I was born in Calcutta, India. This has shaped my identity and relationship to education because I have always felt different and out of place in the United States. As an East Indian, I was also physically smaller than my classmates which put me at a disadvantage when it came to sports and leadership (because students who are taller are statistically more likely to be leaders). In addition, as an immigrant, I never really fit in. I have wondered if being an "outsider" will affect my career trajectory. However, my trajectory was completely altered when a severe car accident left me totally and permanently disabled. Overnight, my physical independence and my original academic plans were stripped away. I had to pivot, changing my major entirely to accommodate my physical limitations. Navigating a drastically different future, I also faced an unexpected financial hurdle: my disability made me ineligible for federal student loans, and my inability to work full-time disqualified me from private student loans. While my federal student loans were forgiven as a result of my accident, I was left grappling with medical-related private debt and credit card balances. These financial constraints have forced me to place my education on hold, even though I am so close to the finish line. Receiving a scholarship would not only help me pay back some of this debt, but it would allow me to move forward with my education. My education has been on hold because I had to change majors due to my disability and because of cost. I do not have enough money to finish my degree. Given my other disadvantages (such as being an immigrant and a minority), this has resulted in me feeling overwhelmed with all of the burden and systemic bias I feel. Unfortunately, my family cannot support me financially because my dad is not working because he has cancer and congestive heart failure. My mother is taking care of him and I have no brothers or sisters. All of my other family is in India and unable to assist. My life has been defined by the intersection of being an immigrant, a minority, and having a disability. However, I have continued to adapt and overcome those challenges. Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

In 2011, I became totally and permanently disabled as a result of a car accident. Over the past 15 years, I faithfully attended physical therapy, gradually regaining my strength and independence. After my accident, my childhood dream of flying military jets seemed impossible. But the air ambulance crew that quickly transported me to the hospital never left my thoughts. Now that I have regained my strength and independence, I applied to the private pilot program at Glendale Community College for the purpose of working in, and advocating for, emergency medical transportation. This program is a vital first step towards my goal of becoming a commercial pilot and healthcare advocate. I am not certain how I will pay the tuition and flight fees because my disability disqualifies me from federal student loans, and my low income makes it impossible to qualify for private loans because those loans are based, in part, on income. A $10,000 scholarship would cover most of my expenses and would allow me to embark on my journey of promoting and advocating for air medical transportation. I would like to advocate for, and promote advances in air medical transportation. I would like to start in the United States, but eventually expand to other countries. There is a great need for pre-hospital care in other countries. Some countries do not have basic Emergency Medical Services. There is an opportunity to advocate for education and resources to promote and coordinate pre-hospital care with air medical transportation. I would like to be at the forefront of this very important work. Whether I work as a pilot, a researcher, or a logistics coordinator, I would like to dedicate my life's work to advocating for and facilitating advances and innovations in medical transportation. I would like to utilize the same determination I used to overcome my disability to advocate for high quality pre-hospital care and air medical transportation. I would like to thank you in advance for any assistance you could provide. I am a first generation immigrant and a first generation college student. These factors, combined with my disability, have made attending pilot training seem impossible. I would love to find some donors to partner with who believe in the partnership between aviation and medicine. I believe this is a worthy cause. Although you may never see all the people who will one day receive a benefit from my work, I would like to say a "thank you" on their behalf for the gift of life you will have given them. Thank You.