“I moved from South Korea to the U.S. when I was young, without knowing a word of English. I became the family translator pretty quickly, especially at the doctor’s office. That’s where I learned how intimidating healthcare could be when you don’t speak the language. It made me want to help people feel less alone in vulnerable moments. But nothing shaped me more than losing my dad to cancer during my freshman year of college. I was 18—handling hospice decisions, medical translation, and grief all at once. It wasn’t just heartbreaking; it was transformative. It showed me that strength isn’t always loud—it can be quiet presence in a hospital room. That experience is why I want to become a physician. When I came to UC San Diego, I was excited—but within a year, I had to take two quarters off to care for my dad. Coming back was hard. But I rebuilt from the ground up. I founded Kindness Collective, a club rooted in connection and service. It started as a scribble in my notes app and becam...