Everyone has an obsession; mine happens to be numbers. Whenever elementary teachers handed out multiplication problems, I perched on the edge of my seat, pencil eagerly poised. When house numbers flash past while I drive, I reorder them in my head to make a balanced equation, using any PEMDAS operation I can. After I watched Hidden Figures, certain equations highlighted in the film appeared familiar from AP Calculus, captivating me. I kept imagining myself in the position of the NASA “computers” who broke down racial barriers while pioneering the way for women at NASA. I couldn’t stop wondering: What would it take to do what they did? This seemingly simple question led me down a month-long rabbit hole of independent research–but once I started, I couldn’t bear to stop. I began researching Katherine Johnson’s calculations independently by reading her original NASA Technical Note, and found that her reports were incredibly complex. Nevertheless, I saw that despite the seemingly bizarre order of equations and niche language, the individual functions could often be broken down into digestible components. I labored to reproduce a portion of her Friendship 7 calculations detailing the orbital parameters of a satellite. For me, this situation was analogous to following a trail marked with blazes, but with significant distances between each blaze–not every twist and turn was signposted for the traveler. To try to create additional “blazes,” or explicitly defined values, I worked through the extent of the calculations Johnson provided, solving for the calculations that she did not provide. Eventually, I was able to replicate her work and calculate the intermediate steps and final answer, developing a genuine appreciation for Johnson and the work that she and her colleagues pioneered. Armed with a calculator, Google, and Johnson’s own report, I obviously came to my project with advantages that the original “computers” never had, and suffered from none of the disadvantages that they faced. However as I reflected on what the project meant to me, I came to realize that, in a minor respect, I shared one similarity with these women I had seen in the film. Nobody has ever seen my project but me; I didn’t get any credit or special attention for it. That wasn’t my motive. I undertook it because I was compelled by an idea, to fulfill a burning curiosity. I like to imagine that Johnson and her colleagues, toiling urgently and obsessively, often anonymously, would understand. Solving the problems our world faces requires math, simply stated. I have decided to pursue a major in Applied Mathematics at NCSU because I have come to understand that we can't even adequately describe our challenges (e.g., climate change, poverty, deficits, etc.), much less address them, without the ability to understand the nuanced relationships between complex variables. My own experience with my small independent project showed me how inspiring the opportunity to work out a solution can be; I hope that I can join the next generation of problem-solvers, and that my training in mathematics will equip me to take my early obsession with numbers, and put it to good use!

Everyone has an obsession; mine happens to be numbers. Whenever elementary teachers handed out multiplication problems, I perched on the edge of my seat, pencil eagerly poised. When house numbers flash past while I drive, I reorder them in my head to make a balanced equation, using any PEMDAS operation I can. After I watched Hidden Figures, certain equations highlighted in the film appeared familiar from AP Calculus, captivating me. I kept imagining myself in the position of the NASA “computers” who broke down racial barriers while pioneering the way for women at NASA. I couldn’t stop wondering: What would it take to do what they did? This seemingly simple question led me down a month-long rabbit hole of independent research–but once I started, I couldn’t bear to stop. I began researching Katherine Johnson’s calculations independently by reading her original NASA Technical Note, and found that her reports were incredibly complex. Nevertheless, I saw that despite the seemingly bizarre order of equations and niche language, the individual functions could often be broken down into digestible components. I labored to reproduce a portion of her Friendship 7 calculations detailing the orbital parameters of a satellite. For me, this situation was analogous to following a trail marked with blazes, but with significant distances between each blaze–not every twist and turn was signposted for the traveler. To try to create additional “blazes,” or explicitly defined values, I worked through the extent of the calculations Johnson provided, solving for the calculations that she did not provide. Eventually, I was able to replicate her work and calculate the intermediate steps and final answer, developing a genuine appreciation for Johnson and the work that she and her colleagues pioneered. Armed with a calculator, Google, and Johnson’s own report, I obviously came to my project with advantages that the original “computers” never had, and suffered from none of the disadvantages that they faced. However as I reflected on what the project meant to me, I came to realize that, in a minor respect, I shared one similarity with these women I had seen in the film. Nobody has ever seen my project but me; I didn’t get any credit or special attention for it. That wasn’t my motive. I undertook it because I was compelled by an idea, to fulfill a burning curiosity. I like to imagine that Johnson and her colleagues, toiling urgently and obsessively, often anonymously, would understand. Inspired by this project, I have decided to major in applied mathematics at NC State University because I have come to believe that the problems we face today require a mastery of math. We can't even begin to describe the challenges of our world (climate change, poverty, violence), much less solve them, without understanding the interactions between complex variables. Far from being merely a personal obsession, math is perhaps our most promising and reliable means of saving ourselves from the messes we have made. The world needs mathematicians; I hope you can help me become one!

