Disney. Whitman. My mother.

They are all curious, dynamic, and hardworking individuals. Perhaps two of them are more
famous than the other. Nevertheless, they share one similarity: they are all lifelong learners and
explorers. All throughout my life, I have witnessed my mother’s constant desire to learn and
grow, whether it is in her job as a physician, music, or simply in being a mother.
Growing up, my mother had always loved music and dance. However, her family obligations
and school work had made it difficult for her to pursue her dreams. Thirty years later, she is
learning how to play the sitaar. Despite a busy schedule, she attends classes regularly, performs
yearly, and constantly searches for more pieces to learn. In addition to her love for music, her
love for healthcare is exuberated through her working at the Veterans Hospital and running her
own medical practice. She attends conferences frequently to find ways to improve care at her
hospital and at her own practice. When I was younger, I often asked my mother how she
balances so many activities, to which she would respond by telling me two things: we had to find
what we were passionate about and keep learning within it. My mother made me a strong
believer in the longevity of learning. Because of her, I was inspired to be a perpetual learner and
explorer. I would ask myself: what was it I never wanted to stop learning more about?
The answer to this question finally arose when I met my high school computer science
teacher: Ms. Wrenchey. Ms. Wrenchey’s passion for computer science never hid as she
constantly stressed how strongly she believed computer science was a tool for change. It was
because of her that my friends and I began developing an app to address the prominent issue of
homelessness in the Seattle area. Interested in app development, I worked on an app that allowed
senior citizens to assess their risk of falling and develop a personalized care plan. For a research
project, I utilized machine learning in the prevention of sleep disorders. With each project, I
better understood all the capabilities of computer science, and realized it was the answer to the
question I had always had. Computer science was a force that could transform lives. I wanted to
dive into it, and keep learning how it could create change. Throughout high school, I learned
about the issues I wanted to be a part of solving. As I volunteered in the Veterans Hospital, I
learned about mental illnesses. As a member of a social justice organization, I became passionate
about combatting issues such as gun violence and discrimination.
UW became my dream when I realized it was a place I could keep searching. I could dive
into computer science with the multitude of opportunities that integrate computer science into
solving social issues. For example, I hope to explore different labs such as the Makeability Lab
and Center for Neurotechnology, as well as organizations such as the Technology & Social
Change Group. I recognize the Honors program as an excellent opportunity for me as well,
because it will teach me to discover novel intersections between topics, allowing me to keep
learning not only about technology, but other fields I find intriguing. After witnessing the
interdisciplinary power of computer science, I am excited to take classes that eliminate the
boundaries between different fields.
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