“This scholarship has helped to provide me with a rich education, incredible career opportunities, and lifelong friends.”
How did your summer experiences clarify your career or academic interests (for example, a Metcalf internship or research opportunity)?
This past summer, I interned in the Office of Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Tina Smith in St. Paul, MN. This experience bolstered my interest in public service while providing meaningful career experience. Because my role was not political in nature, it was refreshing to experience public service separate from the disagreements and drama that politics bring. I enjoyed offering my talents to serve the state of Minnesota.
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?
I came into UChicago with the idea that I wanted to study political science or public policy. I was having difficulty choosing between the two, and even considering combining them, when I came across the five-year joint BA/MPP program with the College and the Harris School. My academic adviser was very helpful when I came to her with questions about this program and how I might be able to get started with it. My adviser has been very encouraging and helpful whenever I come to her with various questions surrounding the options available to me here at UChicago.
What activities are you involved with outside the classroom?
Outside of the classroom, my primary activity is participating in varsity cross country and track. This has been a rewarding experience for me, and I’m very close with my teammates. Additionally, I write for the Gate, UChicago’s undergraduate political review. I also volunteer with Chicago Peace Corps, tutoring middle-schoolers in the CPS system.
If you could speak directly to the person whose gift supported your scholarship, what would you say?
Before anything else, I want to offer my most sincere thanks. Your generous support allows me to attend this institution and pursue professional opportunities that I otherwise could not imagine, let alone achieve. Without this scholarship, it would have been impossible for me to complete my internship in the governor’s office this past summer, as this is an unpaid position. Thanks to the Odyssey Scholarship, I was able to get a stipend for this internship. These gifts also help in a number of less obvious, but still impactful ways. For example, during the academic year, it is considerably less expensive to buy my own groceries than it is to eat at the dining hall. With these gifts, however, I am able to purchase a meal plan so that I can eat with all of my friends in the dining hall, avoiding the trek to and from my off-campus apartment for dinner. This scholarship has helped to provide me with a rich education, incredible career opportunities, and lifelong friends. Thank you so much for your generosity.
