What was I thinking? My entrance essay for UIS CAP Scholars....

As a rapid-fire intellectual and an individual of deep convictions, my educational and professional futures have always been of great concern. Throughout the years I have endeavored to participate in activities and events that have helped me to grow as a leader and scholar so that I may become a more informed and accomplished student. In selecting my career path, I wish not only to excel, but also to have the chance to continue to use the skills that I have cultivated. Thus, it is my desire to pursue a major in the area of legal studies in order to fully take advantage of these leadership skills and my proficiency in communicating my ideas through the spoken and written word.

However, this is not to say legal studies are the only area of education I wish to receive.

Rather, I would like to engage in discussion and inquiries in various other subjects as well. I fancy myself a bit of a ‘renaissance’ woman. I have always tried to be a very well rounded individual by pursing opportunities and interests in a wide variety of areas. These interests have included everything from Civil War history to clay sculpting, running to ballroom dancing, poetry to the culinary arts, civil engineering, environmental issues and beyond. Perhaps this is why I have often found myself contemplating the Capital Honors Scholar’s Program. This program offers me a chance to have a broad understanding of the world around me while still pursuing the core elements of a legal studies major. I find the collaborative learning environment offered by the CAP Scholar’s Program both intriguing and challenging: a quality I value highly in all of my intellectual experiences.

By combining areas of curriculum that directly relate to my major and also that connect to this ever-changing world of ours, I hope to receive an education that will train me to be an adaptable and open-minded adult. I fully believe that the University of Illinois at Springfield can not only provide me with the tools necessary to succeed in the legal field but also help to carry my aspirations for leadership and scholarship to new heights.