A man, his face grizzled by years of hardship, gazes at me. “It’s my foot,” he says distraught, “If it busts open again, I won’t be able to work. I almost lost my land and my truck, and I need to pay my daughter’s rent.” The doctor I’m shadowing is quick to ask questions, and after being asked, the man peeled his compression sock off, revealing an awful bruised-red foot. He got help, but many do not. This example of suffering is all too common in my rural southeast Ohio community. I hail from Athens County. Poverty rate: 30.6%, one of the highest in all of Ohio. But Athens is more than my hometown, it is my home. Though the challenges to this population may be disheartening to others, my community's needs continue to fuel my motivation. So I wish to remain, study medicine, become a doctor, and work to serve my community. That is why I strive to become an osteopathic primary care physician. I plan to study at Ohio University and later, the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine to stay in Athens and help serve my struggling community as a doctor. The need for more doctors in my community is incredibly apparent. Many times my family has had to travel all the way to Columbus, an hour-and-a-half drive away, just to see a doctor. By awarding me this scholarship, you aid the fight against illness and injury in Ohio’s most impoverished rural community. As a child, I would thumb through children’s books that explored different parts of the human body. I would be amazed at the intricacies that make up who we are. I didn’t know it then, but looking back, it’s obvious that I always wanted to become a physician. The reason human anatomy, physiology, and biology fascinate me is not just the scientific aspect of it (though that does play a big role), but it is because it is the study of us, people. I am amazed by how our bodies are designed. How are our bodies made to keep us alive? And how can we use medicine to fix and prevent issues in our bodies? That is what I desire to study through Ohio University and later, medical school. On that note, I feel that Osteopathic medicine is the right path for me. It’s logical to treat the body holistically, as one unit with parts that interconnect in vastly intricate ways instead of just treating specific issues as if they were isolated. I am looking forward to continuing my education through Ohio University and the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. I hope that you assist in my journey to heal the sick and injured in my small-town, southeast Ohio community. Thank you so much for your consideration.

As you crest the top of a hill, you see the sun just barely touching the horizon. You stop to take it in, the endless expanse, the unending earth to explore, the vast opportunity to be found. That is what I see in America... opportunity. The chance to go from rags to riches. Some call it the American Dream, but I know that it is an American reality. My grandfather was born to poor Illinois farmers, he had holes in his shoes, he had to walk miles to school every day, and he had no running water or electricity in his household. However, now, my grandfather is not a poor farmer. He rose, he went to college, he got a degree, and then he got a second. He graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Ph.D. and went on to be a successful school administrator. He found an opportunity in America. While I have running water and electricity, my family hasn’t been able to give me much financially, but what they have given me is priceless. They have instilled integrity, willingness to do what is right when no one is looking, and compassion for everyone, especially those less fortunate. I hail from one of the poorest counties in Ohio, Athens. It is a beautiful little town and we boast a wonderful university, but surrounding me, the poverty is clear to see. I wish to be like my grandfather. I wish to rise so I can bring my community up with me. I wish to attend Ohio University's medical school, become a physician, and stay to practice in this area. I wish to take advantage of the opportunity that America affords and work hard to succeed. I want to help others in impoverished situations. I want to become a doctor and stay in Athens to administer care to our impoverished community because they are the ones who need it most and they are extremely dear to my heart, as this is the community I was raised in. As for what I want to change in America, there’s not much. But I want to foster an environment of helping others, especially those less fortunate than you. I wish to do just that and inspire others to do the same by becoming a doctor and serving my home area. By awarding this scholarship to me, you aid the fight against illness and injury in one of Ohio’s most impoverished communities, Athens. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

