I am a member of the Class of 2024 in the College double majoring in Political Science and Hispanic Studies, along with a possible minor in English. Beyond BFS, I’m involved in The Daily Pennsylvanian, the Collegium Institute, and the John Marshall Pre-Law Society on campus. As a member of the class of 2024, I started my college career online from home, and ISP was the definitive highlight of my entire freshman year. The community of curious students and passionate faculty it brought together created an atmosphere of conversation that never failed to spark more and more questions, both in our larger lectures and more intimate Friday recitations. The diverse curriculum and subjects we studied would seem isolated at first, but as we talked through the concepts we read about each week I was always excited to see connections and conflicts form. It was the perfect breeding ground for arguments and agreements alike, and every moment added nuance to my understanding both of specific ideas and of how to learn. Not only do I still draw upon the knowledge I gained and reference the books I read, but the habits I formed during my time in ISP even now influence how I approach my own chosen areas of study. My participation in ISP aided me in my decision to double major, and taking a BFS English seminar has also been what inspired me to consider an English minor. As someone who loves reading and learning across disciplines, ISP was the perfect start to my Penn career and formed my academic mindset in a way that still encourages me to consider all different perspectives and to realize that today’s ever-more-complex questions can be answered best through an interdisciplinary view.