"As the recipient of the 2025 LeRoy Warden & Associates Scholarship, I am still in disbelief that I would be standing at the crossroads of my lifelong journey with the support of my family and friends, my community, and this award. Words cannot capture the appreciation I feel. I still remember my first time entering highschool with the dream of making an impact and my desire to push my academic potential to its limits through the rigorous Advanced Placement programming. Through overcoming challenges with resilience, I recognize that the growth I’ve had as a leader is only just the beginning. A leader is not made overnight—leadership is a journey that one never finishes. Regardless of when you start this journey, it is never too late to start, and to continue, making an impact within the community. My experience within the Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology (WISEST) Summer Research Program (SRP) reflects not only my pursuit of intellectual curiosity and growth, but my wish to become a trailblazer within the science community. From my participation within the program, I strive to mentor and empower other women to succeed within the underrepresented fields of science, breaking down the barriers women face in realizing their own potential. Receiving this award recognizes not only the impact I have had within my community thus far, but a testament to my commitment to continue striving for excellence within my leadership involvement. Leading up to my interview, I remember the moments of anxiety and always wondering if what I’ve done is enough. Despite this, in the interview, Mr. Warden’s personality and friendly nature melted all these nerves away, and it truly felt like the entire team was rooting for my success. For that, I am eternally grateful to both Mr. Warden and his team for granting me the potential to realize my dreams of pursuing a Bachelors of Science of Honors with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Pharmacology at the University of Alberta.

To the future applicants of the LeRoy Warden & Associates Scholarship, especially to those who may be doubting their potential, remember that you are in control of your story. Financial hardship, past struggles, and regrets do not define your future. They shape who you are, they push you to grow, and eventually they become barriers that you run full speed at. Don’t let someone else write your story for you; use your own pen to carve a future that you desire. Don’t let your own anxiety tell you that your dreams are impossible because you never know the potential you have until you keep persevering in the face of rejection. And when the time comes to speak to who you are, remember that you are the one and only storyteller of your life, and you have the power to shape your future within your hands. Stay true and authentic to what you value and never stop growing.

Thank you to Mr. Warden for this amazing opportunity, and thank you to everyone for allowing me to voice my narrative."