DiversityJobs Announces 2014 Scholarship Finalists – help us choose one winner!
[W]e are proud to announce the six finalists for the 2014 DiversityJobs Scholarship award, which include future journalists, doctors, nurses, music therapists, teachers, and political scientists. We received thousands of exceptional applications, but we feel that these candidates showed the best combination of passion, integrity, and dedication to their chosen fields of study.
Now we need your help in choosing the one scholarship award winner! The final selection process will involve three different factors:
outside voting (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media options on the left side of the essays)
comments left by visitors
the DiversityJobs Scholarship committee’s scoring of the student’s application and essay
The one winner will be announced on Monday June 30th. Please help us with our selection by voting for your favorite essay (Facebook ‘Like’ and other social media sharing options on the left side of the essays) and by leaving comments or clicking the ‘star’ icon above the comments section.
Some of the obstacles I had to overcome include the struggle of being an active participant in a dialogue that is generally dominated by men. As an undergraduate student, I was often the only female in my entire graduating class that ever spoke up or expressed a desire to further my education in political journalism. This made it easier for my male counterparts to take control of a reporting situation, often leaving me to work alone or fend for myself when it came hard news.
I can distinctively recall the day I first became intrigued by the medical field. It was the same day my grandmother suffered her second cerebral hemorrhage. The doctors informed us that surviving two cerebral hemorrhages was a near-impossible feat and they gave her a thirty-percent chance to live through the night. Against all odds, she survived and remains a precious part of our lives today. It was in that moment that I decided to commit myself to earning entry into the medical profession
I am extremely grateful for the path my life has taken, and it is my dream to give others the love and care that my adoptive parents have provided me. Because I’ve been fortunate to grow up with my needs attended to and have not faced any adverse conflicts that would’ve prevented me from becoming a nurse, I feel an obligation to help others. Life often causes people to face unexpected situations that can inflict pain and heartache; as a future nurse, I hope to offer compassion to my patients
Riley Kua, Music Therapy, Seattle Pacific University
As a child, I was technically good at playing piano, but there was only superficial feeling. However, when I reached the age where I had my identity conflict, this began to change. I no longer had to think about the rules of music and rhythm; my own personal feelings manifested themselves into my piano pieces. I put the meaning into the music instead of the music presenting its own meaning. I did not need words to express my problems, and it was as if I discovered a new kind of freedom to be used whenever I needed it. I only wish that I had been exposed to the power of music earlier.
Alice Wen, Teaching of Social Studies, Teachers College Columbia
Throughout my training as a public school teacher, it is easy to notice that in the field of social studies teaching, women are underrepresented, even more so minorities, and rarely Asian-American women serve as teachers. Consequently, the lack of Asian-American female teachers, outside of the math and science departments, subconsciously sends a clear and significant message to the student population that reinforces stereotypes of minorities in our society. As such, I have used my role as a teacher to serve as a model for both students and faculty alike to develop cross-cultural awareness and communication.
We were locked in our Beirut apartment for weeks as the bombs outside ravaged the city. The children were not allowed near any windows for fear of a stray bullet or the concussion of a bomb. At night, airstrikes and missiles echoed over a silent, darkened city. Shaking under the covers, my siblings and I sought refuge in our parents’ bed, only to find out that grown ups got scared too. My whole family left everything behind and paid a driver to take us to a more peaceful Northern Lebanon where we stayed at a run down motel for a couple days before making the long exodus to Syria.
Some of the obstacles I had to overcome include the struggle of being an active participant in a dialogue that is generally dominated by men. As an undergraduate student, I was often the only female in my entire graduating class that ever spoke up or expressed a desire to further my education in political journalism. This made it easier for my male counterparts to take control of a reporting situation, often leaving me to work alone or fend for myself when it came hard news.
I can distinctively recall the day I first became intrigued by the medical field. It was the same day my grandmother suffered her second cerebral hemorrhage. The doctors informed us that surviving two cerebral hemorrhages was a near-impossible feat and they gave her a thirty-percent chance to live through the night. Against all odds, she survived and remains a precious part of our lives today. It was in that moment that I decided to commit myself to earning entry into the medical profession
I am extremely grateful for the path my life has taken, and it is my dream to give others the love and care that my adoptive parents have provided me. Because I’ve been fortunate to grow up with my needs attended to and have not faced any adverse conflicts that would’ve prevented me from becoming a nurse, I feel an obligation to help others. Life often causes people to face unexpected situations that can inflict pain and heartache; as a future nurse, I hope to offer compassion to my patients
As a child, I was technically good at playing piano, but there was only superficial feeling. However, when I reached the age where I had my identity conflict, this began to change. I no longer had to think about the rules of music and rhythm; my own personal feelings manifested themselves into my piano pieces. I put the meaning into the music instead of the music presenting its own meaning. I did not need words to express my problems, and it was as if I discovered a new kind of freedom to be used whenever I needed it. I only wish that I had been exposed to the power of music earlier.
Throughout my training as a public school teacher, it is easy to notice that in the field of social studies teaching, women are underrepresented, even more so minorities, and rarely Asian-American women serve as teachers. Consequently, the lack of Asian-American female teachers, outside of the math and science departments, subconsciously sends a clear and significant message to the student population that reinforces stereotypes of minorities in our society. As such, I have used my role as a teacher to serve as a model for both students and faculty alike to develop cross-cultural awareness and communication.
We were locked in our Beirut apartment for weeks as the bombs outside ravaged the city. The children were not allowed near any windows for fear of a stray bullet or the concussion of a bomb. At night, airstrikes and missiles echoed over a silent, darkened city. Shaking under the covers, my siblings and I sought refuge in our parents’ bed, only to find out that grown ups got scared too. My whole family left everything behind and paid a driver to take us to a more peaceful Northern Lebanon where we stayed at a run down motel for a couple days before making the long exodus to Syria.
