Receiving the Terraphase Engineering and Science Scholarship has truly made a difference in my life. It has helped cover the cost of housing and relieved a major financial burden that would have fallen on my family and I. Because of this support, I’ve been able to focus much more on my coursework and opportunities at UCLA rather than worrying about how to make ends meet. I’m currently studying Materials Science and Engineering at UCLA, and I’ve become especially interested in polymers, synthetic materials, and how these technologies can support improvements in water resources and environmental sustainability. I am interested and excited about the possibility of contributing to new materials that enhance water treatment, filtration, or infrastructure. After graduation, I hope to work in advanced materials development at 3M. This scholarship has played a huge role in helping me move toward these goals with confidence.

As a first-generation student from low-income parents, I grew up with the belief that pursuing higher education was beyond my reach. However, my lifelong dreams of creating a sustainable, innovative, and equitable world persisted despite my fears. In my final year at Oakland High School, I applied for college. With the invaluable support of the Terraphase Engineering and Science Scholarship Fund, I now have the incredible opportunity to develop my passions through academic courses, informative panels, career fairs, and student-led organizations full of like minded individuals. Moreover, Terraphase has blessed me with housing security, ensuring I have a place to call home at my academic institution.

As a third-year Urban Studies major at the University of California, Irvine, I am dedicated to shaping a brighter future. My aspiration to become an urban planner drives me to integrate environmental consciousness and social mobility into my designs. Not only has Terraphase supported me along my academic endeavors, but my dreams of removing financial burden on my family. Terraphase does not solely provide funding; it provides a fighting chance to the innovators of our future.

It has truly been an honor to be a recipient of this scholarship. Thank you Terraphase