Being a member of the Indian community has been and will continue to be a significant part of my life. It has taught me to respect others, the importance of family and friends, how to surpass my goals, the value of diversity, and various other life lessons. My most cherished memories include our annual Diwali party. As a child, I was delighted to light firecrackers, sing, dance, converse, and devour my favorite Indian snacks. I hope to invite others into this corner of the Indian community, share the unique experiences I have gained from my culture, and immerse myself in different cultures to build excellent rapport with them. Throughout my career, I want to reduce people's misunderstandings of my cultures and eliminate any misconceptions I have of others' by joining multicultural companies to continue broadening the depth of my knowledge to include the hundreds of cultures represented in the world. Ever since I was little, I had already formed attachments to certain brands whether that was because of their engaging advertisements or their ability to fulfill my needs. My interest in marketing was sparked by studying one of the most successful brands in the world that I am attached to, Apple. Their ability to build a brand experience everyone desires has inspired my journey into the field of marketing. My first step began with learning how to market in this digital age from the leading digital marketing platform by taking Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course. One of the most fascinating things I learned was how to effectively utilize Google Analytics to give you insights into which keywords searched directed a user to your website. This allows you to efficiently tailor the content and pages to meet their needs to improve user experience, drive traffic to your website, and build brand loyalty. This strategy and several other intriguing topics throughout the course reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in marketing. But I don't plan on marketing products just for the fun of it. I hope to spread the truth of people's cultures and identities through the products I promote. I continued my passion this year by taking a Sports, Entertainment, and Hospitality Marketing class. We have had multiple marketing and sales guest speakers describe their success in marketing their respective sports teams through innovative and captivating marketing campaigns. They emphasized the importance of networking, paying close attention to details, problem-solving, creativity, and seizing opportunities as they arise to achieve your goals. Their imaginative use of marketing to integrate sports with memorable experiences to build more engagement further motivated my curiosity to continue exploring more about the field of marketing. In this class, I have learned about how essential confidence, being knowledgeable on all topics and people, and being able to come up with solutions on the spot are to achieve progress. In the future, I hope to advance my marketing skills to create compelling market campaigns and promote products and services to not only generate audiences with avid users as effectively as Apple has and continues to do but also create a space where everyone is treated with respect and accurate representation, not what today's mainstream media likes to portray.

As a lifeguard at my local community center, I was initially terrified of someday being responsible for saving someone’s life. But when the day came, my instincts kicked in. I was halfway through my shift when a five-year-old boy, who couldn’t quite reach the bottom of the pool, began choking on water and flailing his arms. Recognizing his signs of drowning, I dove in without hesitation, quickly bringing him safely onto the pool deck and into his concerned mother's arms. I remember seeing the genuine fear in his eyes and how unsure he was of his surroundings. I kept on reassuring him that he was now safe, but he was unable to say anything to me, not even nod his head. So I just stayed with him until he felt comfortable enough to get up from the pool deck. I waited until he finally returned to a state of normalcy and smiled back at me. I secured a lifejacket on him and he resumed enjoying his time in the pool as if nothing had just happened while I reflected on that frightening moment. I realized that being able to help that little boy, in his time of need, made me grateful I took on the duties of lifeguarding. At first, I didn't believe that I was capable enough to have dozens of lives put in my care to protect. The weight of my responsibility felt like something I wasn't quite ready to handle. It isn’t always easy having to maintain unwavering vigilance over the pool and be ready to respond to critical situations at any moment, but helping others feel carefree and safe has been one of the most rewarding impacts for me on my community. I have provided countless members of my community an experience they will always cherish, because of my dedication to having everyone who walks in leaves on two feet with a smile on their face. Knowing that I am helping so many people each day be able to enjoy a day at the pool, is a feeling I will never get over. Lifeguarding has taught me not only how to think and act decisively but also the importance of being confident in your abilities, empathetic to others, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard. Every community needs its own “lifeguards," reliable people that others can look to for comfort, guidance, and help, especially when they need it most. In college, I plan to continue being a “lifeguard” for my new community by assisting my fellow students in any aspect of their life, whether that’s schoolwork or otherwise.

