"All my life I craved victory, yet the only gold medal I deserved was for owning the most second place awards. Picture this: 36 second place awards infesting every millimeter of an over-competitive, perfectionist’s writing desk. I was trapped in a bubble of exactly 36 reminders that I was not the best, but it only took a difference of 16 seconds to make me no longer care. "Numbness took over my legs, sweaty salt grains trickled down my neck, and the dust...

It was a warm, sunny day in February when I first contracted the ever-contagious Claremont Mckenna happiness virus. The students’ school pride, optimism toward learning and political engagement were highly infectious. After my first visit, I knew I wanted to become an Athena. As a science major candidate for Claremont Mckenna, I would like to bring a business mindset to my research in order to increase its impact factor. After contacting a successful neuroscience student, Stephanie Haft, I realized that...

Ambitious, Business-Oriented,...