"We are going to raise money to send Papa to South Africa for chemotherapy," I remember my mom sharing this news with my siblings and me shortly after revealing that my grandpa was diagnosed with throat cancer. My grandpa was determined to stay in Nigeria, regardless of the lack of accessibility to the necessary treatments and technologies to monitor his health. He passed eight months after his diagnosis. Amid this tragedy, I could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to prevent these events from recurring. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Computer Science and work on technologies that can be utilized in the field of healthcare across the globe. There is no value in improving technologies if those who need them never get access to them. I plan to pursue a career in Medical Coding in hopes of working on medical technology that can improve the diagnosis process as well as developing devices used in treatments. This field is one of the often unrecognized backbones of healthcare, and it is a method of utilizing my passion to improve the quality of life for others. I am very passionate about travel; post-graduation, I desire to experience ten countries in Africa before turning thirty. Aiming to grow an understanding of the many cultures that exist within Africa, including their languages, food, and lifestyle. This is very important to me because since leaving Nigeria, my family has struggled to obtain the finances necessary for visitation. I feel I must go back and reconnect with the culture that is responsible for who I am today. During my trips to Africa, I plan to visit hospitals within each country and gain a better understanding of their areas of need. I want to not only donate medical technologies to these hospitals but also offer assistance in improving existing systems. I believe this would make a major difference for healthcare providers as well as the quality of care locals receive. My main goal is to ensure that families do not have to depart from their loved ones, especially when facing health challenges. It is in such times that families should be united and surrounded by community. The best way to aid this would be to bring those necessary technologies to their communities. I believe in intertwining my travel with my field of study; necessary changes can be made, and I can inspire others to do the same.

"We are going to raise money to send Papa to South Africa for chemotherapy," I remember my mom sharing this news with my siblings and me shortly after revealing that my grandpa was diagnosed with throat cancer. My grandpa was determined to stay in Nigeria, regardless of the lack of accessibility to the necessary treatments and technologies to monitor his health. He passed eight months after his diagnosis. Amid this tragedy, I could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to prevent these events from recurring. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Computer Science and work on technologies that can be utilized in the field of healthcare across the globe. There is no value in improving technologies if those who need them never get access to them. I plan to pursue a career in Medical Coding in hopes of working on medical technology that can improve the diagnosis process as well as developing devices used in treatments. This field is one of the often unrecognized backbones of healthcare, and it is a method of utilizing my passion to improve the quality of life for others. This scholarship would assist in the completion of my degree in Computer Science. Every semester, my family is consumed by the fear of managing my school fees. This scholarship would alleviate those concerns for a full semester, allowing me to concentrate on my schooling without working excessive hours during the semester. My main goal is to ensure that families do not have to depart from their loved ones, especially when facing health challenges. It is in such times that families should be united and surrounded by community. The best way to aid this would be to bring those necessary technologies to their communities. I believe in intertwining my travel with my field of study; necessary changes can be made, and I can inspire others to do the same.

"We are going to raise money to send Papa to South Africa for chemotherapy," I remember my mom sharing this news with my siblings and me shortly after revealing that my grandpa was diagnosed with throat cancer. My grandpa was determined to stay in Nigeria, regardless of the lack of accessibility to the necessary treatments and technologies to monitor his health. He passed eight months after his diagnosis. Amid this tragedy, I could not help but feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to prevent these events from recurring. I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Computer Science and work on technologies that can be utilized in the field of healthcare across the globe. There is no value in improving technologies if those who need them never get access to them. I plan to pursue a career in Medical Coding in hopes of working on medical technology that can improve the diagnosis process as well as developing devices used in treatments. This field is one of the often unrecognized backbones of healthcare, and it is a method of utilizing my passion to improve the quality of life for others. I am very passionate about travel; post-graduation, I desire to experience ten countries in Africa before turning thirty. Aiming to grow an understanding of the many cultures that exist within Africa, including their languages, food, and lifestyle. This is very important to me because since leaving Nigeria, my family has struggled to obtain the finances necessary for visitation. I feel I must go back and reconnect with the culture that is responsible for who I am today. During my trips to Africa, I plan to visit hospitals within each country and gain a better understanding of their areas of need. I want to not only donate medical technologies to these hospitals but also offer assistance in improving existing systems. I believe this would make a major difference for healthcare providers as well as the quality of care locals receive. My main goal is to ensure that families do not have to depart from their loved ones, especially when facing health challenges. It is in such times that families should be united and surrounded by community. The best way to aid this would be to bring those necessary technologies to their communities. I believe in intertwining my travel with my field of study; necessary changes can be made, and I can inspire others to do the same.

