Why are you interested in Lafayette? [500 characters]
I sat staring at the man whose job was to convince me to apply. Could this be my future college? I asked myself this when I met with Taaha Mohamedali, the representative whose words of wisdom convinced me to apply. Many things caught my attention when I first learned of Lafayette. I was ecstatic about the variety of activities, the liberal arts curriculum and the strong focus on undergraduates. Most of all, I loved Lafayette's Cur Non motto that allows students to step out of their comfort zone.
In 1777, at the age of 19, the Marquis de Lafayette left a life of privilege and prestige in France and sailed to America to fight for the American Revolution. His family motto guided his sense of adventure and reflects an attitude that pervades Lafayette College today: "Cur Non?" ("Why not?). Based on this motto, discuss a "Why not?" moment in your personal, academic, or social life. [1250 Characters]
Not everyone is able to say they created their own Android app. I was given the privilege of creating my own app along with other young women when I joined Iridescent's Technovation Challenge during the Spring of 2011. We worked in Google's New York headquarters in Chelsea.
As a Technovation Challenge student, I was able to work under the tutelage of Google employees and other young women. After several weeks of brainstorming ideas, my teammates and I decided to create an app that would benefit all teenage girls who were skeptical about fashion. What is "trendy" anyway? "Trendy: very fashionable or up to date in style or influence." With this simple definition, my teammates and I came up with Trending, a dynamic fashion aggregator that organizes the latest trends to help consumers shop for clothing that is "in." Along with learning the basics of using Google's Android App Inventor program, I was able to learn about business pitches. Being in the Technovation Challenge was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. the program ran from 5 to 8 p.m. every Monday from February through May in downtown Manhattan. But it was worth all of the long hours commuting on the train. I was able to meet new people and associate with professionals of the Google world. The Technovation Challenge was an overall great experience for me because of the exposure to such a contemporary topic: technology. The world is in the technological era and it is important to be capable of navigating through different forms of technology and I learned that. Although the Trending app did not win the national competition, it won Second Place in the regional competition and the People's Choice Award.
Trends do not always have to do with fashion. Yes, they may have to do with what is "in" or even "out" at the time. But it also means keeping yourself aware of what goes on around you. I did this by joining the Technovation Challenge.
Most of all, I loved Lafayette's Cur Non motto--- What does it mean?---that encourages students to step out of their comfort zone.
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The program ran from 5 to 8 p.m. every Monday, from February through May in downtown Manhattan.
But it was worth all of the long hours of commuting on the train.
:)
