experiences I wish to introduce to players. To be the artist behind all of that, using my lines of code as brushstrokes in creating those immersive experiences I've once experienced, impacting the lives of players is something I look forward to having a career in. I hope to create an indie game company alongside my best friend to alter the practically never changing demographics. According to the 2024 Game Design Conference Report, two-thirds of game developers are primarily white men. This has been a long-ongoing statistic for years! As a woman of color looking to work in a male-dominated space, I hope to change these numbers and inspire and encourage women and others from underrepresented communities to pursue their dreams of working in tech and promote more diversity and inclusiveness in the gaming industry. I will finish and use my degree to create life-changing experiences for players and tap into the potential of determined individuals in technology, driving innovation and fostering a more inclusive future. I am a firm believer in the quote, “You are a student for life.” I’ve come to terms with the fact that I don’t know everything and that is okay, but I am always eager to learn more each day. This mindset opened doors for new opportunities and pushed me to take risks because I really won’t know until I try. That's why I decided to study abroad in Korea, a country that has made significant contributions to the global gaming industry, this Fall. I plan to take courses in marketing and psychology to learn how to promote my games properly and gain insight into human behavior and emotions, key factors in making good gameplay experiences for players. By receiving this scholarship I can broaden my knowledge, knock down the financial barriers that block numerous opportunities to improve my game creations, and grow as a person by challenging my adaptability, exposing myself to diverse perspectives, and letting myself be resilient in a foreign environment. Thank you!

STEM is so lovable because it is so transformative. Who wouldn't find it amazing how one can turn lines of code into pixels and then turn those mere pixels on a screen into portals to new worlds, avenues for creativity, and the foundation of lifelong friendships? I pursued a degree in STEM, particularly in game development, because these past years of playing games have allowed me to see them as transformative platforms beyond entertainment. Through my years of playing, I've been introduced to and educated on social topics, presented with several diverse cultures and perspectives of communities that lack the proper exposure, and strengthened my empathy, teamwork, and collaboration skills. These experiences have shaped my desire to create games that are more than a pastime. Through my creations, I will make learning more engaging and interactive, address social issues, and have them serve as powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural impact. To be the artist behind all of that, using my lines of code as brushstrokes in creating those immersive experiences I've once experienced, impacting the lives of players is something I look forward to having a career in. Making a name for myself in this industry is also a driving force to influence many women and people of color who may be nervous or scared to enter a career they aren't heavily saturated in. According to the 2024 Game Design Conference Report, two-thirds of game developers are primarily white men. This has been a long-ongoing statistic for years! As a woman of color looking to work in a male-dominated space, I hope to change these numbers to inspire and encourage women and others from underrepresented communities to pursue their dreams of working in tech, promoting more diversity and inclusiveness in the gaming industry. I will finish and use my degree to create life-changing experiences for players and tap into the potential of determined individuals in technology, driving innovation and fostering a more inclusive future. My journey in game development is fueled by my belief in the power of technology to change lives. By receiving this scholarship, I will be able to continue with my education and further develop the skills needed to create life-changing experiences for players and pave the way for future generations of diverse game developers. Thank you.

My name is Tanaya Stevenson, a rising senior majoring in Informatics with a concentration in Game Design and Development at the University at Albany (SUNY). A long ongoing hobby of mine is video games. I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember, and my love for them is the root of the career choice that I chose for myself. I see video games as an escape from reality and a way to challenge and express myself. They also influenced my creative nature. I have always loved the idea of originality and using my imagination to express myself in various mediums. I also find that being creative lets me think more outside the box and fuels my problem-solving and critical thinking skills, allowing for more innovative outcomes. I hope to create an indie game company alongside my best friend to alter the practically never changing demographics. According to the 2024 Game Design Conference Report, two-thirds of game developers are primarily white men. This has been a long-ongoing statistic for years! As a woman of color looking to work in a male-dominated space, I hope to change these numbers and inspire and encourage women and others from underrepresented communities to pursue their dreams of working in tech and promote more diversity and inclusiveness in the gaming industry. I will finish and use my degree to create life-changing experiences for players and tap into the potential of determined individuals in technology, driving innovation and fostering a more inclusive future. STEM is so lovable because it is so transformative. I mean, who wouldn't find it amazing how one can turn lines of code into pixels and then turn those mere pixels on a screen into portals to new worlds, avenues for creativity, and the foundation of lifelong friendships? I pursued a degree in STEM, particularly in game development, because these past years of playing games have allowed me to see them as transformative platforms that go beyond entertainment. Through my years of playing, I've been introduced to and educated on social topics, presented with several diverse cultures and perspectives of communities that lack the proper exposure, and strengthened my empathy, teamwork, and collaboration skills. These are the types of experiences I wish to introduce to players. Through my creations, I will make learning more engaging and interactive, address social issues, and have them serve as powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural impact. To be the artist behind all of that, using my lines of code as brushstrokes in creating those immersive experiences I've once experienced, impacting the lives of players is something I look forward to having a career in. Making a name for myself in this industry can also be helpful to many women and people of color out there who may be nervous or scared to enter a career they aren't heavily saturated in. To be able to break that wall, motivating and influencing them to give it a shot can make the field more innovative and diverse. I've had my fair share of challenges, but I would've never guessed that I, myself, would be my greatest one. As one once said, we are our own worst critics, and I indeed hold that status. Everyone wants to reach whatever they define as success. Many want things to be perfect, or likable, or to meet the standard of others, myself included. But when we constantly let what others think and even cloud our own minds with negativity, it really blocks our way to whatever we want to achieve. I grew up trying to please others, always stressing about how others would perceive whatever I did. It's draining being a perfectionist, trying to fit that mold that everyone expects me to because the idea of slipping out felt like the whole world would crumble down. Stepping into a career path where I make content for the masses to enjoy is exciting, but also frightened me at one point because once the game is published and I am no longer able to touch it, I'll be met with loads of feedback, good or bad. I realized that I just kept drilling a deeper hole into this negative mindset and sought to fix these habits of mine. I turned to several self-improvement and help books, a few of my favorites being Atomic Habits and The Overthinking Cure, to battle my fear of judgment and insecurities. I listened to the advice from Thewizardliz and Lana Barkley, the older sisters I always wished I had, on YouTube while folding laundry or cooking to learn how to be more confident, to not doubt myself, and to understand that I am not the main character in everyone's life. Over time, I've come to accept that the opinions of others are just noise in the grand symphony of my life. I shouldn't let their judgment drown out the beautiful melody of my dreams and aspirations. I also came to realize that I don't have to prove anything to anyone and create things that I am content with. I kept this mentality in my mind each day and was able to create my own two games while in college, games that I liked, and games that I felt were up to MY standards. While I still have far to go, the very act of starting to overcome the challenge that is me gives me the hope and motivation to keep striving for a better mindset. I will continue to improve myself, for the sake of my well-being and the sake of my future.

