“Although I am only a first-year, I already know that my time at the University will be a positive formative experience for me, and I want to thank you for helping my peers and me achieve our goals in creating a brighter future.”
How did you learn about UChicago? When did you first know that UChicago was the right college for you?
I first learned about UChicago through admissions mailings that I had received at my home during my junior year in high school. I did more research on the school’s website and connected with students through the Admissions Office to learn more about their experiences at the University. I visited campus in the fall of my senior year and fell in love with the spirit of curiosity that I found on campus. When I visited for an Admitted Student Overnight in April of my senior year, I knew that UChicago was where I wanted to attend and completed my registration the moment I returned home.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned since arriving on campus?
I have learned that my own personal success or progress should not be measured against the apparent success or progress of others. While all students at the University of Chicago are bright and talented, we all have our own interests and goals that we each intend to pursue in our own ways. My path to success, and my definition of success for that matter, may vary greatly from the paths of my peers; however, nobody has a “right” or “wrong” goal or path in life, and I should not compare my progress toward my goals to the progress of others toward their goals.
What has your UChicago experience been like outside of the classroom?
I have become involved in several Registered Student Organizations at UChicago, such as University Ballet and the University of Chicago Vexillological Association. I have made many friends in UBallet and am excited to perform in our spring production of Don Quixote, and I am a founding member of UCVA (also known as “flag club,” where we discuss flags, their symbolism, and their design). I also enjoy spending time with my housemates in Kenwood House during movie nights, house trips downtown to visit museums, and dinner trips around Chicago.
If you could speak directly to the person whose gift supported your scholarship, what would you say?
I cannot thank you enough for your donation to the University of Chicago and to the Odyssey Scholarship program. Without your donation, I would not have been able to attend UChicago. The University is a prestigious institution with a long-standing history of providing its students with the tools they need to improve the world, and I am immensely overjoyed to have the opportunity to attend such an institution. Although I am only a first-year, I already know that my time at the University will be a positive formative experience for me, and I want to thank you for helping my peers and me achieve our goals in creating a brighter future.
