I have chosen to pursue higher education because I firmly believe that it is the key to unlocking opportunities and creating a positive impact on both my life and the world around me. As a first-generation student, the road to higher education has not been an easy one, but it has been one full of determination, perseverance, and a deep commitment to achieving my goals. My parents, immigrants who worked tirelessly to support our family, always emphasized the importance of education as a means to overcome adversity and build a better future. Their sacrifices have fueled my ambition to break through barriers and pursue my dreams. Growing up, I did not have the same resources or guidance that many of my peers had when it came to navigating the complexities of college applications, financial aid, and academic expectations. However, my experiences as a first-generation student have taught me invaluable lessons in self-reliance, resilience, and the power of hard work. I have prepared for college by seeking out opportunities to learn independently, whether through online courses, internships, or extracurricular activities. I have also been proactive in building a support system of mentors, peers, and faculty who have helped guide me through this journey. One of the most significant steps I have taken in preparing for college was participating in programs aimed at supporting first-generation students, such as peer mentorship and workshops on time management, study skills, and financial planning. These experiences have helped me develop critical skills that I believe will be vital in my college journey and beyond. Additionally, I’ve worked part-time throughout high school and college to not only support myself financially but also learn time management and work ethic—skills that will help me thrive academically. As a first-generation student, I understand the importance of community and the value of giving back. I am committed to supporting others who are in similar situations, just as I was when I first began this journey. My goal is to use my education to mentor and guide others, helping them navigate the challenges of higher education and achieve their own aspirations. I want to prove that regardless of background, anyone can achieve greatness with the right mindset and determination. Pursuing higher education has been a dream I’ve worked hard to realize, and I’m committed to leveraging the knowledge, skills, and experiences I gain in college to create meaningful change and make a difference in the world. This journey is not only for me—it is for my family, for those who came before me, and for those who will come after me. Education is the foundation for building a future where opportunities are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background, and I am determined to be a part of that change.

As the child of immigrant parents who came to the United States seeking a better life, I have always valued education as the key to opportunity and change. Watching my parents navigate the challenges of building a life in a new country while working tirelessly to support our family instilled in me the importance of perseverance and hard work. As a first-generation, low-income college student, I’ve had to navigate higher education largely on my own, which has shaped me into a determined and ambitious individual ready to tackle challenges head-on. I am currently a senior at DePaul University, majoring in Data Science with a minor in Mathematics. My decision to pursue this field stems from my passion for uncovering insights through data and using those insights to solve complex, real-world problems. The mathematical foundations of data science allow me to approach challenges with precision and rigor, while the interdisciplinary nature of the field lets me apply my knowledge across various industries. At DePaul, I’ve embraced opportunities to excel academically and contribute to my community. One of the most rewarding roles I’ve taken on is serving as a transfer peer mentor, where I help incoming transfer students navigate the transition to DePaul. As someone who transferred myself, I understand how daunting the process can be, and I take pride in helping others feel supported and empowered as they start their new journey. While pursuing my degree, I’ve also been actively involved in extracurricular activities and part-time work to support myself and my family financially. My role as a treasurer for DePaul’s AI club has allowed me to explore the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and innovation. Additionally, my internship at KPMG gave me the chance to apply my skills to meaningful projects, such as analyzing health inequities in Chicago. Working while studying has been a balancing act, but it has taught me invaluable lessons in time management, resilience, and adaptability. These experiences have also reinforced my commitment to higher education and my desire to use my knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. Looking ahead, I plan to pursue a Master of Science in Analytics at the University of Chicago, where I aim to deepen my understanding of data science and machine learning. This decision is driven by my passion for leveraging data to address pressing societal challenges and my desire to use technology to drive equitable solutions. The MS program will provide me with the technical skills, interdisciplinary perspective, and collaborative opportunities needed to make a lasting impact. By combining my data science expertise with my desire to address systemic inequities, I hope to develop innovative solutions to issues such as access to education, food security, and healthcare disparities. This scholarship would play a crucial role in enabling me to continue my education and work toward these goals. As someone who comes from a low-income background, the financial burden of higher education has been significant. While I have worked diligently to fund my education and support my family, the rising costs of tuition and living expenses remain a challenge. This scholarship would alleviate some of that burden, allowing me to fully dedicate myself to my studies and professional development. Ultimately, I view my education as a platform to uplift others. My goal is to mentor and advocate for underrepresented students in STEM, just as I have supported transfer students at DePaul. I also aim to use my skills to design data-driven solutions that address social inequalities and create opportunities for underserved communities.

