Finding My Service by Jesse

Finding My Service by Jesse - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

As a young child, my ultimate goal was always to help others. Whether bringing in the groceries for my grandma or helping someone with homework, I always came to someone’s aid. Considering this passion, I would always say I wanted to be a doctor or a medical researcher. I thought: maybe I can help my granny fix her stomach, or my mom fix her nonfunctional arm. Today, my goal is the same; however, as I’ve grown up, I’ve developed a love for engineering that I want to channel my passion for service through.

My first interactions with engineering were through LEGOs and other STEM kits with kinetic structures. I constantly messed with parts, seeing what changes worked and which didn’t. It was all I could do to get my hands on another kit and keep fiddling. As I got older, I began tinkering with broken household appliances, fixing them as best as I could with the skills I had. Even if I couldn’t fix them, I would take the machines apart and put them back together, hoping to see how they worked. Although I didn’t know it then, sparks were flying in my brain, slowly building my interest in engineering.

Six months after being diagnosed with type one diabetes, I got an insulin pump. From day one, I was thrilled by the capabilities of such a small, yet critical device. Every time the pump clicked, I received a minute dose of insulin that would keep me alive. In my seven-year-old brain, this was the most amazing thing on the planet. Of course, this excitement translated to an exponential growth of curiosity growing in my brain. After I changed my pod (the part of the insulin pump attached to my body), I fed my curiosity by opening up the old one I had just taken off. I would dissect it, figure out what each of the pieces did, and put it back together the same way I did with appliances. Here, I decided my career would have to be the best of both worlds: building AND serving others. I had no clue what that career might be though.

When I entered middle school, I joined the robotics team at my school and fell in love with engineering all over again. In robotics, we would build, program, and strategize with robots. As trial and error had been critical in my childhood, I had the skills to succeed in this activity. My childhood (and current) Lego obsession came in handy when we built claws and other attachments for our robots. As it turned out, the environment harbored by robotics was my niche. It was in this activity that I realized the skills and interests I’ve had since I was a kid have been guiding me down the path to engineering.

As I’ve researched the varying engineering fields, I’ve found that only one fits the criteria of what I want to do in the future: biomedical engineering. As the combination of all things I love, I know it’s the right place for me.

Now, as I move into the next chapter of schooling, my passions are clear, and I know I will succeed.