When I was seven years old I wished someone would try to snatch me in a parking lot. At 65 pounds, I was fully confident in my ability to take on masked bad guys lurking in the proverbial white van. My confidence (however misplaced) and desire for justice were fueled by my connection to Taekwondo. When I donned the crisp white dobak for the first time, I learned the tenets that would guide me for the next ten years: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Every time I went into class I learned more and became more self-assured. Yet, as years went by, I learned that not all bad guys creep around in parking lots and that many can’t be fought physically. My service work in my community has taught me that I was wrong--much of the evil that lives in the world stems from the inequities that persist within our society. Many antagonists carry briefcases, wear suits, or even hold elected office. Nevertheless, to this day, I still hold on to that younger part of me who yearns for justice. For a decade, I have vowed to “build a more peaceful world” at the end of each class, to make the world a better place and to help battle the problems within it. I know now issues aren’t black and white and that I am not invulnerable, but I still hold with childlike faith the idea that I can be the one to change the world. I want to use my talents and abilities to earn a position in a federal law enforcement agency, ideally the FBI. I know this is a goal that requires years of effort, and I envision myself working in local law enforcement as a key part of this process. The skills that I will learn in college will help equip me to serve my community and country in ways that my seven-year-old self imagined I might--not, perhaps, by dragging villains out of their white vans--but by dragging them before a judge and jury, armed with the strongest possible evidence. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by helping others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has fueled my desire for justice. The realization that things can be changed and that I can be the one to take a stand to initiate action has created an opportunity that, for me, is not optional and compels me to live each day to help others. College is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact the world we live in. My service work and my years of Taekwondo drive me to become better every day in the hopes that I can, one day, fulfill my own long-held ambition to make the world a better, safer, and more just place.

One by one, I picked up the smashed liquor bottles and hypodermic needles, tossing them into the heavy-duty garbage bag. My hands perspired in the baggy adult-sized gloves I wore to protect myself from contamination, as the house had no running water for washing. The grass was puddled with the excrement flowing from a broken septic tank. I was working in a schoolmate’s yard--only one physical mile--but a world away from my own home. Since that day when I was 10, my volunteer work with local organizations has become a central part of my life. That day my eyes were opened to how privileged I am and how beneath the veneer of wealth within my community, there is a deep well of need. So many experience lives that are disconnected from opportunity, while others are blind to their own entitlement. I think about this disparity every day, and it drives the way I spend my life. Service work has helped to mold my entire worldview. Growing up in a family that emphasized service has allowed me to experience firsthand the need and inequity of the world we live in. Whether building wheelchair ramps or replacing rotten decks, delivering food boxes to needy families, or writing cards to lonely shut-ins, the way I choose to spend my time is a direct reflection of the worldview I adopted as a young child. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by serving others. This opportunity to change things, for me, is not optional and I try to live each day in order to help others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has fueled my desire for justice. Given this desire, I want to use my talents and abilities to earn a position in a federal law enforcement agency, ideally the FBI. I know this is a goal that requires years of effort, and I envision myself working in local law enforcement as a key part of this process. In one of the neighborhoods I have served in, a homeowner told me that the only contact community members had with people who looked like me was when officials came to take away her children. That conversation motivates me every day to work for change within both my community and society. Building bridges and making connections is the first step to truly mending the social rifts that pervade our system and go deeper than many of us assume. The realization that things can be changed and that I can be the one to take a stand to initiate action has created an opportunity that, for me, is not optional and compels me to live each day to help others. For me, college is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact the world we live in.

