Prompt: University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate College or School (including preferred admission and dual degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests? (Required for all applicants; minimum 100 words /maximum 550 words)
Essay
Growing up in a household where three languages intertwined, I developed a fascination with words and how they shape our understanding of the world. That’s partly how I found my way to anthropology, a field that asks the questions I started pursuing at home: how do humans make sense of the world? Due to its broad take on the field — cultural, biological, medical — The University of Michigan’s interdisciplinary approach to learning would allow me to study every part of anthropology, from linguistics to public health.
My experiences over the past few years cultivated my passion for healthcare equality. I founded Serve Humanity Foundation with the goal of making healthcare accessible through methods like telehealth and medical equipment redistribution programs. Through Serve Humanity Foundation, I have witnessed first-hand how things such as language barriers, economic and citizenship status, and race impact access to care. My work at Serve Humanity paired with volunteering at Pluckemin Medical Equipment Ministry to redistribute used medical equipment piqued my interest in learning about the social determinants of health and inequality.
At Michigan, classes like “Anthropology of Mental Health: Ethics, Politics, and Social Determinants” and “Medical Anthropology” will help me explore those factors and how anthropology can help bridge the care gap. I will also explore other aspects of anthropology through courses like “Language in Society” and “Culture, Adaptation and Environment.” I hope to put my research exploring waste in the healthcare system and its impacts on minority groups and the environment to use with Professor Sarah A. Burgard’s work examining disparities in Covid-19 vaccine access and how early vaccine access in certain communities can inform health related policies that fight persistent inequalities.
Outside of class, I will join organizations like Crossroads Undergraduate Journal of Anthropology, Environmental Health Student Association, and Diverse Leaders for Tomorrow to help invest in my Michigan community. The Diverse Leaders for Tomorrow is particularly appealing to me coming from a diverse high school environment, where I heard from different backgrounds daily. Hearing diverse viewpoints is crucial, and Michigan has plenty of forums to ensure respectful, interesting conversations can happen every day.
Beyond campus, I’m excited about the many anthropology internships and job opportunities, including working as an Anthropology Excavation Intern in Greece. Closer to Ann Arbor, I’ll put my passion for public service to work as a Volunteer Coordinator at Brilliant Detroit. Their mission of building “kid success” communities resonates with my past volunteer work with children lacking care, nutrition, and education.
I can’t wait to participate in the study abroad program in Seoul, or take part in one of the various internships available to LSA students through the Japan Internship Initiative. In Seoul I’ll expand my knowledge of public health and healthcare equality initiatives from a global perspective. I hope to learn more about successful Korean Health initiatives such as “Healthy Child” centers which provide regular health check-ups, nutritional guidance, and mental health services to children in low-income communities. Meanwhile, while interning in Japan I’ll study one of the most efficient health care systems in the world.
Overall, the University of Michigan’s multi-faceted education in a diverse community that values collective action makes it the perfect place for me to continue my educational journey and prepare me to combat health care inequality in the United States.
Tips for Writing
To begin writing a “why major?” or “why college” essay for any school, I recommend researching opportunities available to students in your chosen fields. Find specific classes that interest you, research being done that you resonate with, clubs that you will participate in, etc. Make sure these activites are very specific. You should connect extra circulars you have done in highschool to these opportunities to demonstrate your interest in the field. Demonstrate how you will take advantage of all the opportunities offered to you to further your education. Try to demonstrate that you resonate with the values of the college which you should be able to find in your research. Make sure to speak equally about why the college interests you and why you would be a good fit.