The Ivy League Connection has changed me as an individual. Becoming an ILCer was definitely an adventure. From the beginning the Ivy League Connection kept pushing me to do better and better. The Ivy League Connection throughout the adventure gave me confidence and some more confidence.
Believing in myself started when the essay round started. I tried my hardest on the essay for Cornell and prepared constantly for my interview ahead. Once being accepted into the scholarship it arises a feeling that I could do anything I set my mind too. I began to become more confident in what I was capable of. It definitely helped me with my speaking abilities, as in the interview I practiced giving well put together answers in a matter of seconds. I also gained experience in speaking in public for the School Board presentation as I gave a speech thanking our community and everyone involved that supported this scholarship.
I never once had anything like the Ivy League Connection in my life something that was not 100% guaranteed, I always had to try my hardest and go through dinners, to blogs, to writing, and presentations. This program is so unique and actually helps students believe in themselves and realize that they are destined to greater things. I still cannot believe I got in to the scholarship and let alone that I went to Cornell for three weeks. Yet, here I am back from Cornell. I never could have imagined the future to come with the Ivy League Connection, but that is something about the program--it lets you experience new things.
This program opens doors for you and lets you see yourself in a new light. Starting at Cornell it was a completely different experience from back at home. From the people to the environment. I had to keep pushing myself staying up late sometimes writing my essay or rereading class materials so I could better understand it. I kept pushing myself harder because I wanted to prove to myself that I belonged here. most kids paid for their stay there while I was on scholarship. How I see it is I worked hard to get to where I was and I was not going to stop there either. This is something about ILCers that I realize we DO NOT give up even if we have a lot of homework we still stay up to blog and add pretty pictures to it. Even though we do not come from the greatest schools with the best English departments we work our butts off for our essays in the classroom. We keep pushing ourselves to do our best or even past that.
I wish my whole community could experience what I did. I know everyone could benefit from this experience, but even if the whole community could not join me I alone went and now coming back I am going to make a change. Being an ILCer is all about giving back, now my community just has to wait and see.
Being at Cornell I want to reach new heights now I have higher goals. My class of Inspiring Leadership let me understand who I am and let me realize what I could do to make a change. The Ivy League Connection gave me the support to even know these things.
Coming back from Cornell I am a new person, I don't know if you can see it, but I can feel it. I am ready for anything to be thrown my way. Thank you again and again ILC for helping me discover my capabilities as Diana. Thank you to the panelists for seeing my potential that not even myself realized. Thank you to my community and school board for supporting this program and us all the way and not giving up on us. Thank you to Mike for always being there for us whenever we needed you. Thank you to my cohort for becoming a family to me. Thank you Don Gosney for actually changing my life for the better and always working your hardest to send us to the East Coast and to see us grow. Everyone can agree that you are one of the most inspiring people in our community doing everything you do for us. There is no way I could ever repay you, but I will do my best to help my community and let the legacy community of being an ILCer. Till next time ILC, I hope you continue to change lives as you dd for me and many others.
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