One by one, I picked up the smashed liquor bottles and hypodermic needles, tossing them into the heavy-duty garbage bag. My hands perspired in the baggy adult-sized gloves I wore to protect myself from contamination, as the house had no running water for washing. The grass was puddled with the excrement flowing from a broken septic tank. I was working in a schoolmate’s yard--only one physical mile--but a world away from my own home. Since that day when I was 10, my volunteer work with local organizations has become a central part of my life. That day my eyes were opened to how privileged I am and how beneath the veneer of wealth within my community, there is a deep well of need. So many experience lives that are disconnected from opportunity, while others are blind to their own entitlement. I think about this disparity every day, and it drives the way I spend my life. Service work has helped to mold my entire worldview. Growing up in a family that emphasized service has allowed me to experience firsthand the need and inequity of the world we live in. Whether building wheelchair ramps or replacing rotten decks, delivering food boxes to needy families, or writing cards to lonely shut-ins, the way I choose to spend my time is a direct reflection of the worldview I adopted as a young child. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by serving others. This opportunity to change things, for me, is not optional and I try to live each day in order to help others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has fueled my desire for justice. Given this desire, I want to use my talents and abilities to earn a position in a federal law enforcement agency, ideally the FBI. I know this is a goal that requires years of effort, and I envision myself working in local law enforcement as a key part of this process. In one of the neighborhoods I have served in, a homeowner told me that the only contact community members had with people who looked like me was when officials came to take away her children. That conversation motivates me every day to work for change within both my community and society. Building bridges and making connections is the first step to truly mending the social rifts that pervade our system and go deeper than many of us assume. The realization that things can be changed and that I can be the one to take a stand to initiate action has created an opportunity that, for me, is not optional and compels me to live each day to help others. For me, college is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact the world we live in.

When I was seven years old I wished someone would try to snatch me in a parking lot. At 65 pounds, I was fully confident in my ability to take on masked bad guys lurking in the proverbial white van. My confidence (however misplaced) and desire for justice were fueled by my connection to Taekwondo. When I donned the crisp white dobak for the first time, I learned the tenets that would guide me for the next ten years: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Every time I went into class I learned more and became more self-assured. Yet, as years went by, I learned that not all bad guys creep around in parking lots and that many can’t be fought physically. My service work in my community has taught me that I was wrong--much of the evil that lives in the world stems from the inequities that persist within our society. Many antagonists carry briefcases, wear suits, or even hold elected office. Nevertheless, to this day, I still hold on to that younger part of me who yearns for justice. For a decade, I have vowed to “build a more peaceful world” at the end of each class, to make the world a better place and to help battle the problems within it. I know now issues aren’t black and white and that I am not invulnerable, but I still hold with childlike faith the idea that I can be the one to change the world. I want to use my talents and abilities to earn a position in a federal law enforcement agency, ideally the FBI. I know this is a goal that requires years of effort, and I envision myself working in local law enforcement as a key part of this process. The skills that I will learn in college will help equip me to serve my community and country in ways that my seven-year-old self imagined I might--not, perhaps, by dragging villains out of their white vans--but by dragging them before a judge and jury, armed with the strongest possible evidence. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by helping others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has fueled my desire for justice. The realization that things can be changed and that I can be the one to take a stand to initiate action has created an opportunity that, for me, is not optional and compels me to live each day to help others. College is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact the world we live in. “Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly”: these words along with my service work and my years of Taekwondo drive me to become better every day in the hopes that I can, one day, fulfill my own long-held ambition to make the world a better, safer, and more just place.

