The little things in life by Eduardo

The little things in life by Eduardo - May 2023 Scholarship Essay

Anxiety, loneliness, and hopelessness all mixed into a small sophomore attending yet another new school. I felt lost again, as I did every year for the past five years as I attended a new school each year, even more now that those of the same ethnicity did not surround me. Then I entered my fifth-period class. The molecular shapes hanging from the ceilings immediately caught my attention, while my upbeat teacher brought a sense of belonging to my mind. I did not know it then, but that chemistry class would bring purpose into my life.

I never felt a genuine thirst for knowledge until I began studying chemistry. A deep belief resides in me that chemistry is the key to life due to the questions and solutions that it provides us with everything that surrounds us in this world. From the stove being lit to cook food and the rotting banana that nobody wants to eat to the thoughts that circulate the mind and the hormones it gives off, everything we know of is just chemical reactions. Therefore, chemistry is not only the key to life but life itself. What I find most interesting are the responses from the mind to certain chemical compounds and how just small groups of molecules can create a substance that has the ability to change the operation of cells in one's body. I see the importance of medicine lives of everybody, including my mother, who depends on them every day. That's why I plan to earn a Ph.D. in organic chemistry to perfect synthesis to practice as a medicinal chemist.

University is an opportunity for growth, whether that goes towards one's character, intelligence, or brand. I intend to do all three while attending the University of Iowa for the next four years. Upon arriving at the university, I plan to engage with student activity groups, especially those celebrating Hispanic Heritage. The Hispanic community played a significant role in my childhood and comforts me like no other. That is why I plan to celebrate my culture and the cultures of my fellow Latinos on and off campus by supporting Hispanic-led clubs and creating more. While doing so, I will maintain a healthy GPA for my future journey into Graduate School. Within the first two years at the university, I seek to start my undergraduate research with connections I have or continue to build throughout the school. This journey will continue through my four years of undergraduate school and after my bachelor's degree. Pursuing a medicinal chemist position in the industry, I will continue my education until I receive my Ph.D. in organic chemistry, possibly at a different university. This journey brings me to what I yearn for the most, studying and creating chemical compounds for pharmaceuticals alongside credited medicinal chemists. Developing medicine that can help my mother and many single mothers

I am representing myself, my family, and my people. My family consists of laborers who have barely attended college. They motivate me to progress the destigmatization of Hispanics in the STEM field and to fulfill my grandparent's wishes when arriving in a country unbeknownst of the language, for future generations to be safe and have a higher education.