Strength in Science, Strength in Self by Daniela

Strength in Science, Strength in Self by Daniela - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

The human body is a masterpiece of resilience—cells regenerate, wounds heal, and the heart beats relentlessly, sustaining life through both hardship and healing. Yet, despite its strength, it is also deeply fragile. That balance has always fascinated me, drawing me toward biology and, ultimately, medicine. But if there’s anything my own life has taught me, it’s that resilience isn’t just a biological function—it’s a way of being.

I knew for a long time I wanted to major in biology in college. I spent months pouring my energy into applications, crafting essays, attending interviews, and hoping that my passion and hard work would be enough to open doors. Some have welcomed me in. Others have closed before I could step through. Rejection stings, no matter how much logic tells me it’s part of the process. But if biology has taught me anything, it’s that life is built on adaptation. Cells repair themselves. Organisms evolve. And so have I. Every rejection has forced me to sharpen my focus, to stand taller in my convictions, and to find new paths forward. In that way, my journey mirrors the very science I love—progress isn’t always linear, but every challenge brings discovery.

Science—especially biology—has always been more than a subject to me; it is the key to understanding what makes us human. My research on diabetic foot ulcers healed by maternal placenta deepened my appreciation for the body’s regenerative abilities, but more importantly, it taught me that medicine is not just about treatment—it’s about hope. I have seen that firsthand in the emergency rooms and hospital hallways where I volunteer, holding the hands of patients who are afraid, translating medical jargon into something human, and learning what it means to provide care beyond a diagnosis. The best doctors do not just heal bodies; they heal people. And I want to be one of them.

Perhaps that drive for understanding people at their core is something I inherited. I am the granddaughter of an immigrant who survived the Yugoslavian War, who watched his home crumble before him and still had the courage to rebuild a life from nothing. Strength is woven into my DNA. It is in the sacrifices my grandfather made to ensure I had opportunities he never did. It is in the long nights I’ve spent studying, pushing myself to be more, to learn more, to give more. It is in my unwavering belief that I can, and will, make an impact.

Biology is the foundation of everything I am working toward. It is the science that explains the body, the knowledge that will allow me to heal, and the discipline that will carry me through the rigorous years of medical training ahead. But more than that, it is the lens through which I see the world—a world of challenges, yes, but also one of infinite possibility.

I do not fear rejection anymore, nor do I see obstacles as endings. They are only detours, moments that push me toward something greater. With every closed door, I have found another way forward. And now, as I step into this next chapter, I do so knowing that I am exactly where I am meant to be—ready to learn, to grow, and to one day, heal.