“Runners! Stand in your lanes… get set!” BANG! The starter pistol shoots and I’m off, my breath quickens and my heart races as I run around the track as quickly as my body will allow. Here, I am summiting the largest mountain I have ever climbed, and it was a massive journey to get here. In January 2022, I was 16 years old, with 65 extra pounds, and my face somewhat resembled a beach ball. I looked in the mirror and thought, Is this the kind of person I want to be for my whole life? The resounding answer was no, so with some guidance from my mom, I began running on the treadmill in our basement and weighing myself each week. Mile after mile, it was impossibly difficult at first, but I kept at it, determined to see it through. What helped a lot was seeing progress after the first few weeks. From January to November, I ran on that treadmill. My motivation waned at times, some months I logged only five or six runs, but I always found it again. During October I managed to run every single day, and in November, I signed up for our local Turkey Trot, where I came in third place. It was then, my family and I decided I should give track a try. Come February, outdoor track season began, and I started to make some of the first real friends of my high school career. By the end of March, the first track meet was upon me. I was about to run the first 1600 of the season. I stepped to the line, and when the gun went off, I took off… way too fast. By the 200 mark, I was already out of energy, and I was starting to settle into the worst 5 minutes of my life. But, by the end of the race, my coaches and I found out that I ran it at 5:09, faster than anyone else currently on the team! Meet after meet I improved my mile time, 5:05, 4:56, 4:51, 4:49, and finally 4:47. None of it would be possible without the stunning competition I faced, pushing me to run faster and faster. At the Tri-Valley Conference, I came in 2nd in the 1600 meter, losing to my rival Alexander, missing my PR by 3 hundredths of a second, and missing 1st place by 12 hundredths of a second. I was proud afterward, but I knew it wasn’t enough, I still had a score to settle. One last meet, districts, one to give it everything I had. I had to break my, and Alexander’s PR. I got up to the line and took a look around. The competition was fierce, so I rebelled against the part of me that wanted to run away, redoubled my courage and faith, waited for the gun, and ran. I poured every ounce of strength and stamina into that race, and by the end, I thought I was going to pass out. But it was worth it, I scored 10th place, beating Alexander, and the timer read 4:40. In a year and a half, I went from overweight couch potato to someone who runs a pretty decent mile. I still have a cross-country season and one more track season to go in high school so I’m excited to see what other mountains I will climb. This athletic experience has taught me to learn from the depths of failure to soar to the heights of success.

While I haven’t used my interest in STEM to aid my community yet, I have massive plans to do so after getting a med-school education. You see, I love my community. I hail from a county in southeastern Ohio called Athens. One thing you may know about Athens is that it has the school Ohio University, which is where I plan on going to college. Another thing you may know about Athens is that it has the highest poverty rate out of every county in Ohio. However, unlike some of my peers who wish to leave this town, I want to stay and serve the community. I wish to gain admission to Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine so I can become a doctor and serve my impoverished Athens community. That is why I believe I should be awarded this scholarship. The need for more doctors in Athens is incredibly apparent. Many times my family has had to travel all the way to Columbus just to see a doctor. By awarding me this scholarship, you aid the fight against illness and injury in Ohio’s most impoverished community. Several times I shadowed a family friend who works as a primary care physician in neighboring Vinton County. I had known that I wished to be a physician before visiting, but during the first visit, I was shown how much suffering happens in my community. Seeing that suffering sparked compassion in my heart and that compassion shaped my desire to become a doctor even further. From a very young age, I wanted to become a doctor. I didn’t know it then, but looking back it was so apparent. The reason human anatomy, physiology, and biology fascinate me is not just the scientific aspect of it (though that does play a big role), but it is because it is the study of us, people. I am amazed by how our bodies are designed. How are our bodies made to keep us alive? And how can we use medicine to fix and prevent issues in our bodies? On that note, I feel that Osteopathic medicine is the right path for me. It’s logical to treat the body holistically, as one unit with parts that interconnect in vastly intricate ways instead of just treating specific issues as if they were isolated. I’m looking forward to serving my community with the STEM skills I learn throughout my higher education and I hope that you aid my mission to serve one of Ohio’s most impoverished communities.

By all accounts, I agree with most of what is written in the Ode To Millennial-Gen Z text. I like the optimism found in the text, I like the idea that my generation will rise to become “The Greatest Generation 2.0”, and I like the idea that we just might change the world for the better. But, the reason “The Greatest Generation” became so great was not because of the economic circumstances, nor because of World War II. The reason the “The Greatest Generation” became so great is not because of the actions happening in the world around them, but the reactions the people took to those actions. The way they reacted to the crippled economy was to work hard and ensure your family’s survival, to help your neighbor as you would yourself, and to grit your teeth, tighten your belt, and endure the hardships you face. The way they reacted to World War II was teenage boys, fourteen and fifteen-year-olds, lying about their age to run towards certain death in the patriotic fight for their country. That is why “The Greatest Generation” is so great. If we, the people of Millenial-Gen Z wish to emulate a fraction of their endurance, a fraction of their hard work, or a fraction of their courage, then we need to be ready to react to the actions happening in the world today.