“Caitlin, for our debate, could you choreograph a spoken word dance expressing why the United States shouldn’t employ a unilateral assault against terrorism?” I remembered rallying up the class with the Charleston, playing swing music to enhance our discussion about the culture of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, so naturally, I blurted, “Of course!”. As I walked to my next class, the gravity and relevance of the debate issue dawned on me. Panicking, I wondered: how would I effectively display...

While I was reading to the children in the local elementary school, introducing them to new characters and unknown realms, they gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding an insatiable and genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations. I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy’s volunteer coordinator, who was sitting in the furthest corner of the cafeteria, and immediately felt belonging. Walking distance from my school, this elementary school...

Inefficiencies and wasted time are inherent in almost all systems that we encounter. This past summer, I interned at the Veterans Affairs Hospital and discovered that these inefficient systems not only refer to mechanical processes, but also human actions and everyday life. From the first day I began the internship, all the interns collectively met in a conference group as we began to discuss possible strategies to reduce some of the inefficiencies present in the radiology department. At the conclusion...

Portraits never cease to intrigue me. Beyond the individual brushstrokes comprising the subject’s face, I find the emotion behind the frozen image of an individual, trapped by the frame, to be more compelling. As I walked by the portraits in San Francisco’s Legion of Honor, I stared at each meticulously painted pairs of eyes as my brain began to process the visual stimulus. In art history, there lies an interplay between intuition and intentionality. My world was one...

After the Manchester attack, as I was teaching a jazz routine to local elementary school children in the downtown community, I caught glimpses of one of the children, Seetha, in the back corner with her head down and hands folded in her lap. The more I attempted to approach her, the more she closed herself off. Once I finally reached her, placing my hand on her shoulder, a small tear made its way down her cheek. This third grade child,...

Brown’s fundamental value of “exploration”, embodied by the shopping period and pass/fail options, immediately attracted me as it allows me to craft my own intellectual experience. Phenomena like the pairing of Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart to co-host a cooking show transcends traditional sociology, and the open curriculum will enable me to explore these academic pursuits. I hope to participate in the Engaged Scholars Program in Social Analysis and Research, which bridges academic and non-academic partners while utilizing...

Since attending a dance intensive that explored art’s impact on unifying and mobilizing society, I desired to find an equalizer. This experience first compelled me to pursue sociology, especially as analyzing power dynamics from an anthropological perspective revealed the inherent presence of economic disparities in hierarchical societies. However, in teaching dance to children from low-income households, I saw how talent and passion emerged, as the new scholarship kid outshone the girls who had been dancing for weeks and defied...

On Labor Day, under the beaming sun, I scooped gelato alongside Mr. Kolb, my conservatory director, at our annual Commercial Dance fundraiser. Persistently grasping tongs in one hand and gripping a crutch in the other, his determination made me proud to be part of such a passionate art community. His mentorship inspired me to read to children at the local elementary school, their bright eyes exuding genuine curiosity. When I decided to attend OCSA, I expected to grow as an...

Hello!!!!! I’m writing this while listening to Wiz Khalifa’s “Something New”, hoping to find some clever way to break the ice. My music interests range from Ludovico Einaudi to Post Malone, and I guarantee you’ll catch me awkwardly jamming out to the latest YG track before our first day. If you agree that it’s Troy’s “Bet On It” from High School Musical that epitomizes preteen angst, I hope you’ll join me in some pitchy...

Complacency. From experiencing song title amnesia to blindly following social paradigms, no one should be satisfied in accepting what’s unknown or what feels comfortable. In order to innovate and prevent a stagnating society, people need to ask questions, seek answers, and crave learning. (43)

Nixon and Watergate - after listening to the 18 minute silence in the Watergate tapes at the Nixon Library, I have this insatiable curiosity to know what was so secretive to conceal. In today’s hyper-political world, I desire to find missing truth. “Curiosity kills the cat”, and it certainly got me. (50).

If given the chance, of course I would spend the extra time teaching dance in the downtown community. I’m able to share a passion of mine, and learning from the students and watching them grow invigorates my own desire to continue creating art that inspires others.

Portraits never cease to intrigue me. Although I processed the emotion behind the strokes comprising the subject’s face, the frozen image of an individual trapped by the frame still implied something more, something latent. As I walked by the portraits in San Francisco’s Legion of Honor, I stared at each meticulously painted pairs of eyes, immersing myself in the worlds of these artists. In art history, there lies an interplay between intuition and intentionality. My world was one...

As I was reading at the local elementary school, introducing new characters and unknown realms, the children gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding an insatiable and genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations. I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy’s volunteer coordinator, who was sitting in the furthest corner of the cafeteria, and immediately felt belonging. Walking distance from my school, this elementary school was my home on...

Walking down from my System-Redesign internship office, I noticed a veteran in a wheelchair, the words “Korean War” his only identifiers. I felt compelled to speak. He lifted his cap with callused hands to reveal tired eyes. With fragmented speech, he explained the traumas of war. A few years prior, news had surfaced, criticizing the Veterans Affairs Hospital for indifference due to a lack of access to patient care. Now, watching this veteran patiently wait for hours beyond his scheduled...

Personally, music has constantly functioned as both a form of therapy and a source of motivation. The lulls in the melodies invoke serenity amidst a chaotic world and the thumping baselines foster release from the routine of mundane life. In dance, increased movement energy mimic the crescendos in the singer’s voice while dynamics mirror the underlying harmonies. I had this convoluted idea that both dance and music were primarily introspective art forms, focused mainly on self improvement; I couldn�...

