For as long as I can remember, my two greatest passions have been for entrepreneurship and medicine. I seek to create a brighter future for myself and others through my small business/fundraiser, research on America's obesity crisis, and the subsequent continuation of my medical studies at UT. I am driven by a desire to one day serve and lead within underprivileged communities, and I hope to encourage others to do the same. Throughout my life, I have embarked on a journey of service and leadership, one that I hope to continue as a Forty Acres Scholar at UT and beyond.

Everyone has a moment in their life where they find their "spark." As a child, my passion for medicine was sculpted around a glamorized, Grey's Anatomy-like perception of the field without truly understanding it. In my last year of high school, during my internship at Grady Hospital, a level 1 trauma center in downtown Atlanta, I finally cemented my passion for medicine in reality. For the first time, I witnessed death, but in the process of this surreal experience, my drive to pursue the medical field became stronger than ever before. Every medical professional remembers the passing of their first patient. My first true encounter involved a patient suffering from cardiac arrest. I watched as a team of ER doctors desperately attempted to save the patient's life through CPR and anxiously awaited for her to regain consciousness. Unfortunately, she never did. I felt the pain of loss as the head physician called the time of death. Immediately following the call, everyone in the room took a moment of silence to commemorate the life of our lost patient. In that moment of silence, I was devastated. But out of my devastation, at a time when many would be drawn away from medicine, I was drawn to it. I was drawn to a future where I could play a role in preventing this death—a future where I could save the lives of others in the field of medicine. I strive to enter the field of anesthesiology not only as a medical professional but as a diligent mentor and advocate. One that can help educate and expand the field of medicine to create a more equitable environment for all.

Similar to my medical journey, my entrepreneurial interest arose from humble beginnings. In middle school, I first began my small business as a way to provide future financial security for myself and my family. Initially, while attempting to start my business, I struggled to find customers, curate ideas, and build credibility as a small business owner. However, with every failure and obstacle I faced, I worked harder to find solutions. After a year of trial and error, I finally launched a sustainable business I genuinely believed in. Starting with only $30, I bought used shoes, cleaned them, and resold them for profit. Gradually, as my business grew, my focus shifted away from my initial somewhat superficial motivations and towards using my passion to impact the world positively. I was able to expand my business to new heights by producing an eco-friendly shoe cleaner, exchanging stocks, reinvesting all my revenue, and creating social media content. The content I created focused on helping young entrepreneurs build businesses of their own, specifically in times of economic crisis (COVID-19). My videos received recognition from multiple globally accredited platforms, including Bleacher Report and Nice Kicks, which have a combined influence of over 30 million followers. Using my income and social media presence as a catalyst, I created a small fundraiser and donation drive that provides shoes, clothes, and hygiene products to homeless individuals in the downtown Atlanta area. My entrepreneurial journey has encouraged me to give back to my community, specifically minority and low-income individuals, through multiple facets. Whether through creating the entrepreneurship club at my Title 1 high school, becoming my school's student government VP, or serving as the vice president of the Current Issues Club, activism, inclusion, and service has always been a priority. Although the struggles of starting my business were not ideal, I have ultimately been privileged with the opportunity to mentor others and give back to those in need. I believe my entrepreneurial and medical experiences are the genesis of a much greater narrative of service, growth, and changing the world.

Major:
Nursing

Other Academic Interests:
Business, Pre-Med

What drew you to the Forty Acres Scholars Program?
Beyond the overall financial freedom the program provides, I was drawn to FASP’s unique focus on enrichment, its close-knit community, access to distinguished alumni, and connection to like-minded scholars.