We live in the Information Age where we only grasp snippets of information at a time, influencing our everyday decisions. We often only absorb the opinions of others through five-second advertisements, assuming them as our own. It’s more convenient to believe what they state, and so we frequently buy into products, services, or brands, only to be disappointed when they fall short of our expectations. This leads to a lack of trust in companies due to product misrepresentation, reduced consumer spending, and eventually a setback in the consumer economy. By broadening my knowledge of how to market ethically through the marketing seminars in college, I believe I can be a marketer who helps firms discover and utilize technological and market opportunities while offering authentically promoted, well-designed products and services to customers. Currently, businesses are overlooking the long-term impacts profit-driven success has on consumers. The sustainability and marketing-based classes will teach me how to balance monetary and non-monetary profits. As brands continue to innovate and collect users' data, full transparency of our products and services has become essential in building trust. To gain that trust and achieve long-term sustainable growth, advertising campaigns must bring the businesses’ values and cultures to their customers, not only the advantages of the products being sold. By utilizing the wealth of resources and opportunities my college offers, such as business leadership programs, I hope to catalyze positive social impacts of sustainable marketing by delivering value to customers and other businesses and benefitting the planet in an environmentally and socially responsible way. I plan on effectively and ethically using marketing strategies to satisfy people’s needs so businesses can increase sales, the number of jobs, and tax revenue for the government, leading to economic growth throughout the world. I hope to give back to the community through my future career, and I have already made a difference with my current job. As a lifeguard at my local community center, I was initially terrified of someday being responsible for saving someone’s life. But when the day came, my instincts kicked in. I was halfway through my shift when a five-year-old boy, began drowning. I dove in without hesitation, bringing him safely onto the pool deck. I remember seeing the genuine fear in his eyes and how unsure he was of his surroundings. I kept reassuring him that he was safe until he smiled back at me and he resumed enjoying his time in the pool. I realized that being able to help that little boy, in his time of need, made me grateful I took on the duties of lifeguarding. It isn’t easy having to maintain unwavering vigilance over the pool and be ready to respond to critical situations at any moment, but helping others feel carefree and safe has been one of the most rewarding impacts for me on my community. I have provided countless members of my community an experience they will always cherish, partly because of my dedication to having everyone who walks in leaves on two feet with a smile on their face. Lifeguarding has taught me not only how to think and act decisively but also the importance of being confident in your abilities, empathetic to others, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe, valued, and heard. Every community needs its own “lifeguards," reliable people that others can look to for comfort, guidance, and help, especially when they need it most. In college, I plan to continue being a “lifeguard” for my new community by assisting my fellow students in any aspect of their life, whether that’s schoolwork or otherwise.

