Hello dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Yarlin Ramire-Helguera, daughter of two immigrants who, like many others, have sacrificed their dreams for my family and I. I am a first-generation, Mexican American college graduate. For me, furthering my career represents more than just a personal achievement. This is a way of honoring the hard work, sacrifice, support, and resilience of my parents. As the first in my family to attend and graduate from college, I am breaking barriers. My parents came to this country with the hope of creating a better life for our family, often working long hours in difficult conditions so that I could have opportunities they never had. They have sacrificed more than I can imagine, giving up on their desires to help me achieve more. I want to give them the life they could not have. My background has shaped my values, hard work, humility, and determination, and I carry those with pride as I pursue my education and career. My journey as a first-generation student is driven by the desire to become more not only for me and my future, but also to honor the sacrifice my parents have made. They have made me who I am and showed me not to give up, to face the world head-on, and achieve my goals. It honestly breaks my heart when I can’t do much for my family right now. In these moments, the only thing I am grateful for is having my family's support. Their hardship makes me realize that the world is not fair. Especially to our community. In this world, to make a difference, you have to be someone in life. I want to be able to help my community, to demonstrate that the sacrifice of our parents was worth it. I want the Hispanic community to be even more proud of their accomplishments and their roots, because we have to make the change. I see and hear how people let down their community because they have forgotten the sacrifices that other people have made in order for others to be on top. Let's never forget who we are and protect each other. I firmly believe that being Hispanic in this country is being above and beyond others because we have what it takes to become someone. I thank my family who has made me who I am today, and for showing me not to settle for less but to go above and beyond.

Hello dear Scholarship Committee, My name is Yarlin Ramirez- Helguera. I am the daughter of two immigrants who, like many others, have left their families to give them better opportunities. I am passionate about being a first-generation, Mexican American college graduate because it represents more than just a personal achievement. This is a way of honoring the hard work, sacrifice, support and resilience of my parents. Being the first in my family to attend and graduate from college means I am breaking barriers. My parents came to this country with the hope of creating a better life for our family, often working long hours in difficult conditions so that I could have opportunities they never had. They have sacrificed more than what I can imagine, giving up on their desires to help me achieve more. I want to give them the life they could not have. My background has shaped my values, hard work, humility, and determination, and I carry those with pride as I pursue my education and career. Pursuing Interior Design allows me to bridge my cultural heritage with creative expression. I have been able to learn that we live in a world where design wasn’t always accessible or prioritized, I see the power of intentional, inclusive design to uplift communities and tell stories that reflect diverse identities. My journey as a first-generation student is driven by the desire to become more not only for me and my future but to also honor the sacrifice my parents have made. They have made me who I am and showed me to not give up, to face the world head on and achieve my goals. I want to bring the values that shape the person I am into the design world, where representation matters. I hope to design spaces that feel welcoming and authentic to people from all backgrounds, especially underrepresented communities like my own. Being in this field isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces, it's about giving voice to perspectives that haven’t always had a seat at the table. Through my education and career, I aim to show others in my community that it's possible to succeed in creative industries, and I want to open doors for those who come after me. I want to make the design world to also be seen more valuable than what the world makes it seem. I want to bring my culture, language, and perspective into my field and help others see that our stories and voices matter.