<p>Here it is, my why vassar. But I feel like its not quite there all the way, like it needs some spicing up and is it way too short??...any ideas? comments? opinions? ahh! Thank you!! :)</p>
<p>I feel as if I have grown up with Vassar. Both my sister and father are Vassar graduates, and I have always been nurtured by a warm circle of my dad's old college buddies. Being around these Vassar alums for so long has given me a strong sense of not only what a Vassar person can be, but what kind of college helps shape such a person. Since its founding, Vassar has had a tradition of encouraging the human spirit to flourish in spite of boundaries. I have seen this expressed through my family and our friends. My father and his Vassar friends have worked throughout their adult lives to promote economic mobility for impoverished people, been active in local government, and worked with many vital charitable organizations. All of these endeavors have centered around the idea of promoting opportunities for people, particularly those who face economic or cultural barriers; and it has always been clear to me that Vassar was essential in steering my dad and his friends along this path. I've seen Vassar's influence similarly in shaping my sister's life since graduating from Vassar. She chose to join “Teach for America”, and spent two years working with an extremely challenging student population in New Orleans. Her current school has a program in which each classroom 'adopts' a college. My sister chose Vassar (of course!) for her classroom, and raised $1,000 to institute the program. Her students, most of whom are severely economically disadvantaged, have been learning about Vassar College, acquiring Vassar T-shirts and other VC paraphernalia, and most importantly been given a very concrete connection to an institution that would ordinarily be well beyond their reach. The very fact that my sister's experience at Vassar resonated so deeply within her that it culminated in her choosing to share it with her classroom further proves to me how special Vassar is. I'm convinced that it is a place that can provide me the inspiration and means not only to develop personally, but also the capacity to share it with those around me.</p>