Yale University - Ivy Scholars Program 2009
I learned about the Ivy Scholars program through the College Confidential forum. The 21-paged prospectus, filled with names of prestigious professors and exciting topics ranging from the Obama administration to Greek philosophy, quickly captured my interest. Selected on to the program from a group of international applicants with a scholarship, I spent the bulk of my winter holiday digging into the notoriously unmerciful two-paged reading list. Nevertheless, the sparks that shone during late nights trying to decode Clausewitz's convoluted "On war" or Paul Kennedy's "The rise and fall of nations" are something I knew would leave a deep influence on my intellectual development.
The most distinguished character of the program is its extremely high caliber. I remember feeling stunned observing Paul Kennedy, Ambassador Hill and Professor Mead in person, let alone listening to their amazing lectures and holding conversations with them afterwards. I remember discovering that the girl-next-door to my dorm is the representative for the USA MUN Team, that the one living downstairs had successfully organised a whole television program at grade 9, and that my group mentor is among the few accepted to Yale's prestigious PhD program in political science. Smart people are a great source of inspiration. I learned from them not just the insatiable passion for knowledge and the habit of always questioning, but also the sincerity to dedicate one's self to others, to strive fully aware of the possibility of failing, and to speak for what is right instead of the liked.
Professor Luong and his organising team spared no chance of showing us their high expectations from our group. My two-week schedule had no single blank box. Right from the first day, I dwelled on lectures from 9am to 10pm, and then wrestled with our 300-paged preparatory readings and endless G-mail Group Briefing topic discussions. Coffee became everybody's necessity, yet few skipped the amazing chances of socialising breakfasts offered. Having never been forced to work in such a way, I found my deepest intellectual passions tremendously fueled. From analytical skills to global healthcare, from legal philosophy to UN reforms, I embrace my rare opportunities to explore in depth an amazing breadth of topics, each again shaking my logic structure, adding another huge change to my perspective.
I would be glad to see more AIC students applying to Yale Ivy Scholars Program next year. Admittedly, participating in such a prestigious program and getting a recommendation letter (if you really excel) from a Yale Professor would greatly higher your chance of getting a lofty Ivy acceptance. I advice those who are interested in the ISP to treat the experience as an amazing chance for you to learn, grow and create meaningful relationships.
By Huong Nguyen
