Hometown: Denver CO
Anticipated Major(s) and minor(s): Molecular and Cellular Biology, maybe a minor in Economics
How did you discover Hopkins? Why did you decide to apply Early Decision? Hopkins is a university I have admired for years. When looking for a college, I looked for an institution with immersive research opportunities, a community engaged in social justice and service, and a diverse, passionate student body. The impact-based and world-changing initiative that the community of Hopkins embraces is something uniquely special, and I aspired to become a part of it.
Is there a quote or motto that inspires you? What is it and what does it mean to you? “People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” – Thich Nhat Hanh.
In third grade, I attended a retreat in New York in which over several days I was able to meditate alongside, listen to, and speak with the truthful and impactful teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. As I heard of his passing in January, I was reminded of the impact he had on me in my childhood years and how the interaction I had with him was something uniquely special that my younger self may not have fully grasped at the time. Now, being a senior going off to college, I have revisited this quote to remind myself of the gift of life and to be present in every moment rather than convolute my mind with worrying thoughts of the past and the future.
What do you hope to get involved in on campus? Social justice advocacy and engagement has been an important part of my time in high school, and I hope to further that impact through organizations on campus. I also competitively did swimming, track, tennis, and water polo throughout my high school years, so I’m hoping to get involved in some of those sports. Eventually, I’d love to play on the water polo team.
What’s your best piece of college search advice for high school students? An underrated piece of advice is that if you signed up for the Student Search Service on your PSAT or other exam to start organizing your inbox and/or unsubscribe from colleges that you are for sure not considering… I may or may not have over 15,000 unread emails due to this.
What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of? (big or small!) I was pretty excited when I qualified for high school tennis state for the first time in my junior year. My partner and I, being a top seeded team, may have lost to the worst seeded team in the first round… But thankfully we won state this year, so it cancels out.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (dream big!) Pursuing a profession as a doctor or working in a lab on groundbreaking genetics research… or both.
