I always knew I wanted to get a college education. But figuring out the logistics of how to actually do it has been a daunting experience for both me and my parents. When I applied Early Decision to Rochester, I wasn’t sure how I would ever be able to afford the school. Having been awarded the Handler Scholarship has really taken the load off me and my parents. Sometimes I think about how many part-time jobs I would have had to take during my school year if I didn’t have the scholarship; just the thought of that scares me.

I am doing a dual degree in public health and accounting. Since I am still figuring out what I am really passionate about, my majors are bound to change. But that’s the beauty of being a Rochester student: the flexible curriculum really does allow me to explore fields that otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn.

Giving back to the community has always been one of my biggest priorities, the same as Rochester’s. But since coming to Rochester, my value for giving back to the community has intensified, whether it be through community-engaged classes that I took my first year or as a part of a globalized community within the University. I want to take this value forward in life to hopefully establishing a scholarship fund for girls in rural Nepal. My parents have always been an advocate for education for all and the same idea is embedded in the way Rochester functions. Being able to provide the next generation with the gift of education is one of the milestones I aspire to hit as I go on a lifelong journey to give back to my community.

The Handler Scholarship has given me the opportunity to grow myself personally and professionally without having to burden my family with debt or worry about debt myself. The Handler Scholarship community is there for us not only when we need guidance, but also to encourage us to be ever better, even when it’s hard to convince oneself to do so.

I am studying business marketing and creative writing. I have also taken about 20 credits related in digital media studies. I am currently a news assistant at University Communications where I can polish some of my skills in writing and communications.

One way or another I plan to tell stories. It’s what I have been working towards my whole life. I’ve always been interested in the art of storytelling, whether it’s for culture or for profit. I would like to work in marketing after Rochester but ultimately it would be great to be able to wake up surrounded by nature and finally write a novel or collection of poetry.

I hope in my writing and storytelling that I can inspire someone the way my teachers have for me. As the world starts devoting more and more of its time to STEM, we leave behind the humanities, but that doesn’t have to be the case. It may be unspecific now, but at some point, I hope my writing will contribute to the revitalization of the humanities.

The Handler Scholarship has allowed me the opportunity to be the first in my family to get a degree. Before this scholarship, my only option post high school was the military since I could not afford to go anywhere else. The biggest thing is that it has taken a huge burden off of my mom’s shoulders and helped me realize my self worth. The scholarship told me that my hard work has paid off and that my determination will not go unnoticed. It has allowed me to pursue my passions and help me develop connections and a whole network of people who care about me. This scholarship has been the biggest positive change in my life and in which I am forever grateful for the opportunities presented to me.

I am pre-med currently studying neuroscience at the University of Rochester. I hope to do a double degree with public health, and if not, then minor in public health, specifically health, behavior, and society. I am also intending on clustering in gender, sexuality, and women’s studies. I want to be able to expand upon my own beliefs and ideologies, and be able to see from perspectives other than my own. I also conducted a small research project last year that investigated and analyzed gun control in the Rochester community, specifically on our campus and was able to interview the President of the University, students, and faculty members. I was then invited to present my research paper at a conference at MCC to local members of the community.

After Rochester, I plan to utilize my degree(s) to pursue peer health advocacy. I intend to combine what I’ve learned in medicine with social activism, and travel to communities (outside of the US) to do research, educate, and advocate for minority communities (POC, low-income, first-generation, LGBTQIA+, etc.) in terms of health. I want to be able to help communities that are at risk and don’t have sufficient medical resources or aren’t properly informed. I want to work globally/internationally and be able to reach out to more than just the environment I grew up in, so that I can constantly learn about the world and the lives of others around me.

I plan to use my Rochester education to make my community and the world ever better by improving health care in communities that can’t easily access it. Specifically with my degree in neuroscience, I want to do research and explore mental disorders and neurological diseases and end the stigma behind mental illnesses in minority communities. I firmly believe that the lack of insurance or a healthcare plan should not cost you your life or your mental health, and those in impoverished/minority communities are the most at risk due to the inequality they experience from a failed societal system. I want to be able to improve healthcare, public policy, and just overall become an advocate for people who are like me: LGBTQ+, low-income, first-generation of an immigrant family, and a POC.