Which of the academic communities and social communities that now comprise the University of Pennsylvania are most interesting to you and how will you contribute to them and to the larger Penn community?
I see the beauty in our natural assembly of neurons, the splendor of circuits in digital chips, and of course the undying symphony of computer code running through a compiler. As a firm believer of the values of interdisciplinary education, I embrace Benjamin Franklin's drive to create an intellectually adaptable campus dedicated to closing those traditional bridges in academia. With my own explorations in the fields of neuroscience, computer science, and engineering, I admire Penn's programs combining management with technology, international studies, and life sciences. I aspire to combine business (Wharton) with my technological musings (SEAS), in the hopes that through these mutual efforts of integration, true leaders well versed in multiple spheres will arise. I realize that these academic fields, when taken in isolation, are less meaningful to society and thus strive to focus my interests over a variety of scholastic concentrations.
Yet, perhaps the most important facet of Penn education is that student's are driven by their love of knowledge; without this love for learning, one cannot enjoy the fruits of education or expand the horizons of knowledge. I am awed by Penn student's initiative to use their knowledge to solve viable problems within their community. Looking to the entirely student-run club Communitech for inspiration, I am eager to disseminate my knowledge of computers and technology to the surrounding neighborhoods. As a leader of technology clubs at my own school, I have seen how the harnessed dedication of a small group of people can elicit major changes in the community. Collaboration is the breeding ground of novelty, and when a potpourri of different disciplines is thrown into this mix, the resulting ideas can have revolutionary reverberations. One only has to look to Penn's long standing history of paving the way for new emerging technologies such as ENIAC to gain proof of these brainchildren materialized.
Paying tribute to the incredible research being carried out at Penn, I look forward to taking full advantage of the resources and adding my own research in reverse engineering the human brain through a mixture of computer and cognitive science. The ground-breaking investigations in robotics at the GRASP (General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception) facility at Penn is astounding, especially in its role as an affiliate for a cognitive sciences institute, and I hope to become a part of this community of tech developers. With my experiences in these fields, I intend to facilitate cross-talks between faculty and students as together we attempt to unravel the mysteries of human consciousness.
With this environment of unity among diverse individuals, I long to do my part and hope to contribute to this dynamic infrastructure. Franklin's venerable legacy of advocating the harmony of the colonies against British invasion rings loudly in Penn, forming the underlying atmosphere for acceptance and tolerance. As a young Jain, I hope to join The Hindu Students Council and Young Jains of America to foster the spirit of acceptance, broadcasting those principles of peace, non-violence, and morality that are central to Penn's motto.
Yet, once can't thrive on academic immersion alone. I aim to actively participate on the Penn Club tennis team in order to complement my intellectual pursuits. I hope to bring my many years of experience as both a singles and doubles player to the club. With sports such as tennis and, of course, Ultimate Frisbee, I can actively relax and at the same time maintain school spirit through friendly competition.
I am ready to bring to join this energetic community of leaders, innovators, and those researchers willing to traverse unknown academic territory. I am ready to wholly engross myself in Penn's atmosphere, leaving my very own legacy in the shadow of Franklin. I am ready to make the University of Pennsylvania my new home.
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