Hello everyone, My name is Karena Moleakunnel and I am an international student from India, pursuing my undergraduate in Biology and Public Health at Calvin University in the United States of America. I am fascinated by science and my dream is to become a medical research scientist. Why a medical research scientist? From a very young age, I witnessed the value of science in creating novel solutions related to healthcare and its management in developing countries. When I first encountered Biology in 7th grade, I was amazed at how intricate creation can be, including the smallest unit of life like the cell. The coronavirus pandemic was a key event in my life when I observed the frightening realities of healthcare systems breaking down, mismanagement (and conflict) with scientific information and its bearers, unequal distribution of resources, and a patient community grief-stricken with diseases, sadness, and confusion everywhere including my home country. In Delhi, I remember an incident and it was heartbreaking to see poor migrant workers lacking resources to buy masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus during the pandemic. I was able to make 75+ reusable, washable, sustainable, and hand-stitched masks and distributed them. I was thankful that through my small service, I was able to share resources to protect them from infection. I would love to serve and contribute to the global healthcare community's effective ways of treating diseases that harm human health by studying various microbes and pathogens in the world. The pandemic was a humbling experience for it made me realize our limitations in scientific knowledge, especially those related to healthcare. It made me understand how much more is yet to be discovered about organisms like pathogens and microbes that continue to change the way we engage with the environment, each other, and ourselves. In response to these limitations, I see science and biomedical research as an avenue to medical solutions and discoveries. I hope to bear a unified approach to healthcare and bring cohesiveness between biomedical research and patient care along with proper management and distribution of its resources. In the fall of 2024, I was accepted to Calvin University to study Biology and Public Health in addition to 9 other universities in the USA and UK. I decided to pursue my academic journey at Calvin University given the opportunities they provided in relation to research and scholarship. At Calvin, I was also accepted to selective programs like the Phage Research Program and Honors program to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to studying healthcare and Biology. Calvin continues to bring opportunities related to my goals in life. At Calvin, I have received about 65% of my financial aid through academic merit and scholarships. But I still need $ 20,000 for my tuition and boarding yearly. I was able to manage my first year’s university costs with the help of my parents’ savings and our friends' generous help. In order to complete my studies, I need $ 60,000. This amount is a huge challenge for my parents as they are voluntary mission workers in South Asia. I have created this fundraiser page to get financial help to complete my university education. I would greatly appreciate your aid in helping me reach my financial goal through this page. If you would like to offer support in a non-financial manner please share this fundraiser story with other friends or family. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and be part of my journey.
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