How does the University of Chicago, as you know it now, satisfy your desire for a particular kind of learning, community, and future? Please address with some specificity your own wishes and how they relate to UChicago.
This past summer, I had the unique privilege of experiencing life at UChicago firsthand. While attending the College Pathway summer program, I was immersed in the school’s culture of shared inquiry and its integrated approach to the development of new ideas. I was blown away not only by the amount I learned but also by the fresh and exciting perspectives I was introduced to.
I remember one afternoon when, after a class of lively discussions on real world economics, the well-respected Allen Sanderson showed up to a study session with a home-made cake to continue exchanging ideas with us. The enthusiasm of our conversation that day embodied for me the intellectual atmosphere that UChicago has to offer, where students and teachers are bonded together by a common zest for learning. This mindset is further reflected in the university’s resolute commitment to its comprehensive core curriculum. I believe that the well-rounded education UChicago provides will be essential for me as I work to find more balanced ways of thinking. This approach to learning was inspiring, and for me characterizes the kind of spirit I hope to cultivate both in my college career and beyond.
I also vividly remember a series of lectures that Dr. Victor Lima gave on AI and its role in revolutionizing the economy. An expert on monetary and labor economics, Dr. Lima engaged us in intensive debates on the positive and negative repercussions that AI would have on human society and way of life. I have long had a deep interest in AI as well as economics, but always viewed them as two generally independent fields. Through these lectures, I realized that not only are the two intimately related, but AI also has the potential to rewrite the most fundamental laws of economics. As I discovered this perspective shift, I began questioning many of my other preconceived notions and became increasingly fascinated with the interrelations between different fields of knowledge. I’m especially intrigued by the intersection of economics and technology, and I hope to immerse myself in such an environment where I can develop not only intellectual expertise, but also creativity and breadth of vision.
Finally, I was also exposed to the supportive and creative environment offered at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurs, where advice and mentorship for my next crazy business idea is just a stone’s throw away. I would love to become an active participant in the Polsky Center as well as other entrepreneurial activities on campus, and together with like-minded students help promote and explore UChicago's unique entrepreneurial identity.
UChicago’s rootedness in the valuable intellectual heritage of the past, its exciting push forward to new areas of innovation and discovery, as well as the enthusiasm of its faculty and student body, make for a truly unique learning environment. I cannot imagine a more rewarding place for me to grow and contribute as a thinker, student, and leader.