Growing up as an Asian American has presented its fair share of challenges. While I deeply appreciate the rich cultural heritage my background has given me, navigating language barriers and cultural differences often made me wish I were more “normal.” These feelings were amplified by the judgmental attitudes of my relatives and teasing at school. As a result, I felt alienated and ashamed of my Vietnamese heritage, leading to the loss of crucial parts of my identity that I’m still piecing together today. However, over time I have come to accept that this sense of disconnect may be a persistent part of my journey. Instead of fixating on how others may perceive me, I focused on flaws that I sought to improve. Instead of focusing on how little I knew about my own culture, I focused on gaining a bigger insight into it. Therefore, improving my self-esteem, approach to life, and my overall character. By embracing my identity rather than trying to change it, I've made significant progress toward self-acceptance through a shift in perspective. Although I’m well aware my journey of self-discovery is ongoing, I have gradually come to accept my differences and reconnect with my cultural roots instead of feeling ashamed. By fostering an optimistic outlook, I am slowly overcoming both past and present challenges. As I celebrate my unique identity and work to bridge the gaps in my understanding of my Vietnamese heritage, I discover that each step forward deepens my appreciation for my lineage and allows my inner child to shine with newfound pride and belonging. Through my struggles, I found a calling in my present intended field of study, chemistry. Prior to my sophomore year, I despised my science classes. Besides always choosing science for the start of the day and getting sleepy, I just overall lacked an understanding for it. But, thanks to the help of my amazing sophomore chemistry teacher, I was able to fully grasp the concepts in chemistry. I found that chemistry was a subject that I both loved and excelled at. As a result, I’m pursuing chemistry, and I hope to become a physician assistant once I’ve earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Furthermore, I decided to go down the medical route of science. As a student, even before high school, I regularly enjoyed involving myself in volunteering. Getting to connect with others whilst having fun doing various activities never ceases to bring joy to my life and to others. So, it only felt fitting that I’d continue my love for giving back to the community by doing it in other ways, such as caring for patients. By doing so, I hope to become a healthcare worker who is kind, compassionate, and reliable towards my patients. All in all, my struggles with culture helped shape me into who I am today by helping me adopt an open-minded outlook on life. By doing so, I found a new love for science, especially chemistry, and now hope to earn both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees to become a physician assistant. As a result, I hope to positively impact the world by giving back to my community through my career, which would be to care for my patients. Thank you for allowing me to share my story and hopefully alleviate the financial burden of college tuition.

My name is Vy Truong and I’m currently a first-generation 17-year-old senior in high school. Since I have an older brother already in college, my family is facing some financial constraints when paying for college. Despite this, I am committed to pursuing my dreams without adding to my parents' burden. My passion for STEM was sparked in my sophomore year when I discovered a love for chemistry. Before taking chemistry, I found science difficult and exhausting to wrap my head around. I think I owe most of it to my amazing chemistry teacher—who helped me fall in love with science--, but for me, chemistry immediately clicked, and I instantly knew that I wanted to do something in that field. However, my journey toward embracing my passion for chemistry wasn’t always straightforward. Previously, I struggled a lot with my mental health, which made it tremendously hard to focus on school or be present in life in general. In middle school, I had adopted a way of thinking that nothing mattered because death is imminent. That looming feeling that nothing I do would ever amount to much kept me tied down and prevented me from living my life to the fullest, if at all. When the pandemic struck, my condition only worsened. I fell into a deep state of despair, and I began to question if this is what all my life would amount to, if this was it. But once we were allowed back into school, I met my best friend in 8th grade who significantly changed my outlook on life and helped me to see that there was more out there. I know for a fact that without her guidance I wouldn’t be standing here today. She helped me realize that while life may be finite, I have the power to make the most of every moment I have. Since then, I’ve decided to pursue pharmaceutical sciences as my field of study or something similar, depending on the college. I specifically decided to go down the medical route of science because of my desire to give back to my community and help others who are struggling. As a student, even before high school, I regularly enjoyed involving myself in volunteering. Connecting with others whilst having fun doing various activities never ceases to bring joy to my life and others. So, it only felt fitting that I’d continue my love for giving back to the community by doing it in other ways such as making medicine in my desired field of study by becoming a medicinal chemist. I’ve still got a long journey ahead of me, as I plan to pursue a master's degree or higher, but I’ve been taking active measures such as taking AP classes to earn credit for college, actively participating in relevant clubs, etc. As I plan my future in STEM, this scholarship means more than just financial help—it’s a key step in turning my passion into action. With your support, I’m excited to make meaningful contributions to pharmaceutical sciences by researching and developing medicine. Thank you for considering my application and for the opportunity to share my story with you.

Throughout the pandemic, just like many others, I had a lot of free time to explore the Internet. Whilst on another deep YouTube rabbit hole, I stumbled upon my now favorite K-Pop group, ONEUS. K-Pop was a new and refreshing sound to me compared to the Western style I was used to. The song that initially got me into them was their title track, “TO BE OR NOT TO BE.” The stunts that they would execute in the choreography mesmerized me and the chorus kept me coming back for more. From there, I went down their discography and fell in love with their various other songs. Some of my favorites today are “Level Up,” “FULL MOON,” “Dizzy,” and “LIT.” I was already big into music way before I got into K-Pop though. I remember staying up late at night staring at my ceiling as it was being lit up by the Galaxy projector I kept in the corner of my room. Besides the fact that I loved how their music sounded, it was something that I used as comfort. I struggled heavily with my mental health due to all the isolation that the pandemic had brought along, and music was my means of escape. Being able to learn the choreographies of their songs, listening to their music, and watching variety shows they would attend, all worked as a distraction for when I was at my lowest. After the first huge wave of COVID-19 subsided, people were let back into schools, and I was a socially awkward and anxious mess. Through my love for K-Pop, I was able to relate to other classmates and have something to spearhead my conversations. ONEUS not only provided me with a safe space to go to when I was struggling but also helped me create friendships that I still hold dear to me today. Looking past my individual experiences, K-Pop has impacted global culture immensely as it has been on the rise. Take me for example, the only reason I found out about K-Pop was due to its globalization. Through music, people worldwide can connect with other fans who share the same interests as them. Artists like BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, and many more aided in the gradual introduction of Korean music to Western audiences. Specifically, with ONEUS’s catchy songs, they have been able to accumulate an international fan base over the years, and they continue to show support from all around the globe. Like many other K-Pop groups, they have been the reason for some netizens wanting to travel to Korea or learn the Korean language to connect with their favorite idols. Overall, my favorite K-Pop group, ONEUS, not only offered me a haven during challenging times but also paved the way for me to forge enduring friendships that remain cherished to this day. Furthermore, ONEUS was able to blossom a large international fan base and allowed fans all around the globe to feel connected. Alongside this, ONEUS and many other K-Pop groups sparked a desire among netizens to journey to Korea and/or learn the Korean language, all to establish a closer bond with their beloved idols. ONEUS and K-Pop have shaped me into the person I am today, and I am glad my stupid YouTube addiction ended me up in the place it did.