Below are excerpts from Madison Sahagun Bisson’s winning essay for the Global Awareness portion of the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship. Go here to find the 2019 Building A Better World Scholarship Award Winners…
We have neighbors… ” We need to understand and appreciate the lives and values of not only foreign cultures, but local cultures as well. We have neighbors who are Black, Asian, or Latino, but so many people do not take the time to learn about their cultures and traditions. How can we expect people to be aware of the cultures around the world if they are not aware of the cultures that they encounter every day? This must be our first priority.”
The diversity I crave… “I wrote my University of Michigan community essay on how badly I wanted to leave Egelston. Not because I do not like living here, but because I am not experiencing the diversity that I crave. I wrote about going to Washington D.C. with Oakridge Close Up, and how that experience showed me how little I knew about cultures in the United States, let alone the those in the world. My two roommates were from North Dakota. They were descendants from a Native American tribe and spoke in an old language called Hidatsa. I bombarded them with questions throughout the week, and learned so much about their beliefs and way of life. There were also teenagers from Alaska, Puerto Rico, New York, and Indiana. And we chose to go during “deaf week.” Everyone was so new and different, and I loved it. Just that little exposure changed my entire perspective.”
I must see the world for myself… “I can talk all I want about global awareness, but until I actually get to go out and see the world for myself, I cannot claim to be aware. I know that I do not understand what life is like in Hanoi (University semester abroad course). When I go there, I will be able to interact with local people, and learn about their lives and culture. After college, I will continue to travel the world, and immerse myself into the various opportunities that are offered for traveling doctors. I will strive to help as many people as possible, all while learning about and helping solve the different health-related problems found around the world.”
I will be responsible… “When you become globally aware, your job is not over. You will not be able to keep your knowledge to yourself. You will be responsible for holding other people accountable when they fail to be globally aware. You will become an advocate with people who have not yet discovered the importance of global awareness. You must stress the significance of understanding the different ways of life around the world. If not you, then who?”
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and check out Madison’s plans… “I am extremely excited to be attending the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor this fall. I am going to be working towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Science by majoring in biology on the pre-med track, with a minor in Spanish. While in college, I plan on taking full advantage of the many opportunities to study abroad. I would especially love to go on a special study abroad trip that includes traveling to Washington D.C., 
Vietnam, South Africa, and Argentina over the span of 16 weeks. I love to read, travel, watch movies, hang out with friends, and sing. I aspire to be a physician with a specialty in either pediatrics or dermatology. I love everything about the medical field, and I can’t wait to be a part of it someday.”
Thank you for your support through the years.
Together, We Can.
