Being a Pacific Islander attending college can feel extremely overwhelming at times. Knowing that I am one of the only ones, especially in the engineering field, makes me feel a sense of alienation and loneliness. Knowing that many people do not relate to my home situation and share the same customs or traditions reinforces this belief further when brought up in conversation. However, I am proud of my Pacific Islander heritage and upbringing. I am proud of how far I've come despite all the challenges I've faced during childhood with family conflict and living in a low income household. I am proud of myself for sticking through this notoriously difficult major and doing relatively well. My only real source of income comes from Financial Aid loans, grants, and scholarships. Food expenses are covered by EBT Food Stamps, but whenever my friends want to go out to get some nice food at a restaurant once in awhile, I always feel extremely insecure considering my lack of financial stability. Due to this, I usually skip out on eating out with friends where possible, since saving money and monitoring expenses is my top priority. Additionally, if anything were to go wrong with any of my necessary peripherals such as my Laptop, iPad, phone, or even electrical components (some of these become expensive and are required for my major), I don't currently have the capacity to replace them unless I take a loan. Thus, receiving this scholarship would most definitely put me at ease regarding some of these expenses. I also wouldn't feel so insecure about treating myself once in awhile with my friends since currently I feel that I have no choice other than skipping out to ensure financial stability. Furthermore, this scholarship would provide me with funds to be able to buy the electrical components necessary for personal projects, classes, etc. since these can get extremely expensive and I currently don't have the financial backing to purchase these. The scholarship would also aid in me paying for other school related expenses such as textbooks, examination booklets, scantrons, school supplies, etc... I truly appreciate your time and consideration as well as your decision to open this scholarship up to those of Pacific Islander descent. Not many people are aware of the Pacific Islander upbringing which prioritizes family and tradition which sometimes makes it difficult to focus on education. However, I hope my message has made it clear that my will and ambition to learn and push through any upcoming challenges is what drives me. Thank you for your time.