Studying abroad in Korea offers a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a culture that has made contributions to the global gaming industry. Korea has a strong presence in video game development and consumption. Studying in such a country as a game design and development major and inspiring indie game creator will allow me to get the most out of my experience there, gaining insight into their marketing and gaming scene, which is why I plan to use this scholarship to help fund studying abroad this Fall. Korea is known to be one of the top gaming countries, ranked fourth for its gaming market. It's also the start and now center of eSports, with the country expanding its global interest. Due to the changes in the requirements of experimental learning for my degree, I can now take classes outside of technology if I go abroad. I would love to learn marketing there and learn how to apply it to my games. I would also love to learn more about the culture and its language as Korean Studies is my minor. As an aspiring game designer and developer, yes, I find the importance of scripting, 3D modeling, and animation to be crucial as they are core aspects, but knowing how to promote your creations properly and efficiently is just as significant. I pursued this degree because I see games as a transformative platform that goes beyond entertainment. Through them, I will make learning more engaging and interactive, promote social issues, and have them serve as powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural impact. Whether it's gaming, Korean pop music, skincare, or Korean shows, Korean culture has such a large consumer base and looks to stay that way for a while. Korea has a great understanding of how to engage with its global audience, so learning marketing there can be very beneficial to marketing for my future game projects and getting those messages out. The opportunity to view the gaming scene in this country firsthand can be very beneficial. Learning how gaming has been integrated into their society and interacting with local gamers can help me gain knowledge of the dynamics of the gaming community there. Joining video game clubs or attending workshops at my study-abroad university can offer me that same experience along with meaningful discussions on game design, development, and culture with a diverse group of people. I can bring this back home to help aid my game development process. Additionally, I minor in Korean Studies. I self-studied the language throughout high school and decided to pursue this minor in college, learning about Korea’s history, traditional foods, clothes, holiday practices, and language in a classroom setting. I wrapped up intermediate Korean and would like to continue learning in the country of its origin. Aside from class time, there isn’t a time when I am frequently speaking, writing, or listening to the Korean language. Studying Korean here will allow me to be immersed in real-life situations, improve my pronunciation and accent, and learn phrases and words that are more colloquial and natural. I plan to enroll in the Intensive Korean Language course at Yonsei University. This will help build my language skills and confidence. By winning this scholarship, I will have the chance to immerse myself in a country with a strong impact on the gaming industry. I am excited to learn about their gaming scene, marketing strategies, and cultural impact on gaming. I can apply what I learned during my time in South Korea to my future gaming projects, efficiently telling engaging, meaningful, and impacting stories through my creations. Thank you!

