Submission Number: 278
Submission ID: 984
Submission UUID: c730104b-771f-413c-8f9e-190c6700e129

Created: Fri, 04/15/2022 - 21:22
Completed: Fri, 04/15/2022 - 21:22
Changed: Mon, 05/05/2025 - 21:33

Remote IP address: 2600:387:c:6d12::a
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No

Flagged: Yes
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Jessica
Connell
She/Her
Solana Beach
CA
United States
92075
undeclared
English (5), Spanish (3)
Throughout years of traveling with my family, I’ve realized that my American perspective doesn’t always translate well to other countries. Often what I read into situations or people is entirely incorrect.

Years ago, while sailing with my family in the Bahamas, a beaten-up speedboat with a plywood windshield filled with men in wrap-around sunglasses raced towards us, wake flying behind them. Fearing they were pirates, traffickers, or drug-runners, my mom made all the kids get in the cabin, while the parents stood in front. One of the men started counting us while two others reached down to the deck and pulled out, of all things, lobsters. They had caught too many and wanted to know if we wanted some. They gave us four, including “Big Bertha,” the biggest lobster I’ve ever seen. We had mistakenly read ‘different’ as danger. But these men did not let our preconceived notion get in the way of kindness and generosity.

I’ve learned many lessons through travel. Whether practicing Spanish with locals in Mexico and Costa Rica, or learning the inner workings of an Icelandic farm (including how to milk a cow), I have tried to see ‘different’ as good. While in Costa Rica, I was impressed with the finesse our taxi driver showed. The potholes the size of manhole covers and flocks of sheep didn’t stop him from giving us a thorough tour and answering all of our questions. Armed with his stick shift and experience, our driver was ready to take on any obstacle the road threw at him. This man thrived in a situation I would have found impossible.
How other people live, act, and succeed in different cultures has challenged how I think and broadened my world view. I’ve learned that when traveling, you must leave your biases and preconceived notions at the door and see the world for how it truly is. This is how I learn and why I would like to join the Global RAP.
I would like to live down the hall from someone who is compassionate and offers me advice, or simply an ear to listen. I want to participate in everything that Boulder has to offer, from going to football games to joining a choir, but I don’t want to do it alone. Boulder is such a large school. It would be nice if the person down the hall made the school feel a bit smaller and more comfortable. Whether we’d do homework together or just hang out and play cards, I would want to be hallmates with someone open and considerate, but also studious and just a little bit competitive. When it comes down to it, college is about the relationships that you make as much as it is about the subjects you study. I want to develop lasting connections with new friends, from my roommate to my classmates to my professors. I want to live down the hall from someone who shares my values while challenging me to be better, who will come with me to office hours or spend the day hiking the Flatirons. College means room to explore, and I would want to live down the hall from someone who encourages and supports my endeavors.
I want to be a part of the Global Engineering RAP because engineering without global context is like trying to complete a puzzle without all the pieces. You need to see the whole picture to know what areas need the most attention. As an engineer, I want to make sure that my work improves the lives of others from my neighbors to strangers around the world. If I’m blind to the needs and perspectives of other cultures, I will miss the unique challenges and solutions that they present. I'm a creative and artistic person who likes math and engineering, which gives me a unique way of viewing problems. My experience with music theory and composition has helped me recognize patterns and make connections in every STEM class I’ve taken, particularly calculus. I now realize that every person brings new perspectives and ideas to a discussion, which is an important element of design thinking. In the Global Engineering RAP I hope to share my experiences with others to gain perspective and understand the context behind challenges faced globally. I plan to embrace Boulder’s culture, not just as a student but as a person, and being able to connect with students in the Global Engineering RAP will allow me to realize this goal.
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