Nearly sixty-one years ago, Martin Luther King spoke his dreams for people across America. He desired for youth of all backgrounds to congregate and a bridge to be built across the divisions injustice enforced in American society. Though the Civil Rights Movement tried to clear the way of opportunity for all kinds, in 2024, the path to one’s own success is still marred by inequities. One of these issues being the financial burden of higher education. Unfortunately, up until my generation, the cost of college was an unthinkable obstacle for my family members. My mother, most impacted by such issues, had a dream to pursue her bachelor’s degree in nursing yet was unable to pay and attend college. Instead, seeking to make her way into the medical field, she attended technical school to get her nursing license. Today, she is regarded a great asset to the school and students she aids as a high school nurse, for she never lets a student’s complaints, no matter the severity, go unaddressed. Looking up to her great sense of compassion and care, I share a similar goal of medicine. Through the educational opportunity my parents have provided, I look forward to fulfilling my dreams of becoming a medical professional and caring for the rural region I call home. A dream for equality: life, liberty, and happiness, yet not mentioned is the right to health. Inspired by my mother’s dedication to such a right, I have chosen to look towards the University of Tennessee for my own sense of advocacy in the world of healthcare. As I wrap up my first semester as a microbiology student, I notice how my love for people has grown. I appreciate their lives and stories as unique pieces of life’s puzzle, making each person a leader in their own path. Attending my local BCM, a club meant to unite a diverse group of Christian college students, I have further delved into how each person has a gift crucial to share to the world. What is my gift? I have asked myself. Am I a leader? A creator? Not resonating with either entirely, I looked to my interest in preserving the dreams of others and found that I am a server. With a love for medicine and compassion for people, I look to mending the wounds of leaders and healing the hearts of trailblazers. All in all, my goal in college is not only to gain more knowledge about the body itself, but to find out how to cure the spirits of those around me. Being raised in Appalachia, time and time again I have witnessed the aspirations of many individuals be taken by the lack of opportunity in the region. In an area where disparities run deep, it is important to acknowledge the necessities needed to grow the dreams of many into reality. Historically, rural areas have struggled in the realm of healthcare as many do not have access to medical facilities. Without the right to health, individuals cannot reach the potential they need to change the world, placing areas like my hometown in a constant cycle of need. Through my education, I seek to provide rural populations with the healthcare they need in ways like Rural Area Medical (RAM) opportunities, which provide basic medical and dental services to underrepresented individuals. The dreams of a population could carry it to a world of new possibilities, yet to open those doors, we must first provide the seed of basic care. With compassion and the opportunity to higher education, I pledge to serve in such cultivation.