I felt a big wave of guilt rush over me as I explained to my family that I'd be changing my major from biology to game design the summer after my first year. I felt that time and money were completely wasted during my first year, but Fefe, my grandmother, said, “Naya, as long as you’re in school doing what you want to do, I’ll always support you in whatever plans you have for yourself.” It was almost like I had forgotten how she always stressed the importance of having an education while also doing whatever your heart contented. I was six when I was first introduced to a single-parent household. My mother gave up on continuing her education because she could no longer afford it. I mean, she was a full-time student working a full-time job and simultaneously trying to take care of her two kids. My brother and I have different fathers, yet not one bit of financial support from either of them was in sight. Ultimately, my mother had to throw her passions, goals, and aspirations away to provide for her children. Fefe played the role of the second parent that I've yearned for. There isn't a single memory I can recall without her in it. I was under her care after school from elementary to the start of high school, greeting me every time in the school's playground and at the bus stop. She attended every vocal performance and honors award ceremony, always seated in the third row. She helped my mother financially, providing food, clothes, expenses for whenever something broke down at our house, and anything else to keep the smiles on the faces of my mother, brother, and I. She even stepped in and helped pay my college tuition for two years and also gave me monthly expenses for food and any additional supplies I needed for school. She would be the first I would call while transitioning to my next class, giving me an earful of encouragement when I didn’t feel like studying or going sometimes. She made it known how proud she was of me for the work and projects I’ve done in my classes and on my own independently as I eagerly showed her them once she got her Facetime working. Yes, Fefe supported my education financially, but she also filled that missing gap and role I longed for in my childhood, something that allowed me to even reach where I am now in the first place: A second parent. Her presence was a constant source of comfort and support, something that allowed me to thrive. Fefe passed away on April 20th, 2023, something I had to find out 150 miles away over a phone call with my mother shortly after laughing with my friends while leaving my Korean professor’s office hours. I was placed back into a single-parent household once again and was met with even more mental and financial burdens for my mother and I. For both my mother and Fefe, I hope to use this scholarship to finish my degree in game design in South Korea this Fall, gaining insight into their marketing and gaming scene through marketing courses and gaming clubs and workshops. With this degree, I will further develop and improve my coding and art skills, obtain some new ones, and create an indie video game studio alongside my best friend, a dream Fefe believed in wholeheartedly. Ultimately, I want to make my mother and Fefe proud from above, fulfilling the dreams they nurtured within me, shouting “I made it!” while turning my tassel next May.

If RemNote has one fan, it is me. If there are no fans, I am no longer on this Earth. I will say the same for digital gaming. This powerful duo has been a valuable resource in my college journey and learning in general. I am more than glad to share them and help other learners. My consistent use of RemNote throughout my college journey reflects my ambition, drive, and passion for learning. With this single application, you can create built-in space repetition flashcards while you take notes, shown to reinforce memory and recall, optimizing study time. Through its flashcard system, I can apply space repetition to just about any subject, from language vocabulary to formulas in math and science. I think a real gem in this application is the Community Platform. Learners share their notes, study guides, projects, and flashcards here and collaborate in private hubs or documents. I find it extremely important to take in outside resources. There are users from all over the world engaging in different learning curriculums and learning from other resources. RemNote enables me to consult various sources to better understand complex topics and come across concepts uniquely presented, encountering different learning styles. There also isn't a single resource that will cover everything. Various resources lead to new material unheard of. I learned new grammar points, vocabulary, and expressions through RemNote to apply to my Korean class in person, increasing my confidence and speaking skills. RemNote overall has been extremely helpful in reinforcing and expanding my knowledge. I've always been proactive in seeking out tools and resources to enhance my education, and digital games are also one. I see games as a transformative platform. Games go beyond entertainment; they make learning more engaging and interactive, especially with a competitive aspect. I'm sure many of us looked forward to completely destroying our classmates in AP Government Kahoot or Algebra Jeopardy in high school. Not only were we able to reinforce our learning in a fun way, but we were also able to work together with our peers and strengthen our collaborative and social skills. Traditional teaching methods are still at large and come off as uninteresting to students; Games do a fantastic job of keeping one engaged, active, and motivated. A game that I have been loving to help with Korean studies is Noun Town. As a language learner, it can be difficult to study efficiently. Aside from class time, there isn’t a time when I am frequently speaking, writing, or listening to the Korean language. Games like Noun Town work well to improve my pronunciation and accent and help me learn new words and phrases that are more colloquial. With the game also being on VR, I feel more immersed in real-life situations, allowing me to stay engaged and motivated and thus leading to better information retention and recall. As a passionate learner who has gained knowledge from gaming, I strive to implement education in my video game creations for others to learn from. It's one of the reasons why I created an educational digital board game to teach players about pollution, climate change, sea life, and beach safety enjoyably. In conclusion, the power of RemNote and digital gaming are key players in benefiting my education. RemNote facilitates efficient note-taking and collaborative learning, while digital games offer immersive, interactive experiences. From reinforcing language skills to tackling complex topics, these tools have aided me during my college career, and I will continue to utilize them, even past college. I hope these two resources can be helpful to learners out there, even if it's just one.

I traded in my lab coat for code, shifting from pre-med biology to game design and development the summer after my first year. From memorizing all 206 bones of the human body to memorizing the syntax of Python and C#, I rewrote my narrative. I learned factors of the gaming industry, engaging in hands-on prototyping where lines of code became a brushstroke in creating immersive experiences. Changing my video game hobby into my career stems from seeing games as a transformative platform. Games go beyond entertainment. Through them, I will make learning more engaging and interactive, promote social issues, and have them serve as powerful mediums for storytelling and cultural impact. Challenging the long-ongoing statistic is a huge motivator. The 2024 Game Design Conference Report reported that two-thirds of game developers are men, primarily white. As a woman of color looking to work in a male-dominated space, I hope to bring change to these numbers and inspire others from underrepresented to pursue their dreams of working in tech and promote more diversity and inclusiveness in the gaming industry. One of my recent projects is a digital educational party board game made in 2023. The game educated players about beach safety and sea-life, reflecting my commitment to creating valuable game experiences by connecting them to education. By receiving this scholarship, I can use my degree to create life-changing experiences for players and tap into the potential of determined individuals in technology, driving innovation and fostering a more inclusive future. Thank you.

