Undergraduate / Curiosity of Inquiry - Bates College [2]

Curiosity of Inquiry

"I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday." This quote comes from Abraham Lincoln, a man who not only shares my birthday, but also my philosophy on education. Lincoln's words reflect the importance of learning, and emphasize it as a continual process. Because of the boundless nature of this process one can learn not only in the prescribed classroom setting, but also through interactions in and out of the classroom with people who come from unfamiliar backgrounds and cultures. These experiences are critical to a holistic and unified student body that appreciates the depth of a liberal arts education. It is this philosophy that I would bring to Bates, and by inspiring a pervasive tone of discourse, I am sure I would add immensely to the vitality of the campus. While I have had multiple experiences in my lifetime that display this intellectual curiosity, there are two in particular that truly express all that I plan on bringing to Bates College in the fall.

At the age of fifteen, I was able to travel to the Algarve region of Portugal to visit a family friend. The instant I arrived in Lisbon I was enthralled by Portuguese culture. The friendly and relaxed citizens were quite a contrast to the fast-paced, stressful environment that I had grown so accustomed to in America. Once we arrived in the Algarve, we settled into the modest home of our host, a long time friend and co-worker of my mother's who vacationed in Portugal every summer. After the jet lag wore off, I was introduced to her family and learned that none of them spoke a bit of English, and I did not speak any Portuguese. My immersion into this culture was a true learning experience; through observance of their culture and interactions, I was able to see firsthand how the Portuguese people truly live. I learned that the commercialism that we have become so accustomed to in the United States is virtually nonexistent in Portugal. The importance of family values exceeds that of materialistic ones, and the intimacy of the nation was an oasis from the more formal United States, as I was almost always guaranteed a hug and kiss from anyone I met. The knowledge that a country, just across the ocean, is so vastly different

from the United States is powerful in itself, but to experience it first hand is a true gift, and an experience worth sharing. Conveying the magnitude of this experience to others sparked an intellectual curiosity that led me to research and question other topics discussed in the classroom. While participating in class discussions, I am not looking for an experience that will partially satisfy the topic discussed, but one that encourages discourse and ignites a passion for it. While this result is rarely achieved because of time constraints in the classroom, I am able to quench my thirst for knowledge with further research done elsewhere. During my junior year English class, however, I inadvertently embarked on a learning experience that would carry through into my senior year. I became so fascinated with the authors being studied, that I proposed, and received approval for, an independent study to commence during my senior year. I am currently studying American authors and their impact on society, a topic so deep and fascinating that even a semester's worth of research will only skim the surface. Through this exploration, I have discovered how meaningless a grade is without knowledge attached to it, and how bereft of perspective students can be who focus solely on the number generated by a Scantron sheet. I know that I want to be part of a community of students who learn for learning's sake. I am sure that creating my own academic path within my high school's curriculum only enhances my readiness for Bates and the challenges that it will present.

After quite a long college process, I have come to the conclusion that I want to be part of a community that shares my philosophy and values for an education. It was through this set of demands that I found liberal arts colleges, more specifically Bates. The environment at Bates is one that I know fits me as a student. I know that as a student at Bates College, I would influence students to intellectually challenge themselves. Any college campus with inquisitive and cerebral students is sure to obtain the highest level of vitality.

Undergraduate / Johns Hopkins University-Why I Chose Math and Public Health [4]

While I adore and appreciate film and literature, and consider myself to be a well-cultured and well-read student, I am in my element in room C2014, the AP Calculus classroom. Calculus, and mathematics in general, is an escape from the often ambiguous realms of literature, science and social studies. There is always a definite solution, something that a pragmatist like me can overwhelmingly appreciate. I adore the way that the product rule and the reverse product rule allow derivatives and integrals to be interdependent on one another. The steadfastness and consistency of mathematics is what continues to capture my affection as time goes on. I can always be sure that the derivative of x2 is 2x, and there is absolutely nothing to change that. The same cannot be said for literature, as I may be able to have a heated debate with someone on whether they like or do not like Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. Not only does it possess a definitive nature, but also one of beauty. During the last year, I have been exposed to mathematics that goes beyond the bounds of calculus. Fractals display how utterly fascinating mathematics can actually be, as their repeating patterns create intricate images of brilliance and beauty. "Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas". This quote from Albert Einstein so deeply reflects my passion for the science. My view on math is very similar to that of a fractal; after every iteration, the pieces of the complex puzzle fit more perfectly together, just as the deeper I explore the depths of mathematics, the more I know that I must study it.

Although my love for mathematics cannot be matched, I have recently found myself pondering a career in the public health field. Growing up with a nurse as a mother, I have always been exposed to the atmosphere of a hospital. I recall going into hospitals as a young boy, and instead of being agitated and anxious as most people are, I appreciated the environment I was in, and recognized it more as a portal for life and a station for healing, rather than a dungeon of mortal despair. I have in recent years decided that this type of curiosity and adoration for the work that hospitals do would be best put into use as a hospital administrator. Thus, the health policy and management sector of the public health world would be most advantageous to me. As I explored all that this vast department has to offer, I discovered biostatistics, a portion of the Public Health Studies major that could easily satisfy my mathematics desire. I am most aware that the Bloomberg School of Public Health is world renowned, and I am sure that with an undergraduate foundation in the subject matter, I would be all the more prepared for what Bloomberg has to offer.

Undergraduate / 'my trip to Portugal' - Williams Supplement- Looking out a window... [3]

I closed my eyes as the aircraft shook, clenching my hands to the arms of the seat with excessive strength. It was time, once again, to face my fear of flying and head to Lisbon, Portugal for a family vacation. Once we were safely in the air, I slid open the window shutter and gazed at the Boston skyline and Logan Airport that were now in the distance. I had become so familiar with the luminous John Hancock Building and the stately Prudential Building, that they had become icons of the life I had been so accustomed to. All of my life, I had considered myself to be an inhibited individual; I had always been overly cautious and worrisome when faced with everyday situations whether it be riding on an elevator or getting to school on time. The truth of the matter is that I had become a victim of my surroundings. I had for so long done all that I possibly could to shut myself off from fear that I refused to allow myself to become vulnerable to change and suffered the consequences. I yearned for the audacity to change; I knew that this trip was the ideal catalyst for doing just that.

Once we had reached the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and Lisbon was in sight, I peered out my window once more, this time looking forward to a trip that I knew I would change my life. The exotic streets and unfamiliar skyline of Lisbon were waiting for me, and I had every intention of adhering to their call.

As I prepare to finish high school and go on to college, I find myself at the same crossroads that I was during my trip to Portugal, although, this time I am much more willing to board the plane and enter the exciting unknown that Williams has to offer. I am ready for a new beginning, ready to see a new skyline.