a note from a former student. Below is an
excerpt from her graduate school personal statement.
" “Today we’re going to fly paper
airplanes,” Mr. Cunningham announced on the first day of freshman
physical science. The class cheered, but I was wondering what
folding airplanes had to do with our schoolwork. Little did I know
this would be the moment that sparked my passion for science. As a
child in a small community (population: 450), I didn’t have many
chances to discover the exciting field. Our teacher explained we
would be studying airplane trajectory, so we all folded unique
designs and made our way to the gymnasium. Most of the kids were
only interested in throwing around their planes, but not me. I
wanted to understand why and how the planes flew the way they did.
Such a simple experiment and this excellent teacher led me to
discover the joy of scientific thinking.
As a freshman at Linfield, I was certain I would major in a physical
or life science but was unsure which best suited my skills and
interests. I passed the proficiency exam required to enroll in
general chemistry, and I decided this course was a great place to
begin my college science career. ..." |