“Okay…I’ll do it.”, I said to my friend as I double-clicked on the yellow “Finish Enrolling” button. While my friend applauded me, I immediately felt a deadly wave of nervousness rush over me as I eyed the green check mark, indicating that I was successfully registered. Usually, many students would be happy to see those checks. A few days before your scheduled time, you would hop on the schedule planner and pick out your classes, carefully deciding if you can make it to that 8 AM class and spending so much time crafting the ideal schedule. Then? You proceed in a fight against the entire student body for a singular seat in a classroom. Having all green check marks meant you got your dream schedule, the one you felt comfortable handling for four or five months and spent so much time perfecting to your liking, and yet here I was feeling regret over one check, one that sat next to what read, CINF 371, Digital Game Design and Development I. My professor said we would individually create an entire game as our final project and present it at Showcase, an event where students share their works with everyone on campus. See, I made games before on the gaming platform LittleBigPlanet 2. This game provided an entire toolbox to create whatever your heart desired. I spit out roleplaying hangouts, obstacle courses, survival challenges, and even animated shorts at the speed of light, yet, I spent hours for weeks pondering what I should create for this project. Over the years, I gained a fear of judgment and perfectionism and thought that every idea I thought of was not good enough. I worried about how people would react to my creations, frightened by the negative backlash I expected to come. We were approaching the deadline to submit our final project ideas and I decided to create a beach-themed educational board game. After this stage, we had to give updates on the classroom gallery on Discord weekly. I struggled with art, frustrated at my hands for not mirroring what I envisioned. I wasn't too satisfied with my work and was nervous about the responses it would get in the gallery. Ultimately, I was met with heart and clapping reactions under my posts. I would go to class every week and many people would say that they looked forward to seeing updates on my game every week. A lot of people inside and outside the class loved my ideas and art. A classmate even asked me to help develop his board design. It made me proud and happy to know that there were people who liked the work I did. It motivated me to continue doing what I was doing. I took our peer playtesting periods seriously, gathering valuable feedback to enhance the game’s development. I began to see any input and criticism not in a negative light but rather as constructive and positive. Over time, I began implementing not only my peer's ideas but my own without any hesitation to my game and was met with positivity. Day by day, I saw my game flourish, and by the end of April 2023, my first official game, Bearfoot Beach, was created. Showcase came along and many people visited my station. I had several conversations with many visitors, but there is one I probably won't forget. A lady walked up to me and gave me so much praise for my work. She was so invested in learning about the different bear characters I created and the game mechanics. We talked for what felt like hours and I was very happy that she took so much interest in my game. She happened to be the professor of CINF 471, Game Design and Development II, a class I will happily be enrolling in next Spring. The very act of creating this game allowed me to realize that while there may be people who aren't fans of your creations, there's at least one who is. I allowed myself to accept that it’s okay if nobody believes I can do it or if people think I won’t make it. As long as I like doing what I’m doing and have a clear positive objective, I don’t need to prove myself to anyone. I will continue to create games in the future alongside my best friend and create an indie game studio. Our games will strive to make a meaningful impact in the gaming industry and beyond.

In the future, I envision myself working side by side with my best friend in our indie game studio, passionately dedicated to creating video games that foster interactivity within learning, educate players on social issues to inspire change, and immersing them in several captivating worlds filled with diverse cultures, experiences, and perspectives, effectively challenging stereotypes, promoting cultural understanding, and amplifying the voices and faces of underrepresented communities, ultimately striving to make a meaningful impact in the gaming industry and beyond.

“Video games won’t be relevant in the future, realistically, you know?” were the words of my fourth-grade teacher after asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up in front of the class. Nine-year-old me stood there, shocked at what I just heard. Video games were my escape from the harsh realities of life. It’s a place of new experiences, special memories, and where I met my best friend of ten years. To think all of that was nothing was completely obscure, but I laughed it off and smiled. While her words hit me hard, I still carried the dream of becoming a game designer. My friends and I would meet during lunch to create what we thought would become the next Fantage or Animal Jam. We carried slightly crumpled papers, ripped from the back of our composition books we needed for math next period, and filled the blue-striped white sheets with messy graphite doodles. I took that dream with me, along with the words of my teacher. This dream, unfortunately, got abandoned somewhere in high school. As I grew older, I noticed that I excelled in math and science, and with an interest in skin care due to a six-year ongoing battle with my skin, I thought it would be “fitting” to become a dermatologist. I struggled with my career choices, but with my teacher’s words echoing and my family's validation, I went into college as a pre-med biology major. In my freshman year, I roomed with my best friend of thirteen years that I met through video games. She majored in game design, and I slowly realized how the nine-year-old me who was so passionate in game design took over when I helped her create game ideas and characters. I was more excited about unraveling the plot for her games than learning the difference between hypertonic, isotonic, and hypotonic solutions. That following summer, I contacted my school advisor and switched to the game development major. Since then, I’ve picked up learning new programming languages and 3D modeling, dedicating hours to teaching myself how to program in Lua and animate the mesh figures I’ve created. With this degree, I will further develop and improve these skills, obtain some new ones, and eventually create an indie video game studio alongside my best friend. If I could speak with my fourth-grade teacher now, I would say that sure, a lot of people see video games as a complete waste of time, but I see them as a life-changing experience and something that can provide a platform that addresses serious concepts and significant challenges effectively. I will create games that are not only fun and exciting to play, but also make learning more engaging and interactive for our youth, raise social awareness and promote social issues, and are a medium for storytelling and cultural impact. I want to see my games in schools of any level, being used by students trying to grasp addition, learn a new language, or even prepare for their MCAT. I want my games to foster multiple fundraising and charity events, educating those on social issues like climate change, mental health, pollution, and recycling, allowing players to be inspired to take action and contribute to social changes. I want my games to allow individuals to explore diverse cultures, experiences, and perspectives through my uniquely crafted plots and storylines, challenging stereotypes, raising cultural understanding, and allowing underrepresented and marginalized faces and voices to be both seen and heard. My games will not be “a waste of time”, but rather a positive factor in our society's development.

