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I enrolled at Los Angeles Valley College as a half-hearted Political Science major settled

on educating myself to empower those who are left on the margins of society. However, it was

after one semester in my introductory Environmental Science class that I had the epiphany that

the environment is the most disparaged of all. After that moment, I became impassioned for

protecting the environment, hence my emphasis on Public Policy. With this, I plan on influencing

environmental policy on the local, state, and international levels to make educated decisions for

the greatest good, rather than private interests. Consequently, I find it very simple to dedicate my

efforts to excelling in my classes and making an impact on campus and in my community. Thus,

I became a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and the TAP Honors Program to give

credibility to my academic achievements.

As the youngest daughter of retired immigrant parents, it is imperative that I find external

sources of funding for my education, especially because I intend to achieve the highest level of

education in my field (PhD). Because of my academic achievements and persistent passion to

make a difference, along with being a responsible, relentless, and realistic student, I believe I am

more than qualified for this scholarship. Any contributions made to my education will not be

wasted, as I am confident and adamant about succeeding in my field, for the sake of my

community, my country, and the planet.

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Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I had taken interest in things but never had

the epiphany that this is what I want to do for a living. In my senior year of high school, I

indifferently chose Political Science as my major because I was interested in pursuing law and

becoming an activist for the disenfranchised (the pay was also favorable). However, it was after

watching Last Call at the Oasis in my Environmental Science class that I had the life-changing

epiphany that I had always longed for. The film demonstrated barren farmlands and water-borne

illnesses that resonated within the deepest parts of my conscience and, at last, I felt a burning

passion in my gut. I had to do something about this.

I quickly realized that I wanted to continue pursuing Political Science, but with an

emphasis on Environmental Policy. I also chose Cultural Anthropology as my secondary major

because I find it extremely important to understand how different cultures perceive the

environment and how cultural factors influence their treatment of it. I promised myself that I

would not only stick with this path, but excel at it, too. Thus, I made it a personal goal to aim

high for every assignment, participate in class, and give my best effort. As a result, I hold a

cumulative GPA of 3.8 and received an invitation to the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, which

I graciously accepted. I consequently enrolled in the TAP Honors program that inspired me to

apply the rich and rigorous class material to my every-day life, which actually turned out to be an

easy task.

A year ago, I took on the responsibility of being a student embedded tutor on campus. My

duties not only consisted of tutoring students, but organizing workshops, creating one-one-one

sessions, attending tutor training, and spending time in the classroom all while having a second

job and trying to do well in my own classes. After tirelessly putting together my first workshop, I

had a humbling revelation: teaching is not about my individual competence, it is about

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connecting with the students and creating an equal learning environment. I realized that being a

tutor is more of an opportunity for growth than just something I can put on my resume, which is

why I still am a tutor today.

That same year, I found Pacoima Beautiful, a non-profit environmental justice

organization in the San Fernando Valley, and became a part-time volunteer with them. As a

volunteer, my team and I worked tirelessly, knocking door-to-door, handing out pamphlets to

inform people about the proper disposal of bulky items, such as mattresses, couches, and

refrigerators; rather than letting them rot on the sidewalks. Although it was physically draining, it

was very rewarding to proactively take part in the education of a disenfranchised (and mostly

Latino) community and giving them the proper resources to make a difference.

As the youngest daughter of retired immigrant parents, it is imperative that I find external

sources of funding for my education, especially because I intend to achieve the highest level of

education in my field (PhD). I have already started saving for my educational journey by

working two jobs and applying for financial aid and scholarships this semester. Because of my

academic achievements and persistent passion to make a difference, along with being a

responsible, relentless, and realistic student, I believe I am more than qualified for this

scholarship. Any contributions made to my education will not be wasted, as I am confident and

adamant about succeeding in my field, for the sake of my community, my country, and the

planet.
 Cuevas

I enrolled at Los Angeles Valley College as a half-hearted Political Science major settled

on educating myself to empower those who are left on the margins of society. However, it was

after one semester in my introductory Environmental Science class that I had the epiphany that

the environment is the most disparaged of all. After that moment, I became impassioned for

protecting the environment, hence my emphasis on Public Policy. Along with Public Policy, I

chose Cultural Anthropology as my secondary major because I find it extremely important to

understand how different cultures perceive the environment and how cultural factors influence

their treatment of it. With this, I plan on influencing environmental policy on the local, state, and

international levels to make educated decisions for the greatest good, rather than private

interests.

As the youngest daughter of retired immigrant parents, it is imperative that I find external

sources of funding for my education, especially because I intend to achieve the highest level of

education in my field (PhD). Because of my academic achievements and persistent passion to

make a difference, along with being a responsible, relentless, and realistic student, I believe I am

more than qualified for this scholarship. Any contributions made to my education will not be

wasted, as I am confident and adamant about succeeding in my field, for the sake of my

community, my country, and the planet.

 Cuevas

I enrolled on campus as a half-hearted Political Science major settled on educating

myself to empower those who are marginalized. However, it was after my introductory

Environmental Science class that I had the epiphany that the environment is the most disparaged

of all. After that moment, I became impassioned for protecting the environment, hence my

emphasis on Public Policy. With this, I plan on influencing environmental policy on the local,

state, and international levels to make educated decisions for the greatest good, rather than

private interests. Later on, I found Pacoima Beautiful, a non-profit environmental justice

organization, and became a volunteer with them. I worked tirelessly, knocking door-to-door,

handing out pamphlets to inform people about the proper disposal of bulky items, rather than

leaving them on the sidewalks. Although it was physically draining, it was very rewarding to

educate a disenfranchised community and give them the resources to make change.

As the youngest daughter of retired immigrant parents, it is imperative that I find external

sources of funding for my education, especially because I intend to achieve the highest level of

education in my field (PhD). Because of my academic achievements and persistent passion to

make a difference, along with being a responsible, relentless, and realistic student, I believe I am

more than qualified for this scholarship. Any contributions made to my education will not be

wasted, as I am confident and adamant about succeeding in my field, for the sake of my

community, my country, and the planet.