As a child, I watched my parents navigate the challenges of starting over in a new country with little more than resilience and a dream for a better future. Their determination instilled in me a relentless drive to succeed and a deep sense of responsibility to give back to my family and community. When I earned my first internship at KPMG, I saw it not only as an opportunity to grow professionally but also as a chance to support my family financially—an achievement that symbolized how far we had come and how much further I could go. This journey, defined by perseverance and purpose, fuels my passion for innovation in STEM and my commitment to creating opportunities for others. I view this scholarship as more than financial support; it represents a commitment to advancing innovation and creating opportunities for underrepresented voices in technology. If awarded, I will honor the scholarship’s values by leveraging my education and experience to make a lasting impact in digital technology and inspire others to pursue STEM careers. My vision is to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world applications addressing societal challenges. Through my work, I aim to contribute to advancements in machine learning, blockchain, and digital transformation. For example, my recent projects, including a classification model for FX trading that combines financial data with AI-driven predictions, demonstrate how I apply innovation to solve complex problems. By continuing to build solutions at the intersection of AI and digital technology, I aspire to lead transformative projects empowering businesses and improving access to technology globally. My journey as a first-generation student has profoundly shaped my resilience, ambition, and dedication to education. Having parents not from the United States introduced me to a culture of innovation, but it also presented challenges, including navigating a new education system and balancing financial responsibilities. Despite these obstacles, I remained steadfast in my goals, achieving academic excellence and becoming a role model in my community. One of my proudest accomplishments was using opportunities like my internship at KPMG to support my family financially while also building skills in data architecture and technology implementation. Balancing these responsibilities taught me how to persevere under pressure and focus on personal and professional growth. One pivotal moment in my journey was my work at KPMG, where I designed data architecture plans for a major client. This experience taught me the importance of technical expertise and the value of adaptability, teamwork, and communication. Similarly, my project analyzing health inequities in Chicago’s Southside showed me the power of data-driven solutions to drive social change. These experiences reinforced my belief that technology can be a force for good and inspired me to pursue a graduate degree to deepen my impact. Being the first in my family to pursue higher education in the U.S. instilled in me a deep appreciation for the opportunities education provides. It also fueled my determination to ensure that others, particularly immigrants and underrepresented groups, have the tools and inspiration to achieve their dreams. This scholarship would enable me to focus on my education and further my mission of creating innovative solutions while supporting my family and giving back to my community. If selected for this scholarship, I will dedicate myself to excelling in my field and ensure that the scholarship’s legacy of supporting education and innovation endures. Through my career and community efforts, I will advocate for diversity in STEM and contribute to projects demonstrating the transformative power of technology. By investing in my education and enabling me to advance digital technology, this scholarship will empower me to uplift others and drive meaningful change.