“Video games won’t be relevant in the future, realistically, you know?” were the words of my fourth-grade teacher after asking me what I wanted to be when I grew up in front of the class. Nine-year-old me stood there, shocked at what I just heard. Video games were my escape from the harsh realities of life. It’s a place of new experiences, special memories, and where I met my best friend of ten years. To think all of that was nothing was completely obscure, but I laughed it off and smiled. While her words hit me hard, I still carried the dream of becoming a game designer. My friends and I would meet during lunch to create what we thought would become the next Fantage or Animal Jam. We carried slightly crumpled papers, ripped from the back of our composition books we needed for math next period, and filled the blue-striped white sheets with messy graphite doodles. I took that dream with me, along with the words of my teacher. Growing older, I excelled in math and science, and with an interest in skin care due to a six-year ongoing battle with my skin, I thought it would be “fitting” to become a dermatologist. I struggled with my career choices, but with my teacher’s words echoing and my family's validation, I went to college as a pre-med. My roommate, that same friend of ten years, majored in game development. She shared all the game ideas she jotted down on her iPad, the characters for the games she drew, and steps on how she would achieve her dreams. She mirrored the younger me. Seeing her work hard for her aspirations caused inner conflict. It was a crossfire between my brain and heart: The medical field meant financial stability and comfort, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as the thought of creating a game studio that risked that same stability and comfort. I even thought the same as my teacher, would games still be relevant? The summer after my first year, I stumbled across Luca, a movie that emphasized silencing “Bruno”, the thoughts and logic that keep you from pursuing what your heart truly wants. It resonated with me for a while, and shortly after, I banished Bruno from intruding, contacted my school advisor, and switched to the game development major, now working with my best friend to bring our game ideas to life. Many people think games are a complete waste of time, but I believe games can be life-changing. Recently, I had the opportunity to create a game in my game design class this spring. I decided to create an educational-focused party board game to educate the youth about the ocean, beach safety, climate change, and pollution. I think games are a great outlet to make learning appealing. They also contribute to social change and provide a platform for underrepresented voices to be heard. Several of my ideas, for example, include language learning, characters of diverse backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities and storylines, and social concerns. If I could speak with my fourth-grade teacher now, I would say that I want to make games that make learning more engaging and interactive, raise social awareness and promote social issues, and are a medium for storytelling and cultural impact. This summer, I’m learning coding languages, 3D modeling, and animation. My friend and I are working to push out a 3D animated show next year and are developing the blueprints of our first game. Video games may seem wasteful, but are a platform that addresses concepts and challenges effectively, something I hope to do.

My mother wanted to be a forensic psychologist. She always had a love for murder mysteries and crime. I would see her watching Law and Order, Fatal Attraction, For My Man, NCIS, and Murder She Wrote, smiling and gasping at the television screen. She gave up on continuing her education because she could no longer afford it. I mean, she was a full-time student working a full-time job and simultaneously taking care of her kids. My brother and I have different fathers who provided no financial support. Ultimately, my mother threw away her aspirations to provide for her children. Sometimes I wonder, if I was born just a little later, maybe not at all, would she live up to her dreams? Would she keep going? No matter how hard I try, I only see my mother working in my memories, working at a job she dislikes to provide food on the dinner table, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and money for college. It only made sense to minimize her struggle in getting me through school. It’s hard knowing her challenges and seeing what she gave up on to give me the best in life. It motivated me to do well in school in hopes of trading that in for the money colleges want from me. In high school, I prioritized my academics and obtained two scholarships in my senior year through them. I continue to apply for scholarships while in college. To help, my mother proofreads and provides feedback on my scholarship essays. She also sends me scholarships to apply for. It’s funny how we both have the same goals for similar reasons. She wants me to get through college with grants and scholarships so I can graduate debt-free, and I want to get through college with grants and scholarships she has no worries about my tuition. That’s what inspires me the most about her; Her willingness to do the best for her kids and support their aspirations. My mother always made it known that as long as I was in school studying what I loved, she would always support me in whatever plans I had for myself. It took until July to realize that studying medicine wasn’t for me. I contemplated for months, stressing if medicine was something I saw myself doing. When I brought this up to her and officially switched from a pre-med biology major to a double major in art and informatics, my mother didn’t hesitate once and supported my new aspirations. She was immediately open to the idea of me transferring to a different school with animation and game design courses. She praised the projects I learned to make in Blender, a free 3D graphics software, and even teamed up with my brother to surprise me with a small computer case and power supply so I could continue learning 3D modeling and coding upstate. With her help with scholarships and all the encouragement she gave me in my passions, not only is she the fuel that puts my plans into action, she's a source of accountability. I set up a schedule containing dates to practice 3D modeling/animation and coding. I plan to create two monthly projects and expand my knowledge and portfolio. Without her, this wouldn't be possible. I work on my goals and gain skills little by little because I want her to see me execute my aspirations and be proud of me. My mother will always be my number one supporter. I hope she’ll be able to see me accomplish my goals soon!