Personally, music has constantly functioned as both a form of therapy and a source of motivation. The lulls in the melodies invoke serenity amidst a chaotic world and the thumping baselines foster release from the routine of mundane life. In dance, increased movement energy mimic the crescendos in the singer’s voice while dynamics mirror the underlying harmonies. I had this convoluted idea that both dance and music were primarily introspective art forms, focused mainly on self improvement; I couldn�...

Despite my busy year, marked by ten hour school days, I don’t crave relaxation. Lying on the warm sand of the beach is far from serene since my mind continues to wander, incessantly seeking knowledge amidst this rare lull in my normally chaotic life. So inevitably, my summers have become times to accomplish everything possible. In 2017, I engaged in a Fullerton College Cultural Anthropology course, learning about the influence of power dynamics on individual societies and writing an ethnography...

As I was reading at the local elementary school, the children gathered as close as possible, with their bright eyes exuding genuine curiosity and their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations that revealed new characters and unknown realms. Amidst the bookshelves with the most cherished books ripping apart at the seams from the countless backpack shoves, I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy’s volunteer coordinator, and immediately felt belonging. Walking distance from my...

Personally, music has consistently functioned as a form of therapy and a motivating force. The lulls in the melodies invoke serenity amidst a chaotic world and the thumping baselines foster release from the routine of mundane life. I had this convoluted idea that dance was a primarily introspective art form, focused mainly on self improvement; I couldn’t have been more mistaken. Since attending a dance intensive that explored art’s impact on unifying and mobilizing society, I desired to...

The house lights dimmed and soft red hue of the stage lights brightened to illuminate fifteen students posed in three straight lines. Amidst the chaos of parents cheering and cameras flashing, I was hypnotized by the children’s bright eyes and goofy smiles that revealed nothing but genuine joy. I glanced over at Lauren, who had collaborated with me on this journey, as we both watched this performance that represented an endeavor that tested our patience, communication, and pride. At...

Inefficiencies and wasted time are inherent in almost all systems we encounter. However, my internship with the System Redesign department at the Veterans Affairs Hospital helped me realize that these inefficient systems not only refer to mechanical processes, but also to human interactions. On the first day, I walked into a large conference room to meet my boss Vi. A large packet of LEAN efficiency principles thumped onto my desk, and Vi immediately said, “Start creating your projects,” and left...

“Caitlin, for our debate, could you choreograph a spoken word dance expressing why the United States shouldn’t employ a unilateral assault against terrorism?” I remembered rallying up the class with the Charleston, playing swing music to enhance our discussion about the culture of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance. So naturally, I blurted, “Of course!” As I walked to my next class, the gravity and relevance of the debate issue dawned on me. Panicking, I wondered: how would I effectively display...

As I was reading at the local elementary school, introducing new characters and unknown realms, the children gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations. I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy volunteer coordinator, and immediately felt belonging. This is the embodiment of what drew me to Georgetown: an academic community that vows to foster knowledge to create active citizens who advance the well-being...

As I was reading at the local elementary school, introducing new characters and unknown realms, the children gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations. I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy volunteer coordinator, and immediately felt belonging. This is the embodiment of what drew me to Cornell: the fundamental maxim of “Learning. Discovery. Engagement.” Rather than learning to create eloquent writing, I cherished...

Columbia’s core, which fosters exploration in various fields of study, immediately attracted me. Phenomena like the strange pairing of Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart co-hosting a cooking show require more than sociology to understand, and the core’s emphasis on arts and music humanities will allow me to investigate these academic pursuits. While I possess this insatiable curiosity to learn and discover, I more greatly value the ability to utilize knowledge to enact change. Rather than simply learning to...

A campus with a culture and influence that bleed into the surrounding city Courses that foster meaningful discourse and engagement A place where students are encouraged to find new avenues to achieve social justice Mentors who so profoundly inspire, compelling students to inspire others in return A place where you can simultaneously motivate others and be motivated A diverse yet connected student body in which an aspiring Broadway actress and biomedical engineer can learn from each other A school with...

An overarching spirit of “both/and” that fills Yale’s campus drew me in. Students engage in sociological debate while analyzing art with Ron Eyerman, understanding the strange pairing of Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart as cooking show co-hosts. These interdisciplinary links manifest themselves in the randomized residential college system, fostering communities of individuals with wide varieties of interests. This both/and spirit translates to campus dance troupes, as A Different Drum maintains the foundations of traditional ballet and modern...

As I was reading at the local elementary school, introducing new characters and unknown realms, the children gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding an insatiable and genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations. I caught the gentle smile of Ms. Vicario, the OC Educational Arts Academy’s volunteer coordinator, who was sitting in the furthest corner of the cafeteria, and immediately felt belonging. Walking distance from my school, this elementary school was my home on...

I am inspired by savants with unexplainable ingenuity and by revolutionaries like Maya Angelou, challenging paradigms and creating eloquent art as an act of defiance made accessible to the public. (196)

Shirin Neshat! What was it like to return to Iran after the Iranian Revolution and adoption of Western customs? How did you bridge the influences of Iran and the United States in your portraits? (194)

Western Dance in Western Media. Through the extravagant social dances of Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby or jazz-inspired political rebellions in Carter’s Swing Kids, dance depicts cultures unexplored. (195)

I would be the fitness task master, hosting impromptu ab workouts at 1 a.m., teaching 80s aerobic classes during television commercial breaks, and leading N-SYNC dance tributes right upon waking. (195)

As I was reading at the local elementary school, the children gathered as close as possible, their bright eyes exuding genuine curiosity, their faces glued to the vibrant illustrations that revealed new characters and unknown realms. Rather than learning to create eloquent writing, what I cherish most is utilizing these mediums as forces for change. This is the embodiment of what drew me to UPenn: the fundamental maxim of “well-done is better than well-said”. In retrospect, this maxim sparked thought...