Why did you choose Shimer?
As a high school student I reached a state where I wasn’t ready for any more lectures and formulas on blackboards as a requirement to pass exams.  I wanted my education to mean something more than x + y = z.  And speaking with an uncle of mine who is a Shimer grad, I discovered that this school offers opportunities for more interactive education.

Have you engaged in any independent research / projects during or after your time at Shimer?
I am very interested in post-colonial theory, especially taking off from critical theory, and I’ve been studying a lot of that on my own and it aided me in writing my thesis.  I’ve done some research on gender studies especially in relation to performativity, which is a theoretical concept created by Judith Butler.  I researched the historical evolution of the term and I also did another research project that was part of an internship I had last summer.  I’ve also done research on the insurgence of Islam into Bengal as part of an Islamic study project I was doing in Bangladesh.

What is something about your experience at Shimer that you will remember for a very long time?
It is difficult to pick out just one.  My favorites include the different conversations, the pats on the back from my professors, playing catch with the Dean, walking into his office asking him to get off his computer so that he can throw a baseball with me.  I remember getting the Director of Admission to play soccer and shout at me because I missed a pass. Things like this made all these people I look up to seem like peers in many ways.

What has been the most beneficial aspect of your Shimer education?
Shimer helped me analyze things in a better way than most people are able to analyze things.  Also, in the process of working out the future steps of a career that involves cultural integration in this modern world, Shimer has helped me plan how to go about doing that, making it to grad school,  and so on.

What advice would you give to prospective students?
This may sound trite, but “if you are squeamish don’t prod the beach rubble.”  I say that because this school is amazing and it’s one of the better things a human being can get, but you really need to be aware of what you want before you start coming to a school like this.  I would encourage people who are looking into a school like Shimer to be highly aware, because it is a road less traveled, making your life much more challenging than it would be if you went to a conventional institution.