Swimming has always been a significant part of my life. As captain this year, I gave back to the community that has supported me since eighth grade. As a team member, I always felt valued, heard, and supported in ways I never had before. They always encouraged and pushed me to exceed my own expectations, both in and out of the pool. As an upperclassman, I became a pseudo-sister, giving helpful advice, listening to their stories, and comforting them through tough times. As a captain, I continued to build upon that team environment, camaraderie, and inclusive community for all. I made sure to be available as a resource as an upperclassman, captain, and friend to every teammate. This year my fellow captains and I had a major disagreement about our team’s annual one-night retreat up north. One captain wanted a two-night retreat, as the last two were affected by the pandemic, while the rest of us preferred a one-night retreat. This conflict caused a massive rift between us because she believed we were shutting down her ideas. I mediated that turbulent situation, making both parties set aside their differences to collaborate and make the retreat a success. Throughout the season, I made sure everyone’s voices were considered to ensure that an issue like this would not resurface. During the pre-season, I spent over five hours each week planning the logistics and costs for the retreat ending in a successful weekend trip. I also lead by example, motivating everyone to strive for their best in the pool each day. I got in the pool each day on time, did the workouts we had without complaining, and was a positive beacon through my dancing, singing, and an optimistic attitude. Over the years, I enhanced my techniques and dropped time for every event because of the effort I put into improving. Being a leader has helped me take more accountability for my actions, and while the roles and responsibilities of a captain are challenging, building a home away from home for the girls on the team has been incredibly rewarding. My swim journey inspired me to be a lifeguard and further give back to my community. As a lifeguard at my local community center, I make sure that everyone who uses our facility leaves on both feet with a smile on their face, keeping them happy, healthy, and most importantly safe. I was initially terrified of someday being responsible for saving someone’s life, but after performing my first save on a terrified five-year-old boy, I realized that being able to help a little boy, in his time of need, made me grateful I took on the duties of lifeguarding and set my fears aside to help others. It isn’t always easy having to maintain unwavering vigilance over the pool and be ready to respond to critical situations at any moment, but helping others feel carefree and safe has been one of the most rewarding impacts for me on my community. Lifeguarding has taught me not only how to think and act decisively but also the importance of being confident in your abilities, empathetic to others, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe. Every community needs its own “lifeguards," reliable people that others can look to for comfort, guidance, and help, especially when they need it. In college, I plan to continue being a “lifeguard” by assisting my fellow students in any aspect of their life, whether that’s schoolwork or otherwise.

Ever since I was little, I had already formed attachments to certain brands whether that was because of their engaging advertisements or their ability to fulfill my needs. My interest in marketing was sparked by studying one of the most successful brands in the world that I am attached to, Apple. Their ability to build a brand experience everyone desires has inspired my journey into the field of marketing. My first step began with learning how to market in this digital age from the leading digital marketing platform by taking Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course. One of the most fascinating things I learned was how to effectively utilize Google Analytics to give you insights into which keywords searched directed a user to your website. This allows you to efficiently tailor the content and pages to meet their needs to improve user experience, drive traffic to your website, and build brand loyalty. This strategy and several other intriguing topics throughout the course reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in marketing in the future. I continued my passion this year by taking a Sports, Entertainment, and Hospitality Marketing class. We have had multiple marketing and sales guest speakers describe their success in marketing their respective sports teams through innovative and captivating marketing campaigns. They emphasized the importance of networking, paying close attention to details, problem-solving, creativity, and seizing opportunities as they arise to achieve your goals. Their imaginative use of marketing to integrate sports with memorable experiences to build more engagement further motivated my curiosity to continue exploring more about the field of marketing. In this class, I have learned about how essential confidence, being knowledgeable on all topics and people, and being able to come up with solutions on the spot are to achieve progress. In the future, I would ideally work for companies that prioritize having a work-life balance and also promote collaborative, creative, and inclusive work environments. I hope to advance my marketing skills to create compelling market campaigns and promote products and services to generate audiences with avid users as effectively as Apple has and continues to do. I see myself 10 to 15 years down the road, being a business owner of a company in either the entertainment, technology, or beauty and fashion industry using the skills I will have accumulated through years of learning how to market a company and its goods and services. My company would actively be taking steps to help others directly and I am looking forward to beginning the first part of the journey to my dreams, starting with majoring in marketing in college.

