[Student Profile]
[Prompt & Essay]
Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. (350 words)
“STOP WINNING!” Anthony exclaimed, throwing his tennis racket, frustrated that his opponent had hit yet another perfect tennis shot. I took him aside, and calmed him down. “Let’s be more encouraging,” I suggested, and cheered, “Great shot!” to Anthony’s opponent, as an attempt to emulate some sense of sportsmanship.
When not playing tennis for my varsity team, I spend my time volunteering at ACEing Autism, where I teach children tennis skills while also helping them adjust to social environments. Initially, working with Anthony was very challenging. He frequently ran around the court boisterously, did not understand instructions, and hit tennis balls all over the court. Additionally, he turned what was supposed to be a collaborative environment into a competitive one, frequently arguing with teammates about who was better. Seeing through these outward displays of emotion, I realized that he simply wanted to feel a sense of community and bond with others, while doing something he loves. Therefore, I was determined to help him reach this goal, no matter what.
Given Anthony’s struggles with physical activity, I patiently held his hands and taught him techniques that I’d amassed over eight years of sharpening my skills. After numerous sessions and lots of encouragement, I finally began to hear that perfect “POCK” sound of ball landing right into the court. Realizing what had happened, he jumped with excitement, and ran over to give me a bear hug. Being able to help him succeed left me incredibly fulfilled.
Although I was initially doubtful of my ability to help Anthony and others in the clinic, through patience, compassion, and building strong relationships, I was able to make them feel like they belonged to a community. Over time, these efforts have molded them into players who learn from their mistakes rather than dwell on them, while also encouraging other teammates who are lagging behind. Seeing how they are directly benefiting from a constant source of positiveness is a remarkable feeling, and serves as a constant reminder of why serving others is one of my favorite things to do.
Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. (350)
Of the thousands of diseases that affect humans every year, unfortunately, a vast majority of them still have no definite or effective treatments. One of the most prevalent examples is nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones. These clumps of calcium oxalate cause excruciating pain to millions of people each year. I’ve even heard about personal experiences from my uncle, and was very surprised to hear that there is no inexpensive and non-invasive
treatment. As a curious kid who loves to invent, I wanted to devise a pill to solve the illness. The UC Berkeley BioEHSC, a team-based bioengineering competition, was the perfect platform to do so, and I recruited a team to participate.
Engineering a solution to kidney stones was an extremely taxing challenge, and even with the help of our UC Berkeley mentors, we initially struggled to come up with an affordable and efficacious design to outcompete existing treatments. We failed many times at trying to viably attach a prodrug component to a central hydroxycitrate molecule, and make the molecule meet Lipinski’s Rule of Five. However, after several nights of copious research, hosting long team brainstorming sessions, and teaching myself some college-level organic chemistry, we finally came up with an orally ingestible pill that can effectively dissolve kidney stones without any side effects. Our pill design won two awards at the competition, and after validating it with Dr. Lin, a nephrologist, I successfully influenced my team to file a provisional patent.
Designing this pill has grown my passion for Bioengineering. Solving a healthcare problem using engineering principles was challenging, but I found the process mentally stimulating, and the end results extremely rewarding. Additionally, I have realized the potential of Bioengineering in being able to solve illnesses that may otherwise be untreatable. During college I hope to continue my pursuit of this growing field through both interesting classes and research opportunities. I wish to eventually be able to bioengineer devices and help millions of patients, just like my uncle, throughout my lifetime.
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words)
Pushing the door open, I was engulfed in a cloud of mango-flavored vapor. Afraid of the second-hand inhalation, I decided to move my bathroom break to a later time. It was surprising to see my peers inhaling these toxic chemicals, seemingly blind to the negative and addictive consequences that would result later on.
While discussing this incident with friends, I discovered that some of them also vape, claiming it is a non-addictive stress reliever. However, I couldn’t ignore the fact that, alongside Æ.Ä million teenagers, some of my closest friends were unknowingly harming themselves. Therefore, I made it my mission to educate the community and challenge my peers’ opinions on vaping.
By combining my interests in Biology and research, I designed an intricate experiment to test the effects of vaping on human cells. After spending many days learning lab techniques from my Biology teacher and a research mentor, I conducted my experiment. Upon analyzing the data, I was deeply concerned since chemicals housed within e-cigarette liquid could catalyze cancer cell proliferation.
Scientifically confirming vaping’s toxic effects was only half the battle: I needed to spread the word to my peers. I started SaveYourLungs, a non-profit organization where I blogged about the dangers of vaping in simple terms. Additionally, with the help of Dr. Tong at UC Davis and a recovering vaper with a saddening story, I hosted an educational webinar on the effects of vaping to over 100 peers. Based on data from a pre and post-presentation survey, over Å1Ú of students who had considered vaping, changed their decision to never wanting to try it. Additionally, there was a 2È0Ú increase in the number of students who would encourage their peers to quit.
Hopefully, my continued advocacy through SaveYourLungs will help open the eyes of others to the true dangers of vaping and combat the imminent surge in the number of vaping-related illnesses. The next time I enter the restroom at school, my hope is to experience a soothing waft of Febreze rather than a toxic cloud of fruit-flavored vapor--it is better for both the nose and the lungs.
Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? (350 words)
Often, I imagine what my life would be like without the extremely competitive Bay Area community I come from. I used to believe that competition promotes success, and creates a generation of skilled problem-solvers. On the flip side, this environment forces students to sacrifice their mental health for academic achievement, which became apparent to me when one of my peers took his own life. What’s worse, the stigma surrounding mental health treatment and lack of support services hinders students from seeking help. Compelled to take action and make a difference in mental health for young people, I joined the Stanford Allcove Youth Advisory Group (YAG).
In the YAG, I helped design Allcove Centers with the Santa Clara County Department of Behavioral Health. These are approachable spaces that tailor to the mental health needs of youth, and can detect symptoms of depression early on. By interacting with other members from various backgrounds, I learned about what people truly go through when experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts. In mental health and suicide prevention workshops, I practiced techniques for helping people cope with these issues.
However, the most valuable experiences I have gained in the YAG have been through group discussions. I discovered that mental health issues can affect anyone regardless of personal characteristics, race, or even surroundings. In some cases, prejudices against race or economic status can have an adverse impact on mental health. What truly makes me stand out as a strong candidate for admission to the UC’s are my diverse set of perspectives on how mental health can affect people differently, and my knowledge of how to best help them cope during their lowest moments. I hope that, through my mental health advocacy on campus and frequent check-ins with peers, I can play a role in combating the stigma surrounding mental health and help people find ways to get through depression or anxiety. With the help of my community of students and professors, I hope to create a chain reaction of positivity that will resonate throughout campus and beyond.