Star Farm Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students

I am a native New Yorker, I come from a residential community in the Bronx called Pelham Bay. It holds over ten thousand people, and yet everyone is connected. The place itself seems to be stuck in time with the way things work, the same family businesses are running, the same school rivalries continue, and the same traditional values are set in place. And even though the people in my neighborhood are obsessed with Bronx and New York history, I’ve never heard or learned about Stonewall until I started high school. In my community, there aren’t many people like me, a daughter of a single mother who doesn’t go to the zoned high school and a lesbian. Where I’m from you can’t be gay and successful, you’d be wasted potential. All that I’ve accomplished wouldn’t matter because it’s such a shame I wasn’t “right”. When talking to others in my neighborhood I could share all my new achievements and everything new with me, and say that I know it’s a shame I don’t have a boyfriend yet but it’s because I’m focusing on school. To me, college is about growing as a person and I hope to do that in an environment where I don’t have to hide my sexuality. And if that sort of safe space isn’t at my college, I’d make one. It’s an important part of me that I’ve had to hide from my home for so long and I no longer want to feel that way. I want to be able to embrace every part of myself and not my sexuality as a setback to help others in my future community who’ve experienced the same. Besides being part of a supportive community college is something very important to me regarding my future. I am a first-generation student who was raised by a single mother. I plan on going into medicine and have done my best to be involved with it as much as I can so I can ensure my place in a good institution. I’m in my school's pre-med and advocacy club and am the leader/founder of my school's book club. I also volunteer my time as a lab tech and peer tutor at my school during my free time as well as hospital shadowing that I did over the summer in the ER. Even though what I’ve done isn't exactly linked to the LGBTQ+ community, I am a part of the community, and any success and accomplishments I’ve achieved directly reflect those of my peers. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to receive both an education and a community without having too much financial burden.

As a queer teenager growing up in a conservative town, I leapt at the opportunity to be in my high school’s first inclusivity club. From junior high to my senior year, a tiny GSA club called Sanctuary became my home, and I was lucky enough to be able to lead it for 4 years. Being the person in charge of such an important, safe place for young kids and teens was an eye-opening experience and was a key inspiration for my love of psychology. For as long as I can remember, I have always been extremely open with my identity and how I express myself through clothes, artwork, and music. Unfortunately, in the close-knit community that I grew up in, my “eccentric style” was not as accepted as I’d hoped it would be. Luckily, my young naiveness kept me from realizing the amount of bullying and harassment I was enduring on a day-to-day basis. It wasn’t until about 7th grade, when I was outed to my entire school, that I became fully aware of my situation. From that moment on, being pushed around and yelled at for looking and acting differently became less funny and confusing and much more stressful. Luckily, once I entered high school, I realized that there were a lot more targets available than just a thirteen-year-old with a ton of confidence and even more Hawaiian shirts. After half a year of searching for a community that I felt safe in, I stumbled into Sanctuary Club. The first meeting I attended was in mid-December of 2019, when it was composed of about 11 teenagers with one teacher sitting in a circle and talking about their feelings. For some inexplicable reason, hearing about the ups-and-downs of this group struck a chord in me, and I knew that somehow this was going to be a huge part of my life. Through a year and a half of remote meetings, where our members slowly started dwindling in number, I stuck with the club and eventually began to lead the group. I was making calls to schools, working with county-wide organizations, and giving my whole life to 5 people who could not have cared less, all at the age of fourteen. During the summer before sophomore year, our advisor left, our old members had graduated, and it was my job to rebuild Sanctuary from the ground up. From then on, our club became an activist group for education and equality, specifically surrounding the LGBTQ community, around the school. In my time leading this brand-new group of students, I saw shy kids become loud, proud advocates for the LGBTQ community and fight for what they believed in. I witnessed eighth graders standing up against juniors and seniors to protect themselves and their classmates. After years of giving back to my small community, and building up an army of young, passionate activists, my love for psychology had been sparked. I'm currently planning to enroll in SUNY Binghamton, which is on the more expensive side of SUNY colleges. Earning the scholarship will help me in being able to attend the full 4 years and eventually get my doctorate. I aim to become an even bigger advocate for LGBTQ rights, as I'm heading off to a very large environment, and a scholarship like this will be a huge step in helping me get there.

