My educational aspiration is to develop as a filmmaker and storyteller who uses visual media to share meaningful narratives and amplify underrepresented voices. Through the University of Michigan’s FTVM program, I plan to focus on directing while also strengthening my skills in writing, editing, and production.Reaching this point has not been easy. During my final two years of high school, I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a chronic illness that significantly impacted my education. I was officially diagnosed in November 2021 at the age of 19. The condition affected my mobility, caused frequent fainting spells, and made attending school in person unsafe. For safety reasons, I transitioned to online education and continued remote college coursework from 2022 to 2023 as my health improved. Despite these challenges, I remained deeply committed to my education and maintained a strong GPA. During this time, I relied on filmmaking as it became my outlet—a way to process and communicate what I was going through. I created short films, layering my experiences with old home videos, and shared my first project on YouTube. That project helped others understand the invisible nature of my condition and ignited my passion for storytelling. Creating gave me a sense of purpose and ultimately shaped my decision to pursue film as a career.Now that my health has stabilized, I am ready to fully immerse myself in my education and creative practice. Winning this scholarship would provide essential support to help me succeed. This scholarship would remove many financial obstacles allowing me to focus on developing my craft and taking full advantage of the opportunities the University of Michigan offers.Your support would bring me closer to achieving my dream of becoming a filmmaker who creates stories that inspire and make an impact.