Academically, I’ve always been interested in a wide variety of subjects and disciplines. The curriculum of Penn’s College of Arts & Sciences has majors for both Political Science and History, along with a minor in American Public Policy, so I can find a path to the political career I’ve always wanted. The college offers the classes to satisfy nearly every undergraduate student in the world, but there’s a difference between taking a course and taking advantage of a course...
When I was in kindergarten, my teachers called my parents and told them that I was in trouble. Apparently, I had been telling all my classmates that Santa Claus didn’t exist and they were all distraught. My parents sat me down and tried their best to convince me that Santa was real and I was guaranteeing myself a spot on the naughty list and a lump of coal in my stocking. I wasn’t having it...
Growing up as an only child, you get used to playing one-player video games, building LEGOs by yourself, and forcing your parents to participate in activities a little sibling would be more excited to join in on, like roughhousing or playing Pokémon cards. As much as my dad loved playing a card game he had no comprehension of whatsoever, I’m sure he and my mom would’ve enjoyed having a second kid around to, ironically enough, give them a rest...
I remember where I was when it happened. It was a rainy afternoon at Camp Timber Tops in the Poconos, and as I passed my counselor in the post office, she informed me that I had a very special package waiting for me. Of course I knew exactly what it was. I finally received the brown cardboard box that held the contents of my dreams for the previous six months. Would it fulfill my expectations? What if I didn’t love it? What if I hated it? I was terrified...
The Rainbow Olympics is an opportunity for special needs children to participate in everyday sports in a healthy environment and my work as a volunteer continues to influence me. Each participant is paired with two or three volunteers who stay with them throughout the day to ensure that they enjoy the experience. Upon arrival, I am given a bright green t-shirt and that was when I met Joey...
Cross country is my most important activity because running is my passion and a positive influence on my life. In my sophomore year, I joined my high school track team. For the entirety of my young life, I had been bubbling in anticipation for my opportunity to run and compete with the best runners in the state. Unfortunately, I found out soon that my coach only took Varsity runners to state meets...
All the members of my family have impacted my life in one way or another. I come from a rather large, Honduran family: my grandfather had six siblings and he in turn had eight children. My grandfather affected my dreams by teaching me to be ambitious and determined. My father further shaped my dreams by guiding me towards a college education at an early age. I am extremely thankful for my family, as I feel they have made me who I am today...
Time, talent and resources are seeds. They are worthless entities until planted in fertile ground, grow, and yield a bounty for the enjoyment of many people. Every day I make it my personal goal to fertilize my surroundings through my leadership, tutoring, and work toward the improvement of education...
In kindergarten, I received an assignment with a very important task: keep Humpty Dumpty from falling off the wall and shattering into a million pieces. My classmates had the usual suggestions: duct tape, chewing gum, Elmer’s glue, and other adhesives that would keep him stuck to the wall. But my five-year-old self looked at the teacher and said simply, “Why let him go up on the wall in the first place?” It made perfect sense; it was logical...
As I sit here contemplating what I’d like to explore as a student of The University of Pennsylvania, in some ways I know what I want to do and in other ways, not really. But I do know that I want to learn how to become a more effective leader, how to work and collaborate with other people, and how to make a difference in the world in a practical sense – and Penn is where I hope to begin that process...
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