My name is Olivia and like many of us in the POC community I had to grow up quickly. I am a second-generation U.S. citizen as my grandmother immigrated to the U.S at the age of 16 with her mother. I had a single mother who worked hard and sacrificed her education to provide for her family. I come from a long line of strong women, who fought for a better life for the generations to come. These women have taught me invaluable lessons. However, there is one lesson I apply in every aspect of my life: you only lose when you give up. I firmly believe it to be true, no matter how many times I stumble or fall in life, I can't lose if I keep getting up. I'd say this lesson applies most to my education. I've had two jobs consistently since I was 17 and sometimes even three at a time during my college career. As a first-gen student working 40+ hours a week typically doesn't leave a whole lot of energy for homework or assignments. I am not afraid to admit that I wanted to quit. I was tired,making money already; what did I need this degree for? I had to remind myself of my goals. I view college as a way to improve yourself and experience perspectives from many different walks of life. You don't get that by staying in the same circle doing the same thing every day, once you are exposed to the outside world you realize it's much bigger than you. My degree allowed me to study abroad in Singapore which is a melting pot of cultures, it took my worldview to another level. My degree in International Relations required a foreign language; I grew up in Texas, everyone thought I was insane for choosing to study Mandarin. I'll tell you when I knew I was on the right path. I was working as a waitress in a Cajun restaurant. One day we got a group of Chinese tourists in my section, as I walked up I could hear them discussing the menu and trying to figure it out, long story short they were very confused. When I opened my mouth and answered their question in Mandarin, you could have heard a pin drop in the short bout of silence . All of a sudden they all smiled and spoke at once very excitedly, I could hear the relief and joy in their voices, and that's when I knew. It was something small, but I could see the impact. That feeling I get when I help someone is what I live for, in pursuit of this I have become a student of people. Through community services such as volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, soup kitchens, and women's shelters I learn people's stories and struggles which allows me to become a better resource to help. This overall goal to be of service has also driven my career. I currently work for a health and wellness company whose main objective is to get people (specifically those in blue-collar industries) out of pain and give them a higher quality of life. Because this mission aligns with my own I have been empowered to develop and implement initiatives that enable the company to help even more people, for example, a diagnostic system that highlights areas of improvement for current programs. This scholarship would enable me to pay down my debt, giving me the freedom to redirect my time and resources to my ultimate mission of being of service and uplifting my local communities.