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Meryl Sell is a college senior attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is double majoring in Interior Design and Mathematics, with a certificate in Textile Science, set to graduate in May 2015. Her diverse interests have allowed her to experience opportunities such as a "Research Experience for Undergraduate" (REU) program during the summer of 2011 focusing on astrophysics, an interior design internship working with the university architects during the summer of 2012, and a once in a lifetime study abroad trip to Istanbul, Turkey during the summer of 2013. Her goals for the future are to discover what the world has to offer, to identify what she has to offer the world, and above all, to create happiness. This website shows a combination of her student work, internship work, photographs, and paintings. See below for her most current resume.
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A personal statement
One of my goals as a person is to learn about other cultures and experience the way different people live. Throughout my life, I have loved observing my own environment as well as others to figure out what truly makes the life as a whole comfortable and livable. Does it depend on the personality of the person, what the person is interested in, where the person grew up, or something else entirely?
Before I realized that I was interested in interior design as a profession, I decided to choose an abstract, sometimes genuinely perplexing major: astrophysics. As an inspired freshman, I traveled with a graduate student to Kitt Peak, Arizona to help research with telescopes at their world renowned observatory. It was here where I realized something truly phenomenal. Although astronomy was seemingly unrelated to life on earth, especially galaxies and solar systems so far away, studying it had such a humble effect on my outlook of the world. Seeing the earth this way made me wonder what else lies outside of this home we all share. As I worked on this research, I was constantly in contact with people who all shared this same, fundamental passion. Similar to the moon race in the early 1960’s, our civilization shared a common goal to reach beyond what is known and venture into the unknown, not because it was easy, but because it was hard. I believe this is one thing that makes people truly happy; working together to achieve a seemingly impossible goal.
Another time I really saw true happiness was when I went to Istanbul, Turkey for the past summer to study abroad. I arrived there knowing almost no Turkish, so I often had to rely on the villagers within the area I was in to help me get around. It was here where I made simply remarkable friends, many knowing very little English. As opposed to my time working in astronomy, where we all shared a similar interest, my time in Turkey was shared with people who were so different from me in so many ways. Although our culture, traditions, and educations were often unalike, one thing always remained constant: our acceptance of one another. Because of this acceptance, I found myself truly happy, because I could learn how other people live and what makes them happy without worrying about being judged for my own culture and customs.
Now, as an interior design and mathematics major, I feel that I will genuinely be able make the world a better place. Although I did not end up pursuing astronomy further, I really felt great knowing I was communicating with hundreds of people that were as curious about the universe as I was. My time in Turkey was also spent realizing that true contentment lies in acceptance; when people do not share similar interests, one can still create happiness. Now, as an interior design major, I believe I am covering another facet of happiness: one’s environment. Whether in a home, an office, or a public space, the design of the interior can drastically alter one’s emotions for the better, through proper ergonomics, aesthetics, lighting, acoustics, and so much more. Even though I do not know what will happen in the future, as I continue on with my journey through life, I hope to use my knowledge of design and mathematics to make the world a better place.
Before I realized that I was interested in interior design as a profession, I decided to choose an abstract, sometimes genuinely perplexing major: astrophysics. As an inspired freshman, I traveled with a graduate student to Kitt Peak, Arizona to help research with telescopes at their world renowned observatory. It was here where I realized something truly phenomenal. Although astronomy was seemingly unrelated to life on earth, especially galaxies and solar systems so far away, studying it had such a humble effect on my outlook of the world. Seeing the earth this way made me wonder what else lies outside of this home we all share. As I worked on this research, I was constantly in contact with people who all shared this same, fundamental passion. Similar to the moon race in the early 1960’s, our civilization shared a common goal to reach beyond what is known and venture into the unknown, not because it was easy, but because it was hard. I believe this is one thing that makes people truly happy; working together to achieve a seemingly impossible goal.
Another time I really saw true happiness was when I went to Istanbul, Turkey for the past summer to study abroad. I arrived there knowing almost no Turkish, so I often had to rely on the villagers within the area I was in to help me get around. It was here where I made simply remarkable friends, many knowing very little English. As opposed to my time working in astronomy, where we all shared a similar interest, my time in Turkey was shared with people who were so different from me in so many ways. Although our culture, traditions, and educations were often unalike, one thing always remained constant: our acceptance of one another. Because of this acceptance, I found myself truly happy, because I could learn how other people live and what makes them happy without worrying about being judged for my own culture and customs.
Now, as an interior design and mathematics major, I feel that I will genuinely be able make the world a better place. Although I did not end up pursuing astronomy further, I really felt great knowing I was communicating with hundreds of people that were as curious about the universe as I was. My time in Turkey was also spent realizing that true contentment lies in acceptance; when people do not share similar interests, one can still create happiness. Now, as an interior design major, I believe I am covering another facet of happiness: one’s environment. Whether in a home, an office, or a public space, the design of the interior can drastically alter one’s emotions for the better, through proper ergonomics, aesthetics, lighting, acoustics, and so much more. Even though I do not know what will happen in the future, as I continue on with my journey through life, I hope to use my knowledge of design and mathematics to make the world a better place.
For more of my thoughts and experiences, please visit my blog: