I have always dreamt of becoming a pilot. However, these preconceived notions dissolved the very minute that I set foot in the Air Force as the recruiter laughed me out of his office. He said that women were not allowed become pilots. The U.S. Army

I have served in the U.S. Army from 1980 to 1983. I am very proud to say that this institution has contributed a lot to my personal growth. Through this institution, I learned the value of discipline and to be of service to others. The kind of responsibility that we have to the citizens of the United States has extended the scope of my understanding of the reason of my existence.

In 1983, I received an honorable discharge.

All these experiences molded my values and pursuits. This led me to the realization of the importance of higher education. Although I have already completed a 5-year electrical apprenticeship program, I still would want to pursue higher education because of four specific things.

Firstly, higher education...

It is through this institution of learning that I will be able to extend and hopefully apply the things that I know and be able to learn new things.
Secondly, I wish to prove that no one is old enough for learning. Attending the university as a 48-year-old woman with daughters and grandchildren can hopefully allow others to see the importance of higher education. And hopefully, I may be able to inspire others to pursue the things that they have always wanted.

Thirdly, higher education can provide opportunities for me, which in turn, can help me in pursuing my advocacy of helping other cancer patients.

Lastly, higher education means standing up for the number of Filipinos (my father's native land) who are not able to continue their educational pursuits, not just because of financial restraints, but because of the enveloping mentality that they should not be heard and seen.

These are the things that motivate me in my pursuits of achieving higher education. And I raise them all to your good office in the hope that I may secure an opportunity to do the thing that I value the most.

I vowed never to be stopped simply by financial restraints; in the same way that I was able to survive breast cancer, I have learned that the assistance and generosity of others can help us in surviving our very own struggles, battles, pursuits, and restraints.