Reflecting on where I am in life and the path I have taken to get here, I wouldn’t change a thing. Although most people raised with the knowledge of being transgender will experience tribulations, I hope that I can speak for many of us in saying that these experiences have shaped me into who I am today. I will be forever grateful for having been accepted into my top choice college at SUNY Polytechnic through their dual degree BS/MD program, and recognize that I would not have found myself in the position in life that I am without the road, however difficult it may have been, that I’ve taken. Up until the 8th grade, I was enrolled in a private school that espoused stereotypical gender norms and viewed my boyish appearance and behavior with contempt. To the faculty and students, I was seen as an oddity; I lacked any modicum of femininity, and deviated from their expectations regarding the pursuit of knowledge by young girls. As time passed, I came to realize that I did not live up to others’ expectations because I was not what others expected; I was a transgender male attempting to survive in an environment non-conducive to my acceptance. Despite performing at the top of the class, I was routinely antagonized by my teachers and alienated by classmates. I endured that way of life for years, until my eventual return to a public-school, where I was able to openly identify as male in a school setting for the first time. Although harboring some reservations regarding my identity and ability to take pride in it, I found myself longing to advocate for others in the LGBTQ+ community. I joined my high school’s Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) club my freshman year of high school - becoming vice-president sophomore year, then president for both my junior and senior years. Throughout my time in GSA, I noted the similarities between my younger self and the growing number of diverse persons in relation to their need for acceptance. By establishing myself as a support system, I knew I could provide validation in a way I felt was lacking in my earlier developmental years. I began meeting with school officials to advocate for a protected space for transgender or gender non-conforming individuals to use the restroom and comfortably change for gym class. Through these efforts, I successfully secured the approval for my high school’s first gender neutral bathroom. The construction of this facility not only provided a decided degree of comfort, it also served as an undeniable sign of support for our community. The acceptance I have felt towards my community and myself has only grown since then, continuing on as I have left home in pursuit of a higher level of education. Alongside my studies as a Biology major and Chemistry minor, I make time to try to address the needs of those around me through meetings with student government and faculty regarding implementation of further gender neutral restrooms, as well as suggestions to improve the name changing policy on campus. Serving the LGBTQ+ community has become a significant priority of mine, and will continue to play a major role in my life as I eventually pursue my medical degree through SUNY Upstate Medical in affiliation with SUNY Polytechnic. With the assistance provided from this scholarship, I would be able to decrease the financial burden these next 11 years of schooling will place on me, and strive to become a doctor that plays an active role in facilitating inclusion and diversity to better address the needs of my community.

My experience in the LGTBTQ+ community has shape my goal to become a Registered Nurse (RN) by obtaining a BSN degree and passing the NCLEX-RN examination to obtain a nursing license. Growing up I always felt like an outcast but since the LGBTQ+ movement I have come out of my shell and been able to pursue my dream of helping others through nursing.      I aim to gain valuable clinical experience during my education. It has been my lifelong dream to make a positive impact on the lives of those that are like myself and once felt alienated and afraid to be their true selves.  I will use my passion to provide compassionate and high-quality care, advocate for my patients’ rights, and actively contribute to improving healthcare outcomes for those who still feel like they do not have a voice.      As an aspiring nursing student I have a goal of advancing into leadership or a management position within a local healthcare organization. I aspire to become nurse manager, director, or administrator to positively influence policy, improve healthcare delivery, and lead teams of healthcare professionals.      I would love the opportunity to participate in the advancement of nursing and gain knowledge through research or evidence-based practice. I aim to conduct research studies, participate in scholarly projects, or implement evidence-based interventions to improve patient care.    I would use this scholarship to cover tuition and fees associated with my nursing program. It would be a blessing to have the scholarship funds pay for my educational expenses, ensuring that I can focus on my studies without the financial stress.          Nursing programs require textbooks, uniforms, clinical supplies, and other materials. I plan on allocating a portion of the scholarship towards purchasing these necessary items to support my learning and clinical experiences.       