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Submission information
Submission Number: 167
Submission ID: 843
Submission UUID: 501d2839-3fbc-4c37-ace6-ed46868b740f
Created: Wed, 03/30/2022 - 16:46
Completed: Wed, 03/30/2022 - 16:46
Changed: Tue, 05/06/2025 - 20:03
Remote IP address: 24.199.148.218
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
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Logan
Kolander
he/him
Charlotte
NC
United States
28209
Civil Engineering
English (5), Spanish (3), German (3)
As a rising ninth-grader, my mom took my sister and I on our first internation trip to Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. I was fascinated by the vast technicality of the German transportation system, including their high speed regional and cross-country trains, and their streetscapes that encourage walking and cycling. Switzerland struck me by how environmentally friendly they were, with a key example being how they banned cars in the alpine town of Zermatt.
In terms of study abroad experience, I personally don’t have any, but I know for a fact that I would like to have some sort of experience in the future. I am extremely interested in the Mortenson Center’s research in Rwanda on the impact that pedestrian footbridges have in communities, and I hope to have an experience similar to this during my time at CU Boulder. The trip I took with my family definitely taught me about the application of engineering in wealthy countries, and I hope to use a study-abroad experience like this to learn more about engineering in other areas of the world.
In terms of study abroad experience, I personally don’t have any, but I know for a fact that I would like to have some sort of experience in the future. I am extremely interested in the Mortenson Center’s research in Rwanda on the impact that pedestrian footbridges have in communities, and I hope to have an experience similar to this during my time at CU Boulder. The trip I took with my family definitely taught me about the application of engineering in wealthy countries, and I hope to use a study-abroad experience like this to learn more about engineering in other areas of the world.
When many people think of someone they want to be their friend, they think of people who look like them and share common interests. However, when I think of someone who I’d want to be friends with, or live down the hall from me, I want the only thing similar between us to be our shared interest in engineering through a global perspective. I do not want to share the same religion with them, nor have the same origin, and I definitely don’t want them to have similar cultural traditions to mine.
I want to make clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having friends that share a similar background with you; in fact, it is usually those type of people who are easiest to get along with. That being said, I believe that there is a true value in having a diverse social sphere, filled with people who you can learn from and can challenge the way you see the world.
When I think back of my most rewarding friendships, I think about those where I’ve found great joy in being with someone much different from me. One of my best friends, Gaila Fosbinder, was born in Ukraine with a rare skeletal condition that inhibits many daily tasks, and because of that she was abandoned by her birth mother. At the age of four, she was adopted by a single woman who decided to devote her life into this young girl who hadn’t seen love before. Gaila and I met in Kindergarten, where our friendship began to blossom into what it is today. Being one of her close pals, I was given permission to ride with her in the elevator between classes, where our overly-dramatic gossip, filled with the most ridiculous stories, would leave us both laughing in tears as we left the elevator. From competing on the same Odyssey of the Mind teams, to us attending our first high school homecoming dance together, we learned to apply our differences to make us both stronger people. Gaila was recently named the International Tennis Federation’s Wheelchair Tennis Junior of the Year, and although I have very slim knowledge of how to even hit a tennis ball properly, I find her defiance of odds extremely inspiring.
I believe that learning about those who are different from you and making connections with them in your life is a great way to develop your own identity. I live by the mantra “what doesn’t challenge you won’t change you,” and I wholeheartedly apply this to my social circle by stepping out of my comfort zone to get to know people who are different from me. This is why I hope that the person down the hall will have experiences that will challenge me and allow me to grow.
I want to make clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having friends that share a similar background with you; in fact, it is usually those type of people who are easiest to get along with. That being said, I believe that there is a true value in having a diverse social sphere, filled with people who you can learn from and can challenge the way you see the world.
When I think back of my most rewarding friendships, I think about those where I’ve found great joy in being with someone much different from me. One of my best friends, Gaila Fosbinder, was born in Ukraine with a rare skeletal condition that inhibits many daily tasks, and because of that she was abandoned by her birth mother. At the age of four, she was adopted by a single woman who decided to devote her life into this young girl who hadn’t seen love before. Gaila and I met in Kindergarten, where our friendship began to blossom into what it is today. Being one of her close pals, I was given permission to ride with her in the elevator between classes, where our overly-dramatic gossip, filled with the most ridiculous stories, would leave us both laughing in tears as we left the elevator. From competing on the same Odyssey of the Mind teams, to us attending our first high school homecoming dance together, we learned to apply our differences to make us both stronger people. Gaila was recently named the International Tennis Federation’s Wheelchair Tennis Junior of the Year, and although I have very slim knowledge of how to even hit a tennis ball properly, I find her defiance of odds extremely inspiring.
I believe that learning about those who are different from you and making connections with them in your life is a great way to develop your own identity. I live by the mantra “what doesn’t challenge you won’t change you,” and I wholeheartedly apply this to my social circle by stepping out of my comfort zone to get to know people who are different from me. This is why I hope that the person down the hall will have experiences that will challenge me and allow me to grow.
One of the main reasons why I want to become a member of the Global Engineering RAP at CU Boulder is for the opportunity to be part of a community that not only cares about each other, but also focuses on learning about and solving issues at a global level. In addition, I am impressed by the program’s leadership panel that I have read about, which I feel is composed of a staff that promotes challenging oneself and pursuing ideas and goals.
Over the course of my youth, I have realized a strong personal identity in environmentalism. Global warming, deforestation, pollution, and species loss are all things that deeply disturb me and that I have a desire to do something about. More recently, I have delved into a niche of environmentalism focussing on sustainable transportation infrastructure that allows for a more environmentally friendly way to travel and also promotes the inclusion of people from lower socio-economic levels. This is one of the driving factors that pushed me to study Civil Engineering at CU Boulder, and I have been thrilled to find this opportunity to participate in an RAP that applies the concepts of engineering at a macro level. Because environmentalism requires a collective effort from the world as a whole, I feel like this program will pique my curiosity and give me insight on how I can be an engineer who works for the greater good.
I will contribute to the RAP in many ways. As an Eagle Scout, the leadership skills that I have developed will allow me to be a contributing factor to this community. In addition, my pursuance of studying Spanish and German through the AP level has prepared me to speak effectively with those not fluent in English, for example in international engineering contexts. Likewise, my identity in environmentalism and urge to seek change will encourage my peers to do the same.
Over the course of my youth, I have realized a strong personal identity in environmentalism. Global warming, deforestation, pollution, and species loss are all things that deeply disturb me and that I have a desire to do something about. More recently, I have delved into a niche of environmentalism focussing on sustainable transportation infrastructure that allows for a more environmentally friendly way to travel and also promotes the inclusion of people from lower socio-economic levels. This is one of the driving factors that pushed me to study Civil Engineering at CU Boulder, and I have been thrilled to find this opportunity to participate in an RAP that applies the concepts of engineering at a macro level. Because environmentalism requires a collective effort from the world as a whole, I feel like this program will pique my curiosity and give me insight on how I can be an engineer who works for the greater good.
I will contribute to the RAP in many ways. As an Eagle Scout, the leadership skills that I have developed will allow me to be a contributing factor to this community. In addition, my pursuance of studying Spanish and German through the AP level has prepared me to speak effectively with those not fluent in English, for example in international engineering contexts. Likewise, my identity in environmentalism and urge to seek change will encourage my peers to do the same.
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