I tied myself into the ropes, took a deep breath of the fresh, cedar scented air at Devil’s Lake, and gave the “Climber ready” command. “Belayers ready,” responded my climbing group. “Okay, I’m climbing,” I replied back. I peeked up, and the top was out of sight. This was my first time rock climbing on real rocks, nothing like climbing the clean and expensive climbing walls in the school gymnastics room. I was determined to reach the top...

Throughout high school, I have taken AP Statistics and college-leveled math courses that have motivated me to major in statistics. I have always been interested in its applications, finding that even writing for the school newspaper reinforces my love for math and statistics. I have especially enjoyed reading and writing about how science and technology affect our actions, attitudes, and quality of life. The diverse and flexible programs with plenty of research opportunities in the Department of Statistical Sciences at...

The many different mathematics applications have always interested me and motivated me to seek a major in mathematics. Through my research of the curriculum at the Mathematics Department in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, I have seen the variety of ways mathematics could be applied—through economy, business, and sciences—to develop my diverse interests in mathematics in different directions. I was born in Evanston while my father worked at Northwestern University as a postdoctoral research fellow. Almost...

As a part of my church community, I attend my youth group every Friday and Sunday for fellowship and Bible study. My community is the basis for how I live my values, and balance my principles and passions. Within the community, we commit to serving our neighbors, families, friends, and also people we have not yet met. Last summer I went on a mission trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I was able to help people who lived in less...

One of the most contributing motivations to my interest in mathematics was sparked by joining my school newspaper. The articles I most enjoy writing are about how the roles of math, science and technology influence our quality of life. One article that interested me was a story about a professor who was able to generate a computer program that readily reports sports games immediately after a game is over. He was able to do this by gathering statistics and available...