The beginning of fall always stirs feelings of excitement and zest into Arizona residents. After all, the autumnal season is a long-awaited break from the scorching Arizona summer (which honestly, stretches all year long) and brings the arrival of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Obviously, by characteristic, September and October tend to be relatively warm months in Arizona (we can never catch a break, huh?) and the leaves are still green.

Over on the east coast, however, ACP Class of 2018 alumnus, Sophia Chan, is enjoying the cool real fall weather. A junior at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sophia is majoring in Computer Science and Engineering and successfully juggling her school work and hobbies. Without further ado, here is Sophia Chan:

Q: Why did you choose Computer Science and Engineering?

A:  I entered college as a Computer Science and Molecular Biology joint major, but as I began taking more and more CS classes, I realized my passions aligned more along with utilizing the power of CS techniques as tools to solve complex problems within varying contexts in a broader sense, not just those focused on computational biology.

Q: What has been your favorite college experience so far?

A: My favorite college experience has definitely been joining an acapella group! Growing up, I’ve always been heavily involved with music, especially in playing harp. But since coming to college, it’s definitely been difficult to find access or the time to play harp. So, I joined MIT Resonance my freshman year and it’s been an amazing time!

Q: What do you plan on doing after college?

A: Still not completely sure what exactly I want to do post-graduation, since I feel like my passions are all super diverse, but definitely would like to do something with innovating for new technologies that better humankind in some way!

Q: What do you miss the most about ACP?

A: I definitely miss the connections I made at ACP the most – whether it’s with friends that I still hold very close to my heart or teachers that changed my life forever!

Q: Any advice for seniors in regard to college?

A: Working hard is super important but don’t forget that college is also the best time to collect on your experiences and figure out what role you want to play in the world.

Q: Now for a fun question: Which fictional character would you like to meet the most?

A: Holden Caulfield definitely! The Catcher in the Rye has always been my favorite book of all time and I’ve always related to him in many ways. Would love to share a meal and conversation with him.

Thank you to Sophia for taking the time to review these questions and give us a little insight to the life of a university student. Good luck in your future endeavors!