As a product of immigration, I have been shaped by the unique benefits and challenges of spending my developmental years in multiple cultures. I was born in the rural province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines, but spent much of my early childhood in the country's capital, Manila. When I was six, my family moved to Singapore for several years before settling in Guam on my ninth birthday, when my father contracted with an international hotel franchise. Learning to manage cultural discrepancies in my life quickly became a norm, which shaped my values ​​and priorities. Through trial and error, I developed skills to adapt and succeed across cultural boundaries as I continually met new people on my travels. While I capitalized on the benefits of my nomadic life and loved my nomadic life, I couldn't ignore the inevitable costs that accompanied my experiences. Some of the challenges included a severe lack of stabilization and the feeling that “home” was always elsewhere, which hindered a sense of belonging anywhere. For example, I hesitated to claim ownership of any of the countries I grew up in due to ethnic and cultural barriers, but I also felt perceived as a foreigner whenever I returned to my legal homeland in the Philippines. Over the years, my command of English has masked my international upbringing and nomadic history, which has produced a “hidden immigrant” mentality. Furthermore, due to my family's constant moving, the transition to a new culture and cost of living proved to be very challenging. I knew from an early age that my parents wouldn't be able to afford many things, let alone a college education for me and my siblings. The ever-evolving horizons of my life, supported respectively by...... middle of paper ......actions in extracurricular activities to promote the positive development of young people, are directly linked to my fields of interest. Given the opportunity to work with faculty whose work is so closely aligned with my research ambitions, I will be able to create and refine truly meaningful and meaningful work. With a doctorate from CU-Boulder, I intend to pursue a career of lifelong learning as a professor or researcher. The excitement of making meaningful discoveries, gaining insight from existing knowledge, and conveying its meaning to others drives me to continue my path in academia. I am convinced that this is the path designed for me and I am confident that your school is the best place to work towards my goals. I sincerely hope that I will be given the opportunity to demonstrate my commitment, drive and determination as a student of your University