University of Arizona Top Questions

During my college experience I have gained independence. With this sense of independence I have also gained a defining sense of self. I am discovering who I am and the person I want to be. I believe being in college has taught me to appreciate what I find important in life, which includes loving the people that mean the most and being happy. Studying nutrition has become a passion, and because I have found a subject I love so much I know that loving what you do is much more important than the pay check you will receive for your service. Living without my parents and learning to venture life on my own has helped me to discover my path of life. Without college I would not be able to explore the many opportunities I have in my future. I will continue to love the people around me and explore new subjects of interests throughout my life. Learning is the key to many discoveries. This scholarship will help greatly to pay for my tuition. Thank you for your consideration.

I have changed who I am. College has developed me socially and intellectually. I feel like my major and minor define who I am, and I have been able to grow in the areas that I wish to pursue. The teachers I have had, especially in my philosophy major, have changed my ways of thinking and analyzing the world around me. The most important experience that the University of Arizona has given me is the job I am currently in. My father lost his job in 2009, and I applied to hundreds of jobs on the UofA job website. I now have a job working for a world recognized linguist Roseann Gonzalez. Working with her has changed my life, and given me a new perspective into politics, social science, philosophy, linguistics, and justice. I have never felt more fervently that academics may be the sole empower to the socially and historically unempowered. I hope one day to go into educational policy making, and encourage a change. Education has been withered by politics and it has, to me, harmed the socio-economically deprived, and created the political cleavages that our country is currently experiencing. All strife can be solved by education.

College, that fond memory recalled years down the line, the cliched "best time of my life", has failed to disappoint. Fostering creativity, passion, energy, hope, and desire, I'm discovering my own path in life. This process, however, has only been made possible by the opportunities I now engage in. This summer, a coordinated Central European Seminar between my University, ASU, and the Flinn Foundation sends me to Hungary and Romania to further expand my horizons in the world-wide endeavor to foster communication. In many ways, this specifically exemplifies the excellence Arizona strives for, and on my part, I am just now starting to realize the implications for the entire world. Maybe my optimist borders on unrealistic ideology at times, but in interacting with other people, I place myself in a situation where I can better understand and connect to the world and its diverse populace as a whole. And, in light of my interests in Psychology and Philosophy (which I am double majoring in), I can strive to change the world from my own perspective. Sometimes, the simple discovery that we all share a collective piece in being human allows us to move past petty politics, towards truth.

While attending the University of Arizona, I have encountered many life changing experiences, that have made an impact on my life thus far. As a freshman, I learned to be accepting of others while living in a dormitory, communicate better, and listen intently. Through friendships gained, has been an important aspect to feel connected during my college experience and life changing. I immediately learned new strategies of time management an important factor to gain a better education and be successful. Meeting diverse individuals and learning of their life experiences; made me realize that the University truly has more to offer as an undergraduate student, that I need to take advatage or for personal gain. My college experience thus far, has opened new doors of education and exposed me to life enhancing opportunities and encourages me to reach my goals. I am more confident in accepting challenges and endure the obstacles to benefit my life. My outlook on education is brighter and achievable. I have received positive feedback and support of the student community ,by being involved on campus, has opened my eyes to profound, life-changing experiences that I will continue to develop and grow from.

I have learned a lot about dealing with professionals and bureaucracy during my time in college. I have also learned to be more independent and assertive. I used to let people in positions of power take advantage of my shy and noncombatant nature. I now do not let professionals ignore me or place my needs on low-priority. Naturally, I have also learned a lot from my classes. I know how to work with people, even when they are being difficult. I also learned a lot from the actual content of my classes, Linguistics and otherwise.

The obvious answer would be a great education, but I have recieved so much more than that. Attending the University of Arizona has help me grow as a person. I have experience so many things that have helped me grow and be that much more prepared for what lies in the "real world." Many people believe college is about attending classes and going to parties, but there is so much more to the college expereince. I have been able to meet wonderful people from across the world with different backgrounds, beliefs, and life stories. These people have helped come to appreciate life and the blessings God has has given me. Not only have I grown spiritually but mentallly as well. Being a student-athlete at the Univeristy is not an easy task. I have had to endure aches both in school and in soccer but they have all been worth it because they have made me that much stronger. With such a strict and demanding schedule I have learned to balance my life and it has also given me the confidence that I will be able to undergo any hardship that comes my way.

After two years studying Journalism with a running scholarship at the University of New Hampshire, I returned to my small hometown in Michigan to step back and assess my future goals. I decided to take a few classes at the local community college, one of them being a Physics introduction to the solar system. I found myself to be inspired by science like I never had been in high school, and thus began my transition and focus towards learning as much about science as I could. Two years and an internship later, I’m enrolled as a full-time Biology major at a four-year University. I find that the time I spent exploring classes seemingly unrelated to my major have actually complemented my experience as a science student. My Thoreauian reverence for nature is matched by my enthusiasm to understand it; art and science are inextricably bound. I consider collegiate education an extraordinary gift. From Shakespeare to Microbiology, the more I learn, the more passionate I become about learning; every class seems an isolated experience. With a college degree, I hope to promote public awareness of current scientific research initiatives through my writing to the benefit of all.

College has taught me that life isn't easy. In order to get the things you want in life, you have to work hard. I have also learned what I want in life. First starting college I just wanted to go for the fun; I had an opportunity to go to many Art Institutes but, I turn those opportunities down because I didn't think those schools would be fun. I then attending the Community College of Baltimore County and quickly learned that wasn't where I wanted to be. In that short amount of time my mind matured and I realized I do want to go to Art school and college isn't about fun, but about furthering my education so that I can have a good future. This lesson was valuable because it grew me up, and made me more responsible as a student and a person.

What I have gained from my college experience so far is the understanding of life and how to interact with people that come from different backgrounds. Before entering college I was in a bubble with little or no clue on what was going on around me and one of the only things that would be on my mind about was what I would be wearing to school the next day. But now I have learned about many different cultures, the world as a whole, and that the answers I was given while I was growing up can have more than one justification to them. And now I feel like this experience I have gained so far, in attending college, has such a great value in preparing me for whatever trials and situations that life may hand towards me. And as I continue the next few years in college, I believe I would become much more of a wiser and open-minded person that is driven to give purpose and fulfilment to this life she was given.

Thus far in my college education, I have realized the importance of continued education. I had been out of school for 19 years when I decided to go to college to become an elementary teacher. After all those years of not using much of the information and skills I learned during my school career, I have learned that it is necessary to challenge myself with new information to keep my learning abilities fresh. Being aware of this is extremely valuable to me and to my future students. I can express my renewed enthusiasm for learning and plant the seed in my students. With my rekindled education, I now use a more extended vocabulary and am a interesting conversationalist. Now I am interested in learning about science and history which were subjects that I did not find interesting before. With life experience, I have a different perspective on education and can relate to the information in many different ways. College has also allowed me to be helpful to my children. They have seen the benefit of college education because I am able to explain concepts to them. My college education also has financial value for me--double my present income.