My mother wanted to be a forensic psychologist. She always had a love for murder mysteries and crime. I would see her watching Law and Order, Fatal Attraction, For My Man, NCIS, and Murder She Wrote, smiling and gasping at the television screen. She gave up on continuing her education because she could no longer afford it. I mean, she was a full-time student working a full-time job and simultaneously taking care of her kids. My brother and I have different fathers who provided no financial support. Ultimately, my mother threw away her aspirations to provide for her children. Sometimes I wonder, if I was born just a little later, maybe not at all, would she live up to her dreams? Would she keep going? No matter how hard I try, I only see my mother working in my memories, working at a job she dislikes to provide food on the dinner table, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and money for college. It only made sense to minimize her struggle in getting me through school. When you live with a single mom, it’s hard knowing the challenges she went through and seeing the things she gave up on to give you the best in life. It motivated me to do well in school in hopes of trading that in for the money colleges want from me. In high school, I prioritized my academics significantly and obtained two scholarships in my senior year through them. I continue to apply for scholarships while in college. To help, my mother proofreads and provides feedback on my scholarship essays. She also sends me scholarships to apply for. It’s funny how we both have the same goals for similar reasons. She wants me to get through college with grants and scholarships so I can graduate debt-free, and I want to get through college with grants and scholarships she has no worries about my tuition. That’s what inspires me the most about her; Her willingness to do the best for her kids and support their aspirations. My mother always made it known that as long as I was in school studying what I loved, she would always support me in whatever plans I had for myself. It took until July to realize that studying medicine wasn’t for me. I contemplated for months, stressing if medicine was something I saw myself doing. When I brought this up to her and officially switched from a pre-med biology major to a double major in art and informatics, my mother didn’t hesitate once and supported my new aspirations. She praised the projects I learned to make in Blender, a free 3D graphics software, and even teamed up with my brother to surprise me with a small computer case and power supply so I could continue learning 3D modeling and coding upstate. With her help with scholarships and all the encouragement she gave me in my passions, not only is she the fuel that puts my plans into action, she's a source of accountability. I set up a schedule containing dates to practice 3D modeling/animation and coding. I plan to create two projects every month and expand my knowledge and portfolio. Without her, this wouldn't be possible. I work on my goals and gain skills little by little because I want her to see me execute my aspirations and be proud of me. My mother's my number one fan. She’s no Spiderman fighting crime in the city of New York or Batman dismantling evil doings in Gotham, but she’s my superhero, someone I’m proud to call mom.

I would love to start up my own animation and game development studio where all my projects are dedicated to the inclusiveness of several minority groups and their cultures, tackling social issues, national and worldwide, and ultimately educating our youth on bias, injustice, and diversity. I plan to incorporate community service and fundraising within my career through my productions to help the less fortunate and create scholarships just like this one. I will earn a baking certificate somewhere along the line, so once I retire, I will open up a local bakery and share my favorite treats with the community.

I come from a community filled with people who are black, people who look just like me. All of the schools I attended were predominantly black. Yet why were the only books introduced to me in school with a black lead, Nightjohn, The Hate U Give, and On the Come Up, heavily embedded in black struggle and trauma? Of course, it’s crucial to be educated on serious topics such as slavery and police brutality, but as I began to get older, I’ve been seeing the same concepts used in the entertainment industry when it comes to black people. Growing up, I’d look into the TV, and it wasn’t often that I would find someone who looked like me on that screen. Quite frankly, readings for English class lacked people that looked like me. Movies and TV shows aren’t as diverse as they use lighter-skinned individuals to portray black people countless times when our skin colors are on an endless spectrum. If we ever were in the media, it would be based on black struggle, black trauma, black stereotypes, and us being portrayed as non-human beings. We’re drowning in a sea of movies and books where my people are portrayed as slaves, as poor, as ghetto, as thugs. Tiana, our only black Disney princess who works, was practically a frog for the majority of the movie. Joe from Soul was nearly a soul and a cat for the entirety of the movie. I always wondered, Why don’t we have a lovey-dovey rom-com? Why are we portrayed as literal animals? Why are black films so reliant on the aspect of “trying to be black” rather than having characters who just happen to be black? When it comes to black people in the media, we aren’t represented properly, we aren’t seen in a positive light, and simultaneously, we aren’t represented enough. It’s tiring to see black trauma being exploited for entertainment multiple times and practically becoming its own genre. In my career in animation and video games, I want to not only highlight unrepresented communities in a positive light in each and every one of my creations but also emphasize inclusiveness in communities with so much diversity embedded within them. This goal, however, goes way beyond the black community. The AAPI, Latinx, disabled, and LGBTQ+ communities, which are rarely implemented and lack the correct exposure, will, without any doubt, be included in my films, games, and shows respectfully. My projects will incorporate characters of diverse backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities and storylines that aren’t just generic but also culture based. I plan to do thorough research and take the time to talk with and understand these groups to properly and accurately embody them and their cultures within my productions. I want to give others a peek through the windows of these communities. I want to lessen judgment and tackle harmful biases taught through the media. Most importantly, those from these minority groups will see themselves in the media and know that both themselves and their experiences matter and hold significance.

