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Daphne Ngu

1,975

Bold Points

3x

Nominee

1x

Finalist

Bio

Hi, my name is Daphne Ngu and I am a rising senior at David Douglas High School. The one thing I am most passionate about is expanding my knowledge by learning new things. The pandemic has taught me the importance of education and I’ve developed a strong desire to push myself to another level in order to make room for growth, intellectually, physically, and mentally! Over this past year, I am mesmerized by the beauty of science, more specifically the developmental and physiological aspects of the human body. By being exposed to biomedical research in high school, I am able to explore different specialties and learn more about what goes into research. These experiences compel my decision of wanting to fulfill my life goal of becoming a physician. Growing up, my family have given me unimaginable love through their acts of service to provide only the best for my siblings and I. Gradually, I came to the realization that my parents were demonstrating how I should give more than receive. Seeing my selfless parents help support not only my family, but every person they meet inspires me to do the same. This helped develop my compassion side and strengthened my ability to grow more meaningful relationships, both professionally and personally. Thank you for thanking the time to read my bio/essay and I hope you consider choosing me to be your scholarship recipient.

Education

David Douglas High School

High School
2018 - 2022

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
    • Genetics
    • Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
    • Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
  • Planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Medical Practice

    • Dream career goals:

      Pediatrician

      Sports

      Tennis

      Varsity
      2020 – Present4 years

      Tennis

      Junior Varsity
      2018 – 20191 year

      Awards

      • Athletic Award

      Research

      • Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) with Dr. Kent Thornburg

        OHSU — Intern
        2021 – Present
      • Partnership for Scientific Inquiry Program OHSU

        Biomedical Research Internship — Student
        2021 – 2021

      Arts

      • Orchestra

        Music
        2016 – 2020

      Public services

      • Advocacy

        ORWA, Youth Organization of Vietnamese Churches in Oregon and Washington — One of the 8 committees! I represent for my church and I make sure my church's voice is heard when having meetings about planning events.
        2019 – Present
      • Volunteering

        The Grotto — Greeter
        2019 – 2019

      Future Interests

      Advocacy

      Volunteering

      First-Gen in Health & Medicine Scholarship
      As a first-generation student, I had no one in my family to turn to for academic assistance. My Vietnamese immigrant parents couldn't help me with subjects like English, science, and writing. My parents could only teach the basic math of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, which were covered in my purchased K-5 summer math workbooks. Once middle school started, I struggled to complete assignments on my own. Copying other people's work gradually became a fallback strategy whenever I encountered any "difficult" questions. I could have executed the assignments on my own, but I lacked perseverance and willpower, which made balancing advanced courses much more challenging. This cycle of inadequacy broke off during my junior year when I began taking online classes. My father sat me down one cloudy, autumn evening to talk about education. In the midst of our conversation, he asked me a question that has stayed with me till this day: “Do you want to be a follower or do you want to be a leader?” After taking the time to deeply reflect on what my father said, I felt compelled to take initiative in my life. I didn't want to keep hoping for a better future. I want to take charge of my future. I stopped asking my friends for help on all assignments. Instead, I nervously press the link to join the office hour. After going to office hours consistently, I begin to see my test scores and communication skills improving. This eventually opened my mind to the possibility of being part of something bigger. Around October 2020, I began searching for internships on the internet. Fortunately, I came across an Instagram account called “OHSU PSI Program”, a biomedical research program sponsored by Oregon Health and Science University. Without any hesitation, I signed up for the internship. On January 21, a Gmail notification from the PSI Program brightens my phone screen. “Congratulations! You have been chosen as one of the 45 students for the 2021 PSI Cohort. We had well over 200 applicants this year. You should be proud of yourself!” My ecstatic scream echoed down the hall as I dashed to my father's room. It was at this moment that I realized I was about to enter into a new chapter in my life. Over the course of 3 months, I have worked vigorously to stay on top of this biomedical research program. I was given the opportunity to work under a researcher specializing in hematology with two other classmates. To best understand the research of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), I needed additional background on the coagulation pathway, which was one of the most difficult topics I have ever learned. I've spent at least 45 hours researching this subject, learning in various areas as I go. A few weeks later, I felt capable of teaching my classmates during my fifteen-minute presentation. I confidently explained the concept of blood clot progression and answered my peers’ questions regarding the coagulation pathways. When the program ended in May 2021, I realized that I had grown intellectually and emotionally, beyond all expectations. I am proud to be the first daughter of two Vietnamese immigrants who sacrificed everything to come to the US. Without them, I would not be able to experience the extraordinary opportunities that this program offers and develop a strong desire to learn more about medicine.