Skyler Seets
Stamps 1693 Scholar
Hometown
Excelsior, MN (Minnetonka HS)
Areas of Interest
Public Policy and Data Science
Why W&M
I came upon William & Mary almost completely by chance. I first heard about it while talking with a couple of kids in my english class about colleges and where people were applying, and one of my friends mentioned that he was looking at William & Mary. I didn’t know much about it at the time, but the couple things he mentioned--small-mid sized liberal arts school known for amazing undergraduate research opportunities and a kind and nerdy student population--piqued my interest immediately. I knew that I wanted a school that encouraged interdisciplinary academic exploration, as well as had a culture of collaboration and passion, and I quickly found William & Mary to fit that list.
It wasn’t until the Finalist Weekend that I realized how well it fit, however. Despite the fact that our entire weekend had to be virtual due to Covid-19, everyone in the scholars program worked hard to make us feel welcomed and connected. They answered all of our questions, whether through interest panels, virtual tours, individual and group discussions, and game nights. I immediately felt both the camaraderie between the scholars, as well as the love they held for their school. More than just hearing about the positive community, I got to see firsthand the excitement that each person held in sharing their passions and the genuine kindness that they extended to me even through the computer screen. The more I heard about William & Mary and all of its incredible academic programs, the more it seemed like the perfect place to both accept me as I am, and push me to grow.
W&M Activities
- Social Networks and Political Psychology (SNaPP) Lab
- Technical Analyst with Disinfo Lab
- Student director of the Omnibus
- Show Manager for Pep Band (2022, 2023)
- Government department research assistant (2022)
- VOX: Planned Parenthood Generation Action
- William & Mary's Student Organization for Medical Outreach and Sustainability (SOMOS)
- Data Science Staff for Data Science for Sustainable Development (Summer 2021)
High School Activities
- Earth Club Vice President
- Minnetonka Climate Initiative Student Leader
- City of Minnetonka Energy Action Team
- Hope House Event Resource Fair Lead
- National Honor Society Executive
- Marching Band
- Spanish Honor Society
- Feminist Club
- Human Rights and Relations Club
Awards / Distinctions
- Harvard Book Prize
- IB Bilingual Diploma
- AP National Scholar
- National Merit Finalist
- Platinum Bilingual Seal for Spanish
- Sierra Club North Star Chapter Achievement Award
- Spinnaker Award for Community Service
- Minnetonka Enrichment Scholar Student of the Year