One by one, I picked up the smashed liquor bottles and hypodermic needles, tossing them into the heavy-duty garbage bag. My hands perspired in the baggy adult-sized gloves I wore to protect myself from contamination, as the house had no running water for washing. The grass was puddled with the excrement flowing from a broken septic tank. I was working in a schoolmate’s yard--only one physical mile--but a world away from my own home. Since that day when I was 10, my volunteer work with local organizations has become a central part of my life. That day my eyes were opened to how privileged I am and how beneath the veneer of wealth and class within my community, there is a deep well of need. So many live lives that are disconnected from opportunity, while others are blind to their own entitlement. I think about this disparity everyday, and it drives the way I spend my life. Service work has helped to mold my entire worldview. Growing up in a family that emphasized service has allowed me to experience firsthand the need and inequity of the world we live in. Whether building wheelchair ramps or replacing rotten decks, delivering food boxes to needy families, or writing cards to lonely shut-ins, the way I choose to spend my time is a direct reflection of the worldview I adopted as a young child. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by helping others. This opportunity to change things, for me, is not optional and I try to live each day in order to help others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has always fueled my desire for justice. Going to college is exciting because it offers a new community that I get to live and serve in and allows me to have the opportunity to learn new skills in order to be more effective in my future work. I plan to use my college education to pursue justice, ideally in the FBI. College is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities in order to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact them. Working and serving as a part of the FBI will help me to interact with communities and to be able to help change some of the deep societal problems that cause so many people to suffer.

When I was seven years old I wished someone would try to snatch me in a parking lot. At 65 pounds, I was fully confident in my ability to take on masked bad guys lurking in any white van. My confidence (however misplaced) and desire for justice were fed by my connection to Taekwondo. When I donned the crisp white dobak for the first time, I learned the tenants that would guide me for the next ten years: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Every time I went into class I learned more and became more self-assured. As years went by I learned that not all bad guys creep around in parking lots and that many can’t be physically fought. Many antagonists of the world carry briefcases, wear suits, or are even elected officials. To this day I still hold on to that younger part of me who yearns for justice. For a decade, I have vowed to “build a more peaceful world” at the end of each class, to make the world a better place and to help defeat the evil within it. I know now issues aren’t black and white and that I am not invulnerable, but I still hold with childlike faith the idea that I can be the one to change the world. I want to use my talents and abilities to earn a position in a federal law enforcement agency, ideally the FBI. The skills I that I will learn in college will help equip me to serve my country in ways that my seven-year-old self imagined I might--not, perhaps, by dragging villains out of their white vans--but by dragging them before a judge and jury, armed with the strongest possible evidence. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by helping others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has fueled my desire for justice. The realization that things can be changed and that I can be the one to take a stand to initiate action has created an opportunity, that for me, is not optional and forces me to live each day in order to help others. College is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities in order to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact them in the world we live in.

One by one, I picked up the smashed liquor bottles and hypodermic needles, tossing them into the heavy-duty garbage bag. My hands perspired in the baggy adult-sized gloves I wore to protect myself from contamination, as the house had no running water for washing. The grass was puddled with the excrement flowing from a broken septic tank. I was working in a schoolmate’s yard--only one physical mile--but a world away from my own home. Since that day when I was 10, my volunteer work with local organizations has become a central part of my life. That day my eyes were opened to how privileged I am and how beneath the veneer of wealth and class within my community, there is a deep well of need. So many live lives that are disconnected from opportunity, while others are blind to their own entitlement. I think about this disparity everyday, and it drives the way I spend my life. Service work has helped to mold my entire worldview. Growing up in a family that emphasized service has allowed me to experience firsthand the need and inequity of the world we live in. Whether building wheelchair ramps or replacing rotten decks, delivering food boxes to needy families, or writing cards to lonely shut-ins, the way I choose to spend my time is a direct reflection of the worldview I adopted as a young child. A core piece of my character was built on the realization that the world isn’t fair and that I can help do something about it by helping others. This opportunity to change things, for me, is not optional and I try to live each day in order to help others. Seeing this deep inequity and inequality that pervades our society has always fueled my desire for justice. I have persevered through my school and have excelled in a time when the pandemic has caused incredible tumult. The pandemic shut down many of the things that people centered their lives around, but once the pandemic started to upheave peoples' ways of life I realized I could help volunteer and be a positive change. Going to college is exciting because it offers a new community that I get to live and serve in. I plan to use my college education to pursue justice, ideally in the FBI. College is a stepping stone on the way to a career where I believe that I will be able to use my skills, interests, and abilities in order to help people not only at a personal level but also on a more systematic level in order to positively impact them.