Submission Number: 395
Submission ID: 1336
Submission UUID: 6dd04d4e-540f-41df-acb3-c7281e5783c1

Created: Sat, 03/30/2024 - 19:21
Completed: Sat, 03/30/2024 - 19:21
Changed: Sun, 05/11/2025 - 12:51

Remote IP address: 2600:1017:b414:9ac0:ce33:d938:e1ba:40b6
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
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Isabella
Brashear
She/her
Brecksville
Ohio
United States
44141
Environmental Engineering
English (5), German (4)
Travel has always been a very important part of my family. My father’s mother was born and raised in Germany, so my family used to attend family reunions in Germany every three years, which unfortunately came to an end due to the pandemic. However, these family reunions gave us the perfect excuse to explore new parts of Europe; we’ve tagged on days in parts of France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and more. We’ve taken tours, seen beaches, walked around cities, and climbed mountains. Trips to Europe taught me so much about the difference in culture. I feel optimistic after seeing the steps that many countries in Europe (especially Germany) take towards environmental remediation, including vast public transport options, use of gas-efficient cars, widespread use of solar panels and wind turbines, and more general environmental consciousness. Having seen this firsthand gives me hope that America could take strides towards similar efforts. In addition to Europe, I’ve also been to 30 of the 50 states; I’ve observed a lot of different cultures within America, as well as a lot of environmentally conscious efforts that give me hope. Although I’ve noticed the environmental nightmares of L.A. pollution and Chicago industrial plants, I’ve also seen the mass cleaning efforts at Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River, wind turbine farms in mountains of Pennsylvania, and prevalence of solar panels in San Diego. After all of these years of priceless travel, I am prepared and excited to use what I’ve learned and observed to be a valuable member of the Global Engineering RAP.
First and foremost, I would want the person down the hall to quickly become a close friend of mine. I want her to be immediately welcoming to everyone in our hall, since we will all live and work in such close proximity for a long time. Since this person was accepted into the Global Engineering RAP, I assume that we would be like-minded in our passion for traveling and learning about other cultures. I would want her to share the same environmental drive that I do, and value helping the Earth. This way, she and I could form a strong team in discussions, making sure concern for the environment is always voiced, and its global importance is known by our peers. Despite these optimal similarities, I would want her to be different from me in some ways. For one, I’d want her to be of a different culture/race/ethnicity than me, so our friendship could double as an opportunity for me to expand my knowledge of different cultures and perspectives, and I could provide the same opportunity for her. It would also be nice if she knew a language other than German, and we could teach each other a few words and phrases of the language that the other knows. In general, I’d want the person down the hall to not only be smart, but also collaborative and fun. We could help each other with schoolwork and bounce ideas off of each other, but also spend time together outside of school, doing activities we both enjoy, such as hiking and thrifting. I’d hope she is more than just a classmate, but rather a real friend who is always open as someone to talk to or go out with. I hope that the person down the hall brings out the best in me as a Global Engineer, a Buff, and a person.
The Global Engineering RAP is especially important to me, since I plan on studying Environmental Engineering, with the goal of doing everything I can to help the environment and stop detrimental climate change. In my opinion, Environmental Engineering loses much of its effectiveness if it is not looked at from a global perspective. The environment knows no political borders; for example, air pollution in China blows over to affect the U.S., and chemicals banned for farming in the U.S. may be present in some food that we import from other countries. So, to me, it is of utmost importance to bring global consideration into my Engineering education, which is one reason why I truly would be thrilled to be part of the Global Engineering RAP. I’ve already done work learning about and raising money for Drink Local Drink Tap, a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization that helps build wells in poor areas of Uganda, so the citizens there have easy access to clean, safe drinking water. After my time with DLDT, I’ve had a dream of doing similar things when I enter my working life, and I believe the Global Engineering RAP could provide me with the perfect pipeline into that sort of work. Plus, as an environmentalist, I understand that the leading cause of environmental degradation is worldwide poverty, and this RAP’s mission of addressing poverty and its causes is something that would completely enhance my time in college. On top of wanting the global experience because it aligns with my interests and aspirations for my future, I also have always had a passion for travel and learning about different cultures, and I’m excited to be able to feed that passion as part of this program. I’ve done a great amount of traveling for an 18 year old, and I’ve always been enthralled with the cultures around me, taking note of how people behave, dress, and eat. Plus, my regular visits to Germany throughout my life inspired me to start learning German in school in 8th grade, and my fascination with the language has led me to earning the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy. I hope to continue my German education into college, and I think this program will complement that goal perfectly. If I end up being granted the opportunity to be a part of this community, I would serve as a contributor to discussions and ideas; I consider myself outgoing, so I don’t shy away from group conversations, but I am also an excellent listener, and very supportive of the people around me. This way, I would be a part of productive discussions that make progress. Plus, my outgoing personality would help me make friends in the program, which is especially important in such a small, close community, and I’d make sure that the community we build is welcoming. I’d offer unique perspectives as an Environmental Engineering major who cares deeply about the Earth, a German-speaker, and a well-traveled citizen. As a part of the residential community, I would be a friend, an Engineer, a listener, and a contributor, and being part of the program would truly elevate my college education to the level I want it to be.
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