"My tribe is the Cheyenne River Sioux. I am Native American and Filipino, originally from the Tohono O'odham reservation in Arizona before my family migrated to Sacramento. Receiving my acceptance letter from UC San Diego, my top-choice school, was a whirlwind of emotions. Leaving my loved ones after my father's cancer diagnosis made moving away for college a bittersweet experience. My father passed away during my second year here, and navigating grief while in school was a difficult road. My father's unwavering wish for my success became my guiding light, motivating every achievement. I am now a fourth-year student, immersed in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution at Sixth College and active in the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Pacific Islander Student Association (PISA), BUMMP Program, and Scholar's Society. The more I involved myself in the UC San Diego community, I garnered pride in my accomplishments, notably the Outstanding Native Triton award. Joining ...