What does Woodward mean to you?

Woodward has been my home for more than a decade, a place where I've grown and explored without boundaries or limitations. Woodward is a community where we students can come together with respect and enthusiasm for learning whether in the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage, or just hanging out. Woodward will be with me for the rest of my life as I apply the values I learned here in college, in my career, and in my personal life.

What is your most treasured memory?

I was part of a student and faculty member group that visited Cuba on an Upper School World Language department trip during my junior year. From the people I met to the incredible sights and sounds I witnessed, the trip was an eye-opening experience and invaluable opportunity for me to apply and improve my Spanish language skills. Every day included trying a new local dish, exploring a new area of the country, and meeting both Cuban teenagers and adults.

If you could have a dinner party with three of your favorite heroes/heroines/most admired people, who would you choose and why?

They might not all be my own personal heroes, but I think it would be cool to seat Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ray Bradbury at the same table and talk about current science fiction books. For example, I read a book called Join (by Steve Toutonghi) that imagined an alternate reality where people can use technology to meld a small group of minds into a single consciousness, trading individuality for immortality. Imagine what they would think about that!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

After college, I plan to pursue a career in research specializing in a mathematics and/or physics-based field. Problem-solving and applying knowledge in new and different ways are what I enjoy, and I am definitely looking forward to the research opportunities available to me as an undergraduate at UChicago.

What is your favorite book? And why?

“Rendezvous with Rama” by Arthur C. Clarke. I first read this book many years ago during one of my first forays into science fiction. At the time it seemed wooden and utterly boring, but I picked it up again several years later. On my second read, I loved it—both the idea of exploring a derelict spacecraft and how Clarke embellished and expanded on the themes of how science is mysterious and does not always yield obvious conclusions. The answers are sometimes beyond our ability to comprehend.

What advice would you give a Woodward kindergartner?

To a kindergartner, or anyone still in elementary school, don't worry about moving up to the next school at Woodward. It's not as scary as it might seem now, and no matter what happens, every member of this incredibly supportive community will always be behind you. Enjoy this time while it lasts; save the stress and worries of growing up for another day.