Major: Marketing
I just switched to Course 15 and I really like it. My management communications course involved perfecting the elements of presenting and addressing different audiences as well as business writing. I hadn't really done anything like this before, so it was a very good experience for me, and I learned a lot that will help me with future classes and jobs. After graduation I want to work in marketing, consulting, or entrepreneurship.
Another great learning experience was my participation in Mission 2008, a yearlong complex problem-solving course. My challenge was to work with about 12 other students to design an eco-village for a place we had never visited and knew little about — the Galapagos Islands. My class spent the first part of the semester doing research and coming up with a solution to the problem. We went to the Galapagos over spring break. It was amazing. Unlike most tourists, we stayed on one island, taking day trips to other islands and were able to interact with some of the locals. Our group had the unique opportunity of visiting my tour guide's home. We learned how the families wash their clothes so we could replicate the washing system in a museum exhibit we designed to teach people about daily life in the Galapagos. The visit gave us valuable insight, not only into their housing needs, but also into their culture and traditions. It was a valuable experience — personally and academically.
Closer to home, I am involved in several community service efforts. I'm a co-president of the MIT Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. One Saturday each month, I go to a site and work from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. helping to build new homes. We are currently building a house in Lawrence, MA. I'm also involved in the Boston Intercity Community Service Organization (BISCO). I am chair of a program we just started to host educational and fun events a few times a semester for children who attend the Cambridge Community Center's after-school program. During the events, we read books and do arts and crafts and science activities with children, ages 7-13. A couple of times a week, I tutor a seven-year-old boy from the Center in reading and writing. I also salvage food from the local supermarket on a weekly basis and take it to a nearby homeless shelter called CASPAR. I really enjoy being a part of these programs.
The individuals at MIT are very interesting, and I can learn a lot from each and every one of them. You have some pretty amazing opportunities here that other schools don't offer, like the UROP program and my freshman Mission 2008 class. I think I'm fortunate to be part of the diverse group of people who attend MIT.
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