She was first introduced to me through my father in August of 2001. The three of us had gathered at a dimly lit apartment in suburban Taipei, where my family had recently relocated from Japan. Seated at a table that came up to my chin, I listened attentively as my father proudly presented her. Even in those initial moments of the encounter, my six-year-old self was able to recognize her undeniable charms. She was brilliant and adequately aged; in her earlier...

Motivated by an interest in the world beyond the confines of my sheltered life, I participated in the CTD Civic Leadership Institute this summer. Perhaps ironically, I did not discover the true complexity of society in my encounters with social activists, economists, and the formerly homeless. Instead I learned about the real world each day on my way to class, as I passed by a homeless man. Hunched over in the corner of Pritzker Park, he had with him a...

My personal statement was entered into a non-fiction writing contest, where it received 3rd place. It is based on my relationship with mathematics from early childhood, and depicts the story in a nonconventional way. By personifying mathematics, I was able to describe the topic with as much passion and dedication as I have for it. In my Why Northwestern essay, I was able to reference my experience from a camp I had attended in the summer between junior and senior...