Helping others reach their full potential has been the foundation of my academic, professional, and personal journey. I’ve always believed that success is more meaningful when it’s shared and that empowering others creates a ripple effect, leading to greater collective achievement. This belief has driven my passion for mentorship, collaboration, and problem-solving. Whether mentoring peers, developing technical solutions, or working on collaborative projects, I’ve made it my purpose to not only grow my own skills but also to uplift those around me. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my life has been my role as a transfer peer mentor at DePaul University. Having experienced the challenges of transitioning to a new academic environment, I recognized how overwhelming the process could be for others. As a mentor, I guide new transfer students through course selections, help them access campus resources, and encourage them to adapt to the university culture. I’ve seen firsthand how small actions—like clarifying academic requirements or simply offering a listening ear—can significantly boost someone’s confidence. These experiences have shown me the value of creating an environment where others feel supported and capable, reinforcing my passion for mentorship. My professional experiences have further cultivated my skills in helping others succeed. During my time at KPMG, I worked on a client implementation project that required improving communication across teams and service lines. One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that stakeholders understood the progress of a complex system implementation. To address this, I created a summarized table that aggregated the completion status of different service lines based on their respective sprints. This tool allowed both technical teams and project managers to gain a clearer understanding of overall progress, facilitating better decision-making and collaboration. Knowing that my work helped streamline communication and empowered the client to stay on track with their goals was deeply rewarding. In addition to facilitating communication, I’ve used my technical skills to address societal challenges and help others. One example is a project I worked on at KPMG analyzing health inequalities in Chicago. By studying racial demographics, income levels, and access to resources like transportation and grocery stores, my team identified areas—such as the Southside—that were classified as food deserts. We developed a data-driven plan to improve food access for underserved communities by leveraging KPMG’s partnerships. This experience was a profound reminder of how data and problem-solving can create actionable solutions that improve lives. Academically, my passion for data science has provided additional opportunities to empower others. For example, I worked on building a classification model to predict online shopping behavior using the Online Shoppers Purchasing Intention dataset. This project, while technical in nature, aimed to help e-commerce businesses better understand their customers and improve their decision-making processes. Similarly, as the treasurer of the DePaul AI Club, I’ve worked to foster an environment where students can explore their interests in AI and machine learning. By organizing events and managing resources, I’ve helped my peers gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies that could advance their careers. Ultimately, my purpose is deeply rooted in my belief that growth and success are best achieved together. Whether mentoring, collaborating, or solving technical problems, I find fulfillment in creating opportunities for others to succeed. Helping others be their best isn’t just a passion for me—it’s a driving force behind everything I do, and I look forward to continuing to make an impact through mentorship, collaboration, and innovation.

Evolving and improving every day, gathering, implementing, and manipulating data continuously. The internet is a whole world of information that we can access through a device smaller than a remote and lighter than a can of coke. The internet allows people to connect instantaneously but opens a lot of us to misinformation. With so much data, we have to take time to fact-check and understand the statistics we are getting as they can be misleading. It's why I have a passion to become a data analyst to take the significant amounts of data we get and categorize and implement it to make for a more efficient society. Data Analysts are going to be necessary for our future. We live in the era of big data, and with a myriad of information, it is hard to figure out what it means and if it is correct. As a future data analyst, I plan to use my skills with programming and analytical skills to break down the data and use it to better businesses and to inform communities. The United States has communities' that are so polarized that we as a nation can't come together to solve: Covid-19. More than 90% of the new cases are because of the unvaccinated population, and the reason is misinformation. As more people create programs to sort the statistics, the correct information can be given to the public. To illustrate the vaccine does not make people infertile or that Corona is a real threat. The numerous claims about the vaccine being unsafe are harming society and getting more people in hospital beds. This brings me to developing and improving algorithms notably on social media websites, to find incorrect material and make it known. Countless more sectors of knowledge can be used to improve our lives. Recently I pulled data from yahoo finance to calculate my expected returns on stocks in my portfolio. By using the CAPM formula I was able to analyze how aggressive and profitable an asset can be. The formula gave me insight into how my portfolio performs in accordance with the overall market so that I can adjust based on the aggressiveness of the asset. Information can be pulled from anywhere on the internet. However, by organizing it and studying data we can use it to educate others and prepare for the future. Therefore, I have started improving my programming skills in Python and my analytical skills when it comes to interpreting statistics. We have the information, we need to present it appropriately.

Innovative and ingenious; Nikola Tesla. His findings of Alternating current is why I have the opportunity to sit down and submit an application on my laptop. He transformed society by allowing electricity to travel the globe as AC allows electricity to travel great lengths because it can change voltages. His passion and intelligence is inspiring, to say he is a great scientist is an understatement.