Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is an autoinflammatory disease of the immune system in which blocked hair follicles lead to an immune response which affects the skin. HS skin can be identified by the presence of lesions filled with blood and pus, sometimes connected to each other through sinus-like tunnels. The cause of this disease is unknown and there are no long-term cures. That is the long answer. In short, HS is a disease which took over my body and my life. This disease is, and there is no other way to put this, disgusting. My name is Carli Mankowski, and I am 17 years old. Although HS usually develops after age 25, I have already been living with this disease for more than half of my life. Although HS is linked to obesity and smoking, I am a wiry 115 pounds and have never touched a cigarette. Despite the total absence of these and other suspected causes of HS, I was nonetheless diagnosed with Hidradenitis Suppurativa in 2020. It took me so long to get a diagnosis because it took me so long to speak up about it. What young girl wants to speak up about the bloody, bumpy skin growing up her inner thighs? I felt that I needed to hide my skin, leaving me unable to wear certain types of clothes. Shorts? No. Leggings? Imagine the flareup. Bikinis? Absolutely not. When considering purchasing a garment, women typically consider their weight, their hips or their breasts. Most women do not have to consider a chronic skin disease. That’s right, its chronic and it's never going away. That being said, I never had many clothing options to choose from. I felt left out, and my body confidence was at rock bottom. That’s when I discovered that I am a talented seamstress. I began to learn how make my own clothes, configured to my body and my needs. When I am sewing, I no longer have to choose between clothes that look good and clothes that feel good on my skin. Sewing became my freedom. HS, which was once my struggle, became my inspiration. It inspired me to sew clothes that were beautiful and new, but still hid my disease. The question was “How have I turned my struggle into my strength?”, but I am rephrasing it to say “How have I used my struggle to create new strengths?”. This is because I acknowledge that I still struggle every day. While I did gain a new strength, it did not replace the struggle. Rather, the two live in harmony. This is not a story of learning to love my disease, it is a story of overcoming it. Hidradenitis Suppurativa is still as ugly as it is embarrassing, but my love for sewing helps me to live my life with confidence. Not only does my sewing benefit me, but I also pride myself in teaching others to make their own clothes. I choose to spread my love instead of my hate. I even demonstrate an entrepreneurial edge, as I use my skills to benefit my community. For example, in 2020, I took initiative and used my newfound skill to make hundreds of COVID-19 masks for at-risk people, both in my neighborhood and at local hospitals. My HS story is far from over, but as I continue to struggle with it, I will continue to use it as motivation.

One practical solution that helps treat the widespread plague of mental illness is the ability to communicate with a trained professional from the home. The tough reality of mental health problems is that they can affect anyone; they don’t discriminate by age, gender, wealth or mobility status. It especially concerns me that poverty is positively correlated with rates of depression, anxiety, psychological distress and even suicide. This means that as rates of poverty rise, so do these illnesses. People with a lower income deserve to be mentally well just as much as those who are wealthy. Unfortunately, those with less money may not have the means to commute to and from therapy sessions. That being said, the ability to speak with a therapist without leaving the house is a modern adaptation that will help many people. It is estimated that in America, 90% of people have access to the internet. This means that hundreds of thousands of people, young and old, can receive help with their mental health concerns remotely. Aside from mobility concerns, online therapy can also help access those who have social anxiety. It is hard for some people to communicate with others face-to-face, and they could be silently suffering while trying to build up the courage to speak. Therapy presented in other forms, such as by phone, internet, or even text messaging, provides a less-stressful lifeline for socially handicapped people. As in the case of those with lower income, people with social anxiety deserve to be mentally well just as much as those with confidence. More simply stated, everybody deserves to be mentally well, and the introduction of online therapy is making strides to see that it becomes a reality.

My name is Carli Mankowski, and I am an aspiring astrophysicist. I interpret this scholarship to be one that rewards a focused young woman with an academic drive, a passion for science, and confidence in her gender. I pride myself in being the embodiment of all of the above qualities. Academic success is a huge part of who I am; of where I am today. I am very proud to say that I have maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA for my entire life. Even in elementary school, when grades were relatively inconsequential, I received nothing less than perfect marks. If I were to be honored with the Connie Konatsotis Scholarship, the monetary prize would lessen the economic burden of college, allowing me to expend my energy keeping up my notable grades. Aside from my overall academic success, I specifically excel in the scientific field. My passion was sparked when I was inadvertently placed into an astronomy class, a mishap that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was hooked from day one. Ever since, my passion for stars and other celestial bodies has done nothing but grow. Astrophysics is the siren that calls me to the STEAM field; I have a need to understand the universe around us. I strive to be admitted to a sophisticated school so that I can continue on my path of scientific learning and become a strong scholar in my community. What sets me apart from other aspiring candidates is my acrimony of the gender trends in STEAM fields. While it is widely known that men dominate the STEAM workforce, the reasoning behind it is the real secret. Out of all of the women that attend college for a STEAM major, 49.2% of them end up switching to a non-STEAM major for various reasons. I believe that scholarships such as the Connie Konatsotis Scholarship can empower young women keep their passion for STEAM alive. Scholarships like these recognize the interests and achievements of students and play a large role in shaping their futures. I should be chosen to receive the Connie Konatsotis Scholarship because I will set an example for STEAM women everywhere; not only will I stick with my intended major (astrophysics), but I will thrive in it. I will be a part of the generation of female scientists that break the statistic; that break the trend. I will be the shining beacon that advocates for equality In the STEAM field.