My mother wanted to be a forensic psychologist. She always had a love for murder mysteries and crime. I would always see her watching Law and Order, Fatal Attraction, For My Man, NCIS, and Murder She Wrote in the comfort of her bedroom, cheesy and gasping at the television screen. She gave up on continuing her education because she could no longer afford it. I mean, she was a full-time student working a full-time job and simultaneously trying to take care of her two kids. My brother and I have different fathers. None of them were providing any financial support to help her out. Ultimately, my mother had to throw her passions, goals, and aspirations away to provide for her children. Sometimes I wonder, if I was born just a little later, maybe not at all, would she have lived up to her dreams? Would she have kept going? No matter how hard I try, I only see my mother working in my memories, working at a job she dislikes to provide food on the dinner table, a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and money for college. God forbid she made any unnecessary financial detours. She made me realize that this isn't a life I would want. She always made it known that as long as I was in school studying what I love, she would always support me in whatever plans I had for myself. I entered school with the ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric dermatologist. During my first semester as a pre-med, I found myself contemplating whether or not this was something I wanted. I always had a passion for art but knew I lacked the skills and fundamentals. Combining that and a bad case of perfectionism, I brushed off something I had an interest in and knew I could improve on with time and effort. It wasn't until after my spring semester that I realized I wanted a career in animation. Disney Plus animated movies and shows were my unique coping methods while keeping up with rigorous courses. After the constant exposure to them, I grew interested in making my own shows, films, and even games. This summer, I began teaching myself 3D modeling. I started brainstorming plots for the shows I wanted to make. I learned about character designing to start a business that revolved around the characters I created. When I realized that medicine wasn't for me, my mother didn't hesitate once and supported the new plans I had for myself. She didn't want me to have a future I hated. She didn't want me to repeat what she had. I realized that I wanted to not only work for myself but also work in something I have a big passion in because of her. I am in the process of changing my major to digital art and hope to do internships with Pixar or Disney during my undergrad year. Since animation takes time, I would also like to work on my first show while in college and start designing characters for the business I want to make. At the same time, I will be doing videos on Youtube as a source of accountability. I plan to work for a company at first, but as I gain more experience and skills, I plan to take my career further and work for myself, not anybody else. Had it not been for my mother, I wouldn't be where I am today. Although she couldn't do what she wanted, she wouldn't want the same for me. That's the promise I decided to make.

I come from a community filled with people who are black and brown, people who look just like me. All of the schools I've attended were mainly populated with black and brown kids, yet there was a lack of representation of them within our education system. Growing up, I barely saw myself in school. Readings for English class lacked people that looked like me. The same can be said for other POCs and minority groups. The BIPOC, AAPI, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities are rarely implemented in our education system. Because of this, we create judgment. Books with minority groups included can give others a window into the lives of the said minority group. It can also lesson judgment towards said groups and tackle racial, sexual orientation, and religious bias. Most importantly, people from these minority groups will see themselves in education and know that both they and their experiences matter and hold significance. The same is present in higher education. In medical school, there is an absence of brown skin in textbooks. Illustrations used to teach medical students are usually, and for the most part, displayed on white skin tones. Students are taught that white skin is the standard but will someday, and most likely, come across a patient of a darker skin tone. As someone who would like to go into dermatology, this can be a big problem for me and those in the future who would like to go into this field. A great majority of diagnoses in dermatology are dependent on the color of skin. If we are only taught how certain skin conditions look on a white-skinned backdrop, how are we supposed to diagnose the same on darker skin? An issue like this can lead to unrecognizable skin illnesses and thus the lack of proper treatment needed for people with darker skin tones. If we were to implement diverse illustrations in medical schools, myself and the future generation can efficiently treat those of all skin tones and get everyone the treatment they need. The United States is a melting pot of those with different skin tones; more representation towards the black and brown community within medical textbooks can potentially save the lives of plenty and cause unneeded stress from the patients and their families. Overall, we lack diversity in both lower and higher education systems. It is time to stop pushing the narrative that whiteness is the norm and start introducing minority groups into our education system.

