My Nonprofit Reviews

Being a student at SSP was a transformative experience for me. It was the first time I traveled far from home on my own. It was the first time I found myself part of a peer group of comparably smart and curious and motivated students. It introduced me to the process of science and the first scientists I had ever known, and was the first time I began to realize that a career in science might be both possible and desirable. Meeting the other students and realizing how much we had in common and how much I could learn from them made me completely revise my plan for applying to college: I was no longer intimidated by top institutions, if it meant I could spend my time interacting with people like these! And I don't doubt that my experience at SSP made me more qualified for those top institutions. The guest speakers, including Paul MacCready and Maarten Schmidt, were absolutely inspirational: here were real people who had made significant contributions to the world through thinking, questioning, and lots of hard work. I began to think that maybe someday I could do that too. SSP also gave me a jump start on basic astronomy knowledge and the skills I would need for research, which greatly smoothed the transition to undergraduate, and then graduate, research. Coming back to SSP as a teaching assistant reminded me of the unique social dynamic that they manage to foster every year, where talents and quirks are accepted and appreciated and everyone is respected for who they are. Once again, it also gave me a jump start on teaching skills, which I was then able to hone as a graduate student. This was the first year I served on the admissions committee, and I was once again impressed by the demonstrated level of intelligence and passion by the applicants.

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