Personal Statement

Two years ago, I learned that America wastes a staggering 82.5 million tons of food each year! Yet low-income communities of color and rural areas are still experiencing limited access to affordable, nutritious meals. However, that statistic alone was not the driving force to my shift in becoming a civic leader towards fighting rural hunger. The idea to divert food from landfills while serving my community did not emerge until I began engaging with my community and becoming aware of issues beyond campus boundaries. If I could give one advice to students, I would advise them to volunteer as much as possible and take note of the things that need improvement within the community. Personally, I began to think of ways I could apply my education and skills to solve local challenges. I believe this smaller-scale application will well prepare students for the "real world" and push them to become an effective agent for change. With my passion towards sustainability and public health, I plan to stay active in progressing our society towards a healthier future. I look forward to encouraging the people of my generation to become thoughtful change-makers and to cohesively apply our skills to find lasting solutions.