Lydia Boike
Murray 1693 Scholar
Hometown
Minneapolis, MN (Wayzata High School)
Why William & Mary
I first visited William & Mary the summer before my senior year. While I was there, I did an interview with one of the students working in the admissions office. The student interviewer asked me, “If you could uninvent anything what would you uninvent?” and, “How do you plan to contribute to society?” She genuinely seemed interested in who I was and she clearly took the time to come up with questions that were challenging, creative, and worth thinking about. She took notes on everything I said. It was the first time I felt that a school put in the effort to learn more about me than was necessary for an admission decision.
Following my interview, all of my ensuing experiences at William & Mary confirmed how much this school truly cares about each of its students. During the time I spent on campus for the 1693 Scholars finalist weekend, it was very apparent that students and staff at William & Mary collaborate with each other. William & Mary is a place where professors want all of their students to succeed beyond simply doing well in class. There is no set path to success at William & Mary and there are numerous opportunities for students to do their own original research and projects. That is why I chose William & Mary; it is a place that believes in – and cares wholeheartedly about – its undergraduate students.
Major
Chemistry and a self-designed second major combining neuroscience and dance
W&M Activities
- UAID (United Against Inequities in Disease)
- Executive Board --- Director of Activism and Awareness
- Won 2nd Place Grand Prize in the Big Ideas Competition, 1st Place for Mobiles in Reading category --- in total $13,000 to start our proposed project in Haiti
- I worked with a team to design a computer program that allows students and teachers to write books in Creole using leveled word lists with the ability to publish the books to a server where they can be shared with other schools
- Haasya
- Participated in and raised funds for Walk to End HIV 2014 in DC
- Coordinated Music & Memory iPod drive for Alzheimer's patients in Williamsburg
Summers
- Recieved Community Engagement Grant for $1500 to do personalized iPod music programs with residents with dementia and Alzheimer's disease at the Gardens at Warwick Continuing Care Facility
- Implemented Big Ideas project in Haiti
- worked with teachers and students at three schools in Lascahobas to research the effects of using laptops to learn how to read and write
- started a summer program for children to write books in Haitian Creole using laptops and our program
- 8 weeks of biochem research with Professor Landino at William & Mary - looking at the effects of oxidation on lactate dehydrogenase protein and its implications in Alzheimer's disease and cancer
High School Activities
- Lead Bharatanatyam Dancer at Nrityalaya Academy
- Completed my dance Arangetram (professional dance debut for Indian classical dance)
- Captain of Synchronized Swim team
- Eight consecutive state championship titles
- Captain of Future Problem Solvers
- Flute
- Volunteered at an assisted living center and played flute for patients with dementia
- Taught swimming lessons
- Started a synchronized swimming program for beginners
Awards/Distinctions
- National AP Scholar
- School Board Recognition for achievements in sychronized swimming
- School Board Recognition for achievements in Future Problem Solvers
- Gold Level Academic Award
- First Place in the FPS 2014 international competition
- senior division, global problem solving team
