Cornell University Personal Statement

I realize from a young age that I was fascinated by plants and their growth. Even though my family did not have much money growing up, my brother and I were exposed to math and science from a young age. My parents allowed us to explore our areas of interest and encouraged us to take on projects that would foster our talents. My life experience growing up with supportive parents gave me a solid foundation and fostered my inquisitive mind. During high school I attended a school focused on engineering, environmental science and health care science. At this time I was heavily involved in the environmental and agricultural programs. This laid the groundwork for my decision to attend Cornell University as an agricultural science major with a focus on the environment.
As an African American I do not often see people who look like me in the field of agriculture. None of my agricultural professors at Cornell University have been from the …show more content…
During the spring of my junior year I studied abroad for six months in Copenhagen, Denmark I was able to observe their agriculture which relies heavily on organic techniques. The value of this experience came when I was able to compare production techniques from the United States to Denmark. I was able to see the pros and cons of using both methods of production, which gave me a more in-depth understanding of both. Also I took a study trip to Thailand and observed their production in a rural village as well. While Denmark’s production vastly differed from America’s one thing they had in common that Thailand did not was their reliance on heavy inputs especially in the form of machinery. Observing the agriculture in that rural village was eye opening because people were still able to survive and be moderately food secure with barely any inputs of machinery, fertilizer etc. By going to these other countries I understand a more about American agriculture and agricultural production as a