Smile About Change by Trinity

Smile About Change by Trinity - July 2015 Scholarship Essay

Over the past ten months working for Incell Corporation, I have learned more than cleaning lab ware, sterilizing labs, and caring for lab animals. I have learned the importance of self-motivation and a positive attitude.

When I first started working I felt like I was stuck in the routine of being a janitor- cleaning up after everyone while they did all the important work. I was the lowest link in our small chain of workers. Krystal, who works at the front desk, had been working at Incell since she was seventeen- the same age I was when I started. Every day I would walk in to work and she would great me with the most upbeat “Hello, Ms. Trinity”. Krystal had done it all at Incell: cleaning lab ware, sterilizing labs, and caring for animals just like me, and even more than that. I wondered how she could go through the same routine for years and never feel discouraged. I didn’t understand how she could work so diligently every day and not want more.

Three months in, Dr. Moyer gave us news that one of our patients who was injected with stem cells asked for more because it was working so well. I was a part of that. I cleaned the lab ware that manufactured that product, I sterilized the labs our lab technicians worked in, and I cared for the animals that tested the product. In that moment, I started seeing why my job was so important. Now, I go into work every day with a positive attitude because I know that I am a valuable member of the team. Maybe that’s the same way Krystal walks in to work, because she knows that for the past seven years she has been making a difference. Through that experience I gained self- motivation and a positive attitude towards what may seem like a small job compared to the rest. Working hard meant more to me knowing the great change I am a part of. I try to model the positivity Krystal maintains because, besides making life easier, it drives me to put all my effort into getting my work done.

I am currently pursuing a career as a bilingual pediatric pulmonary physician. In third grade, my pulmonary physician sparked this interest because of the way he could connect with his patients, including myself, while also changing their lives. When I was immersed in a dual language program from kindergarten through my freshman year of high school I was already on the right track. Then, when I was accepted to Health Careers High School I made the next move in gaining experience and figuring out whether this was the right choice for me. Taking the opportunity to work at Incell through the career prep program, a biotechnology company introduced me to the health and science world- a starting point that most high school students are not offered. Now, I am planning to earn my Associate’s Degree at Northwest Vista College, majoring in biotechnology. While I am in school working towards becoming a physician, having biotechnology under my belt will continue stimulating my hunger for working in the health and science field while expanding my experience. After earning my Associates, I will transfer to the University of Texas at Austin to earn my Bachelor’s Degree and then I plan to attend medical school.

From the research I’ve done, including my residencies, I’m looking at about eleven more years of school. As an aspiring physician, I am aware of how much money I will have to plow through before I reach my dreams. Gaining this scholarship will save me some stress as I make my mark over the next eleven years of school. My goal over the next eleven years is to maintain my self-motivation and positive attitude because, like Krystal, I know one day I will be a part of change.