Dahlia Khalifa

Numerous times when I was young, an audiologist would tell my parents that I would not do well in school, especially in English-based studies. This is because at the age of one, I developed an abnormal skin growth in my left ear, resulting in hearing impairment; I was not able to pick-up certain sounds and this slurred my speech. Thankfully, my parents brought me to speech therapy and I dramatically improved due to myself wanting to practice constantly and doing my best each time. This innate determination and perseverance I had a child still persists and is reflected in my achievements throughout the years: graduating high school at the age of sixteen, earning the top score of the Cambridge IGCSE English Literature exam in the United Arab Emirates, receiving a scholarship to study English at the University of Cambridge, and being accepted into UL.
At the age of eight, I moved from my hometown, Folsom, California, to live in Egypt for five years and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) for four years. Living overseas was the best experience in my life, because I was able to learn more about diverse cultures and develop my ability to speak French and some Arabic. Living overseas also made me appreciate the things that I have in life, because a large proportion of the Egyptian population live in poverty and many workers in the U.A.E are treated poorly. Having a passion to help those in need, my family and I feed the less fortunate in Egypt during the holy month of Ramadan every year by giving out packed dinners. Viewing the warm smiles on those assisted encouraged me tremendously to continue benefiting the lives of others, such as traveling to Borneo, Malaysia to help build a school and reforest a burnt section of the Borneo Rainforest.
Not only am I currently excelling in my college courses, but I am using my spare time to participate in many volunteering activities and research. I assist a professors from the biology department with her research, which is based on a colony of organisms in a rock. This opportunity is allowing myself to look into the fascinating world of biological research. Then, I mentor in the Biology Mentoring Matters program; I tutor my peers with regards to their general biology courses and advise them on studying techniques. This mentoring program is a lovely way to meet new people, to improve speaking skills, and to see sparks fly whenever someone learns a piece of information that I provided. I am also a member of the American Sign Language (ASL) club, so we learn about simple signs and deaf culture; hopefully, I will know enough signs to communicate with the deaf community, as I have always had a love for sign language. Finally, I am in several societies, which will benefit my future career drastically: Pre-Professional society, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Alpha Sigma Lambda.
Therefore, having strong tenacity allows myself to overcome hardships and to exceed in given tasks. The love for knowledge is strong and fiery in my heart, so I will do anything to learn, especially in the field of biology. Due to my well-roundedness, I am able to do well academically and still have time to partake in volunteer activities and clubs. Local and overseas volunteering has allowed myself to establish a role as a global and serviceable citizen; having the ability to make someone smile due to giving them food or providing information is the best achievement in my life. In conclusion, I achieved many unique life goals and I love to make the world a better place.