Cars

People have told me that nothing else matters in a profession besides being passionate about what I do. As a toddler I remember taking my most treasured toy, a bright red Ferrari Testarossa Hot Wheels car, and rolling it back and forth on the glossy, white tiled floor of my house. It never left my hands, accompanying me to restaurants, my grandparent's house, and even Disney World. Somehow, the simplicity of this toy car fascinated me.

As I entered elementary school, I realized that real cars are more intricate and even more fascinating than the ones that fit in the palm of my hand. Each car has a beating heart of its own called an engine. Intrigued by the discovery of the engine at the age of 6, I snuck to the driver's seat of my mom's car, shifted it to reverse, and slightly pushed down the accelerator. I learned from my mom that driving illegally was not a good idea, so I found other ways to learn about cars.

I spent days reading monthly subscriptions of Popular Mechanics and Car and Driver, just soaking my mind with the latest manufacturer models and automotive technology. At the age of 12, I could recognize almost any car on the road, list the number of horsepower and feet per pound of torque the engine cranks out, and the engine displacement of the car. I continued to learn and I understand how v, inline, boxer, and rotary engines all work differently from each other. But I am not satisfied. I want to apply what I've learned into a profession.

My love for cars has driven me to want to become a mechanical engineer, specializing in automotives. The red Ferrari toy car that I had loved so much has guided me into a profession. Through the outstanding engineering program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I know that I will receive the best education to help my passion for cars to grow.