Scholarship / I'm interested in computer field. Scholarship essay. [5]

List your career area of interest and why you have a desire to work in this particular field.

First of all, thank you!! and please help me with my final essay of the three. I can submit them after this.

I've been working with computer hardware for many years. From building, upgrading, and fixing PCs, it has turned into something that I want to do for the rest of my life. I would want to be working with computer hardware.

Back in the days when I just came to USA from Vietnam, I didn't have a clue about technologies yet. Later on I was introduced to PC from many aspects like school, friends. Then my parents finally could afford us one machine. I was limited accessing the PC because it was the family's PC and everyone got a piece of it. Plus we used phone line to connect to the internet and it interfered with home phone. After high school, I attended community college and saved enough money to buy my own computer. From here my life has changed a lot. Most my money saving was to buy computer parts and upgrade it. I stayed up later than I used to to dig more about computer world. I wanted to try new technologies and new products. All these years I haven't got bored of it yet. As a matter of fact I think it will continue to hook me more with rapidly changing technologies. Whenever going to an electronic store, I always come to the computer section and play with the displays checking out the configurations and testing out new gadgets. All my friends have me upgrade and fix their computers. Sometimes I even called them and asked if they wanted to have their computer checked. My eyes and ears are there for techie conversations. Computers, they don't always go smoothly. Sometimes I get stuck at something and couldn't figure it out. The problem kept me awake at night and hardly could sleep. I'm really interested in computer fields. That's my hobby and also a passion.

Scholarship / Curiousity helps me learn quick - Scholarship Essay (Diversity) [2]

Question: Describe how you can contribute to the diversity of the University and the value you see in service to the community.
(I think my essay is weak, but that's all I've got. Any comments will do!! Thank you)

My early school years in Vietnam were horrible. Since 1st grade, every year, I had to either retake the exam or passed with passing grades. I thought I didn't have the ability to study up to peers. After the 6th grade, my mom got worried and had me take tutor classes outside of school. By the end of 7th grade, my grades improved significantly from a used-to-be passing grade to almost honor status. Only one class held me back. The 8th grade was even better. The County School District organized an exam for advance students including Math, English, and Literature. Every school in the County picked their candidates. I and four other candidates were honored to represent the school for Math subject. The exam was tougher than I expected, but we all passed. Passing brought honor to the school, the class, and the family. Ironically, Math was the subject I failed in 6th grade. After two years, I was good at it and even placed in one of the top students in Math within the school.

By then end of my junior year, I moved to America with my family. Everything was different. The one thing I noticed most was the computer. We didn't have many computers in school back in Vietnam by that time yet. I still remember I had my DOS class and didn't know any clue about it. One day, my dad brought home a PC. He got it from a friend. The PC was old, but was still better than the one I used back in Vietnam. After a year or so, I got obsessed with building computer. Rapid changing technologies persuaded me to upgrade the parts. To learn how to upgrade I had to dig for the answers either from internet or websites. From this, I started to gain more and more knowledge. Correcting failures and errors did even more. From a novice user, I became more advanced. Through these two experiences, I noticed about myself that whatever I like to do, my curiosity will get there and far beyond the expectation.

Scholarship / a Program Aide in Regent West Adult Health Care Center - leadership experience [5]

The essay question: Describe your most significant leadership experience.
(please help me correct the grammars. Most of all, does it make sense? - TIA )

The most significant leadership experience I've got while working as a Program Aide in Regent West Adult Health Care Center in California. My job's description was to help the patients who wanted to learn to use computers and support basic IT questions.

On my first day at the office, I was expecting a lot of people. Surprisingly, no one had attended. It was strange and disappointed at the same time. I talked to the patients and asked them if they wanted to participate in any kind of activities related to computer. The majority was intimidated and didn't know anything about computer due to the reason that 90% of patients in the facility were Vietnamese with the age ranging at from 60 and 70. I decided to discuss to Kimberly, the Activity Coordinator, about different ways in which we can recruit the patients and encourage them to participate in the computer activities so that the program wouldn't be terminated.

I knew I had to think of a way to encourage potential participants. For the next several days, I talked to the patients to understand their interests and linked them to computers. I told them about current events, stories, and articles that could be read online. I also told them the benefits of keeping in contact with their friends and family through the internet.

First there were six people who signed up for the class. I had to get the teaching material from the internet mixing with some exercises from books I've took in college. It was hard for them at first because many patients suffer from short-term memory loss. I had them practice moving the mouse over to open a program and close it for at least 25 times. Usually by then, they could remember some of the exercise. However, the next day when I asked them to perform the exercise again, they had forgotten everything. So I learned that these are special people. The teaching technique had got to be different. At school, students have to catch up with the professor's speed, but in here I had to go according to how fast they absorbed the materials. The class got bigger and new people joined. It had got easier for me because the experience students could help me demonstrating the new ones how to do certain tasks. Some of them even gave tips and tricks and shared their experiences. They learn it better from peers than me in some situations. I worked there for about a year. When I left, a total of 60 people shared the computer room. Each of them had his/her own schedule when to use the computer. All of them knew basic computer operations. I didn't think of anything, but right now It feels satisfying thinking back that I could at least changed partial of people's life.