I am an immigrant student from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, enrolled at the University of Maryland Baltimore County as a Computer Science major as of August 2023. My goal is to have a career in software development, preferably in the medical field. Since moving to the United States in 2009, my mom has been the sole provider for my family. She has juggled several jobs to care for myself and my three siblings. It has been a challenge to take out several loans for her education, as well as keeping up with the payments for my brothers and me. This scholarship would help ease some of those financial concerns by covering some of my textbooks. During my senior year of high school, I became the senior class president. Though initially, this task appeared to be simple and focused on topics such as prom themes and graduation garments, I quickly realized how much deeper these topics were to members of my community. During the initial prom sale, we sold approximately five tickets. Though I was aware that many students were waiting till the last minute to pay, I understood that there were likely deeper reasons for the lack of sales. Upon this realization, I decided to hold a fundraiser to assist in paying for students' senior dues (prom tickets/graduation garments). With the help of my sponsor, I held a movie night and sold tickets and food to assist students in eliminating the cost of their senior dues. I received an outpouring of emails from students letting me know they had financial hardships and their parents would not be able to meet the payments for their cap and gowns. By the end of our fundraiser, we had covered the cost of cap and gowns for 50 students and paid off prom for thirty students in my graduating class. Being able to play a role in something that gave low-income families the opportunity to see their children walk across the stage was so important to me. I remember missing out on twenty-dollar field trips because mom did not have the money to spare. I remember having to pretend I simply wasn't interested in attending, and I hated the idea of students spending 12 years in school and having to pretend they had no interest in attending graduation. I want to spend the rest of my life being able to give back to those facing hardships and financial difficulties. Though we are dealing with financial hardships at the moment, I know with financial and moral support I can complete my degree and give back to those who may not have the same opportunities as myself.

I am an immigrant student from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, enrolled at the University of Maryland Baltimore County as a Computer Science major as of August 2023. My goal is to have a career in software development, preferably in the medical field. Since moving to the United States in 2009, my mom has been the sole provider for my family. She has juggled several jobs to care for myself and my three siblings. It has been a challenge to take out several loans for her education, as well as keeping up with the payments for my brothers and me. This scholarship would help ease some of those financial concerns by covering some of my textbooks. During my senior year of high school, I became the senior class president. Though initially, this task appeared to be simple and focused on topics such as prom themes and graduation garments, I quickly realized how much deeper these topics were to members of my community. During the initial prom sale, we sold approximately five tickets. Though I was aware that many students were waiting till the last minute to pay, I understood that there were likely deeper reasons for the lack of sales. Upon this realization, I decided to hold a fundraiser to assist in paying for students' senior dues (prom tickets/graduation garments). With the help of my sponsor, I held a movie night and sold tickets and food to assist students in eliminating the cost of their senior dues. I received an outpouring of emails from students letting me know they had financial hardships and their parents would not be able to meet the payments for their cap and gowns. By the end of our fundraiser, we had covered the cost of cap and gowns for 50 students and paid off prom for thirty students in my graduating class. Being able to play a role in something that gave low-income families the opportunity to see their children walk across the stage was so important to me. I remember missing out on twenty-dollar field trips because mom did not have the money to spare. I remember having to pretend I simply wasn't interested in attending, and I hated the idea of students spending 12 years in school and having to pretend they had no interest in attending graduation. I want to spend the rest of my life being able to give back to those facing hardships and financial difficulties. Though we are dealing with financial hardships at the moment, I know with financial and moral support I can complete my degree and give back to those who may not have the same opportunities as myself.

My mom has been my greatest inspiration since moving to the United States. I watched as she sacrificed everything to start afresh and move my siblings and me into a healthier environment. The struggles we encountered as a family that would have taken many down were no match for her drive for success. As an immigrant family moving to the U.S, I remember the words "starting over" being used by my mom time after time. In Nigeria, my mom was a lawyer for ten years before moving to the U.S with myself and my three siblings. She left everything behind and started afresh as a Burlington cashier. She was ridiculed by customers for her accent and often called "underqualified" for underpaying cashier jobs. I watched as she struggled in silence because her degree held no weight in the U.S. One day, despite my dad's disapproval, my mom decided to apply to a nursing program. Though she was initially rejected, she decided to keep trying. Eventually, she was accepted into a nursing program and began working in a nearby nursing home. Though she struggled with time management, she worked hard to maintain good grades and a full-time job while balancing being a present mother. Watching this series of events growing up played a huge role in my education. My mom taught me the importance of resilience and taking a chance. Many women who don't receive support on a decision from their spouse often give up or decide to switch gears. My mom knew she was passionate enough about the field to start over, and with hard work and dedication, she now carries the title of a Registered Nurse. Entering college, I had a lot of concerns about my ability to keep up with my courses and receive the grades I know I am capable of. Whenever I am met with these doubts regarding my abilities, I think about where we once were and where we are today. I think about what my mom sacrificed and continues to sacrifice for me to have the education that I do today. My mom's support has shown me that there is nothing in this world that I am not capable of doing when I put my mind to it. Though she took longer than most would prefer to complete her nursing degree, she did it. She showed me that life is not a journey but rather a marathon, and I am enjoying the journey of my marathon day by day.

