“Breathe, Pause and Get pleasure from Successes,” Says Dream Award Scholar Lily Meienburg

By Pam Carlson

Scholarship America Dream Award scholar Lily Meienburg has confronted many challenges all through her life.

“As somebody with Sort 1 diabetes, I used to be bullied as a toddler,” mentioned Lily, a Findlay, Ohio native who was identified at age 4. As she grew up, she realized the bullies have been appearing out of worry of what they don’t know or perceive—and in highschool, she based Sort Type, a corporation to advertise a extra inclusive atmosphere for all youngsters and finish misconceptions about Sort 1 diabetes and different power well being situations.

That was solely the start of Lily’s outreach on behalf of Sort 1 diabetes sufferers. She was additionally a youth ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for 3 years and served as their 2019 youth advocacy chief. She nonetheless speaks to teams and school rooms, together with graduate stage programs at The Ohio State College, the place she is a significant in enterprise administration with a advertising specialization and a minor in trend and retail research.

Her well being was only one factor Lily was coping with as a younger youngster.

“My household regarded ‘excellent’ from the skin, and but behind closed doorways was removed from it,” mentioned Lily. “My father was bodily, verbally and psychologically abusive to my brother, mom and myself for years. Once I was 11 years previous, my mom lastly left after discovering out that he had choked my brother whereas she was at work. We needed to go away in a short time with only some rubbish baggage of possessions.”

Including to the wrestle, Lily’s mom was identified with Stage IV breast most cancers and went by way of quite a few surgical procedures and most cancers therapies.

Despite the challenges at dwelling, nonetheless, Lily was a really energetic highschool pupil, serving because the volunteer coordinator for the Nationwide Honor Society and as cheer captain for each varsity soccer and basketball. She acquired the Three Rivers Athletic Convention All Tutorial Award for having a 3.75 grade level common, and he or she started taking school courses by way of Findlay Excessive College earlier than graduating in 2021.

Lily is now a junior at The Ohio State University in Columbus. A member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, she based a Variety, Fairness and Inclusion Committee. She can also be exterior philanthropy chair and advertising co-chair for the Large Buckeye on Campus occasion which raised over $28,000 in 2022 and $32,000 in 2023 for breast most cancers analysis and schooling.

Lily additionally belongs to Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, an educational honors fraternity; the Morrill Students program; and the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Legislation Fraternity.

“I’m truly engaged on my LSAT check prep for legislation college admissions testing,” Lily mentioned.

The Scholarship America Dream Award has lifted a weight off Lily’s shoulders. “Due to this scholarship, I’ve the time to affix the Girls in Enterprise Membership this yr and proceed volunteering by way of my sorority (Zeta Tau Alpha) because the exterior philanthropy chair,” Lily mentioned.

Trying again, Lily mentioned she would inform her youthful self: “Breathe, as a result of we made it! I’ve at all times been my greatest critic and whereas it has helped push me to the successes I’ve had, I’d inform my youthful self to pause and revel in these successes alongside the way in which.”

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