Ever since I was little, I had already formed attachments to certain brands whether that was because of their engaging advertisements or their ability to fulfill my needs. My interest in marketing was sparked by studying one of the most successful brands in the world that I am attached to, Apple. Their ability to build a brand experience everyone desires has inspired my journey into the field of marketing. My first step began with learning how to market in this digital age from the leading digital marketing platform by taking Google’s Fundamentals of Digital Marketing course. One of the most fascinating things I learned was how to effectively utilize Google Analytics to give you insights into which keywords searched directed a user to your website. This allows you to efficiently tailor the content and pages to meet their needs to improve user experience, drive traffic to your website, and build brand loyalty. This strategy and several other intriguing topics throughout the course reinforced my interest in pursuing a career in marketing in the future. I continued my passion this year by taking a Sports, Entertainment, and Hospitality Marketing class. We have had multiple marketing and sales guest speakers describe their success in marketing their respective sports teams through innovative and captivating marketing campaigns. They emphasized the importance of networking, paying close attention to details, problem-solving, creativity, and seizing opportunities as they arise to achieve your goals. Their imaginative use of marketing to integrate sports with memorable experiences to build more engagement further motivated my curiosity to continue exploring more about the field of marketing. In this class, I have learned about how essential confidence, being knowledgeable on all topics and people, and being able to come up with solutions on the spot are to achieve progress. In the future, I would ideally work for companies that prioritize having a work-life balance and also promote collaborative, creative, and inclusive work environments. I hope to advance my marketing skills to create compelling market campaigns and promote products and services to generate audiences with avid users as effectively as Apple has and continues to do. I see myself 10 to 15 years down the road, being a business owner of a company in either the entertainment, technology, or beauty and fashion industry using the skills I will have accumulated through years of learning how to market a company and its goods and services. My company would actively be taking steps to help others directly and I am looking forward to beginning the first part of the journey to my dreams, starting with majoring in marketing in college.

Being a member of the Indian community has been and will continue to be a significant part of my life. It has taught me to respect others, the importance of family and friends, how to surpass my goals, the value of diversity, and various other life lessons. My most cherished memories include our annual Diwali party. As a child, I was delighted to light firecrackers, sing, dance, converse, and devour my favorite Indian snacks. I continue to invite others into this corner of the Indian community, share the unique experiences I have gained from my culture, and immerse myself in different cultures to build excellent rapport with them. I help to reduce people's misunderstandings of my culture and eliminate any misconceptions I have of others by learning more about multicultural communities to broaden the depth of my knowledge to include the hundreds of cultures represented in Minnesota. Swimming has also always been a pivotal part of my life. As captain this year, I gave back to the community that has supported me since eighth grade. As a team member, I always felt valued, heard, and supported in ways I never had before. They always encouraged and pushed me to exceed my own expectations, both in and out of the pool. As an upperclassman, I became a pseudo-sister and resource, giving helpful advice, listening to their stories, and comforting them through tough times. As a captain, I continued to build upon that team environment, camaraderie, and inclusive community for all. I also lead by example, motivating everyone to strive for their best in the pool each day. I got in the pool each day on time, did the workouts we had without complaining, and was a positive beacon through my dancing, singing, and an optimistic attitude. Over the years, I enhanced my techniques and dropped time for every event because of the effort I put into improving. Being a leader has helped me take more accountability for my actions, and while the roles and responsibilities of a captain are challenging, building a home away from home for the girls on the team has been incredibly rewarding. My swim journey inspired me to be a lifeguard and further give back to my community. As a lifeguard at my local community center, I make sure that everyone who uses our facility leaves on both feet with a smile on their face, keeping them happy, healthy, and most importantly safe. I was initially terrified of someday being responsible for saving someone’s life, but after performing my first save on a terrified five-year-old boy, I realized that being able to help a little boy, in his time of need, made me grateful I took on the duties of lifeguarding and set my fears aside to help others. It isn’t always easy having to maintain unwavering vigilance over the pool and be ready to respond to critical situations at any moment, but helping others feel carefree and safe has been one of the most rewarding impacts for me on my community. Lifeguarding has taught me not only how to think and act decisively but also the importance of being confident in your abilities, empathetic to others, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe. Every community needs its own “lifeguards," reliable people that others can look to for comfort, guidance, and help, especially when they need it. In college, I plan to continue being a “lifeguard” by assisting my fellow students in any aspect of their life, whether that’s schoolwork or otherwise.