Over the past year, in preparation for my collegiate career, I have explored many future career pathways. I have wanted to pursue a career choice that allows me to be of service to my community. Growing up, I was privileged to witness both of my parents give back to the community through their careers as public school educators as well as volunteering at our church and at my dance studio. I knew I wanted to have that same impact my parents had when I was exploring possible career paths. Which is why I have decided to pursue the career of becoming an OBGYN. My goal is to study biology on a pre-med track. With biology, I’ll learn about the study of living organisms and the life consisting of one cell. I want to use biology and apply it to the medical field; specifically as a gynecologist. Childbirth is a beautiful thing, yet it is very demanding and harsh to the woman's body. Sometimes childbirth can lead to brutal health complications and even death. I want to use what I learn about how life consisting of one cell affects one's health care to change this situation. Earning my degree and entering the medical field as a Black woman, I will provide a safe space for pregnant Black women. Over the past months I have heard and read about the number of Black women dying during child labor. This is often due to the healthcare industry not paying attention and listening black women when they say they are in pain or feel like something is wrong. Often they are misdiagnosed. A long term goal of mine is to open up my own practice with an inclusive staff. I think it’s important to have a practice like this, especially for Black women, because it would not only be encouraging for the people who work there but for the patients to feel comfortable getting treated. The impact that I want to make in my community and in the medical field is to provide a space where women of color can receive medical care without barriers. I want to create an environment where medical care is synonymous to community and wellness and not synonymous to debt, struggle, and other health problems. My goal for my future practice is to be a place where women are comfortable and have agency in their body and health services.

Over the past year, in preparation for my collegiate career, I have explored many future pathways. I have wanted to pursue a career choice that allows me to be of service to my community. Growing up, I was privileged to witness both of my parents give back to the community through their careers as public school educators as well as volunteering at our church and at my dance studio I grew up in. I knew I wanted to have that same impact my parents had when I was exploring possible career paths. I plan on studying biology on a pre-med track. With biology, I’ll learn about the study of living organisms and the life consisting of one cell. I want to use biology and apply it to the medical field; specifically as a gynecologist. Childbirth is a beautiful thing, yet it is very demanding and harsh to the woman's body. Sometimes childbirth can lead to brutal health complications and even death. Often due to the lack of medical attention given to women, specifically black women. I want to use what I learn about how life consisting of one cell affects one's health care to change this situation. Earning my degree and entering the medical field as a Black woman, I will provide a safe space for pregnant Black women. Over the past months I have heard and read about the number of Black women dying during child labor. This is often due to the healthcare industry not paying attention and listening black women when they say they are in pain or feel like something is wrong. Often they are misdiagnosed. A long term goal of mine is to open up my own practice with an inclusive staff. I think it’s important to have a practice like this, especially for Black women, because it would not only be encouraging for the people who work there but for the patients to feel comfortable getting treated. The impact that I want to make in my community and in the medical field is to provide a space where women of color can receive medical care without barriers. I want to create an environment where medical care is synonymous to community and wellness and not synonymous to debt, struggle, and other health problems. My goal for my future practice is to be a place where women are comfortable and to have agency in their body and health services.

I always knew that I wanted to work with kids and make a difference in someone’s life. That's why I decided to major in Biology and pursue the career of an OBGYN as an Physician’s Assistant. I plan on volunteering at the hospital near campus to get the feel of what it would be like to be in that environment and have had jobs and experiences with working with children. Aside from studying and working towards my goals, I enjoy playing the cello and working out. I have been playing a musical instrument for 13 years, and the cello for seven years. Something on my bucket list is to play backup for a big artist like Adele, Giveon, or Beyonce. Over the past couple of years I have also started to make working out a priority in my weekly schedule. For me working out is like a stress reliever and very therapeutic. In my music and fitness hobbies, I have had the privilege to create and participate in spaces centered around Black women: whether that is with my sisters or starting a workout support group with my friends. The ability to have spaces that highlights my identity allows for me to explore my interests without barriers, I want to bring that to my academic and career goals as well. Earning my degree and entering the medical field as a Black woman, I will provide a safe space for pregnant Black women. Over the past months I have heard and read about the number of Black women dying during child labor. This is often due to the healthcare industry not paying attention and listening black women when they say they are in pain or feel like something is wrong. Often they are misdiagnosed. A long term goal of mine is to open up my own practice with an inclusive staff. I think it’s important to have a practice like this, especially for Black women, because it would not only be encouraging for the people who work there but for the patients to feel comfortable getting treated. The impact that I want to make in my community and in the medical field is to provide a space where women of color can receive medical care without barriers. I want to create an environment where medical care is synonymous to community and wellness and not synonymous to debt, struggle, and other health problems. My goal for my future practice is to be a place where women are comfortable and have agency in their body and health services.

Over the past year, in preparation for my collegiate career, I have explored many future pathways. I have wanted to pursue a career choice that allows me to be of service to my community. Growing up, I was privileged to witness both of my parents give back to the community through their careers as public school educators as well as volunteering at our church and at my dance studio. I knew I wanted to have that same impact my parents had when I was exploring possible career paths. My goal is to study biology on a pre-med track. With biology, I’ll be able to further examine how different societies and communities behave and interact. I’ll learn about the study of living organisms and the life consisting of one cell. I want to use biology and apply it to the medical field; specifically as a gynecologist. Childbirth is a beautiful thing, yet it is very demanding and harsh to the woman's body. Sometimes childbirth can lead to brutal health complications and even death. I want to use what I learn about how society affects one's health care to change this situation. Earning my degree and entering the medical field as a Black woman, I will provide a safe space for pregnant Black women. Over the past months I have heard and read about the number of Black women dying during child labor. This is often due to the healthcare industry not paying attention and listening black women when they say they are in pain or feel like something is wrong. Often they are misdiagnosed. This scholarship would help me get one step closer to helping many women of color. These much needed funds will allow me to receive the training, mentorship, and preparation to become a physician and impact the health of Black women. I see this as my way of continuing my parents legacy of investing into our community.

After not making volleyball teams, not being picked for a National Honors Society officer, being overlooked for student council, losing friendships, and even deciding to take the semester off of my first year in college I have always heard the words everything happens for a reason. I have despised the saying "everything happens for a reason" due to the unfortunate circumstances; however, it has only made me realize that these situations have placed better things in life. Although hearing the saying is because something in my life has not gone the way I expected, it still has a deep meaning. With a more recent experience of what I went through my first month of college, I decided to come back home. This decision was difficult because it was not what I expected for my first year in college; it was the right choice for me academically and mentally. After a campus-wide cube attack, no running water for a couple of days, minimum access to staff, and not in the particular major I hoped to be in, I decided to withdraw and return home. This experience has allowed me to take a step back and redirect my purpose. I can find a school that is a perfect fit for me and take time to figure out what I am passionate about. The lessons I have learned from the saying "everything happens for a reason" is that being turned down or let down by something turns you into something better. "Everything happens for a reason" has been a lesson I have came across multiple times. It is almost like a love-hate relationship. I love that when there is chaos or something goes wrong, there is a positive side to everything. However, the situations I have been through have been difficult. But to get to the positive endings something you have to go through difficult times. While things may not go as expected, I have learned that I am the only one in control to turn things around. "Everything happens for a reason" does not mean that I have failed but will lead me in a different direction.