Please write a concise narrative in which you describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF Campus community. You may want to reflect on your ideas about student responsibility, academic integrity, campus citizenship or a call to service.
Two events that profoundly impacted me are intertwined by the fact that they took place within a span of ten days of each other. One of the events was of such a magnitude, that the other pales by comparison. However, the overall effect caused me to re-evaluate myself and my goals.
The first incident caused my heart to almost stop beating. My father received a phone call and repeated the news aloud. Scott had been killed in a car accident on the way to the high school senior awards ceremony. He was my sister's best friend, and over the ten years that he hung out at our home, he became like an older brother to me. He was almost part of our family with the day-to-day adventures that we shared. Scott had a wild imagination and a wonderful sense of humor. He was such a special kid--a favorite among his teachers, Third in his class, and a joie de vivre that was contagious to those around him.
The next week at my own eighth grade awards ceremony, our assistant principal was announcing the top male student of the year award. When he began talking, I heard him call my name. My sister, still overwrought with grief, stood up in the crowded cafeteria and began yelling, "Yes! Yes!" to no one in particular. Dumbfounded, I reached the stage wondering why one of the outstanding athletes or gifted students was not in my place. I gratefully accepted the engraved palque from Assistant Principal Knabe. As I turned to the hundreds of applauding students and parents, I embraced the joyful, proud moment that seemed to be the start of something new, deep within me. Later, I realized that this was the first step in creating a vision for my future, persevering in spite of Scott's death. I found that academic success, leadership opportunities, sports, and great friendships completed the picture in my high school years.
When these two events occurred within such close proximity to one another, I could not help but have an overall experience that would affect me both emotionally and academically for the rest of my life. In the Spring of 2006, Scott and my sister Beth were accepted to the University of Florida and had been planning their future adventures there. Since they were so successful in academics and enjoying life, I decided to follow in their footsteps and make University of Florida the pinnacle of my future academic aspirations. At the University of Florida, I will continue to take challenging classes, excel academically, and encourage others to reach their full potential. I hope to do research in my chosen field of engineering. My leadership roles in high school volleyball and JETS engineering club have been rewarding experiences and have made we want to seek out more responsibilities in the future. With my experiences and potential, I know that the sky is the limit if I am lucky enough to become part of the Gator Nation.
Two events that profoundly impacted me are intertwined by the fact that they took place within a span of ten days of each other. One of the events was of such a magnitude, that the other pales by comparison. However, the overall effect caused me to re-evaluate myself and my goals.
The first incident caused my heart to almost stop beating. My father received a phone call and repeated the news aloud. Scott had been killed in a car accident on the way to the high school senior awards ceremony. He was my sister's best friend, and over the ten years that he hung out at our home, he became like an older brother to me. He was almost part of our family with the day-to-day adventures that we shared. Scott had a wild imagination and a wonderful sense of humor. He was such a special kid--a favorite among his teachers, Third in his class, and a joie de vivre that was contagious to those around him.
The next week at my own eighth grade awards ceremony, our assistant principal was announcing the top male student of the year award. When he began talking, I heard him call my name. My sister, still overwrought with grief, stood up in the crowded cafeteria and began yelling, "Yes! Yes!" to no one in particular. Dumbfounded, I reached the stage wondering why one of the outstanding athletes or gifted students was not in my place. I gratefully accepted the engraved palque from Assistant Principal Knabe. As I turned to the hundreds of applauding students and parents, I embraced the joyful, proud moment that seemed to be the start of something new, deep within me. Later, I realized that this was the first step in creating a vision for my future, persevering in spite of Scott's death. I found that academic success, leadership opportunities, sports, and great friendships completed the picture in my high school years.
When these two events occurred within such close proximity to one another, I could not help but have an overall experience that would affect me both emotionally and academically for the rest of my life. In the Spring of 2006, Scott and my sister Beth were accepted to the University of Florida and had been planning their future adventures there. Since they were so successful in academics and enjoying life, I decided to follow in their footsteps and make University of Florida the pinnacle of my future academic aspirations. At the University of Florida, I will continue to take challenging classes, excel academically, and encourage others to reach their full potential. I hope to do research in my chosen field of engineering. My leadership roles in high school volleyball and JETS engineering club have been rewarding experiences and have made we want to seek out more responsibilities in the future. With my experiences and potential, I know that the sky is the limit if I am lucky enough to become part of the Gator Nation.
