The Beginning
The first time I visited Drury University was in February of 2015, a year and a half before I began college. As soon as we came to the campus, I knew that I would be a Panther. For the next year and a half, we visited other colleges, but none struck me the way that Drury had. During my time at Drury, I have always known that I made the right decision!
Below is the essay that I submitted to be considered for acceptance to the Drury University Honors Program. The prompt was: "Write an essay describing a dinner party in which you invite three famous and/or historical figures, living or dead. Identify the people you would like to invite and the main topics of conversation. What would you want to learn from the invitees? What topics or issues might they want to discuss with one another?" This essay was the beginning of a journey that has been beyond my wildest dreams!
Emily Hinkle
Honors Admission Essay
I will invite Jesus Christ, Mary Edwards Walker, and Theodore Roosevelt to my dinner party. These people are similar because they were controversial in their time period for speaking out for their beliefs, while changing the world for the better. Mary Edwards Walker was one of the first female surgeons and the only female recipient of the Medal of Honor for her service as a nurse and eventually as a surgeon in the Civil War. Jesus Christ is one of the most controversial historical and religious figures of all time. He came as the Son of God to save people from their sins and was disrespected in the face of the miracles he performed. Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States who believed in equal opportunities for all, as stated in his “Square Deal”. He was young, energetic, and action-oriented, making many improvements in American society, such as regulating labor laws and negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese war.
These individuals might discuss the similarities in their struggles despite the difference in time periods. Each advocated for changes they believed were necessary for the improvement of the world. Mary Edwards Walker might speak of the disrespect she encountered for her disregard for traditional female gender roles. She was at first only allowed to be a nurse in the Army because women were not allowed to be doctors. However, she pushed for change and was eventually allowed to practice as a surgeon. This was continually controversial, causing her name to be stricken from and then restored to the Medal of Honor recipients list. Her push for change paved the way for women who aspire to practice surgery such as myself. Jesus Christ might speak of the doubt he faced from society as to his real identity as the Son of God. He was disbelieved by his fellow Jews, yet is still one of the most influential historical figures of all time. He might discuss with the other two figures the motives they had to push for change. Theodore Roosevelt narrowly received the vice-presidential nomination under President McKinley and only came into power because of McKinley’s assassination by a disgruntled office-seeker. However, he showed great bravery before, during, and after his presidential terms including his participation in the Spanish-American war, his decoration as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and his involvement in the creation of the national park system. He was not afraid to speak out against the majority.
During the discussion, I would like to gain tips about being a woman in a male-dominated career field from Mary Edwards Walker. I would ask Jesus Christ how he had the courage to continue spreading his message in the face of many who did not believe in his purpose. Theodore Roosevelt would be my source for information regarding how to handle difficult situations which I may encounter during my journey into the medical field.
Emily Hinkle
Honors Admission Essay
I will invite Jesus Christ, Mary Edwards Walker, and Theodore Roosevelt to my dinner party. These people are similar because they were controversial in their time period for speaking out for their beliefs, while changing the world for the better. Mary Edwards Walker was one of the first female surgeons and the only female recipient of the Medal of Honor for her service as a nurse and eventually as a surgeon in the Civil War. Jesus Christ is one of the most controversial historical and religious figures of all time. He came as the Son of God to save people from their sins and was disrespected in the face of the miracles he performed. Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th president of the United States who believed in equal opportunities for all, as stated in his “Square Deal”. He was young, energetic, and action-oriented, making many improvements in American society, such as regulating labor laws and negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese war.
These individuals might discuss the similarities in their struggles despite the difference in time periods. Each advocated for changes they believed were necessary for the improvement of the world. Mary Edwards Walker might speak of the disrespect she encountered for her disregard for traditional female gender roles. She was at first only allowed to be a nurse in the Army because women were not allowed to be doctors. However, she pushed for change and was eventually allowed to practice as a surgeon. This was continually controversial, causing her name to be stricken from and then restored to the Medal of Honor recipients list. Her push for change paved the way for women who aspire to practice surgery such as myself. Jesus Christ might speak of the doubt he faced from society as to his real identity as the Son of God. He was disbelieved by his fellow Jews, yet is still one of the most influential historical figures of all time. He might discuss with the other two figures the motives they had to push for change. Theodore Roosevelt narrowly received the vice-presidential nomination under President McKinley and only came into power because of McKinley’s assassination by a disgruntled office-seeker. However, he showed great bravery before, during, and after his presidential terms including his participation in the Spanish-American war, his decoration as a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and his involvement in the creation of the national park system. He was not afraid to speak out against the majority.
During the discussion, I would like to gain tips about being a woman in a male-dominated career field from Mary Edwards Walker. I would ask Jesus Christ how he had the courage to continue spreading his message in the face of many who did not believe in his purpose. Theodore Roosevelt would be my source for information regarding how to handle difficult situations which I may encounter during my journey into the medical field.