I stand on the peak of a mountain, 4,867 feet above the ground, accompanied by a handful of summer camp friends. From the top of the mountain, I take in the beautiful panoramic view of the Adirondacks, unfettered by pesky clouds. The sun shines directly into my eyes, forcing me to squint. Beads of sweat drip down my forehead. Although I am tired, I feel exhilarated. This particular summit is perhaps the most significant of those I have climbed as a...

Before going on my medical mission to the Philippines, I had many grand ideas of what I would be doing. I envisioned making a drastic difference to Buhi’s citizenry. The realities of Buhi’s Rural Health Unit turned out to be much more modest than what I first had in my mind. When patients come up to me to get admitted to the clinic, I ask, "Ano nararamdaman?", "What do you feel?" and they smile in a way that...

QUESTION: Describe a moment when your perspective changed. My hometown of Rouses Point is one of those close-knit rural towns where people know each other well; one of those towns where neighbors always look out for one another. People often commented about how big I've grown or that they liked my family's yearly Thanksgiving card whenever I went to church or the grocery store. In my homogeneous community of two thousand villagers, there was only a handful of minorities. As...

QUESTION: What is something you created that makes you especially proud ,and why? My friends and I talk copiously about politics. Although we come from different backgrounds and political persuasions, we still respect and listen to each others' opinions. By discussing and debating politics, I'm proud to help create and further an ongoing dialogue where all views are heard. I learn from everyone else and consider different perspectives in order to enrich my understanding of the issues. This is what...

QUESTION: We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you I was a camper at Pok-O-MacCready in NY’s Adirondack Region for 6 years. During my last two years as a camper, I was part of the section of 15 and 16 year olds. By living with a dozen or so other guys for 7 weeks in close quarters, I really got to...

QUESTION: Why does this academic environment appeal to you? When people tell me to do things, I feel stifled. But when am free to choose what to do, I can explore the things that interest me. For example, in my comparative politics class at Conn College as a New London Scholar, I do not have to worry about how “weighting” affects my GPA. I feel liberated. When empowered with educational autonomy at Brown, I can fully appreciate what I learn...

Fit was the most important criterion. I had to ask myself, would I like it here? Do the people seem happy? Is the academic environment collaborative or cutthroat? In addition, the quality and breadth of the academic offerings were very important. Brown had the unique position...

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