“Attending this school has meant the world to me, opening my eyes to endless new perspectives and endowing me with countless opportunities.”
How did your summer experiences clarify your career or academic interests (for example, a Metcalf internship or research opportunity)?
The internship I had at the Council on Ethics and Judicial Affairs at the American Medical Association piqued my interest in the legal field. Engaging in this valuable experience prompted me to consider a future in ethics or law. My long-standing passion for psychology combined with my juridical curiosities impel me to explore legal careers: the interactions between individuals, groups, and legal standards enthrall me and prompt questions regarding how and why individuals and social groups experience well-being or distress. These interests open many career opportunities in psychology, legal affairs, or a combination thereof. The internship I participated in gave me space to explore the real possibilities of career options in law, which aided my long-term career pursuits and trajectory. Additionally, this experience gave me an introduction to the professional world, as well as enabling me to make meaningful connections with professionals.
Please describe how you are choosing your course of study. Have there been clarifying moments in your Core classes or particularly inspiring professors who are helping identify your academic passions?
At the University of Chicago, my coursework in Self, Culture, and Society, and Introduction to Human Development has kindled a curiosity with the role of individuals situated in broad societal structures. In Self, Culture, and Society taking the psychological perspective of forming a social self provoked inquiry into the relationships between thought, action, and organizations of individuals. In Introduction to Human Development approaching psychology through personal trajectories across a life span offered individual-level explanations of thought, action, and organization. These inquiries fuel my interest in the greater function and influence of law on individuals, community, and culture.
What activities are you involved with outside the classroom?
I am the vice president of Psi Chi, the undergraduate psychology club; I am a staff photographer for the Chicago Maroon; I contribute to Memoryhouse and Sliced Bread, two undergraduate literary magazines; and I am a circulation attendant at Mansueto Library. In 2017, I was a member of Neuroscience Club and spent six months as a research assistant at the Impression Formation Social Neuroscience Lab. Furthermore, I am passionate about practicing piano and am involved as a social chair on House Council for my house, Breckinridge.
If you could speak directly to the person whose gift supported your scholarship, what would you say?
Above all else, thank you. This scholarship has enabled me to attend my dream school: without it, I would not have been able to engage in the rigorous academics, unique extracurriculars, or rich pursuits of inquiry that the undergraduate experience provides. Attending this school has meant the world to me, opening my eyes to endless new perspectives and endowing me with countless opportunities.
