Submission Number: 412
Submission ID: 1359
Submission UUID: c85438c6-1150-4170-889f-e4def54f1d36

Created: Sun, 04/14/2024 - 17:03
Completed: Sun, 04/14/2024 - 17:03
Changed: Wed, 05/07/2025 - 20:49

Remote IP address: 76.176.68.0
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No

Flagged: Yes
Locked: Yes
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Aiden
Gomez
He/Him
San Diego
CA
United States
92129
Mechanical engineering
English(5), French (4)
I have traveled to many different countries such as France, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Mexico, as well as various states in the US. Traveling to these unique countries around the globe with their vastly different culture and specific customs has prepared me to quickly adapt to new interaction and communication styles. I grew to appreciate how conscientious you have to be when experiencing a new country. It takes time to understand how their society functions and what their everyday lives look like which may be considerably different from my own. My father is French and immigrated to the USA for his studies 22 years ago. Since I was born, I traveled every two years to France (2 to 3 weeks at a time) where I immersed myself in French culture with my family and larger groups of people. During my years of high school, I took all the French classes including AP French. In France, I learned real day-to-day speaking characteristics that were different from the methods of speaking taught in school. It is enriching to experience a different way of life such as longer and later dinners with my large family where often we would sit around the table talking, long after everyone had finished their food. Culturally, the French people seem to care a lot about the variety of foods and put a lot of effort into preparing the meals. Another perspective relates to the way they drive with smaller cars that all shift manually. They also appear to be a bit more aggressive and less respectful of other drivers which could represent the idea of not wanting to waste time. As a computer-oriented person, I found it interesting to observe how French society seems to be less prone to using the internet for various purposes such as purchases and streaming. Another notable characteristic of the French lifestyle is the importance of face-to-face interactions and time spent with their families. As a result of this behavior, families tend to live closer to each other and spend time with each other frequently. From a young age, I have gained a greater perspective on the diversity in the world thanks to my extensive travel experience. I have been able to interact with various groups of people and understand their uniqueness through culture, and language. I also feel I can quickly adapt to the specific mannerisms of each country.
The person that I would dream of living down the hall would have diverse qualities, not only personally but also academically. Ideally, this would be someone deeply passionate about STEM and engineering which will help drive me forward throughout my college experience. I will gain a deeper understanding of the content in each class by doing work with someone as opposed to by myself. I value someone kind, supportive, and patient that I could collaborate with at any time and work through challenging problems together. Sharing our different engineering experiences from different engineering specializations would be extremely useful. This would not only broaden our perspectives and aid us in making the world a better place through engineering but also in developing key skills for future employment. Being in the global engineering RAP-specific floor will create a point of common interest academically so there will always be ideas to share. Another important aspect that will improve me academically is having someone close who is organized and can plan their day around their classes effectively. This would help me improve my time management skills. I would be able to help them with challenging school work, general tasks, or simply someone to talk to during difficult life situations. Another important personal aspect that an ideal hallmate would have is their ability and willingness to encourage me to experience new social activities. These would vary from small, specific RAP events to large, school-wide sports games and other fun activities. Since I tend to be more introverted a more outgoing person on the floor could help me develop more connections and enjoy different parts of college. All in all, if someone down the hall from me has even any one of these characteristics my journey at CU Boulder would be an unforgettable journey.
I would like to join the Global Engineering RAP to have the opportunity to work with a small group of motivated students with the common goal of providing engineering solutions to the weak spots found in many underdeveloped countries. Some of these issues include: missing key resources, lack of housing, clean water, and reliable schooling for children. Personally, the availability of small group interactions would provide me with better support throughout my college experience and create a larger sense of belonging. I would learn to know each person on my floor and create close relationships. Being a part of the global engineering RAP will help me with teamwork, and developing a wider range of skills and techniques to come up with more comprehensive solutions to global problems. This may include learning about other aspects of engineering not just those strictly related to my major in mechanical engineering. As a person, it will strengthen my soft skills such as being able to understand other people's perspectives and motivations. It will also enhance my understanding of the needs of specific countries, and the ability to strategize about suitable solutions. I have consistently shown the desire to help my community through my commitment to volunteering at Martin's Home, a pet adoption agency, every other Saturday since 2020. In addition, every other Thursday, I helped mentor the underserved Los Pen elementary school where I instruct the kids in the Blast 4 Kids program through the FLL (First Lego League) Explore curriculum. I not only teach the material but also form positive connections. This curriculum sparks their interest in STEAM and robotics through fun and engaging Lego projects. I am also heavily involved with the Westview High School robotics program where I gained vast technical knowledge. In my senior year, I took on many leadership positions which included teaching the new members the basics of what we do, advanced fabrication, and competition design team lead. I wish to share my learnings acquired through both my volunteering and robotics experience with the people around me. I also am capable of guiding others with technical decisions in a positive collaborative environment. Being a part of the global engineering RAP will provide a dedicated working group of students who all share a common interest in improving the world, developing not only direct engineering skills in every form of engineering but also soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Finally, I will contribute to the overall well-being and expertise of the community through my extensive volunteering and robotics leadership experience.
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