I have also considered using the funds to attend nursing conferences, workshops, or seminars that can enhance my knowledge and skills in specific areas of nursing thereby growing my professional development. This scholarship will cover the costs associated with obtaining my nursing license or certifications. I will use the scholarship funds to pay for these fees, ensuring that I am prepared for my nursing career upon graduation.      Achieving my long-term goals of pursuing an advanced degree and certifications in nursing will give me the opportunity to help those in need that are unable to help themselves. This scholarship will help me continue my professional development and open doors to higher-level nursing roles in my future.           I have always wanted the knowledge of being able to heal others, especially in an emergency situation. In my previous professions I subconsciously sought out careers that enabled me to attend to persons in need. My first employment was with AHRC a state funded agency specializing in working with special needs children where I took on the role of a direct support professional. At another stage of my life, I even became a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, where the safety of others was my main focus.             In both of these positions of employment, I felt comfort in knowing that I had the knowledge and ability to save the lives of those I was assisting or attending in case a crisis event arose. I have taken CPR class and First-aid many times throughout the years to ensure my certifications were always up to date, when I finally receive my RN certificate there will be no limit to how many people I can save and heal.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, this scholarship will help me pursue my educational goal of becoming a biomedical engineer. Engineering as a male-dominated field has some downsides to it. For example, the Harvard Business Review conducted a survey that resulted in the finding that 40% of female engineering students do not finish their degree because of the "masculine culture" of engineering itself. (Silbey, 2016). As a gay woman, I feel that these experiences of being treated differently would pertain to me especially. I would love to be able to one day give back to the community that has accepted me with such open arms. When I went to my first pride parade, I was 16 years old. I went with my best friend, who is also gay, and who ultimately convinced me to go to this event. I was absolutely terrified. I had come out not a month ago, and here I was at this enormous festival celebrating what I am, but was too scared to admit to being a mere four weeks ago. We stopped at a tent on the corner of the street run by a few older women whom all had rainbow ribbons feathers in their hair and clothes. Perhaps I looked nervous, because the leader of the tent took me from my friend for a moment, and asked me why I was there. I responded that I was there for my friend because he had asked me to accompany him. She turned me around to reveal my orange, white, and pink pride flag sewn into the back of my jean jacket and took my hands in hers. She told me, "It does not matter who you love, it does not matter who hates you for it, and it does not matter what anyone else has to say about it. You are welcome here. Do not feel ashamed to be something that you did not choose. Have pride.". Her words ring in my head often. Being able to get through college would be an amazing achievement because I would be studying exactly what I love and doing it for the community that loved me without hesitation. In the future, I plan to work to improve the mechanics and processes of gender-affirming surgery. I want to work with teens and young adults to truly expand the research being done on these types of surgeries, and discover how we can make it safer and better. Transgender people deserve to feel seen and understood, and that should reflect in the quality of affirming surgery they receive. I truly believe this to be my ultimate goal in life, and even if my efforts make one person's surgery slightly less painful, the results slightly more euphoric, or the recovery slightly less time, I will have considered my ultimate goal complete. I cannot thank you enough for your consideration. I truly am grateful that there are people in this world that are so generous as to set aside funds for people who identify as LGBTQ+ to study. I cannot wait to be able to help my community and to see the smiles that I indirectly helped create. References: Silbey, S. (2016). Why Do So Many Women Who Study Engineering Leave the Field?. Harvard Business Law. Retrieved April 29, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2016/08/why-do-so-many-women-who-study-engineering-leave-the-field

My aspirations to become a physician, coupled with my desire to address the medical needs of LGBTQ+ community and surgical needs of trans people, have been the driving force behind my ongoing pursuit of academic excellence. My work in this regard has proven successful as I recently learned of earning Valedictorian status of my senior class; a feat that entailed significant effort and diligence to achieve. My commitment to these academic endeavors has been unwavering with the purposeful intent of preparing me for the rigors of the extremely competitive BS/MD dual degree program I will begin in Fall 2023. My interest in becoming a physician was sparked by many circumstances that occurred during my upbringing, and later fueled by the events that unfolded after socially coming out as a transgender male in the 8th grade. My proclamation at a young age was followed by an oftentimes painstaking journey that ultimately led me, years later, to gender affirming surgery; an event