One of my fondest memories is one that didn't happen on some crazy trip or at a famous destination. It happened one calm evening at an event organized by my school - an event that reminded me why I chose hospitality. I felt nervous as I walked into the event because I was alone in a crowd. As soon as I saw my friend, I felt at ease. She formed a group with several international students from South Korea, which scared me because we had a language barrier. I was welcomed with smiles and music as soon as I came in. There was catering, game stations, a photo booth, and a disco dance floor. While this was over 2 years ago, I recently came across the photo booth picture and connected with that day. It wasn't a high-budget event or a glamorous venue - but the way it was put together made us feel we belonged. Every detail, from how the high tops were arranged to how the workers guided us, turned what could've been another school function into a memorable experience. That experience showed me how even a simple event can have such a lasting impact on people's lives. That day, I walked in with one friend and left with many, even with a language barrier. Hospitality wasn't just about food or entertainment but about human connection. That night, I realized I wanted to be the person who created that environment. I want to create events that turn strangers into friends, where people from different stages of life feel welcomed and special. Hospitality is about making room for everyone. It is about creating spaces that celebrate diversity, bring comfort, and leave people feeling seen. This scholarship would help me pursue my hospitality, tourism, and event management degree. With it, I'll be able to study the technical side of planning while learning what makes an experience truly magical. I want to carry forward the spirit of that school event and bring it to everything I do - whether I organize a large conference or a small gathering. Like Sylvester, I believe in the lasting impact of kindness. I want to dedicate my career to that - one guest, one event, and one memory at a time.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always answered, "I don't know, yet;" the response was a frown and an encouraging “Don’t worry, you will figure it out.” As I grew up, I started to list careers I would not enjoy, the list kept growing and my anxiety grew with it. When you show interest in a creative field, you’re often overlooked. Nevertheless, I've always wanted a career that would allow me to enjoy what I do. I seek a job that can satisfy my mathematical yet creative passions. I fell in love with marketing. We are so connected, as the shrinking globe term shows. It amazes me how a text from the US can reach Japan in a matter of milliseconds. We are more connected than ever. A career in this field is so exciting because of the way it connects people. We go into marketing to help the right people find the right products at the right time. “Haz bien y no mires a quien” – do good and don’t look at who - is something I was taught from a small age. It expresses that you should do good things and be a good person just because you feel that way. Through digital marketing, I can promote products and services that will assist people to live their best lives. But with such an array of skills required, this is not possible without a team, which is something I love about digital marketing. Most digital careers such as coding and website development are solo careers. Digital marketing is different; it entails an interdisciplinary team to encourage new solutions, new forms to convey messages, and new perspectives. It is essential to find the right team to find the right audience. People are so important, and this career advocates for that. Humans seek human interaction. Being a global citizen is one of my biggest aspirations. I've lived both the peaceful community-focused European life and the productive fast-paced American life. This drastic change taught me to appreciate and embrace differences. My ideal future encompasses working internationally where I can continuously experience new cultures, new people, and new languages. Digital marketing, on its own, is already an exciting field because of its never-ending development but I want to push myself further and work with an international factor. In this field, I would be continuously learning about new trends while learning about a new country and how its consumers react to certain forms of media. Living in different countries has taught me to adapt easily, which is a beneficial skill in a career that is always changing. I want to give back to the world through my work. Marketing is everywhere; we are all consumers. In this fast-paced world, we are stuffed with new information every day. This is a career heavily focused on constant learning, which I admire as a curious person. I regularly seek new things to learn about whether it be a poster at school, a documentary, an online certification, or a how-to YouTube video. Additionally, when you find the right people in your life, you know they are there to stay. I hope to find people like that in my work community as I have in my personal life. One of my biggest passions in life is travel. It all stems from curiosity and motivation to know new things, new people, new languages, and new ways of life. Through all these aspects of my life, my ideal future in this field is working internationally to help international and national brands get recognized as meaningful.