Required Essay:

1. Why are you a good candidate for the YES! Program? How will this experience help you further
your academic career goals?

I am a good candidate for the YES! Program because I possess good communication skills and I
have the ambition to explore careers in science. I always enjoy working with other people in a
creative environment. Also, I am very eager to work side by side with professional scientists. I am a
good listener. I am excited to take in possibly new information that will open doors to more
possibilities. Knowing that I will be working with students will make this an even better experience
for me. I have the motivation and interest in this area of science. I am using this internship as an
opportunity to work with professionals and my peers that have similar interests as me. I want to
compare experiences and learn from them. I am looking forward to this experience so I can research
more about what it is like having a science career. This will prepare me for the future and give me
more experience. I know that our society is ever evolving and advancing in technology. Getting
accepted to this internship will help me determine my career choice and direct my path of
education. I am mostly interested in biological or natural sciences. But, I want to explore other
options with the help of this internship. I know that in today’s knowledge-based society, bearing
skills in biology, anthropology, and geology are necessary to make a difference in this world. The
U.S.A. needs more people educated in the science department. We need people with new ideas and
motivation to make them happen. That is part of the reason why I should be accepted. I believe that
science is best and most effective way to improve the future of this planet. I want to make a change
in this world. I am determined to make it happen. Being accepted to this internship is one of the first
steps to achieving my goals. Next, I plan to excel in a certain field of science and plan to possibly
invent a new machine or make a fascinating discovery. The first time I had any serious “hands-on”
science activity was in seventh grade. I was first introduced to the concept of genetics, in detail, in
the seventh grade. The first time I conducted a dissection was in seventh grade. I realized then that I
have a passion for “digging in the dirt” kind of science, playing with genetics, extracting DNA, or
observing the behaviors of butterflies in a garden. In the sixth grade I started an out of school
“going green” project with a group of friends. We were planning to create a green environment for
the school garden. My teacher even gave us SSL hours for trying to improve our school. I am a very
meticulous person and from a very young age I was digging for worms in the mulch instead of
playing on the swings. When I was in elementary school I acquired a play microscope to inspect fake
specimens with. I became obsessed with it. Later, in middle school, I had the opportunity to examine
real specimens of animals and plants to examine their construction of cells. Also, I would go on
biking trips to the Chesapeake Bay and collect pond water to examine it later. I was amazed by the
amount of life teeming in the tiny dish before me. I began to pay attention to the details more often.
Since then I have become very organized and neat. I picked up these traits from my parents who are
both employed in biotechnology and engineering. I have observed some of the work they do and I
took an interest in it. It fascinates me greatly, but I want to explore other options and other careers I
can become employed in. I am truly determined to improve our country’s technology and continue
to advance. Being accepted to this internship will help determine my interests and my career choice.