Empowerly

Student profile

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it. Maximum length: 500 words

Feeling uncomfortable and scared while walking into Walmart, I looked down at the floor and quickly reached for a cart. It was the first time I had gone to any store by myself and I didn't know what to expect. I just moved to the U.S. from India and barely spoke English. How would I ask someone for help, or what if someone asks me for help? How would I respond? Would I use improvised body language? All these thoughts raced through my head. In fear of embarrassment, I quickly bought the groceries and left. “That went pretty smoothly,” I thought to myself. But then it hit me: I had efficiently diverted all possibilities of conversation. In order to learn English, I couldn't keep this up forever. 

In six months, I had to master reading comprehension, writing, listening, and speaking all in time for school. Becoming fluent in English would require hard work and determination; no matter how busy I was, I made sure to spend my nights studying. More important than the technicalities of English reading and writing was the ability to converse. After the Walmart incident, I left my house with a newfound eagerness to exchange words with different people I encountered. Although it was nerve-wracking, it was time to face my fear. I returned to that same store, but this time with a resolve. I saw a store clerk and asked him, "Do you think I should get a Dell or a Lenovo laptop?" I repeated myself, this time pointing to the laptops on the shelf. Still, he looked puzzled and I was growing a bit frustrated. Finally, I said it again, but with an American accent. He responded, “Well, both of them are good brands, so it depends on your budget.”

I quickly realized my accent required work. The most effective way I knew to improve my accent was to listen to and talk with other people. I always went to my local park on the weekends to play basketball with the neighborhood kids and improve my accent. The interactions helped me gain a few friends whom I talk with all the time. The people I surround myself with shaped my personality. Learning a new language brought me new and genuine friendships; I learned the value of diversity and inclusion. Now, I constantly seek out conversations and am excited by the possibilities that every discussion holds. 

During high school, I became a Link Crew leader. I found a community anchored in diversity and inclusion. My role was to welcome the incoming freshmen and be a friendly link or a connection for them as they entered the unfamiliar territory of high school. Some could have been feeling like me the first time I walked into Walmart. When overcoming the challenges of learning English and connecting with new people, I was resilient and true to myself, accepting my flaws. I am excited to converse and create new friendships along the way.

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. The community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW. Tip: Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values, and viewpoints. Maximum length: 300 words

I grew up in the third world India; as a result, I have a clear understanding of acceptance and inclusion of people from various backgrounds. I come from a family of four and am the oldest child. I am accustomed to being responsible and step up to take of the family whenever my father was out. My extended family back home is very large and holds a dear place in the hearts of the people from the town I come from. We throw Diwali celebrations every year, inviting numerous people. Although India is still a land of many social divisions and castes, our family would invite community members from various social and economic levels. Watching this happen every year has left an indelible mark in my mind that everyone should be treated with the same respect and compassion. True appreciation of inclusion only comes once someone experiences it themselves. After moving to the U.S., I experienced this hospitality. Being the new student was hard, especially since I come from a different country and speak a different language. My peers and community members have given me the opportunity to understand and appreciate the value that acceptance and inclusion can bring to someone’s life. I plan to bring these same values with me to the university and be a leader who can nurture the relationship between members of the student body, and create a more unified class through community bonding oriented programs such as cultural festivals.

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if: •You are hoping to be placed in a specific major soon. •A personal or professional goal is particularly important to you •You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education •Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations •You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended Maximum length: 200 words

Living the majority of my life in India, I have had first-hand experience with the frequent power outages due to the insufficient energy for the large population. As a mechanical engineer, I will learn to design, develop, and prototype machines in order to solve some of the global issues such as energy sustainability in third world countries such as India. By developing the skills of a mechanical engineer, I will have furthered my capabilities to tackle problems in a creative and analytical manner. Having a passion for hands-on activities will further aid how I create prototypes so that I can test my models and ideas in real time. I can innovate machines that improve the standard of living around the world.