There is no question that engineering—be it physics, mathematics, or computer science—has served as the catalyst for the explosive development of mankind over the past century. My commitment to the study of science and engineering has been a dominating theme in my life. I am interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science as the field has intrigued me since middle school. As such, I have been involving myself in the technological revolution currently taking place through developing software, building robots, and creating games, which have had impacts—big and small—on those around me, and have helped bridge gaps between people. While a freshman in high school, I began fiddling with game development which sparked my love for programming. From that point on, I began leading independent and collaborative projects as I created mobile apps and video games. I seized an opportunity to work with Mojang Studios, the makers of Minecraft, to produce games for the Minecraft Realms platform. Here, I created programs, levels, game art, music, sound effects, and collaborated with individuals from the four corners of the world. Since working with Mojang, I have come to view the world from a far more opportunistic perspective, as I have garnered a deeper understanding of how technology can advance our society. Thus, I have started numerous projects in my free time that attempt to tackle minor inconveniences to large-scale issues. Thus, I created a mobile app that generates first-person auditory simulations of swimmers' races to be used in tandem with visualizations to increase their accuracy. This application was inspired by my love of swimming and psychology, as I based the app on the self-efficacy theory (which outlines what factors leading to increased confidence). I am also passionate about film and share the development processes behind projects like these on YouTube to make programming more accessible. I have also committed myself to scholarship by pursuing the International Baccalaureate diploma, maintaining a GPA of 4.20, and becoming bilingual in Mandarin Chinese. I have committed myself to leadership and served as the Historian of my High School's National Honor Society chapter. I also served as a two-time Captain for my high school swim team. Given my scholastic accolades and my lifelong commitment to engineering and learning, I believe I am an excellent candidate for the Chris Jackson Scholarship. This scholarship would place less of a financial burden on myself, my parents, and also my younger brother and younger sister, both of whom hope to enroll in college within the coming years. While I can’t promise to be the next Larry Page or Tony Fadell, it is evident that the University of Michigan is primed with the supplies that anyone may need to change the world. Thus, the Chris Jackson Scholarship will help me to achieve my goals at the University of Michigan, as it will enable me to continue my passion for engineering and collaborate with my peers to shape the future in software development and ultimately become a successful entrepreneur.

My commitment to the study of science and engineering has been a dominating theme in my life. I have demonstrated my commitment to scholarship by pursuing the rigorous International Baccalaureate degree and maintaining a GPA of 4.20. As Historian of the National Honor Society, I have demonstrated leadership within the community. I also serve as team captain on my high school swim team. I am interested in pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science as the field has intrigued me since Elementary School. Involving myself in the current technological revolution has been a hobby of mine for the past six years, as I have been developing software, building robots, and creating games, which has made an impact on those around me, and has helped bridge gaps between people. When I was eleven, my interest in game development sparked shortly after discovering I could modify the code of one of my favorite video games turning it into something entirely new. From my freshman year of high school on, I led a small team of developers as we created various games. Eventually, I began working with Mojang Studios, the makers of Minecraft, to make games for the Minecraft Realms platform. While I did not receive compensation for my work--which consisted of programming, level design, game art creation, sound design, marketing, and working directly with Mojang Studios, the company behind the best-selling game of all time--the satisfaction and experiences gained through the creative process made the time and dedication worth it. Through my experiences, I have gained a more opportunistic perspective, constantly asking myself “how could technology solve this'' each time I identify issues within society. For instance, as a national-level competitive swimmer, a large part of race preparation is mentally rehearsing races prior to diving into the water to increase confidence; I created a mobile app that generates first-person auditory simulations of swimmers’ races that can be used in tandem with visualizations to increase accuracy. Since I have an interest in psychology, I based the app on the self-efficacy theory. Excitingly, the app worked, as it had a positive impact on swimming abilities. I have also worked on various other projects and share their development processes on YouTube. My proven work ethic, dedication to scholarship, and passion make me an excellent candidate for the Chris Jackson Computer Science Education Scholarship. The Scholarship would allow me to attend the University of Michigan and collaborate with a community of learners and pursue my dreams of working as a software engineer at a FAANG company (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, or Google). While I can’t promise to be the next Larry Page or Tony Fadell, I will make sure that my strong work ethic and dedication to making the world a better place will uphold the standards of this scholarship as I explore beyond my horizons to help shape the future.