You can ask any New Yorker from the city if it is clean; they will most likely laugh in your face. As someone from the city, there isn't a day where you wouldn't see a significant amount of trash. You would find trash all over the ground, on the subway tracks, and there isn't any recycling taking place by residents. While recycling is encouraged, you would still find things in incorrect bins and many people could care less about it. Due to the environment I grew up in, I didn't have much hope of seeing a clean planet. I am thrilled to see my own university, 'SUNY at Albany' change my perception. Arriving on my universities campus for the first time, I immediately noticed the advocacy to keep the campus clean, reduce waste, and overall, stay green. There are several recycle and trash bins scattered around campus utilized frequently and properly. Every dorm room has bins for trash and recycling and a poster on how and what to recycle. Students sort trash in the basement of residential buildings. The dining hall's utensils immediately changed from plastic to basic silverware. There are even events that promote going green. This was practically my first time seeing such a clean environment in New York, and what shocked me more was the collaborative effort within the community. It made me happy to have staff and peers working together to go green. Back in high school, my school advocated recycling through signs and separate bins, yet students didn't pay them any mind, and staff members didn't care that they didn't. Some staff members even disregarded their signs and didn't recycle themselves. There wasn't any significance in recycling present from both parties and no process was made as a result, but seeing the hand-in-hand cooperation on campus was very surprising and made me feel content. Seeing this on-campus gives me hope that the future will show a planet with zero wastelands and hopefully a worldwide population of recyclers. Recycling is a crucial habit that should be implemented into everyone's daily life. Not recycling leads to detrimental effects such as climate change and pollution from greenhouse gases. Such a vision requires significant amounts of individuals and effort but always begins with a small number of people. I am glad to be a part of a community that took the first step.

Baking is something that I have always had an interest in, but quarantining and being at home furthered the passion for the hobby and became an activity that relieves stress during this unprecedented time. Adhering to COVID-19 protocols, I am constantly in and out of my local supermarket picking up ingredients the day before my next project, which usually leaves me anxiously waiting for the next day to start preparing delicious desserts. I obtained a sense of contentment hearing from my family that my chocolate chip cookie cake, brownies, strawberry shortcake, and pumpkin cheesecake bites were on par with desserts presented by Chef Gordon Ramsey. It motivates me to continue to do what I love and create more yummy treats everyone can indulge in. Baking also sparked the aspiration of starting a baking club within my university. I want to make desserts for various events throughout the school, including charity and volunteer events that combine my love for baking and community service in one. I enjoy baking as I always leave with new skills and unlocked challenges. When I first made cheesecake, I was left with a soggy crust and a cracked, overcooked cake. This event was pretty devastating as cheesecake is my favorite cake among them all. While the cake tasted fine, it looked horrid and had a weird texture. I stumbled upon multiple mistakes when baking such as whipping up apple strudels and banana bread hard as concrete and failing to make french buttercream form for macarons. As someone who would like things to go well in the first run, encountering these faults damaged my confidence but led me to dig deep and learn why these mistakes happened and how to correct them. I learned that a water bath is encouraged to keep a cheesecake from cracking, how over/under mixing your batter can make or break a dessert's presentation, and how oven time and how frequently opening the oven can affect the desserts themselves. While researching to make my creations better, I introduced myself to healthier alternatives of savory treats to craft for my mother, a diabetic. I look forward to the challenge of presenting these healthy alternatives to my mother and accommodating those who prefer them. Baking made me realize that it is okay to make mistakes, things won’t always go correctly at first, and that after some practice, things will get easier. Baking also allows me to experiment and try new things. The activity puts me out of my comfort zone and encourages me to discover desserts I've never heard of before or always wanted to try. When making traditional desserts, it's as if I am bringing its country of origin to my kitchen. I also get introduced to ingredients embedded in different cultures that have never stepped foot in my household and become a chemist within my kitchen, utilizing them in other creations. Baking overall is a hobby that I hold dear to my heart. I hope the drive and passion for it never stop.

In late 2020, I joined Part of the Solution, or POTS, an organization committed to providing essentials to assist members in the community, motivated by those who took time out of their day to fill my grandmother's pantry with canned and packaged goods. I greatly appreciated those who have assisted her during such challenging times, inspiring me to expand my role in aiding my community. Walking into the center the first few times, I was stunned by the number of bags the staff had assembled with groceries and various necessities. Upon gazing at what seemed to be a thousand bags full of goods stacked on top of each other, I had a revelation that they would soon enter a home in need of food and be served on someone's dinner table. I realized that even in my local community, many of my neighbors are struggling and dealing with difficult situations. POTS has been around for many years, but the neighborhood need has dramatically increased. Due to the pandemic, some residents rely on POTS as a means of survival, while others come as a way to feed their families and get necessities for them on a daily basis, whether a pandemic is present or not. This particular perception was the drive that kept me going during the six-hour weekend shifts and the three-hour weekday shifts. I put thought and effort into cooking and packaging hot meals and packaging canned foods, fresh produce, masks, and baby necessities for my neighbors. While my feet and back were aching due to standing for hours and transferring canned foods to my station multiple times, I was motivated by the thoughts of aiding my neighbors who severely needed such assistance, especially during this time. With my eyes now open wider due to my experiences with POTS, I was aspired to actively engage in community service on a local, national, and international level, which ultimately led me to sign up for EngageUAlbany. While I have roughly over twenty-five hours of service with POTS, the responsibilities in my senior year of high school, other extracurriculars, and ultimately going to a university far away meant I could not participate in POTS as often as I wanted to. EngageUAlbany will allow me to continue volunteer work and community service even while attending school. POTS overall has played a significant role in my goal and aspiration of volunteering more often. Though I cannot be there as frequently as I would like to be, I will still be attending any shifts I can make during any school breaks as this organization started my drive for aiding the community after all.