Undergraduate /
My father gifted me a computer; Cornell/My ideas and interests [5]
Please leave comment and be critical...
Prompt: Tell us about an engineering idea you have, or about your interest in engineering. Describe how your ideas and interests may be realized by - and linked to -ï specific resources within the College of Engineering. Finally, explain what a Cornell Engineering education will enable you to accomplish.
My interest in engineering was sparked with a computer my father bought as a present to me in 1998. The computer had 128MB RAM, Intel Pentium III processor and Windows 98 operating system. In the first week, the computer was the victim of my curiosity. At the time, one of my friends at the preschool had told me little green men worked inside computers. Even though I did not believe him, curiosity led me to open up the computer's case and disassembled the computer. However hard I looked, I could not locate the promised little green men. Instead, I found an intricate jumble of colorful wires and weird green boards. I was delighted for having such an interesting toy. However, I had to reassemble all the parts because I had the strange feeling that my father would not want to see the new computer in pieces. But, despite all efforts to put back the pieces, I could not get the computer to work again. When my father saw the computer in pieces, I thought he would get angry, but surprisingly he didn't. He told me "Son, I love that you are curios but next time you open up it, you're going to tell me." It was such a relief for me because I did not expect such a response. In retrospect, I realize this was the first step that led to a future in engineering.
As I grew up, I became increasingly aware of my role in this world. Who was I and what was I to become? I realized that if I studied abroad, I could receive a better education with which I could excel in whatever I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I would also acquire a unique viewpoint on events and problems by looking at them from the perspective of different cultures. When I finally arrived abroad to my new school, my college counselor told me to research universities that best represented my personality. As I started my search, I contemplated on an answer to whom I was. During my research, I saw a motto: "Any person... Any study..." It was what Ezra Cornell envisioned-so did I. The more I researched about Cornell College of Engineering, the more I became interested. Then, I had a chance to visit campus and saw the countless opportunities in every area: academic, social and so forth. I visited Phillips Hall, Thurston Hall, Lester B. Knight Jr. Laboratory and Carpenter Hall. Each of them offers different opportunities; however all have one main aim: to raise well-rounded engineers that could exceed in the social arena as well as in engineering.
While conducting my research, I learned about international engineering internship programs, research and service opportunities, leadership development and countless other opportunities at Cornell University. One thing that I learned which really affected me deeply is that students at Cornell move beyond the particular area of academics that they want to excel in. This is extraordinary because students are allowed to follow their curiosity and choose what they want to learn instead of being bottled up in their area of expertise. I believe that the concerns of an engineer should transcend that of engineering to encompass global problems. Otherwise, How could an engineer be expected to work towards a more sustainable world?
Throughout my research I discovered one simple but crucial fact: Cornell offers all that a well-rounded engineer could need and want. What prompted me to choose Cornell is that it is unparalleled in the opportunities that it provides to its students in discovering their area of expertise, the world and above all, themselves. Cornell University's all resources are going to give me opportunities to accomplish not being just an engineer but well-rounded adult.
