Lessane Ketema

10/13/2015
Honors BD

The University of Washington has always been my dream school. My reason for
loving it was, at first, the beauty of the campus. As I researched more and more about it, I
became set on coming here. Throughout high school, I excelled. Why? It was not because of
any inborn talent, but rather because of my motivation. I had a goal and I was set on
achieving it.
My introduction to the Honors Program came when I was told by an alumnus about
a special course on Tolkien. I discovered then that the Honors Program is not about fulfilling
course requirements but that it is rather about learning about what engages you and helps
you develop into being a better citizen. This kind of approach to education was what I had
yearned for my entire time in high school. Imagine my surprise when I realized I could
speak my mind in class, learning about what I wanted to learn.
During my time here, I hope to learn how to become a better citizen, not only of my
school, but also of my world and larger community. The University of Washington provides
an exciting opportunity for some of the best education in the world, and I am grateful for it.
I wish to study electrical engineering or biochemistry (STEM is one of the greatest passions
in my life). I also wish to explore my other interests at a deeper level (philosophy, foreign
languages, music, etc.). I study Spanish among other foreign languages in my spare time. I
am now conversational, but I hope to take Spanish classes here or go to a Spanish-speaking
country in the summer (maybe through an exchange program!). While I read philosophy on
my own, I have never really had the chance to discuss ideas in a group setting and hear
other peoples perceptions of the same text(s). I have been a trumpet player for seven
years and have no intention of stopping. Just as with my other hobbies, I plan to find a
place at the UW for me to expand on it and improve. All these three things have converged
in the community I have found here, especially in Honors, which has such a wide variety of
people from such different backgrounds that it is surprising to find that commonalities exist
where we do not expect them.
My dream is to go to medical school, specialize in neurology, and work doing basic
and/or translational research. My goals in life have been greatly influenced by my time at
the Fred hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and I hope to continue working there not only
this year, but also in the future, as a researcher. This motivation comes from a few different
places. The first is my desire for a career which is relevant and can help those around me.
The second is my love for solving puzzles and asking questions, of which there is plenty in
any science, especially in medicine.