I am a good candidate because I need to be, not because I want to be. I wish I could share my sad story but I don’t think there is anything sad about me. I watch my mom work from 7 pm to 7 am the next morning every other day of the week. This isn’t sad, she always dreamed of being a nurse. I watch my dad travel in and out of the country every 4 months because it is the only time he can afford to. This isn’t sad, I understand and appreciate the sacrifices he makes. I am a good candidate because the system gives me no choice but to be one. Everybody wants free money but it is a completely different story when it is the deciding factor between settling for a school and truly loving where you find yourself. This is not a sad story though. It’s just my story. A story doesn’t become sad until you view it that way. I am not defined by things in my life that others view as sad, but rather the strength in viewing them as a reason to succeed. I am defined by my two nephews; ages 4 & 2. I am defined by spending my entire summer babysitting instead of going out with my friends. I am defined by my obsession with cooking. The food touches a different spot if you learned how to do it because your mom would be working when you came home from school. This is not a sad story though, I now love to cook. The highlights of my story truly begin upon moving to America. I expected to see the beautiful cities that were shown on our “Bad Boys” cd in Nigeria. I was rather greeted with the boring but beautiful streets of Bowie, Maryland. The moment I stepped foot in my first American school I knew I could become whoever I told myself I was. Side note: five-year-olds LOVE to lie. If I felt like it, I could tell people I came from Dubai, France, or even Japan. This is the saddest part of my story. I felt I could only fit in if I lied. Turns out, people can differentiate an African accent from a French one. The lying ended after fourth grade, well..most of it. In fourth grade, I became a member of a program called TAG ( Talented and Gifted). I love this part of my story. I was talented. I was gifted. I was accepted. I didn’t have to lie anymore. I decided I wanted to be smart. Turns out, that middle school will humble a person. The kids got bigger and the words got meaner. As of sixth grade, I watched my straight A’s mix in with B’s and even a C. I came in contact with a version of myself that didn’t want to be me anymore because of the mean comments disguised as jokes I heard every day. This version of myself didn’t see the need to continue pretending. So I didn't. I wore my sketchers and my brandless hoodie. I was just happy that they were my own regardless of what anyone had to say about me. So we return to the point. Why is Wonder Akpabio a good candidate? She is a good candidate because she is me. I know her better than anyone else. I know that she feels like she deserves to take a burden off her mom's shoulders. I know that she feels her story isn’t sad because she hates that emotion more than anything else. I know she deserves it because the last thing her grandpa said to her was to stay in school because that was the only way he knew to say he loved her. I know she deserves it because she wants to stay in school, and she needs all the help she can get doing so.

Wonder is beyond just my name, but it truly defines my identity. In my native language, my name is Siyaya which translated to “wonders shall never end” I came to the United States from Nigeria in 2009. This transition was extremely difficult for my parents and siblings as it was a complete 180 from the life we once knew. My parents who were both lawyers in Nigeria, found themselves working minimum wage jobs to make ends meet. For this reason, my dad had to move back home and send money because the job he had here was not gonna feed his four children. In Nigeria, there is an ongoing joke that children have the options between a lawyer, a doctor, or failure. The message behind this joke is that we have the option between success and failure. The truth of the matter is that failure is never and will never be an option. From the day I was born my parents ensured that I understood that failure was not my portion. They reminded me that the name Wonder means to defeat the odds. To succeed even in areas where it seemed impossible. The sacrifices that my father has made solely out of faith in my success are what have kept me going. My Baba is truly my biggest influence in this life: in my language, Baba is a way of referring to your father. When I first came to America, I struggled to enter school because of my difficulties with English. My dad postponed his trip back to Nigeria and spent an entire year teaching me everything a five-year-old needs to know to enter the world. He sat with me through my struggles to understand basic math and patiently monitored my progress. He taught me to keep trying even when things took me longer to understand. He truly is my inspiration, my mentor, and most importantly a great father. My father shaped my career aspirations because he taught me to take risks. I have suffered from anxiety for as long as I can remember. From kids making fun of my accent to the clothes I wore, I found myself constantly shutting down and hiding. My dad always taught and continues to teach me to be confident in myself and my intelligence. This is what pushed me to explore engineering, a field in which many women are silenced and ignored. It is the confidence and drive that my father instilled in me that pushed me to pursue such a competitive field.