One of my many motivations to do an internship in Canada as a Fulbright-Mitacs

Globalink Fellow is to do something out of the ordinary by applying my knowledge in a different

country as well as absorbing new knowledge from a different country that shares borders with
the United States. I am a Kinesiology major which is the study of the human body’s movement.
The human body is resilient and capable of many things but unfortunately it can not withstand
everything. Regardless of where we are in the world, the human body is what everyone can relate
to and through collaboration we can help each other discover more through research. Our body is
the most valuable thing to take care of and that is why I have such a big interest in discovering
more about it. Along with being a physically active person, I am fascinated by the biomechanics
behind the motion of kicking a soccer ball or performing the Fosbury flop. After some research, I
have discovered there are many projects through the Mitacs Globalink program like sport and
disability inclusion or advancing human performance in the Canadian Football League.
To describe myself, I would say versatile, adaptive, and open minded. I have occupied
several positions and volunteered in many areas that have given me the opportunity to discover
my identity and become the person I am today. My versatility comes from the events and
moments I have experienced. One of my many volunteering experiences was being a camp
counselor for the 4-H multicultural summer camps for middle schoolers. Throughout my high
school academic career, I was involved in these summer camps created for any student
regardless of ethnicity or background. Our main goal was to enlighten the students about
different careers and occupations that they can achieve by encouraging them to go to post-
secondary school.
This camp has always been special to me because it shows how a diverse community
could get together and share knowledge with one another. These camps gave me a platform to
show them my background and story so I can motivate them to achieve their goals. Regardless of
where these students were from, I was ecstatic to meet new students from different cultures and
backgrounds to find a middle ground between both of us and see what I can relate with them and
also identify our differences that make us unique from each other. There were instances where
we would get students from abroad like Mexico and Europe which gave me the opportunity to
inform them about the school systems we have in the United States and what it takes to go to
college here. Without these one-on-one interactions and group discussions, I don't know how I
would have practiced and proficiently developed the abilities I have now such as public
speaking, collaborative working, and adaptation to new environments.
As a first-generation college student having transferred from Portland Community
College, it wasn't easy to adjust to a large research institute like Oregon State University. A big
factor in adapting to the school was being a minority with little to no knowledge of what research
is all about. With the help of a generous mentor, Mario Magaña, and several other resources such
as workshops and events like the Oregon Leadership Institutes, this did not scare me. I welcome
challenges and think of them as learning experiences that I will reflect upon and grow even
stronger than I was before. Going to Canada as a United States ambassador for this special
opportunity will introduce me to the research aspect of what I want to study and the abilities it
takes to professionalize in it.