that cast light on the paucity of available resources in my area. That artistic surgery led to an epiphany; I could meld my passion for art and serving the LGBTQ+ community, with my interest in medicine into a career in reconstructive surgery for those with gender dysphoria. While I have endured a multitude of the struggles experienced by many members of the trans community, I am a firm believer that my successful perseverance of these obstacles, both in the past and those likely to occur in my future, will prove integral in helping me become a successful surgeon who is steadfast in promoting social justice, and dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to the personal experiences that initiated my journey towards working in the field of reconstructive/gender affirming surgery, my passion and inspiration for these endeavors come from my research on the work by Stanley H. Biber - A pioneer in sex reassignment surgery who helped modernize transgender healthcare. Biber recognized the importance of assessing a patient's goodness of fit for transitioning and revolutionized many of the techniques utilized to determine a patient's readiness and preparedness for the impending change. In essence, he was one of the first medical scientists to consider the mind-body interplay and the bidirectional nature of influence between one’s emotional and physical well-being with positive treatment outcomes. Although Dr. Biber was integral in taking the first steps towards addressing the totality of needs presented by trans individuals, transgender people continue to be routinely antagonized and ostracized for attempts to align their physical appearance with their gender identity. It is my goal to continue Dr. Biber’s crusade and mitigate the dysphoria of trans people, not only through advocacy, but by spearheading innovative practices to modernize and transform this field of medicine. It is at this time that I take pause and reflect with gratitude to be at this place in my life - at the precipice of taking the first steps towards a future I have consciously and purposefully planned out, and one that I witness in sincere reverence as it begins to unfold. Facing the distant future and looking beyond the 12+ year academic and training path ahead of me (i.e., 4 years for bachelor's, 4 years for medical school, and multiple years for residency and fellowship), my future sights involve my ultimate ambition of utilizing my medical degree in a manner that benefits the trans and LGBTQ+ community. Overall, I am extremely excited at the prospect of a career in medicine, and look forward to the prospect of dedicating my services to the WNY’s trans community in this capacity.

As a young Indian bisexual woman, I have always felt a deep connection to the struggles of marginalized communities. Growing up in New York City, I witnessed the pain and fear of those who were not able to speak their truth about their gender identities. The constant pressure to conform to societal norms and expectations often left many feeling alone and repressed. It was during my high school years that I had an acquaintance who was terrified of outing herself as a lesbian. She was worried about the repercussions she might face, such as being outed to her family and the possibility of being ostracized from her community. It was then that I realized the dire need for a safe space where she and others like her could freely express themselves without fear of discrimination or harm. I took it upon myself to organize our school's Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club, which aimed to provide a platform for LGBTQ+ students to discuss their experiences and seek support from their peers. Our club meetings were always filled with emotional discussions, thought-provoking debates, and a sense of belonging that was sorely lacking in our school community. It was incredibly heartening to witness the impact our club had on our school community. Students who were previously hesitant to speak out began to find their voices and share their stories, and for the first time, many felt seen and heard. Through our GSA club, I had the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many young people and empower them to be their authentic selves. As I move on to my college years, I am excited to continue my journey of advocacy and community-building. One of the organizations that caught my eye at Fordham University is their PRIDE Alliance, which aims to create a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ students on campus. Joining this group would allow me to continue developing a safe space for everyone to share their stories and to empower others to embrace their true selves. In today's society, where hate and discrimination continue to rear their ugly heads, it is more important than ever to advocate for marginalized communities. Through my experiences with the GSA club, I have seen firsthand how powerful it can be to create a space where individuals can be their true selves without fear of judgement. I am passionate about promoting social justice and creating a more inclusive society for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or background. As a young Indian bisexual woman, I know that I have a unique perspective to offer in the fight for equality and acceptance. I want to use my voice and my experiences to make a positive impact on the world, and I believe that joining the PRIDE Alliance at Fordham is the perfect way to do just that. I am excited to continue my journey of advocacy, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.