Women in STEM by Nicole

Women in STEM by Nicole - August 2022 Scholarship Essay

Entering my last year of high school is bitter-sweet. Along with this upcoming end, comes a bright beginning. Being asked as a kid, "what do you want to be when you grow up," I never really knew the answer. To satisfy their questions, I would just say, "a lawyer," "a dentist," “a pediatrician,” but, I've finally set a goal for myself. After joining my first computer science class in my Junior year, AP Computer Science Principles, I realized what I wanted to be-- I want to be a computer programmer. Filling the shoes of a computer programmer is no easy feat, but this is truly a career I could find myself in. Not only is it an extensive subject, but women are hardly recognized as capable to fulfill this position. As a young aspiring female in STEM, I hope to tear down those assumptions. As a senior in high school, an academic goal I’ve set for myself is pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I wish to take on another AP Computer Science class, begin looking for STEM internships, and signing up to learn new coding languages. I have always been an ambitious student. This year, I completed 18 college units in the spring and summer semester. In the fall, I hope to complete 10 more units-- all while fulfilling my current school classes. Needless to say, I have put myself in a situation in which I have no other option but to work and study hard.