How did you earn The Congressional Award?

(VPS): Currently, I am volunteering at Kaiser Permanente in the Emergency Room, I am a co president of the ShareTrees Nonprofit organization which aims to provide education to the underprivileged, and I am a volunteer for the Healthcare Ministry at Saddleback Church.

(PD): I developed a new hobby, of working with masked stereolithography (mSLA) 3D printers. Previously, I’ve used Fused Deposition (FDM) 3D printers, but the drastic change in quality and printing process took me by surprise.

(PF): I used the Tonal digital workout machine to assist in building muscle, and burning fat, in the hopes of benefiting my athleticism.

(EXP): My expedition was a personal venture to the Barton Campgrounds. Independently, I prepared and planned for the almost week long trip. It was my first time taking full responsibility to persist without the assistance of my family. The skills I developed during the trip are skills I can use in my future profession, to power through challenges that require my persistence. The expedition exemplified what I can do when I’m tenacious, determined, resourceful, committed, and confident.

What are your current ambitions?
After completing my collegiate education at Concordia University Irvine, for my major in Biochemistry and my minor in Computer Science, I hope to enter medical school and work towards my goal of becoming a Neurosurgeon.
Additionally, I aspire to integrate my passion for technology and engineering with medicine.

Where do you find your motivation?
I am motivated to advance, by my ambitions and through my curiosity in the sciences. The more I discover, the more I find myself intrigued by the natural world.