The Magic of the UMN

When I was growing up, my parents always wanted me to be a doctor. I told them that I did not want to be one because I hate seeing blood. Because of my passion in mathematics and biology, I thought Genetics would be a great alternative to it. In the beginning of my high school senior year, I started doing some research on a few universities which has Genetics as a separate program from their Biology ones. And the University of Minnesota was always in my top priorities because:

1. It has an excellent Genetics academic program.
2. There are many fabulous Genetics related research opportunities such as:

• The Institute of Human Genetics
• Genetics Mechanism of Cancer Research Program
• Genetic Counseling

The second reason why I chose to go to the U was because of its diversity. I grew up in a small city in Indonesia, called Madiun. Most of my middle school friends went to the same high school as me; therefore, I always wanted to go to a university where I could challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone to meet people from different backgrounds as well as distinct culture. And I think I made the right decision :) Since my freshman year, I have been involved with various multicultural groups at the University, which help me build my leadership, communication and organizational skills. These student groups include but not limited to the Indonesian Student Association, Minnesota International Student Association, Asian-American Student Union, International Buddy Program, Small World Coffee Hour, and definitely the International Student Ambassadors Program. The picture below was taken when our International Ambassadors went bowling together this past spring. FUNNN ^^

Everybody has their own reasons why the decided to come to the U of M. As for me, I have been appreciating all of the opportunities the University has to offer and enjoying every self-exploration I had. I hope to see you here and perhaps you can tell me why you choose the University of Minnesota.

asa :)