Annalisa Chu

What is your background? I went to James Madison Memorial High School. At home, I live with my parents, three sisters, and grandpa. My family immigrated to America twenty years ago, and my parents never went to college. However, we never let this define us because we know that we could go anywhere with our hard work and determination.

What are you doing now? I am a senior at James Madison Memorial High School. I got accepted into the College of Letters and Sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

What are your professional goals for the future? I plan to major in Chinese or Asian Studies, earn a certificate in Global Health, and pursue a pre-med track. As a junior, I hope to study abroad somewhere in Asia. During the holiday breaks, I also want to travel to other countries and complete programs abroad. I am still undecided about what I want to do in the future, but I do know that I want to work within healthcare.

What is your vision for the future? After I earn my bachelor’s degree, I plan to head into graduate school. Although I do not know what my career will be in the future, I hope to find a job that does not feel like work to me, a passion of mine that I will wake up every morning feeling happy about. In terms of my personal life, I hope to have lived boldly and continue to live boldly. I want to have challenged myself and continue to push myself towards greater limits because I know life is too short for regrets.

How has the Arndt Family Scholarship impacted your life? I honestly never thought I would receive this scholarship, and I am still amazed that I did. I think I am an unlucky person who never seems to get the luck of the draw. However, I am very thankful that the Arndt Family has chosen me as one of the students from my school to receive this scholarship. Without having to worry about tuition as an undergraduate is a blessing. As the second person within my family to receive this scholarship, I am deeply appreciative of the Arndt Family.

How has the Arndt Family Scholarship improved the lives around you? The Arndt Family Scholarship has definitely helped relieve the burden off of my parents’ shoulders. I have three sisters: one will be going to graduate school, one is currently an undergraduate, and one will be going to high school. The financial burden is extremely high for my parents, but thanks to the Arndt Family, the burden has significantly decreased. As daughters, my sisters and I care deeply about our parents’ physical and mental health, so by relieving the stress of my parents, the Arndt Family has also improved the well being of my sisters and I; for that, I am extremely grateful.